/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

First.

Also, love the batzeeb.

>>177003
Holy shit is that Lunar "Butterzeeb" Nadir from the hit /mlpol/ ttrpg Occupied Equestria?

Posey concentrates for as many rounds as it take for her to discern the exact strength of the undead auras.

"I wonder, even if we found Curwhinny, short of him being a lich, how would we identify his remains?"

>>177010
scrunches

>>177011
It’s less than 11 HD

>But how many exactly
Smaller than 11

>but like, how many precisely
Less than 11

>the spell should tell me how many hit die. Not one above, not one less
If Posey can correctly guess the precise thickness of the interfering matter between her and the undead presence, and then the degree to which said matter would interfere with the strength of the present felt by posey, then sure, she could tell exactly how strong the undead is with a bit of math. She can’t.

>>177012
Well. Our question is answered for now.
"There is no lich in these catacombs. Of that much I am sure." Posey concludes
>If Posey can correctly guess the precise thickness of the interfering matter between her and the undead presence, and then the degree to which said matter would interfere with the strength of the present felt by posey, then sure, she could tell exactly how strong the undead is with a bit of math.
Rolling Int
[1d20+3 = (8+3) = 11]

>>177014
That’ll handle guesses as to the thickness of the material and the final calculations. Roll Knowledge Arcana for the effects on the spell

>>177017
If Posey’s assumption about the walls being simply fired-clay brick, as the empty and broken burial spots imply, is correct, and if the remainder of her math is correct, then these are around about 3 HD each. If there is actually another substance their, like sand, or if the off angle is making the brick the aura goes through thicker, then it may be a bit higher.

Of course, theoretically there could be a lead wall in there drowning out 99% of the aura. If that’s the case, it’s much bigger than 3 HD…

>>176966 →
Amber is quiet for a moment. Then she says,

"If we can't get him to leave, maybe we could keep the Inspector from coming here. At least for a little while, to give us time."

>>177018
>Of course, theoretically there could be a lead wall in there drowning out 99% of the aura. If that’s the case, it’s much bigger than 3 HD…
A thin sheet of lead would block her spell entirely, so unless an unprecedented, apocalyptic undead is near who's sheer presence seeps through it, she rules out that possibility.
>3 HD
Moderate auras. More than a mindless skeleton or zombie. I would assume ghouls, based on the context, although if Posey is lucky they could be shadows.

You said the auras are coming from the walls themselves? Not the caskets or burial chambers? If it's coming from the walls, that means they could be incorporeal or burrowing.

>>177020
It’s a walled-in burial chamber, evidently walled in by brick and mortar. It isn’t impossible that the auras are coming from beyond the chamber, but it seems unlikely that any aura would penetrate that far through brick, stone, and clay.

>>177019
“Hmmmmm…. Or if he didn’t get back to Central Council… Maybe when the sun does not come on the date they think it will, they will go back to normal.”

>>177021
"Hmmmmmm."
Posey, still Concentrating on her spell, knocks on the walls that she sensed the auras coming from.
"~Yoo-hoo, anypony there?" she beckons

>>177022
"It's not far off at all," Amber replies with a glimmer of hope. "He will be proven undeniably wrong and nopony will follow him after that."

>>177024
He pets Amber, evidently out of sheer nervousness.

>>177023
A sound, and what seems to be scratching back.

>>177025
>scratching back
That rules out incorporeal undead. Bummer, I was hoping for a Shadow army.
Posey writes something down in her notebook.

"It looks like curwhinny isn't here in any capacity that rivals his former self, although we can't really be sure until we've found his body."
>>177008
"Open the casket. We should at least rule out that this one is Curwhinny. Any clothing, pins, or buttons could indicate who it was."

>>177025
pony is pet

"We'll be alright," she sniffles as she wipes at her eyes. "Thank you for listening, Papa."

>>177026
>>177025
Is opening the casket as simple a procedure as "push/lift lid"?

>>177027
"Heh heh heh" Sitting, he continues to pet Amber's mane, largely missing and instead stroking the hood over her head. Every tooth shows from his mouth, and he looks far past Amber.

>>177026
>She think's there isn't an army of shadows in the region
hehe

>>177028
No. It's in the chamber pretty well. Not quite stuck, but not far from it.

>>177029
>army of shadows in the region
Ooh?
Rolling Religion to see what Posey knows about this:
[1d20+11 = (14+11) = 25]
>Not quite stuck, but not far from it.
Posey helps him out with her horn.

>>177029
>>177030
Silver gives it the good ol' college try, at least.

>>177030
Posey is not aware of anything specific

>lifting multi-hundred pound objects with the horn
No. I don't care what Startlight Glimmer can do

>>177031
>lifting multi-hundred pound objects without a strength roll
No. I don't care what Silver can normally do

>>177033
Just seeing if it was required or not.

[1d20+3 = (10+3) = 13]

>>177033
Okay. She lifts it out herself then.
Posey can lift 690 pounds over her head. Is that enough?

>>177035
(Posey can push or drag up to 3450 pounds)

>>177034
>>177038
Good enough.

It's a very awkward fit. but Silver and the suspiciously strong mare are able to wiggle the casket out of the chamber without letting it fall to the ground, and carefully put it down.

>>177039
Okay. Now lets check out the body.
"If only we had his dental records... Anyway, check if he has any signets, pins, handkerchiefs, or identifying marks on his horseshoes."

>>177039
>>177040
Silver is indeed surprised by the mare's strength given her size, but it's not like he's complaining when otherwise it would have been a struggle to move the heavy slab of marble by himself. Now to check the body inside, if there even is one.

>>177033
>Posey is not aware of anything specific
Could I get just a hint from that good roll?

>>177042
Pretty sure places of great suffering and death periodically generate shadows

And if they don't then shrugs. Maybe there isn't an army

>>177041
>>177040
The casket has been sealed with iron rods and very possibly magic on the side. All of that is by passed by the severe cracks that have broken the rods and shattered the stone, with several chips and cracks all along the top of the lid. It comes off.

Inside:
An equine skeleton dressed in what was once a wool jacket.

>>177043
Hmm...interesting. How decayed is the jacket? Silver's impressed that any part of it would have lasted so long next to a decaying corpse.

>>177044
It is not in great condition, but not gone, either.

>>177043
>suffering and death periodically generate shadows
There's always good news for a necromancer where there's war.
>Maybe there isn't an army
Not yet there isn't.
>what was once a wool jacket.
Posey examines the jacket to check for any identifying features (pins, signets, buckles, etc) that may reveal the identity of the deceased.

>>177045
>>177046
Silver meanwhile checks the skeleton itself for any jewelry or other articles.

>>177047
"Careful. Anything here could be cursed."

>>177048
"I am, most curses do not activate unless you wear, use, or take possession of item."

>>177049
"..Sure they don't..." Rosey Ring replies, the sarcasm clear in her voice
"Anyway, we can't be sure if Curwhinny was a lich or not until we find his body."
>>177043
She looks to Pear, hoping she has ranks in History to make this check
"Was Curwhinny known to wear any sort of iconic clothing, signets, pins or other notable items in life that might identify him?"

>>177029
Amber, or rather Kultainen, relaxes as she is affectionately pet. Maybe her father is right about the importance of science after all…. Then a thought hits her, which makes her exhale clouds into the frigid air.

"Papa? I went to the blast zone with Jakala. Will we get sick too?"

Do we find anything in the casket that would indicate that this is Curwhinny?

>>176634 →
"Well" the stallion looks down. "I don't really know anything about that. Either somepony vouches for him and his story lines up, or he might be under suspicion of being a spy."

>>177053
"Well... I don't know" he pets her continuously. "I don't think so. Vaeltaja would take his followers deep into the blast, where the soil is more disturbed. And they'd stay longer there. You were only on the edges." His hoof pauses on her for a few seconds. "You said you saw a moose in the blast. Was it acting unusually?"

>>177056
Amber isn't sure if what she saw was a moose, and she knows she went to the middle of it all. Her eyes widen as she looks off into the distance. "I barely got a peek in, I was too scared…but it looked to have been walking in a straight line. I also saw hewed and stacked logs at the blast."

>>177056
Cavaliere narrows his eyes as he scans the room. "A spy for a country that no longer exists. Every inhabitant of this land is a suspect with so wide a dragnet." He turns back to the pony. "If he is causing you this much consternation, I can keep him under observation for you."

>>177057
He ruffles her mane, and her golden hair falls in front of her eyes again.

"Doesn't seem too out of the norm to me. Let's go home. We still have to... the problem has to be solved..."

>>177058
"No. A spy for Aris, or for Aquelia." He leans back. "You know what. Entertain me. What do you propose?"

>>177059
Amber nods and gets up in a hurry.

"It's getting cold out here."

>>177061
"And how, pray tell, would we know that they are not themselves deliberately harborers of spies?"

>>177060
He nods
"Yeah."

The two walk back to the hut where mother is inside.

>>177050
>>177055
>>177062
Any results on this skeleton?

>>177062
"Mama! It's so good to see you!"

Amber rushes over to giver her a hug.

>>177064
"What do you mean?" He asks "About the frontier"

>>177065
squeaky
Amber manages a hug around her, and she hugs back.
"Enjoy your short trip outside?"
Father meanwhile, hangs back by the door. He does not take his clothing off.

>>177066
She lets go and looks off to the right for a moment. "It…was alright. Salt is expensive."

>>177067
"Oh really? How much is it, Keskiyon? She asks, looking back. But Father has difficulty concentrating. He shakes his head, as if to bring himself back into the room. "Oh, they want to sell it by the kilogram and not the skalpund, whatever that is."

But behind, there is rapping on the door
"Keskiyon, are you ready?"

>>177069
"Well, then I hope you have an appreciation for our task."

>>177070
"Are you going someplace?" she asks her mother, smiling.

>>177071
"No" She answers. But her mouth is partly open, and her golden eyes wide as the rapping continues.

"Keskiyon, are you ready?"
Father gets up, and goes to the door.

>>177070
"I do, and I also understand that sympathy is not in your job description. But you should also realize that stallion…" he points off to the detained pony "…has no real evidence against him of being a spy, and is being kept out of his home simply because he left it at a certain point. There is a difference between running a customs gate and being a prison guard, however blurred that distinction may have become after the War. You probably don't want to view yourself as a prison guard for all of pony-led Equestria, and yet you are inviting that comparison. My way out to you still stands: it is essentially risk-free and will let you sleep better at night. What do you say to that?"

>>177072
Is Keskiyon the name of Kultainen's mother? I got confused with the dialogue

"Ready for what?" Amber asks as she looks toward the door.

>>177073
"State again, if you will, just what precisely is your 'way out'?"

>>177074
Peaking through the door, the head of the stallion from earlier:
"Kultainen" He says, looking over with a serious expression. "Your father and I need to go collect a larger batch of firewood." And looking to him, "I've got the sled, grab an axe."

>>177075
I really should be keeping better notes

Amber's eyes widen in alarm. "B-but there's plenty of firewood to go around. It's not necessary, really!"

>>177076
"And that is why we do not leave little fillies in charge of collecting firewood for the winter. Keskiyon, get out here. We must be done before the wind increases."

Father looks back at Amber, as if looking for a suggestion.

>>177075
"If you don't trust the Blackhooves' redoubtable but certainly stretched intelligence assets, or the local police, to keep track of a single stallion, I have the will and resources to do that for you." He cocks a griffon's equivalent of an eyebrow. "Now, is there some sort of 'assurance deposit' you need?"

>>177078
"Did you have something in mind?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. "And do you know where you will be staying? Working?"

>>177077
Poor Papa…a lynx has got his tongue. "The only way we'll need more firewood is if we keep the doors open and letting the cold in. And…" she continues, finding newfound resolve, "If you spend so much time outside you'll have to eat more food. It'll be several weeks until sunlight and we need to make sure we have enough food to last us until then. Isn't that right, Papa?"

>>177063
Are there any checks/spells necessary for this?

>>176996 →
“Oh yeah, Vodka is great! Well it tastes terrible. Almost like gasoline. It burns your throat going down. But it’ll t you drunk quickly.”

>>177085
"Blegh! That sounds terrible!" She pauses, as a thought comes to her mind. "...how do you know what gasoline tastes like?"

>>177080
“Yeah, that’s uh, that’s right.”

But the stallion says,
“Get out here.”
And drags him outside of the hut.

>>177086
Neela narrows her eyes,
“What are you implying?”

>>177087
Kira blinks, and flicks her tongue.

"Like, have you drank gasoline before? I don't think it's meant to be consumed..."

>>177087
"No, wait, don't take him!" she shrilly shouts as she chases after them.

>>177088
Scrunching, and narrowing her eyes.

“No…”

>>177089
“Now how could you do that? As for ‘leaving it at that,’ well, while your visa only requires that you work in an economically productive field or more directly for the war effort. But a griffin isn’t the most regulated thing you’ve brought with you. You see, your firearms require licensing. Licensing that only comes with special government work. And we’ll need that paperwork to let you depart here with them.”

>>177090
“Little pony. This doesn’t concern you.” He says to Amber

>>177084
If you want to roll something for the fun of it, why not?

>>177047
>>177063
The inside of the jacket is sewn with purple, he is wearing a ring, and an envelope with a wax seal, addressed to a “Tall Sails”

>>177091
Rolling for fun
[1d20 = 12]
>he is wearing a ring
What is he wearing it on?
>envelope with a wax seal, addressed to a “Tall Sails”
Posey opens the letter and skims down to who it's addressed from.

>>177092
Left pastern.

Directly from Joseph Curwhinny.

>>177093
Does the ring match the wax seal?
"A letter from Curwhinny. We might have our corpse right here. Unless this is Tall Sails..."

>>177093
What does the letter itself say?

>>177094
This particular ring does not seem intended to create a seal, which is to say, no.

>>177095
Without giving a full transcription, it includes lines like
“Don’t trust Cinnamon Corn” and “Meet with Lanteen Rider after the Lady Joy returns.”

>>177091
Kira blinks once more before smiling.

"Okay! Vodka still sounds pretty nasty. Where's the flavor? What's the point of getting tipsy if the process of getting there is unpleasant?"

>>177097
“Well, it’s like courtship, or working, or… anything else, really. It’s the destination that matters, not the journey to get there.”

>>177091
>>177096
Silver looks over, reading the letter as best as he can.

"This was addressed from Curwhinny to his son. Cinnamon Corn was his 'loyal' cohort who sold out Curwhinny's location to militia ponies. Clearly he wanted his son to meet with somepony he trusted, though who Lanteen is or for what reason I do not know. All three are long dead, but perhaps one could look through history by asking their descendants or looking through city records."

>>177098
"I've heard the journey for courtship can be nice, though. The male courting you is supposed to shower you with gifts to help earn your favor."

>>177100
“Like alcohol, or money.” She replies. “But you don’t have to waste time.”

>>177099
Pear:
“Interesting. Another letter, presumably from Curwhinny. We can compare it to the others.”

>>177101
"Well, I'll try to get some wine if I can tomorrow when we go out. Then we can enjoy the journey and the destination."

>>177101
"See if hoofwriting matches up?" Speaking of, could Silver see if it looks as if the writing looks like it was made in a hurry or not? It's a minor thing, but it could be potentially useful to know if this was written while the catacombs were under siege or not.

>>177103
It’s smudged, and yes, with a lower quality of calligraphy than Silver has seen before.

>>177102
Neela smiles, and her little tuft of a tail wags.
“Yes! But not white wine. Well a white wine will work but… I like red wine more.”

>>177091
"Please, don't go! It's wrong! You don't need to!" she cries out hysterically.

>>177091
"I have my ways. I also have all required paperwork, but they are for the eyes of a pony with appropriate clearance," Cavaliere replies with a cold stare.

>>177105
Father looks over at Amber and leans down to pet her. Without making eye contact with the other stallion he says,

“No no. You see. We can head off the inspector at Kaukainen Piste and uh, and slow him down. You see, if when the sun doesn’t rise, it’ll blow Vaeltaja’s credibility. Everypony will stop following him. Then we can just clean things up.”

“Did you tell her?!”

Still petting Amber and not looking at him, father meekly answers, “She overheard.”

The stallion gives a long sigh, and in a much calmer tone of voice answers,
“How, pray tell, are we supposed to slow the inspector? And you know as well as I do that when the sun doesn’t rise, Vaeltaja will just claim it’s because of everypony’s sins of traitors or he just miscalculated and it’ll come later. And then when it does rise in two weeks, he’ll claim it was him. And we can’t wait two weeks. This is harming ponies now. Makea might have died and definitely would have lost an ear if we didn’t happen to find her, and I don’t even know who else he’s drugged.”

>>177106
“Well, as a customs and immigration officer, I am that pony.”

>>177104
>>177095
Silver also relays this information to Pear and Posey: "It looks as if he wrote this as militia ponies were barging down door. Of course it is possible that this was not written by him and was instead planted on this corpse, but that seems bit of stretch to be likely possibility."

>>177104
"Oooo, interesting. More details about my deer friend!" Kira smiles, and flicks her tongue again. "I don't know if any of the wines from my tribe will have survived, but if some have and I manage to bring some over, I want you to be the first one to drink."

>>177108
“Well… judging from the remains, he must have defended himself, at some point…”

>>177109
“Oh, your tribe has special wines? I’m betting those wines are super concentrated, right? Must take a lot to get one of you drunk. Like the wines used on Polyphemus. And you probably have them in big, clay, jars. Yes, I’d like to taste one of those.

>>177110
Kira nods in the affirmative to all of those questions and statements, before opening her mouth an yawning. It doesn't open nearly as widely as it did when she ate Hopper, but perhaps it's still just a slight bit disturbing. Still, it's a reminder of how late it's gotten, not to mention how much boat lag Kira much be suffering. Having a belly full of goat probably doesn't help much in that regard.

>>177107
Amber still stares at the fiercer stallion, her eyes wide and her body quivering. Being pet calms her down a little though.

"When it doesn't rise, Vaeltaja will be humiliated. You can order him to recant then, or banish him if he refuses, and you'll have the village's backing. But if you hurt him, his followers will know you're afraid of him and will turn against you. We also don't know what's happening to the villagers.
We could try following one of them, or watch Vaeltaja's hut to see if he's responsible."

>>177110
"Of course. This was not same Curwhinny who spent years trying to bring back family he lost to plague, researching occult rituals and foreign cultures, pouring his earnings from his business into learning alchemy and necromancy, bringing back bodies without souls and souls without bodies. He had grown in his unnaturally long life, accepted his loss and failures, moved on, found love again, got married and had son. He was fighting first and foremost to ensure they could escape, sure, but no doubt he also fought as hard as he could to be able to see them again. He may have failed in this second goal, but he still got to see them again, reuniting with his first family in Elysium, and getting to wait in paradise until his second family also came to join him."

>>177107
The griffon eases his expression. "Then you can assure me that you have authorization for viewing confidential papers related to military intelligence."

The face

>>177117
Oohh fuckoff, thats a good number

>>177099
"A letter from Curwhinny, addressed to his son. It is a complete letter, and Curwhinny should have had the means to send such a letter quickly, so it appears as though these are not the bones that we are looking for."

>>177112
He looks down and breathes out, then back in with a labored breath,

“The Inspector will be here before the sun rises. And we won’t banish him. He’ll banish us. Vaeltaja, I mean. He’ll have us banished. The Inspector won’t let us leave. That’s for damn sure. And I don’t want to harm Valeria’s. I just need him to go for a walk, and never come back. We know what’s happening to the villagers. They’ve gone mad, and it’s Vaeltaja’s fault, whether he’s drugging them with some mold he ripped off a dead tree, or… or if he’s just leading them out in the cold or… whatever it is, we need to end it. And before the inspector gets here. Just, why am I arguing with an eleven year old?”

Father adds,
“But it would be a very good idea to figure out exactly what he’s doing to the villagers. Regardless of what we tell the Inspector, we need to stop it, and to do that, we need to know what it is.

>>177114
“No?” He replies

>>177101
"You found other letters? It could be worth comparing the dates, to determine when and where he died."

>>177119
>>177122
"That is interesting theory. It could be true, I suppose. Every note and letter I found is currently in possession of archaeologists here. You would have to ask them for them yourself, they are not well fond of me.
No idea why, of course."

>>177122
>>177123
Pear:
"He is supposed to have died here. Or at least he is presumed to have died here. On the night of January 4 or morning of the 5, 770."

>>177123
"I would prefer avoiding the archaeologists for as long as well can. The priority, however, is locating Curwhinny himself. Let's check the rest of the catacombs for any similar caskets, as the true casket may still be here."
Her gaze fixates on several points in the darkness.
"This dungeon still has hidden dangers, just waiting to be disturbed... Glass Horizons might be disappointed when he reads my report, but it's for the best."

>>177124
When is the letter dated?

>>177125
"Have you found anything left that require being cleared out? It would not be good for my track record to leave job half-finished after having already taken payment."

>>177126
Among other imperfections in the letter is a lack of a date after the signature.

>>177127
"You can read my report when it's finished." The white mare replies, her gaze evasive
"There's still danger here, that's for sure, the kind best left undisturbed. I want to find out if Curwhinny is among that."

>>177128
Oh well

"Lets search the remaining exposed gaskets on in these chambers. Curwhinny may still be here."
Posey says, as she walks down the length of the catacombs, searching for caskets that fit the description

>>177124
Posey addresses Pear
"You're a historian from this country, correct? What do you know about Curwhinny's death? I heard many were sacrificed to put him in the grave. Was magic used to seal him there? You'll have to humor me; I'm from Farbrook, and I only know so much about the history of this country."

>>177131
“There was a small revolt by locals, mostly sailors, against Equestrian Customs authorities in Baltimare over basically taxes and crackdowns on smuggling. Most of the violence was actually against higher members of the Celestial Shipping Company, presumably over wages, discipline on ships, and personal grievances. The only reason it was recorded at all, besides the high death toll, was because the director of the Celestial Shipping Company for fifty five years was killed. There is no mention of undead, lichs, or magic besides the usual. Light damage to the Shipping Offices and none to his mansion. The grave set up for him in Rose Mound is understood to be empty. That is how it was recorded, anyways.”

>>177129
"What kind of danger that has not already been dealt with? This is my profession, it is information I need to know and sooner is better than later. It is not just my professional reputation I am talking about here. There are ponies here or who will be here who could get hurt, killed, or worse if there is something left here that needs to be taken care of."

>>177132
>The grave set up for him in Rose Mound is understood to be empty. That is how it was recorded, anyways.
"Hmmm, it's questionable if he was ever buried at all then..."
>>177133
"I'm here to investigate haunts: things that aren't so easy to remove with bullets."

>>177134
"How would you know if you were looking right at him? The historical record is split, saying his body was never found, probably because he was murdered and buried in a forest or out in the ocean, or alternatively that his wife decided not to display the body because he was horribly mangled, either out of revenge or from being burned in a fire. The writing on the wall in the chamber where the casket was found said a lich was sealed away there. And, well, that's about all we know."

>>177135
>"How would you know if you were looking right at him?
"Well... I could just try to ask him myself..." Posey says
"..But I would prefer not to deplete my horn until I've finished my inspection today."
Posey looks around the section where the casket was, checking for any plaques or inscriptions that could hint who the corpse might be.

>>177135
>The writing on the wall in the chamber where the casket was found said a lich was sealed away there.
"If he really was sealed away, it would have been with powerful necromantic or abjuration magic. Perhaps we could trace the source of that magic, of it exists."

>>177134
Silver frowns.

"That is not answer to my question."

>>177111
Neela moves back on the couch, going from laying down to sitting upright as her back is pressed against it. She stares at Kira

"Ah! Oh, you're yawning."

>>177136
There are none. It does not appear that the reason for this is defacement, but rather because none were added.

>>177137
"If he's sealed away with powerful magic, why do we need to tamper with him at all?"

>>177139
Kira tilts her head at the deer after having closed her mouth.

"Uh, yeah? What, do deer not yawn?"

>>177140
She turns her head somewhat, and still looks at Kira
"Oh no, we do, but...."

>>177141
Kira tilts her head the other way at the deer, and flicks her tongue for good measure.

>>177142
"Uh, I didn't know that lamias did that." She says, and then looks away.

>>177143
"Oh!" Kira smiles, and ceases the tilting of the head. "Yeah, we do. It's just getting late, and I'm getting sleepy."

>>177139
>why do we need to tamper with him at all?
"It's not my job to tamper with him, just to confirm that he is here."

>>177138
"It's not quite so simple, but the answer is maybe; probably even."

>>177139
>There are none.
Posey cautiously walks down the catacombs, to check if there are any other caskets stashed here that fit the description.

>>177120
"Vaeltaja has to be meeting ponies a lot if he's doing this. If we keep an eye on him it shouldn't be long before we have an answer," Amber reasons.

[1d100 = 50]

>>177144
"Ah, uh, already? Okay, sure."

>>177151
Looking down, the stallion sighs yet again
"Whatever. Either way, we are going to find Vaeltaja. Keskiyon, do you have your axe?" The stallion holds one up in the air. "I brought mine."

He has a large sled there which he places the axe on, or rather has it fit in a ring at the back.
"Get your axe, and lets go find him. Get a light as well, but you may need to turn it off, or at least dim it."

>>177152
Mildly scrunchy, he replies,
"I just need to see a license that would allow you to have a firearm, and some kind of proof of work."

>>177153
Amber looks uneasily at the axe but says nothing. She waits, looking around at the surroundings.

>>177153
Are there any other exposed caskets in the catacombs that fit the description of the one we are looking for?

If not, might just cast speak with dead to confirm the origin of the corpse.

>>177153
The griffon pulls out an envelop from his breast pocket, thumbs through some documents inside (thumbs, how do they work???) and retrieves a Nova Griffonian document. It is not in Ponish and the official might need a translator, but it contains a license for usage of firearms issued by the city of Weter, as well as registration for two pistols.

"Licenses aren't typically required to own or carry a firearm in Nova Griffonia, except in certain locales," he explains. "Unfortunately, the only contract for work I have is the letter from your office of military intelligence, which you cannot read. I'm personally surprised they didn't disguise the purpose of my visit, but I appreciate the honesty."

>>177147
Silver isn't happy that's the case, but at least he got an answer, so he's glad about that. He looks back at Posey's son, floating on that magic disk.

"Are you sure he should be here? My own father never took me anywhere as dangerous as this while I was in middle of my training."

>>177153
'Already'? Kira takes a look at her fancy new pocketwatch to check the time.

>>177148
Silver does, however, see what Posey is doing, and assists her in her search.

Actually...it might be a long shot, but Silver attempts to recall what, if anything, the dead militia ponies were wearing.

>>177157
>danger
"Oh, he's been through much worse than this." The white mare replies, nonchalantly
>training
"We do things a bit differently in Farbrook. Besides, our professions are quite different. Magic is an esoteric thing, which takes more than just practice, but a more wholehearted cultivation."

>>177160
Silver does recall that the militia ponies would wear jackets, hats, coats, and breastplate armor, as well as sometimes shoulder armor or other barding. Please note that the bodies of the militia ponies are absent from the floor.

>>177158
Like… 10 PMish

>>177155
Posey can see one. It’s a rectangular shape, the outer layer seems to be cast iron, and it’s more or less identical in basic shape to the one placed in the chamber. It’s slightly smaller than the stone casket, and thus fits into the hole more readily. It’s on the lower level. The only markings visible is “C 27”

>>177156
He looks at the envelope and the Nova Griffonian documents. He does not open the letter.
“A registry is a good start, but to actually possess them here, you’ll need a license. Someone from the military could get you one.”

>>177162
>one
Is this one of the ones that pinged my Detect Undead spell?

>>177162
"If you would summon the appropriate official, I would very much appreciate it," he answers politely.

He also gestures to the other room where the stallion is detained. "It would also be good for him to be able to see his family again. What's necessary to make that happen?"

>>177166
“Pretty much just that he not be a spy. His story needs to line up. Having family in the area certainly helps.”

“I can get someone from the military, yes, if that is what you wish. Someone who can, well, someone who has power to get a license, at least. If you are in fact doing what you claim you are doing, that is.”

>>177154
Stars twinkle in the night, and before the tree line, snow is moved by the wind in a sort of light haze. There’s the howling of the wind, and that odd noise as always. Father went back in, got an axe, and put it on the sleigh.

Stallion:
“Are we seriously taking her?”

Father:
“Do you want her roaming around here?”

Stallion:
“Fair enough”

The ponies go not many feet, past the opposing row of huts, and towards the dark outline of the tree tops when someone approaches.

It’s Jakala

>>177169
"I am assuming he'll be kept here for a while. If I brought a family member of his here, would that help?"

Cavaliere nods slowly. "Sir, if I wasn't on the level with you, wouldn't you think I would do anything but bring in someone of greater authority to assess my claim? Yes, I would like that."

Amber is shocked to see her friend out, alone, in the cold. She breaks into a gallop to meet her. "Jakala! What are you doing out there?"

>>177170
“Yes, it would.” He answers

“And very well. Met me make a call…”

>>177163
It is not. Both of those were brick-sealed chambers adjacent to Posey. This casket is past that.

>>177171
“The stallion left and I got bored.” She answers. She is tightly tied up in thick clothing

>>177172
The griffon looks satisfied that he made some headway with ponies rumored to be more stubborn than griffons. He waits.

>>177162
Definitely an interesting bit of information to note. Now, for the long shot: does the coat on the skeleton match those worn by the militia ponies in design?

>>177161
"'Heat of battle is fire that forges strongest blades'. I am familiar with idea. I am just concerned as father, myself, about his safety and how he is feeling being in such pitch dark place. Especially with how quiet he has been."

>>177172
>>177176
Rosey Ring approaches the casket, and beckons for Silver to help her open casket.
"This is the only other casket on the catacombs that matches the one that supposedly held Curwhinny. We should search it before take any other steps. I have a spell that I could use to conjure information from the corpse, but it is limited. There's also a nonzero chance that a powerful lich is sealed away here though: if that is the case, the only thing containing him would be powerful magic cast on the casket.... Let's be cautious."

Rosey Ring decides to do the thing that I probably should have done before we opened the first casket, and uses her Detect Magic SLA to scan the casket and the rest of the catacombs (and the area around us, just for good measure), for any magical items, active supernatural abilities, or ongoing magical effects. She concentrates for as long as is needed to precisely know the school and levels of each/any magical signature."

I will roll Spellcraft checks to determine power and school, if necessary, although since we're not in combat I might prefer to take 10 (for a modified 26).

>>177175
No. The coats on the militia ponies were leather with layered wool inside. They were brown, and in general, warm and water resistant. This is longer, purple on the inside, made of cotton or perhaps even silk on the inside, and in general not as warm, weather resistant, or cheap.

>>177177
Okay, but understand that just because you’ve gone off course on a diversion to do something that could be done at literally any time does not mean that your spell slots will be refreshed when you desperately need them.

>>177177
Silver obliges Posey's request, when she's ready.

>>177178
Hmm, drat. There goes that possibility.

>>177162
Wow, it's fairly late for a lamia who just got off the boat and is sluggish with goat. She looks over to Neela.

"How long do you usually stay up for?"

>>177176
>Heat of battle is fire that forges strongest blades
"My combat experience as a warmagus is limited, but I agree with your sentiment. For magical training, however, entry is the most esoteric and peculiar part; it's more than just having a strong horn, but the mindset to weild your powers... My supervisors, my master, made sure to brand that into me, before I even proved that I was worthy of their tutelage. They subjected me to the most excruciating torture to make me understand the true meaning of pain and fear, the likes of which hail from the Dread League. They chained me in a cellar with a starving rabid, with only the power of fear to defend me from its advanced. They bled me until I was nearly dry, and subsequently starved me, to show me what hunger was. They locked me in a dark vat full of hungry maggots for days on end, letting me out only after I was full of holes. They conjured foul creatures from beyond the realm of insanity, and allowed them to attach themselves to my skull and share their nightmares. They impaled me with hot iron pokers, with magic sustaining me until I begged for death, and only then did they allow me the privilege of trotting down their path... Ummm" The white unicorn pauses, realizing that she's been monologuing and divulging a bit too much information to a total stranger. She changes the subject
>how he is feeling being in such pitch dark place
"The feeling of being in total darkness is quite the point, essential to his training, for his profession, which requires becoming one with the darkness. Besides, he's sensitive to sunlight."
>Especially with how quiet he has been
(I haven't done the best job of roleplaying him; which is ironic because he's a character based on myself)
"He's a bit shy of strangers, or at least the ones you meet in the flesh."

The pale colt with the blotched mane appears to be staring off into points in space with his sunken eyes, as if following something that nopony, not even Rosey Ring, can quite detect. His mood seems to have picked up once the group entered the catacombs, his little hooves tracing invisible circles and in the air, as if drawing on invisible paper. A red Crayola crayon hangs in his little mouth, and what appears to be either a journal or a coloring book lays open on the floating disk of Rosey Ring's magic. The colt seems to be quite used to occupying himself when his mother is working, blissfully distracted by what can only be his imagination... unless?
He's actually hasn't been completely silent, but babbling to himself and occasionally tugging on his mother's tail to point out something the shadows. His voice is faint and raspy, and he mutters strange phrases in what seem to be distorted foreign languages, softly whispering to his unseen playmates.
Silver appears to have gotten his attention though, he turns his head, his ears little ears swiveling as he realizes that he's the subject of conversation.
[Tongue-speaking stops]
"...huh?" he whimpers, his ears folding back as his shyness creeps up on him.
"We were just talking about what a talented colt you are, sweetie." Rosey Ring replies, in an affectionate singsong voice
"Gloomy is a genius, my precious prodigy. He's already been through his basic training, not so torturous as mine, but nonetheless just as rigorous for his age. He trots a different path from my own, but he has shown great promise with his own profession, in spite of what meager instructions I can provide. I believe that one day he'll grow strong enough to carry Death himself on his back."
"He's very heavy." The colt interjects
"That he is, sweetie, but I believe in you."

>>177178
>Okay, but understand that just because you’ve gone off course on a diversion to do something that could be done at literally any time does not mean that your spell slots will be refreshed when you desperately need them.
Well, when you put it like that, maybe I shouldn't... I thought this dungeon was already cleared.
I'm gonna take it from your response and lack of description of the spell's effect that you don't want me to do it, so I guess I won't.

Magic Posey has left for this day:
>7 lvl 1 slots (I used)
>5 lvl 2 slots
>1/day Detect Magic SLA
>1/day Nystul's Aura SLA
>1/day Wings Of Cover SLA
>1/day Create Magic Tattoo SLA
9/day Rebuke Undead (half her pool of commanded undead is spent on the ghast)
1/day Negative Energy Burst (Su) ability

>>177178
>This is longer, purple on the inside, made of cotton or perhaps even silk
I'm so stupid to go around casting spells before examining his clothing.
Any chance that this could be a magic robe, the type a wealthy and prestigious Wizard might wear?

>>177181
Silver is, understandably, quite disturbed by the description of the "training" Posey had to go through. His eyes go wide and he visibly cringes, though mercifully his imagination is not quite strong enough to make too vivid of an image in his mind. He looks at the poor colt with pity. "Little one...I am glad that you did not have to go through what your mother did." Looking back at Posey, he continues, "It is not healthy for young colt to be so close to Death, or to focus his entire foalhood towards training. My father trained me every day that he could from dawn until dusk, until my muscles ached and I could barely move or lift up sword, but even he knew that it was good for me to go out into world and experience life as normal colt. Making friends, getting into mischief, learning more about world around me than just what my forge or my sword could teach me. I hope Gloomy gets similar chance to experience life as normal colt, to contextualize his training at least. It could also show him what all of this training and fighting is for."

>>177185
>gets similar chance to experience life as normal colt
Rosey Ring's eye twitches and for an instant she scowls, but in the same instant she returns to her comely, neutral face.
"Yes.. yes... We try very hard to do that in Farbrook, despite our circumstance..." she turns away and faintly mutters something unintelligible, which is hopefully not an actual curse

>>177186
Hmm, Silver wonders to himself if maybe he's overstepping his bounds trying to give advice to Posey, from one parent to another. Internally he hopes the mare at least takes what he said into consideration.

"I have heard good things about Farbrook. Very peaceful, very out of touch with modern world but in good way. All of Hill Pony nations are like that."

>>177188
dubs

>>177184
Posey is sure she’s seen more elaborate robes before. Then again, it hardly looks unlike a mage’s robes either. It certainly ain’t cheap, and it’s the same basic style.

>>177190
>purple robes
>necromancer's lair
I think I might get this reference, or I might be reading into it to much.

Posey seems fascinated
"Purple robes, they remind me of the likes of a cult of fearsome necromancers from a bygone age. The cloth has endured despite the flesh having long since turned to dust. If these are wizarding robes, that could indicate that this is indeed Curwhinny. It's best to check if they are magic." Posey says, already preparing to gently strip the skeleton

Before I try on what could be a cursed item, are there any patterns or symbols on the robe that could indicate it's intended purpose, period, or function? Posey is well familiar with burial shrouds, and has seen many robes in Magehold.

>>177181
Pear:

“Suffering helps define our lives and gives it meaning. It is through adversity that we develop our virtues. An easy life breeds ennui and listlessness. But, uh, the maggot thing sounds… quite a bit too far… Maybe your colt could use a babysitter while you’re at work, perhaps? He’s probably sensitive to sunlight because he hasn’t been exposed to enough of it. And he’s probably shy because he hasn’t been exposed to ponies enough. I don’t, uh, think he needs to carry ‘death’ on his back. At his age… it’s probably just better that he be a colt.”

>>177180
“Well, usually later than this, but… I do think it would be nice to sleep somewhere other than a holding cell for the first time in days…”

>>177194
>>177181
"I could foalsit him, if you wished. I have experience raising foals, I am experienced warrior so he can still get valuable training if that is your wish, and he could get chance to see why protecting this world and those who live within it from dark spirits like you do is so important."

>>177195
"Awwwwwwww...I'm sorry they kept you in cells for that long. You don't have to go to sleep at the same time as me if you don't want to, I'm just tired and wanting to sleep, myself."

>>177197
“Oh, uh, well, you can go to sleep I guess” she says, looking down, then back up again. “Not much to do with no alcohol and the buck gone… I guess you got that radio, didn’t you?”

>>177196
Pear:
“Heh. Heh heh. Ha! You? Foalsit? I can’t imagine it.”

>>177194
If Posey is offended or moved by these words, she doesn't show it, her face remaining stoic and paralyzed as she moves away from the awkward subject. She does not respond to the statement, but instead busies herself with gently removing the robe from the cadaver and examining it for iconography that could lead to further clues, with a level of care that might be indicative of an archaeologist, but also has a spectre of something ulterior more than mere greed...

Posey holds up the removed robe with her magic so it is fully illuminated by the light of the flashlight, for
"Purple robes, the likes of which Wizards wear. It's something like both of a fashion statement to flaunt their status above unclothed common ponies, but also a container for magical power. Wizards bold enough to wear robes often make a point of their appearance, sometimes being given epitaphs named after the color of their cloth, such as 'The Gray', 'The Black', 'The White', 'The Browncloaks', 'The Blue', 'The Red Wizards', or the ever dreadful 'Wearers Of Purple'. It's possible that we have Curwhinny right here, if this is indeed a Wizarding robe. I wonder if he was known to wear one like this...? Do you think so?" She finally turns back to Pear
Posey has no ranks in Knowledge (History) and therefore cannot make a History check to answer this question herself, but maybe the friendly NPC could make the check.

Posey herself will make a Knowledge (Arcana) check, because I think think Wizard robe lore counts as a "magical tradition.
[1d20+11 = (14+11) = 25]

>>177198
Silver scrunches at Pear's laugh. "You should imagine it. I am quite good with foals, I find. You do not raise three of them to adulthood without learning at least bit about them."

>>177198
"We'll get you some more stuff to do tomorrow, so being here is a pleasant experience. Goodnight Neela!" She waves goodnight to her deer before slithering back upstairs with her things, settling into her room. She curls up in the middle of the room, snuggling her head between her warm coils.

>>177199
Pear:
“I don’t think Curwhinny wanted to be known as a wizard, even if he was clearly good at it. He wanted to be known as a business stallion. In his portraits, he’s always in a black jacket or vest. More Gentlemarely. I don’t know what he wore in private.”

Only the inside is purple. The outside is blue, or perhaps faded indigo. On each side a bit below where the cutie mark would be, is a white symbol of two inter-laced, overlapping closed loops - a Solomon’s knot. The symbol is used by specific tribe of the ancient unicorns, but is far more commonly known as a symbol of eternity. It has been used on headstones, in reference to the World Spirit, and by aspiring immortals.

It isn’t clear what it means here.

>>177200
She blinks
“What. You raised three foals to adulthood?”

>>177203
Silver nods.

"Two sons and daughter. It just has not come up in conversation until now."

>>177204
“Huh?”
She tilts her head, and her ear flops

“When? We’re they with the same, or different mares?”

>>177205
"It was years back, with my late wife Storm Warning. Why do you ask? Surprised that I was family stallion back in day?"

>>177203
>“I don’t think Curwhinny wanted to be known as a wizard, even if he was clearly good at it. He wanted to be known as a business stallion. In his portraits, he’s always in a black jacket or vest. More Gentlemarely. I don’t know what he wore in private.”
"Hmmm, that is useful information. It's possible that he dressed for battle with magical garments before his death though, in which case him being buried in a wizarding could make sense."
>Only the inside is purple. The outside is blue, or perhaps faded indigo.
Very Wizardly colors.
>Solomon’s knot
>The symbol is used by specific tribe of the ancient unicorns, but is far more commonly known as a symbol of eternity. It has been used on headstones, in reference to the World Spirit, and by aspiring immortals.
So this is either a wannabe Lich's Wizarding robe, or a horse-hebrew burial shroud.
>It isn’t clear what it means here.
Well, we can find out if it's a magic item, the good old-fashioned way:

Posey dusts off the robe, and slips it over her back, trying it on.

>>177206
Mildly scrunchy
“Well… Yes.”

>>177208
Silver chuckles.

"You will come to learn, I am full of surprises."

>>177207
Silver finds it amusing that Posey, who was warning Silver against messing with any cursed items, is now just straight up putting on a dead necromancer/lich's coat.

>>177209
DM seemed pretty intent on warning me not to use up my magic, so this is how it's going to be.

"Trust me, I'm a professional." Posey says, with nothing to back that up.
>inb4 robe of powerlessness
No fun without risk.

>>177209
Pear simply looks over flustered at Silver

>>177210
poof

>>177201
Now, does she have a mattress? A blanket? Sheets? A Rug? Maybe like a deer to cuddle up with? Does she just lay down?

>>177211
Does that mean nothing happens, or that I disintegrate?

>>177211
"What is wrong, Pear?"

>>177211
She does have a lamia-sized bedroll to sleep on. She also does have a cuddly deer but Kira's no sure if Neela would like to cuddle together to sleep.

>>177213
"You're not going to elaborate?"

>>177214
Well, she is her deer

>>177215
Hmmmmm...Kira's going to be nice and let Neela decide for herself if she wants to snuggle up with a big, warm, cuddly creature like Kira.

>>177215
"Well, what did you want to know?"

>>177217
"Well, about the whole you being married and having children thing"

>>177216
The floor is, thankfully, strong enough to hold Kira... even if it creaks.

Neela does poke her head in, and looks at Kira

>>177218
"I know, I mean what did you want to know exactly? How we met, what our home life was life, what our children were like? I could try expositing everything about my life's story here and now, but I am not sure dark catacombs are best place for that. Better suited for something like bar or tavern, paired with good drink."

>>177212
>>177211
So, does the robe have any tangible effects, or is it just a robe?

>>177218
Kira looks over at Neela from her warm, comfy position atop her bedroll and smiles. "Hello Neela! Just saying goodnight?"

>>177219
"Well uh, okay" She answers

>>177222
Not exactly what Silver was looking for in an answer.

"Okay as in...?"

>>177224
“Well, if you don’t want to talk about it…”

>>177207
I strongly suspect that the way in which you approach the fantasy element is different than the way in which I approach and approached it when this quest was made 6 IRL years ago. To Posey, a very powerful necromancer who is sealed away is something that every county has. Like there’s one imprisoned on every hill. And studying the history of said necromancer is as simple as driving to the county seat, going to the courthouse, going into the courtroom and looking at the portraits of the county judges, as Necromancer or powerful mage is just a role in the world that people fill in rotation like county judge, and it’s as well known as a county judge. This may actually be how The Dread Lands work. But it isn’t the way Baltimare and the surrounded regions were created as being. When the quest was made six years ago, it was based off of an HP Lovecraft story. While Lovecraft has his own pantheon and Mythos, that isn’t his characters living in his world see things. They think that the world they live in is the same as our world. And in our world, actual magic is an extreme aberration, unknown, alien, mysterious, and above all, rare. Lovecraft even names multiple actual history figures to try to tie his story into our known world. This is not just a simple visit to the county courthouse. This isn’t intended to be an ultra-high magic, high fantasy setting that occasionally mixes in outside elements. This is intended to be a story about social conflict that mixes in fantasy as a spice.

I should also mention that this quest has been concluded. Five years ago. It’s been revisited and dug up twice before now, which marks the third time. You’re metaphorically as well as literally digging up a corpse. All intended mysteries have already been exhausted. There’s another quest I’ve been waiting two IRL years to get to.

>>177228
>I strongly suspect that the way in which you approach the fantasy element is different than the way in which I approach
>actual magic is an extreme aberration, unknown, alien, mysterious, and above all, rare
>This isn’t intended to be an ultra-high magic, high fantasy setting that occasionally mixes in outside elements. This is intended to be a story about social conflict that mixes in fantasy as a spice.
I think I have misunderstood your mileau. I got that it was a CoC/d20 modern sort of contemporary mileau, but I also approached it from the perspective of the show where every third person being a unicorn and every tenth unicorn knowing a handful of spells and the heads of state having been immensely powerful mages, so I took it as a high-magic fantasy within a contemporary setting. That and it being D&D. It appears that I approached it from the wrong angle.
>To Posey, a very powerful necromancer who is sealed away is something that every county has. Like there’s one imprisoned on every hill. And studying the history of said necromancer is as simple as driving to the county seat, going to the courthouse, going into the courtroom and looking at the portraits of the county judges, as Necromancer or powerful mage is just a role in the world that people fill in rotation like county judge, and it’s as well known as a county judge. This may actually be how The Dread Lands work. But it isn’t the way Baltimare and the surrounded regions were created as being.
This is a product of Posey's backstory, and I have been roleplaying accordingly. Posey being out-of-touch with the nuances of the modern world is meant to be a flaw in her character and the potential for character development. It's why she thinks flaunting her powers and acts of brutality are the solution to all life's problems, and why she uses archaic weapons instead of guns.
That being said "it's what my character would do" is no excuse for inappropriate behavior, so if it's too annoying then I'll adjust accordingly.
>this quest has been concluded
>All intended mysteries have already been exhausted
This I did not know. I believed that I was helping Silver with completing his quest, and that my character's knowledge of the Dark Arts would be useful to the party's goals and a way to finally join with the party.
Also, I was kind of just looking for something to do while the snek was finishing her quest.
>There’s another quest I’ve been waiting two IRL years to get to.
Well, I can do that whenever you are ready. I don't mind if it takes railroading or time skipping to get there. I don't really need any strong motivation other than the promise of treasure and/or a chance for Posey to practice honing her powers in battle; I just want to play.

>>177228
>There’s another quest I’ve been waiting two IRL years to get to.
I want to ask, GM, what exactly is your endgame for this whole thing? Like, is there an overall plot of events you want the party to take part in? It's been going on for 6 years, but looking at it, I'm not exactly sure if I joined at the end of the story or somewhere in the early middle. I don't need any spoilers, but I feel like if I understood the point of the game a bit more clearly then I could roleplay in a way that advances the plot more effectively.

For context, I'll tell you what I thought was the point when I joined. I saw a game titled "Occupied Equestria", and from that I thought the point of the game would be to eventually free Equestria from occupation: to raise an army, to defeat the changelings, and to liberate Equestria. I thought it would be a gritty, grindy game with mass combat where the characters are constantly in war. It's why I made a Dread Necromancer: a character who at mod level could command a very large number of minions for a mass warfare based game. I figured it would be cool to raise undead soldiers in the battlefield and possibly reanimate dead NPCs or even characters from the show lost to war and make them friends forever.

Posey isn't meant to be a hero, far from it, but I still made her with the intent to join the party in liberating Equestria from the changelings. Posey may be an enemy of all life, but she still hates changelings as much as the next pony; more importantly, they are threatening her own dream, which is to conquer Equestria. Posey saw conquering Equestria as her calling in unlife, her reason for being, and without that reason for being she's just a shambling corpse of an ex-slave doomed to eternity of hunger and hate. Her cutie mark is a Ring Of Fire Eclipse surrounded by red flame (which also looks like a buboe from the black death), because she's based off of the white horse of Conquest (antichrist) and represents her role as a false savior. The reason why Posey would come to Equestria now of all times is because her dream is under threat; Equestria is being conquered by somecreature else, which means her reason for being is slipping away, and she has to stop it before it's too late as the changelings destroy everything that she herself wanted to destroy. That's my evil vs evil motivation for joining this game. The reason why she let August Wreath go wasn't because she was too cowardly to face a paladin or because her slave-bindings demand that she prolong her own existence; she let him go because his cause is the same as hers, to liberate Equestrian from the changelings, and because he could be a potential ally for that cause (even if she may need to kill him before she could make him her friend).

My point here is that I did make a character with motivations to be part of the main quest and to join the good guys. I didn't just make an evil, self-serving necromancer who only cares about vanity and increasing her personal powers (although that does describe Posey); I can in with intent to be an active participant in the overall story. Thing is that I feel like I might have missed the mark because I didn't understand what the point of this game was. It took me more than a year irl just to join with another party member, and although I'm not one to complain about that it unsettled me when you implied a while back that that was because Posey had no motivation to.
Did I fuck up? Did I miss the point of the game and make a character that isn't relevant to this story? It's been bugging me for a while.

I don't mean it as any insult, but I want to know what you actually want the characters to do with this story, so I can figure out how to continue.