Continuing, and hopefully introducing new characters.
And on the wrong damn post number
/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal
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1713 replies and 69 files omitted.
[1d20+12 = (8+12) = 20] Brie strides silently(?) back into the room. "Here you are good Captain, my government-issued documentation for,...safe keeping," his face belies that he thinks it is not for safe keeping. "Do keep a diligent eye on those, theyre difficult to replace!" On observation, the passport is written in Changeling.
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Map to come later. This is released in parts
Shoal Water looks around, breathes in, and says
"Alright, I suppose I should tell you more about where you are going, who you will be dealing with, and why.
The location that I draw your attention to is an island known to the ponies by the name of Mended Horn. The legend goes that a band of ponies adventuring south in a boat, back in the time that the whole of Nova Griffonia was pony territory, and the north was warmer, encountered a large octopus that attacked the ship. The octopus was repelled when a brave unicorn shoved its horn into its beak and discharged a spell, but in the process her horn was cracked, as was the hull of the ship. They had to stay on the island to make repairs, and while there, her horn was repaired, as was the ship. Some versions of the story have a group of helpful sea ponies mending her horn, though it isn’t clear that that detail isn’t a later addition or from a different story. Of course a simpler answer may be that a stack in the water near the island resembles a unicorn horn that has been cracked and bandaged.
Still another possible origin is that the name “Mended Horn” is a corruption of the Vedinian phrase “Mindre Bjorn,” which means “little bear.” This could be a refence to the constellation Ursa Minor, and within it the North Star, which would have been important to the early griffin navigators returning home. It could also be a reference to a legend about an Ursa Minor encountered by griffin explorers, the same legend that may have given the name of the adjacent Nova Griffonian province of Bjornholm.
Though Mended Horn is located only 20 miles off of the coast of Bjornholn and was presumably formed by a continental break away from the Nova Griffonian mainland, the island is incredibly remote from inhabited settlements. The nearest port of any significance is in Ravenskoye, more than a hundred miles away. The Village up North and Ny Winghaven are not much further, albeit in opposing directions, and Trottingham is near two hundred miles away. The island is a little less than three miles in total area if you count the smaller surrounding islands, consists of one big island with most of the land mass and two smaller satellites. It has reasonably high hills, with two dominating its landscape, and rocky cliffs along portions of the coastline and coves resembling semi-natural harbors along its north and southern coasts. If trees ever came across the small straight from the mainland to Mended Horn, they have long since all been cut down for firewood, griffin longships, or who knows what, leaving the island covered in grassy hills. Some trees were introduced a century ago, and thus a few trees can be found. The island has the remnants of a village and its harbor, the remains of a medieval village nearer the center, and a modern light house on its northern edge. A recent survey suggests the presence of an illegal whaling and sealing station on its south eastern coast. There are the remains of stone walls that used to partition fields, and stone storage sites all across the island, though some areas have more than others. Some cliffs have caves, and there are rocky outcroppings near the islands. Many seabirds take residence on the island and the surrounding seas host many creatures, but the only known mammals are mice and maybe sheep.
It is unknown when the first ponies came to inhabit Mended Horn, but they are recorded around five hundred years ago. It is unknown whether griffins ever settled on the islands in their early, fleeting settlements in Equus, but a sword belonging to griffins was purported to be found some centuries ago on the island, and since lost. Whether the island was or was not included as a part of the territory sold by the Griffin throne to the Equestrian Principality in the ancient treaty is a subject that can be and has been debated endlessly. What is known is that the island was continuously inhabited for more than a half millennium by a tiny population of ponies of the same culture as belong to the Griffish Isles. Nominally under the dominion of the lord of the Village Up North, these ponies, never more than maybe 200 in number, scrounged out a living farming barley and herding sheep, almost entirely separated from life on the mainland. They did not have a trained priest. They scarcely traded with the Outside. When Equestrian soldiers landed on Mended Horn looking for fleeing members of the Griffish Regency in 748, who supported the pretend-king during his period of rebellion from the Equestrian throne, and who were said to have fled to Costa Sterner upon his defeat, the ponies of Mended Horn not only had never heard of the Regency, they could scarcely name Celestia as the present Princess. In 712, One ship docked at Mended Horn to find that half the population had died of famine when rats spoiled the grain. In 850, chronicler Sodded Glory wrote that the inhabitants were ignorant of all knowledge of the Princess or of the world beyond the island, and none could read. Presumably he exaggerated, but the fact remains that the little village on the island continued its own life parallel from the mainland in relative isolation for centuries, with little interludes like griffin pirates briefly taking up residence on the island. What few ships did arrive sometimes carried in outside diseases, such as distemper in 880, which again wiped out much of the adult population."
Shoal Water looks around, breathes in, and says
"Alright, I suppose I should tell you more about where you are going, who you will be dealing with, and why.
The location that I draw your attention to is an island known to the ponies by the name of Mended Horn. The legend goes that a band of ponies adventuring south in a boat, back in the time that the whole of Nova Griffonia was pony territory, and the north was warmer, encountered a large octopus that attacked the ship. The octopus was repelled when a brave unicorn shoved its horn into its beak and discharged a spell, but in the process her horn was cracked, as was the hull of the ship. They had to stay on the island to make repairs, and while there, her horn was repaired, as was the ship. Some versions of the story have a group of helpful sea ponies mending her horn, though it isn’t clear that that detail isn’t a later addition or from a different story. Of course a simpler answer may be that a stack in the water near the island resembles a unicorn horn that has been cracked and bandaged.
Still another possible origin is that the name “Mended Horn” is a corruption of the Vedinian phrase “Mindre Bjorn,” which means “little bear.” This could be a refence to the constellation Ursa Minor, and within it the North Star, which would have been important to the early griffin navigators returning home. It could also be a reference to a legend about an Ursa Minor encountered by griffin explorers, the same legend that may have given the name of the adjacent Nova Griffonian province of Bjornholm.
Though Mended Horn is located only 20 miles off of the coast of Bjornholn and was presumably formed by a continental break away from the Nova Griffonian mainland, the island is incredibly remote from inhabited settlements. The nearest port of any significance is in Ravenskoye, more than a hundred miles away. The Village up North and Ny Winghaven are not much further, albeit in opposing directions, and Trottingham is near two hundred miles away. The island is a little less than three miles in total area if you count the smaller surrounding islands, consists of one big island with most of the land mass and two smaller satellites. It has reasonably high hills, with two dominating its landscape, and rocky cliffs along portions of the coastline and coves resembling semi-natural harbors along its north and southern coasts. If trees ever came across the small straight from the mainland to Mended Horn, they have long since all been cut down for firewood, griffin longships, or who knows what, leaving the island covered in grassy hills. Some trees were introduced a century ago, and thus a few trees can be found. The island has the remnants of a village and its harbor, the remains of a medieval village nearer the center, and a modern light house on its northern edge. A recent survey suggests the presence of an illegal whaling and sealing station on its south eastern coast. There are the remains of stone walls that used to partition fields, and stone storage sites all across the island, though some areas have more than others. Some cliffs have caves, and there are rocky outcroppings near the islands. Many seabirds take residence on the island and the surrounding seas host many creatures, but the only known mammals are mice and maybe sheep.
It is unknown when the first ponies came to inhabit Mended Horn, but they are recorded around five hundred years ago. It is unknown whether griffins ever settled on the islands in their early, fleeting settlements in Equus, but a sword belonging to griffins was purported to be found some centuries ago on the island, and since lost. Whether the island was or was not included as a part of the territory sold by the Griffin throne to the Equestrian Principality in the ancient treaty is a subject that can be and has been debated endlessly. What is known is that the island was continuously inhabited for more than a half millennium by a tiny population of ponies of the same culture as belong to the Griffish Isles. Nominally under the dominion of the lord of the Village Up North, these ponies, never more than maybe 200 in number, scrounged out a living farming barley and herding sheep, almost entirely separated from life on the mainland. They did not have a trained priest. They scarcely traded with the Outside. When Equestrian soldiers landed on Mended Horn looking for fleeing members of the Griffish Regency in 748, who supported the pretend-king during his period of rebellion from the Equestrian throne, and who were said to have fled to Costa Sterner upon his defeat, the ponies of Mended Horn not only had never heard of the Regency, they could scarcely name Celestia as the present Princess. In 712, One ship docked at Mended Horn to find that half the population had died of famine when rats spoiled the grain. In 850, chronicler Sodded Glory wrote that the inhabitants were ignorant of all knowledge of the Princess or of the world beyond the island, and none could read. Presumably he exaggerated, but the fact remains that the little village on the island continued its own life parallel from the mainland in relative isolation for centuries, with little interludes like griffin pirates briefly taking up residence on the island. What few ships did arrive sometimes carried in outside diseases, such as distemper in 880, which again wiped out much of the adult population."
>>178712
He continues,
The 900s were a harsh time for all of the rural ponies of the Village Up North and the Griffish Isles, even if they did not suffer famine to quite the same degree as Severyana across the straight. Severyana to quite the same degree. The price of wool fell making herding an even less fruitful occupation than before, besides the crop failures that plagued the entire region and made farming likewise unprofitable. Farming opportunities in the then-Dominion of New Mareland were more profitable, as were especially jobs in the factories of Trottingham, Manehattan, Sunset, and New Manehattan. All rural areas of the Griffish Isles and the Village Up North began to slowly depopulate as better jobs and better lives were available elsewhere. The inhabitants of Mended Horn nevertheless clung on to life on the edge of nowhere. But when a ship from the Village Up North stopped at Mended Horn on its way to New Mareland in 947, half the population left. The island would never again have more than a hundred ponies living on it. The drain of rural populations to the cities subsided in the late 970s, after the collapse of the Griffonian Empire meant the profitable export market to Griffonia was no longer available, and soon, open factory jobs in Trottingham or New Mareland were no longer in supply.
All the same, Mended Horn met its final death upon the Stalliongradian Succession in 989. The port of Ravenskoye, the closest to the island, had long been its sole connection to the outside world. It was where in the summer, a lone boat left to buy the barley and wool of Mended Horn, and in turn where islanders could buy pots, matches, and whatever luxuries of the outside word they could manage. Indeed, for centuries there had been a hooffull of Severyanans on the island, coming from a family of merchants who were among the few ponies to immigrate to the island since recording began, and on the few occasions that Mended Horn got a visiting priest, he came from Ravensyoke. All cut off with the embargo Equestria placed on the successionist territories. But this was far from the worst of it Early in the succession, a platoon of Stalliongradian rebels got on a boat and landed in Mended Horn, flying the red flag over the island for the first and hopefully last time. They left after little time, but Equestria sent a company of its own soldiers to the island to garrison it and have a presence in the straights, and with this garrison came money and glimpses of what life outside of the island could be to the islanders. When the garrison left after the end of the crisis, there was nothing left for the ponies on Mended Horn. The very last of them left in 1001, and the island has been uninhabited by any permanent population. The Equestrian Lighthouse Service maintained an unmared lighthouse until the capitulation. If illegal fishers and whalers go to Mended Horn they do so seasonally. It is otherwise deserted.
As you can tell from the history, Equestria has the best claim by far to the island, and when the Princess left the Village Up North to the Republic of New Mareland, she passed that territory to New Mareland."
He continues,
The 900s were a harsh time for all of the rural ponies of the Village Up North and the Griffish Isles, even if they did not suffer famine to quite the same degree as Severyana across the straight. Severyana to quite the same degree. The price of wool fell making herding an even less fruitful occupation than before, besides the crop failures that plagued the entire region and made farming likewise unprofitable. Farming opportunities in the then-Dominion of New Mareland were more profitable, as were especially jobs in the factories of Trottingham, Manehattan, Sunset, and New Manehattan. All rural areas of the Griffish Isles and the Village Up North began to slowly depopulate as better jobs and better lives were available elsewhere. The inhabitants of Mended Horn nevertheless clung on to life on the edge of nowhere. But when a ship from the Village Up North stopped at Mended Horn on its way to New Mareland in 947, half the population left. The island would never again have more than a hundred ponies living on it. The drain of rural populations to the cities subsided in the late 970s, after the collapse of the Griffonian Empire meant the profitable export market to Griffonia was no longer available, and soon, open factory jobs in Trottingham or New Mareland were no longer in supply.
All the same, Mended Horn met its final death upon the Stalliongradian Succession in 989. The port of Ravenskoye, the closest to the island, had long been its sole connection to the outside world. It was where in the summer, a lone boat left to buy the barley and wool of Mended Horn, and in turn where islanders could buy pots, matches, and whatever luxuries of the outside word they could manage. Indeed, for centuries there had been a hooffull of Severyanans on the island, coming from a family of merchants who were among the few ponies to immigrate to the island since recording began, and on the few occasions that Mended Horn got a visiting priest, he came from Ravensyoke. All cut off with the embargo Equestria placed on the successionist territories. But this was far from the worst of it Early in the succession, a platoon of Stalliongradian rebels got on a boat and landed in Mended Horn, flying the red flag over the island for the first and hopefully last time. They left after little time, but Equestria sent a company of its own soldiers to the island to garrison it and have a presence in the straights, and with this garrison came money and glimpses of what life outside of the island could be to the islanders. When the garrison left after the end of the crisis, there was nothing left for the ponies on Mended Horn. The very last of them left in 1001, and the island has been uninhabited by any permanent population. The Equestrian Lighthouse Service maintained an unmared lighthouse until the capitulation. If illegal fishers and whalers go to Mended Horn they do so seasonally. It is otherwise deserted.
As you can tell from the history, Equestria has the best claim by far to the island, and when the Princess left the Village Up North to the Republic of New Mareland, she passed that territory to New Mareland."
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He sighs
"Which leads us to our expected adversary. Stalliongrad is like a dark mirror of New Mareland. It was a pony nation captured into Equestria's sphere long ago. Like New Mareland, it suffered under the indifference of the Princesses and the malfunctioning of the international capitalist system. And like New Mareland, it decided to break away and forge its own, autarkic socialist regime. But its ideology is a twisted one that rejects the hierarchies inherent in nature, shuns the spiritual aspect of the equine, and destroys nationhood and tradition. Its Equalist ideology is “Universal.” It purports to be applicable to every culture in every time and place, if only with some adaptation. Every economic system, every tradition, religion and culture, is “backwards” at best, but more probably, oppression. And to that end, the communists believe in “The World Revolution” – That every nation must have a revolt, theoretically performed by the weak and the workers, but in reality is always performed by the bored offspring of the petite bourgeois. Stalliongrad has a network of Communist and Equalist nations that it supports. And this where the Kostroma enters.
The intelligence document that we received said that the Kostroma left port from the port of Sleetfall in the “Free Northern Communes.” This is doubtful, as though Sleetfall is purportedly a ‘warm water port,’ kept ice-free year round by currents carrying warm waters from further south, in all likelihood, an icebreaker would have been needed to move a ship of Kostroma's size out of that cold, northern port, a place that only three weeks ago was in a pseudo-polar night. Even the port in Everfrost, many miles further east, seems doubtful, and a much more plausible origin would have been Dinkau, the port of Skynavia in the Skynavian Socialist Republic, or even Bluffhead. Any of these would have likely required a dedicated icebreaker to make transit possible if it were possible at all, though if one were sourced locally or from Vedina, we wouldn’t know. What we do know is that the Kostroma was sighted leaving from the port in Sirius approximately thirteen days ago, and when encountered by the KS-19 for the first time, was headed south from the Vedinan Straights, consistent with an origin in Skynavia or perhaps The Free Northern Communes. Skynavia is an administration created by griffins who were considered too radical for the exiled Republicans in Cloudbury. They invaded the Skynavia region, ancient lands inhabited by ponies since at least the time of the Dread Crusades, and colonized it, forcing the ponies native to the region to their regime. That was not enough for them. They soon invaded the Northern Tribes – the only confederacy of ponies in the region and the last sovereign remnants of the snow ponies who used to be ubiquitous in the global north – and finding their way of life offensive, forced upon them a markist-lemonist dictatorship, willingly staffed by radical leftist collaborators. The Skynavian Socialist Republic is several times more radical in spreading its vile doctrine across the planet, as they said recently they ‘shall no longer conscientiously tolerate the oppression and exploitation of the proletariat — the common creature — by the capitalists, imperialists, monarchists, fascists, and reactionaries of the world!’”
He pauses a moment to lick his lips and swallow before continuing his recitation from memory,
‘We declare that as long as such scourges remain in existence in our world, the revolutionary people of Skynavia shall not rest until all of creaturekind is free!’
It is easy to dismiss such words as irrelevant drivel, but I assure you it is a threat, and one that may well be directed at all of us here."
"Which leads us to our expected adversary. Stalliongrad is like a dark mirror of New Mareland. It was a pony nation captured into Equestria's sphere long ago. Like New Mareland, it suffered under the indifference of the Princesses and the malfunctioning of the international capitalist system. And like New Mareland, it decided to break away and forge its own, autarkic socialist regime. But its ideology is a twisted one that rejects the hierarchies inherent in nature, shuns the spiritual aspect of the equine, and destroys nationhood and tradition. Its Equalist ideology is “Universal.” It purports to be applicable to every culture in every time and place, if only with some adaptation. Every economic system, every tradition, religion and culture, is “backwards” at best, but more probably, oppression. And to that end, the communists believe in “The World Revolution” – That every nation must have a revolt, theoretically performed by the weak and the workers, but in reality is always performed by the bored offspring of the petite bourgeois. Stalliongrad has a network of Communist and Equalist nations that it supports. And this where the Kostroma enters.
The intelligence document that we received said that the Kostroma left port from the port of Sleetfall in the “Free Northern Communes.” This is doubtful, as though Sleetfall is purportedly a ‘warm water port,’ kept ice-free year round by currents carrying warm waters from further south, in all likelihood, an icebreaker would have been needed to move a ship of Kostroma's size out of that cold, northern port, a place that only three weeks ago was in a pseudo-polar night. Even the port in Everfrost, many miles further east, seems doubtful, and a much more plausible origin would have been Dinkau, the port of Skynavia in the Skynavian Socialist Republic, or even Bluffhead. Any of these would have likely required a dedicated icebreaker to make transit possible if it were possible at all, though if one were sourced locally or from Vedina, we wouldn’t know. What we do know is that the Kostroma was sighted leaving from the port in Sirius approximately thirteen days ago, and when encountered by the KS-19 for the first time, was headed south from the Vedinan Straights, consistent with an origin in Skynavia or perhaps The Free Northern Communes. Skynavia is an administration created by griffins who were considered too radical for the exiled Republicans in Cloudbury. They invaded the Skynavia region, ancient lands inhabited by ponies since at least the time of the Dread Crusades, and colonized it, forcing the ponies native to the region to their regime. That was not enough for them. They soon invaded the Northern Tribes – the only confederacy of ponies in the region and the last sovereign remnants of the snow ponies who used to be ubiquitous in the global north – and finding their way of life offensive, forced upon them a markist-lemonist dictatorship, willingly staffed by radical leftist collaborators. The Skynavian Socialist Republic is several times more radical in spreading its vile doctrine across the planet, as they said recently they ‘shall no longer conscientiously tolerate the oppression and exploitation of the proletariat — the common creature — by the capitalists, imperialists, monarchists, fascists, and reactionaries of the world!’”
He pauses a moment to lick his lips and swallow before continuing his recitation from memory,
‘We declare that as long as such scourges remain in existence in our world, the revolutionary people of Skynavia shall not rest until all of creaturekind is free!’
It is easy to dismiss such words as irrelevant drivel, but I assure you it is a threat, and one that may well be directed at all of us here."
File (): F3896614DCC9EAE5EFC3062F1197A302-80217.jpg (78.3 KB, 639x475, 4091277.jpg)
"Now, as to how we got here… Our source of that information was the foreign intelligence branch of the State Security Administration, known as “Rooke,” and of course run by the Blackhooves. They asked us simply to follow the Kostroma and keep an eye on its movements. Though they didn’t tell us why the freighter’s movements were important, the request was far from unusual. Stalliongrad regularly sends support to its few allies, including the Skynavian Socialist Republic. The most important of these missions carry arms to arm revolutions, or in the case of the Skynavian Social Republic, to use against revolting snow ponies.
Please understand that the KS-19 was serving in the Rocky Sea as a part of the larger Wonambi Plan, which is an operation to prevent uprisings within the territory of our Customs Union by cutting off supplies of outside resources. And in particular, that means trafficked arms. We don’t know, of course, that the Kostroma had been carrying weapons to Skynavia on its outward voyage. It may just as well have been carrying industrial equipment like factory machines, lathes, or bulldozers. It may have simply been carrying fuel oil, or even food, for the winter. It could have been carrying technicians, engineers, or experts. It may have been carrying a special team of pony warriors to act as instructors, or perhaps, to carry ponies and griffins back to learn in Stalliongrad.
We certainly don’t know what it was carrying on its return journey. The most natural answer would be that it was carrying payment for the weapons, equipment, or fuel it was delivering to Skynavia or the Free Northern Communes. Ideally this would be in the form of gold reserves, or perhaps silver, gems, or foreign currency. Given the poverty of those two states something like ivory, taken from walrus tusks, furs, or even ore or timber. Perhaps it was carrying griffins or ponies. Perhaps it was empty on its return journey. The truth is, we don’t really know what it was carrying either direction, and what was so important to transport that it couldn't wait until the spring time."
A bit more on the Kostroma. The Kostrama is a 23,000 Tonne freighter commissioned in 983 by Petershoof Shipping and built in Trottingham by Horn & Wolf, originally intended mostly for bulk cargo carrying. It was one of three ships set aside for hauling grain during the infamous episode in 987 where Grover VI offered to provide grain for famine relief and the Tsar refused, but aside from that, little of note has occurred with the ship before and since its acquisition by the Stalliongradian Merchant Marine. Given the embargo against Stalliongrad by Equestria and Stalliongrad’s autarky its spent much of its time in port, but it was lent to A Nimbusian shipping company for some years, and has been in such diverse places as Saddle Arabia, Hayvana, and Olenia. Recently the government of Stalliongrad has retaken control, and has used the ship in its World Revolution, most prominently when it carried artillery pieces to Ngua Nam, but also carrying weapons to Equalist elements in the Saddle Arabian Civil War, and shipments of what was admittedly probably food to Prywhen. Not to imply we’ve kept close tabs on the ship, but as Stalliongrad must necessarily pass through the Rocky Sea to reach the world, we tend to keep track of many of the vessels.
It is this contested control over the Rocky Sea, much more so than any sentimental attachment to a small piece of land, that makes Mended Horn so important. Traditionally, control over land gives control over the waters near that land going out to twelve nautical miles. Stalliongrad, or even Nova Griffonia, having claim to the waters on each side of what Stalliongrad calls “the Bay of Equality,” would nearly cut off our access to our enclave in The Village Up North by reducing access through a narrow path of neutral waters. Having Mended Horn as New Mareland Territory gives us a path through Equality Bay that inconveniences Stalliongrad. And besides the claim to territorial waters, the island is useful as a location for an observation post, a radar station, or even a weather station.
And as for the crew of the Kostroma... Well, normally it would be crewed by something along the lines of fifty ponies, give or take about ten. However, there are almost certainly an attachment of marines and anti-aircraft gunners on the ship - and yes, there are both - as well as a political commissar. This could be another 20 or even 30 ponies. And of course we don't know if there were any passengers."
Please understand that the KS-19 was serving in the Rocky Sea as a part of the larger Wonambi Plan, which is an operation to prevent uprisings within the territory of our Customs Union by cutting off supplies of outside resources. And in particular, that means trafficked arms. We don’t know, of course, that the Kostroma had been carrying weapons to Skynavia on its outward voyage. It may just as well have been carrying industrial equipment like factory machines, lathes, or bulldozers. It may have simply been carrying fuel oil, or even food, for the winter. It could have been carrying technicians, engineers, or experts. It may have been carrying a special team of pony warriors to act as instructors, or perhaps, to carry ponies and griffins back to learn in Stalliongrad.
We certainly don’t know what it was carrying on its return journey. The most natural answer would be that it was carrying payment for the weapons, equipment, or fuel it was delivering to Skynavia or the Free Northern Communes. Ideally this would be in the form of gold reserves, or perhaps silver, gems, or foreign currency. Given the poverty of those two states something like ivory, taken from walrus tusks, furs, or even ore or timber. Perhaps it was carrying griffins or ponies. Perhaps it was empty on its return journey. The truth is, we don’t really know what it was carrying either direction, and what was so important to transport that it couldn't wait until the spring time."
A bit more on the Kostroma. The Kostrama is a 23,000 Tonne freighter commissioned in 983 by Petershoof Shipping and built in Trottingham by Horn & Wolf, originally intended mostly for bulk cargo carrying. It was one of three ships set aside for hauling grain during the infamous episode in 987 where Grover VI offered to provide grain for famine relief and the Tsar refused, but aside from that, little of note has occurred with the ship before and since its acquisition by the Stalliongradian Merchant Marine. Given the embargo against Stalliongrad by Equestria and Stalliongrad’s autarky its spent much of its time in port, but it was lent to A Nimbusian shipping company for some years, and has been in such diverse places as Saddle Arabia, Hayvana, and Olenia. Recently the government of Stalliongrad has retaken control, and has used the ship in its World Revolution, most prominently when it carried artillery pieces to Ngua Nam, but also carrying weapons to Equalist elements in the Saddle Arabian Civil War, and shipments of what was admittedly probably food to Prywhen. Not to imply we’ve kept close tabs on the ship, but as Stalliongrad must necessarily pass through the Rocky Sea to reach the world, we tend to keep track of many of the vessels.
It is this contested control over the Rocky Sea, much more so than any sentimental attachment to a small piece of land, that makes Mended Horn so important. Traditionally, control over land gives control over the waters near that land going out to twelve nautical miles. Stalliongrad, or even Nova Griffonia, having claim to the waters on each side of what Stalliongrad calls “the Bay of Equality,” would nearly cut off our access to our enclave in The Village Up North by reducing access through a narrow path of neutral waters. Having Mended Horn as New Mareland Territory gives us a path through Equality Bay that inconveniences Stalliongrad. And besides the claim to territorial waters, the island is useful as a location for an observation post, a radar station, or even a weather station.
And as for the crew of the Kostroma... Well, normally it would be crewed by something along the lines of fifty ponies, give or take about ten. However, there are almost certainly an attachment of marines and anti-aircraft gunners on the ship - and yes, there are both - as well as a political commissar. This could be another 20 or even 30 ponies. And of course we don't know if there were any passengers."
>>178715
"Captain, just to make sure I'm adequately following, the mission we're tasked with is to investigate the KS-19, which you've lost contact with after it positioned to observe the movements of this,... what was it, Kostromo freighter?"
Bluff [1d20+3 = (19+3) = 22]
"Known and potential adversaries include Stalliongrad and allied Skynavia, as well as anything indigenous in the area, and while our mission is specific to the KS-19 we may find ourselves opting to stop by and visit with the occupants of the freighter.
Mission-Critical objectives in priority order is the safe and successful extraction of 10 airponies as well as the destruction of two critical systems, to be further detailed," he finishes, realizing that while the license to kill is definitely on the table, he was hoping this would be a black operation.
"Captain, just to make sure I'm adequately following, the mission we're tasked with is to investigate the KS-19, which you've lost contact with after it positioned to observe the movements of this,... what was it, Kostromo freighter?"
Bluff [1d20+3 = (19+3) = 22]
"Known and potential adversaries include Stalliongrad and allied Skynavia, as well as anything indigenous in the area, and while our mission is specific to the KS-19 we may find ourselves opting to stop by and visit with the occupants of the freighter.
Mission-Critical objectives in priority order is the safe and successful extraction of 10 airponies as well as the destruction of two critical systems, to be further detailed," he finishes, realizing that while the license to kill is definitely on the table, he was hoping this would be a black operation.
>>178715
"As for your marines, how did you find out that they are on this island, or that they survived their crash at all? Did they send out an SOS?"
"As for your marines, how did you find out that they are on this island, or that they survived their crash at all? Did they send out an SOS?"
File (): 65BE0D9D220453C768579EB6418964A8-3849952.gif (3.7 MB, 498x373, edge-worth-ace-attorney-1.gif)
>>178700
>>178720
>>178712
>the passport is written in Changeling
"Captain Waters, can we really be sure that this bat isn't a changeling infiltrator or collaborator? I mean, he's named after cheese: that sounds like something a cheeselegs would make up. This is a covert operation, and risking changelings having Intel on it could give them blackmail material that would put New Mareland n a diplomatic gap. We do have technology to detect changelings, but that technology is only in still its infancy and we don't know if it can be subverted or not. I propose a thorough dissection, just to make sure."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (7+14) = 21]
This is a shitpost.
>>178720
>>178712
>the passport is written in Changeling
"Captain Waters, can we really be sure that this bat isn't a changeling infiltrator or collaborator? I mean, he's named after cheese: that sounds like something a cheeselegs would make up. This is a covert operation, and risking changelings having Intel on it could give them blackmail material that would put New Mareland n a diplomatic gap. We do have technology to detect changelings, but that technology is only in still its infancy and we don't know if it can be subverted or not. I propose a thorough dissection, just to make sure."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (7+14) = 21]
This is a shitpost.
>>178726
It doesnt have to be, thats good shit and it forces him to have to at least explain why anypony should be expected to turn their back to him
It doesnt have to be, thats good shit and it forces him to have to at least explain why anypony should be expected to turn their back to him
>>178726
I actually want to roll with it, if thats okay with you. If u dont want this to count I can "not", but this is how I would have him respond
Brie's head twists slightly at the mention of dissection, his face betraying an expression of pleasant surprise. He glances around at all the ponies and then back centrally (but not directly) at Rosey. "Miss Ring, am I to assume that you chose your given name? Ridiculous. As for my affiliation with the Changeling Empire, allow me to dispel all doubt. I have numerous business dealings of a more and less nefarious nature with several interests throughout the hive, on a level that is heavily classified. Our dear Captain here may be briefed on it, but the lot of you certainly are not. Still, in the interest of making friends," he emphasizes those last two in a way that makes it sound slightly cheesy and a little patronizing, "I would be willing to subject myself to a truth spell, just to grease the wheels as it were."
I actually want to roll with it, if thats okay with you. If u dont want this to count I can "not", but this is how I would have him respond
Brie's head twists slightly at the mention of dissection, his face betraying an expression of pleasant surprise. He glances around at all the ponies and then back centrally (but not directly) at Rosey. "Miss Ring, am I to assume that you chose your given name? Ridiculous. As for my affiliation with the Changeling Empire, allow me to dispel all doubt. I have numerous business dealings of a more and less nefarious nature with several interests throughout the hive, on a level that is heavily classified. Our dear Captain here may be briefed on it, but the lot of you certainly are not. Still, in the interest of making friends," he emphasizes those last two in a way that makes it sound slightly cheesy and a little patronizing, "I would be willing to subject myself to a truth spell, just to grease the wheels as it were."
File (): D589EB8935B91A87BC154C390E7BD8FE-4439875.mp4 (4.2 MB, Resolution:576x546 Length:00:01:00, downloadfile-3.bin_12.mp4.mov) [play once] [loop]
>>178727
Okay then. It is not a shitpost.
>>178616
"Sir Adamance. You look like an upstanding thestral citizen: a herald of your culture. Does this bat look like someone who would cohort with Changelings to you? Does he seem untrustworthy? Does he seem... evil? My career as a necrologist has taught me to be wary of Evil. We wouldn't want to go on this precarious mission with someone who is Evil, or worse, a spy from a hostile nation."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (12+14) = 26]
Okay then. It is not a shitpost.
>>178616
"Sir Adamance. You look like an upstanding thestral citizen: a herald of your culture. Does this bat look like someone who would cohort with Changelings to you? Does he seem untrustworthy? Does he seem... evil? My career as a necrologist has taught me to be wary of Evil. We wouldn't want to go on this precarious mission with someone who is Evil, or worse, a spy from a hostile nation."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (12+14) = 26]
>>178730
"Oh come now, no need to be so formal. We're getting to know one another and these are things I can speak to directly. Without a doubt, I engage in philosophies and practices that good ponies such as yourselves have historically and contemporarily chosen to describe as "evil", however I can assure you - again, the truth spell - that I am here strictly on business; A favor to an old friend of mine within the Blackhooves."
He isnt bluffing, and his candor suggests hes being forthright.
"Oh come now, no need to be so formal. We're getting to know one another and these are things I can speak to directly. Without a doubt, I engage in philosophies and practices that good ponies such as yourselves have historically and contemporarily chosen to describe as "evil", however I can assure you - again, the truth spell - that I am here strictly on business; A favor to an old friend of mine within the Blackhooves."
He isnt bluffing, and his candor suggests hes being forthright.
>>178720
>>178726
>>178728
>>178730
>>178731
>>178732
Silver: "I can vouch for him. He has Changeling passport as last I saw him he was returning two foalnapped drones back to their mother. He has information that only he would have known about, and I doubt there is any changeling in existence that could so effectively copy his demeanor. He is singularly unique character. You would not need any fancy technology to prove that he is indeed still Brie, just flashlight. Shine one in his eyes, and if he is changeling then his 'true' changeling eyes would be visible behind his pony ones."
Kira blinks, barely following along with the conversation due to the lack of a critical piece of information. She raises her hoof to ask a question. "Um...what are changelings?"
>>178726
>>178728
>>178730
>>178731
>>178732
Silver: "I can vouch for him. He has Changeling passport as last I saw him he was returning two foalnapped drones back to their mother. He has information that only he would have known about, and I doubt there is any changeling in existence that could so effectively copy his demeanor. He is singularly unique character. You would not need any fancy technology to prove that he is indeed still Brie, just flashlight. Shine one in his eyes, and if he is changeling then his 'true' changeling eyes would be visible behind his pony ones."
Kira blinks, barely following along with the conversation due to the lack of a critical piece of information. She raises her hoof to ask a question. "Um...what are changelings?"
>>178733
Brie looks over at Kira with an expression of adoration and bemusement, before turning to Silver and gesturing a slight bow, "Quite right, and thank you Silver. While on familiar terms with many of the afore-referred-to changelings, I work with them and they me because collectively we need eachother as individuals and business professionals; I am under no auspices of the Changeling empire - though I'm sure my associates are required to volunteer all sensitive information to the Queen periodically - which is why we have compartmentalized our various roles and responsibilities from one another. It's all quite tedious, but is there such thing as overspending on peace of mind?"
Brie looks over at Kira with an expression of adoration and bemusement, before turning to Silver and gesturing a slight bow, "Quite right, and thank you Silver. While on familiar terms with many of the afore-referred-to changelings, I work with them and they me because collectively we need eachother as individuals and business professionals; I am under no auspices of the Changeling empire - though I'm sure my associates are required to volunteer all sensitive information to the Queen periodically - which is why we have compartmentalized our various roles and responsibilities from one another. It's all quite tedious, but is there such thing as overspending on peace of mind?"
>>178731
>Without a doubt, I engage in philosophies and practices that good ponies such as yourselves have historically and contemporarily chosen to describe as "evil"
"Hmmmmm, that sounds like something that somepony who is metaphysically Evil would say..."
>>178733
"So you are telling me that he is a Changeling-sympathizer? Hmmmmm...."
>"Um...what are changelings?"
"Changelings are insect-like shapeshifting monsters that feed off of the essence of ponies, in a bad way."
>Without a doubt, I engage in philosophies and practices that good ponies such as yourselves have historically and contemporarily chosen to describe as "evil"
"Hmmmmm, that sounds like something that somepony who is metaphysically Evil would say..."
>>178733
"So you are telling me that he is a Changeling-sympathizer? Hmmmmm...."
>"Um...what are changelings?"
"Changelings are insect-like shapeshifting monsters that feed off of the essence of ponies, in a bad way."
>>178735
>in a bad way
"You might be surprised. They... can sometimes help a pony to forget things they would prefer not to remember."
[i]Deepest Lore
>in a bad way
"You might be surprised. They... can sometimes help a pony to forget things they would prefer not to remember."
[i]Deepest Lore
File (): 53F621C86EB3722CA9C193D04D587B90-579085.png (565.5 KB, 1080x879, Screenshot_20241107-150108.png)
>>178737
"Are you implying that you've allowed changelings to enter and consume portions of your mind?! Oh goodness gracious, it is worse than I thought...!"
"Are you implying that you've allowed changelings to enter and consume portions of your mind?! Oh goodness gracious, it is worse than I thought...!"
>>178739
"Nothing so sordid! It is a matter of allowing the bug to feed while you are fixated on a specific memory. It takes a bit of mental focus, and the process it's self is very unpleasant for the poor insect - he described it as tasting like a mix of how turpentine smells mixed with rotten meat - but done correctly it can be quite therapudic."
"Nothing so sordid! It is a matter of allowing the bug to feed while you are fixated on a specific memory. It takes a bit of mental focus, and the process it's self is very unpleasant for the poor insect - he described it as tasting like a mix of how turpentine smells mixed with rotten meat - but done correctly it can be quite therapudic."
>>178734
>>178735
Silver: "You would sympathize with those drones as well, had you seen what they had gone through. In truth what he did likely saved New Mareland from extremely embarrassing incident with Changeling Lands."
>>178737
>>178739
Silver gives Brie a pat on the shoulder. Kira is a bit disturbed by the image of an insect eating parts of a creature's mind.
Kira: "So...they're parasites?"
>>178735
Silver: "You would sympathize with those drones as well, had you seen what they had gone through. In truth what he did likely saved New Mareland from extremely embarrassing incident with Changeling Lands."
>>178737
>>178739
Silver gives Brie a pat on the shoulder. Kira is a bit disturbed by the image of an insect eating parts of a creature's mind.
Kira: "So...they're parasites?"
>>178742
"For simplicity's sake, let's go with that. Though, in many ways no less so than some ponies," he says giving the thinking black guy meme pose.
"For simplicity's sake, let's go with that. Though, in many ways no less so than some ponies," he says giving the thinking black guy meme pose.
File (): 0DACBA02FDA5D386D6B0011359E0A139-63846.jpg (62.3 KB, 777x583, Alzheimers-Brain-Disease-777x583.jpg)
"A pony who has let changelings feed off of their memories is not to be trusted. Afterall, they say think they know how it works, but who's to say what else that they've forgotten? If they've been fed on hundreds of times before, they may not even remember. For all we could know he might be an unwitting sleeper agent ready to strike at a moment's notice."
"Patients of advanced changeling consumption are prone to delusions, mood swings and schizoid tendencies and acute mental deterioration. Can we really put our faith in a pony who is a changeling sympathizer, evil by own admission, and possibly our thief as well? Is this the pony who would bring our colts home."
She cups her hooves to her cheeks
"How are we to be certain that he's not some sort of psychopath that might, I don't know, plot to kill his entire party because he foolishly believed himself to be the target of a charm spell?"
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (18+14) = 32]
"Patients of advanced changeling consumption are prone to delusions, mood swings and schizoid tendencies and acute mental deterioration. Can we really put our faith in a pony who is a changeling sympathizer, evil by own admission, and possibly our thief as well? Is this the pony who would bring our colts home."
She cups her hooves to her cheeks
"How are we to be certain that he's not some sort of psychopath that might, I don't know, plot to kill his entire party because he foolishly believed himself to be the target of a charm spell?"
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (18+14) = 32]
"I venture to assume that our Zebra friend might be able to manage such a thing, as well as our more respectable bat, I suspect."
>>178745
>>178746
Rosey Ring shakes her head
"We do not have such magic on hand, nor do we have the time to acquire or prepare such magic before the mission tod-..." She pauses
"Well, I do know one spell that could do that... if you would cooperate. Afterall, I would never cast spells on my allies without consent."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (9+14) = 23]
>>178746
Rosey Ring shakes her head
"We do not have such magic on hand, nor do we have the time to acquire or prepare such magic before the mission tod-..." She pauses
"Well, I do know one spell that could do that... if you would cooperate. Afterall, I would never cast spells on my allies without consent."
Bluff
[1d20+14 = (9+14) = 23]
>>178744
>>178745
>>178746
Silver: "Heh. Evil is perhaps overstatement, if true at all. I mean no offense to Brie if it is caused, but I believe it is more just part of persona he has created around himself than actual fact. I have seen him perform selfless deeds which no truly 'evil' creature would perform. It is also sensible to sympathize with another creature's plight, even if you must remain adversaries. By understanding motives and motivations of your adversary, you may come to understand ways of defeating them without ever actually coming to blows. Such as how there are many changelings who are resentful of Chrysalis' claim of being 'queen of all changelings' as they feel they are being sent to their deaths on needless suicide missions, and as such are likely to dissent against her rule. As for him being thief, not only is there no evidence for him being your thief, even with his roguish nature he is still far more noble of pony than many who claim to be of higher standing than him."
>>178745
>>178746
Silver: "Heh. Evil is perhaps overstatement, if true at all. I mean no offense to Brie if it is caused, but I believe it is more just part of persona he has created around himself than actual fact. I have seen him perform selfless deeds which no truly 'evil' creature would perform. It is also sensible to sympathize with another creature's plight, even if you must remain adversaries. By understanding motives and motivations of your adversary, you may come to understand ways of defeating them without ever actually coming to blows. Such as how there are many changelings who are resentful of Chrysalis' claim of being 'queen of all changelings' as they feel they are being sent to their deaths on needless suicide missions, and as such are likely to dissent against her rule. As for him being thief, not only is there no evidence for him being your thief, even with his roguish nature he is still far more noble of pony than many who claim to be of higher standing than him."
"If you'll excuse me for a bit of filibuster, there is alot about "evil" that is misunderstood. With notable exception, to say something is evil doesn't indicate that there is an absence of order or even morality to it. It isn't an indictment to call something evil, in that there is a historical precedence to the idea. With exception, it seems to center around the pony's primary motivation; is it service to self, or service to otners? I am unambiguous about my service being entirely to myself, and yet in doing so there are an increasing handful of ponies, bugs, zebras, and a few griffins who have a mutually beneficial relationship based around my service to self."
>>178753
Idk. It began as a shitpost, but then Brie said he wanted to engage with it because it gave him an opportunity to roleplay.
I'm just killing time until we actually start the mission.
Idk. It began as a shitpost, but then Brie said he wanted to engage with it because it gave him an opportunity to roleplay.
I'm just killing time until we actually start the mission.
Let me be more specific.
I thought that little "dream" got nerfed out of existence. I can screencap GM saying so. So, what are you doing?
I thought that little "dream" got nerfed out of existence. I can screencap GM saying so. So, what are you doing?
I feel this is important to emphasize, cuz this was fun RIGHT up until that post. Then it wasn't fun for me anymore, because it SEEMED you wanted to just be an asshole.
We're done with this scene, thank you
We're done with this scene, thank you
>>178742
>"So...they're parasites?"
"Psychic parasites, correct. They are exceedingly dangerous, and they can be anywhere."
>"So...they're parasites?"
"Psychic parasites, correct. They are exceedingly dangerous, and they can be anywhere."
>>178748
>By understanding motives and motivations of your adversary, you may come to understand ways of defeating them without ever actually coming to blows. Such as how there are many changelings who are resentful of Chrysalis' claim of being 'queen of all changelings' as they feel they are being sent to their deaths on needless suicide missions, and as such are likely to dissent against her rule.
"Interesting. I should have considered that."
>By understanding motives and motivations of your adversary, you may come to understand ways of defeating them without ever actually coming to blows. Such as how there are many changelings who are resentful of Chrysalis' claim of being 'queen of all changelings' as they feel they are being sent to their deaths on needless suicide missions, and as such are likely to dissent against her rule.
"Interesting. I should have considered that."
>>178715
Silver: "I know I am thinking it so I know at least some of my compatriots here are thinking it as well, so I will ask; if Kostroma is indeed carrying something valuable back from Skynavia as payment, and it has not yet delivered it back to Stalliongrad when it makes this stop near Mended Horn...would you find objection if Kostroma were to arrive back at dock after this expedition without its cargo?"
Silver: "I know I am thinking it so I know at least some of my compatriots here are thinking it as well, so I will ask; if Kostroma is indeed carrying something valuable back from Skynavia as payment, and it has not yet delivered it back to Stalliongrad when it makes this stop near Mended Horn...would you find objection if Kostroma were to arrive back at dock after this expedition without its cargo?"
>>178759
Halfway through Silver's suggestion, Brie erupts in a coughing fit, as loudly as semi-conceivably possible, while making an attempt to signal to Silver "later".
Bluff [1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7] ; Sleight of Hoof [1d20+9 = (7+9) = 16]
Halfway through Silver's suggestion, Brie erupts in a coughing fit, as loudly as semi-conceivably possible, while making an attempt to signal to Silver "later".
Bluff [1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7] ; Sleight of Hoof [1d20+9 = (7+9) = 16]
>>178759
>Oh quest-giver, may we pretty please keep loot we find?
Innuendo:
[1d20+14 = (5+14) = 19]
"Bruh, you didn't need to ask permission for that. It's all legitimate salvage. I'm not taking less than a full share of any treasures found."
>Oh quest-giver, may we pretty please keep loot we find?
Innuendo:
[1d20+14 = (5+14) = 19]
"Bruh, you didn't need to ask permission for that. It's all legitimate salvage. I'm not taking less than a full share of any treasures found."
>>178761
Im sorry that I misinterpreted your reference, I asked for clarification with that express intent. I'll happily olay along with jokes I know how to play
Im sorry that I misinterpreted your reference, I asked for clarification with that express intent. I'll happily olay along with jokes I know how to play
>>178763
Also to this point, theres an entire fucking freighter. It MAY be a cave of wonders scenario, where there's endless piles of loot (of whatever type: gold, bullet,... golden bullets)
Maybe magic carpets n shit
Also to this point, theres an entire fucking freighter. It MAY be a cave of wonders scenario, where there's endless piles of loot (of whatever type: gold, bullet,... golden bullets)
Maybe magic carpets n shit
File (): 744640D87AFEDC503EE88F1DAECBBFD4-292282.jpg (285.4 KB, 1200x788, world-war-2-history-the-goodyear-blimp-goes-to-war.jpg)
"And now, on the KS-19…
The KS-19, as the name implies, is a KS class non-rigid airship, a medium sized lighter-than-air craft. The craft I around about 250 feet long, has a cabin with two attached engine nacelles below an envelope, and a crew of, in this instance, 10. You do not need to know the range, endurance, or top speed of the craft as that information is classified. This type of airship is built for anti-submarine warfare, with a machine gun and two depth charges as armament. However, this particular airship, like many of its class, has been modified for extra endurance, and for resupply from ship, as it is intended to fly alongside or near convoys and escort them, spotting enemy submarines and either attacking them, or aiding escort ships and planes. It can also perform scouting missions, search and rescue, or even sometimes transport.
The KS-19 was commissioned during the war against Sicameon with the intention of acting as a scout, and delivered during a brief period of peace in 1011. It’s first combat operation was Operation Hydra, where it escorted Head Typhoon in its seizure of Fillydelphia. After that, it performed escorts for convoys in Operation Hoopsnake, escorting thousands of New Mareland reinforcements in their liberation of Equestria. It has since served escorting passenger ships in Operation Songline, taking ponies to Griffonia. It participated in the search for SS Sunny Hauler. The highlight of its career was when it picked up a boat of seven ponies from the sunken SS Minotaur. Just last month it participated in the failed search for the vanished Flight AF11 off the Discovery Sea. It was moved to the Rocky Sea only a few weeks ago to patrol for Aquelian submarines and Haukland Pirates, but also to patrol the Griffish Straights as a part of the aforementioned Operation Wonambi, to patrol for illegal smuggling from Nova Griffonia or Stalliongrad.
KS-19 was assigned to follow the Kostroma four days ago, encountering it south of the Straights of Vedina, the exact location being classified. It followed the Kostroma until the latter stopped at the port of Sirius. Per a request from Rooke, the KS-19 attempted to come as close into port as it could to take pictures, but then returned to Trottingham to refuel and change crews. The KS-19 was able to catch the Kostroma on its way out of Port in Sirius the evening before last. Kostroma remained in port for 34 hours in Sirius. We have no idea what happened while in port. The direction the Kostroma took after leaving port was consistent with a final destination of Ravensyoke. However, yesterday evening, the Kostroma took a subtle turn to the North, almost consistent with a final destination of Krasny Port, but over shooting it.
The KS-19 would have been within visual range of the Kostroma for a majority of its time following the ship. It’s entirely possible that they were intentionally diverting the ship to confuse the KS-19 about its final destination, or perhaps cause the KS-19 to enter into Nova Griffonian Territory. It’s also possible that there was a problem with the ship that caused it to either not have full control, or to need to stop at Mended Horn for repair. Among the last messages we have from the KS-19 is that the Kostroma had maintained the same slight starboard bias consistently for the night, and that only a small number of the Kostroma’s normal lights were on. It’s possible that the ship was trying to lose the KS-19 in the darkness.
The last message from the KS-19 was shortly before sunrise this morning. We lost contact with it not long after that. A seaplane confirmed in visual that the KS-19 had partly-deflated on Mended Horn on a hill side, though banks of fog prohibited much more confirmation than that. The KS-19 would have encountered Mended Horn shortly after sunrise, though it may have occurred before then. Lighting was minimal, and the island has been covered in rolling banks of fog from the Equality Bay, which are usual in the spring, if perhaps a bit early in January. The usual explanation would be that the KS-19 was caught in a downward draft of air and crashed against the ground. Another, very realistic possibility, is that the KS-19 simply lost sight of the Kostroma in the fog, descended to a lower altitude to look for it, and quite simply flew into a hill in the fog and morning twilight. What we call a ‘controlled descent into terrain’."
The KS-19, as the name implies, is a KS class non-rigid airship, a medium sized lighter-than-air craft. The craft I around about 250 feet long, has a cabin with two attached engine nacelles below an envelope, and a crew of, in this instance, 10. You do not need to know the range, endurance, or top speed of the craft as that information is classified. This type of airship is built for anti-submarine warfare, with a machine gun and two depth charges as armament. However, this particular airship, like many of its class, has been modified for extra endurance, and for resupply from ship, as it is intended to fly alongside or near convoys and escort them, spotting enemy submarines and either attacking them, or aiding escort ships and planes. It can also perform scouting missions, search and rescue, or even sometimes transport.
The KS-19 was commissioned during the war against Sicameon with the intention of acting as a scout, and delivered during a brief period of peace in 1011. It’s first combat operation was Operation Hydra, where it escorted Head Typhoon in its seizure of Fillydelphia. After that, it performed escorts for convoys in Operation Hoopsnake, escorting thousands of New Mareland reinforcements in their liberation of Equestria. It has since served escorting passenger ships in Operation Songline, taking ponies to Griffonia. It participated in the search for SS Sunny Hauler. The highlight of its career was when it picked up a boat of seven ponies from the sunken SS Minotaur. Just last month it participated in the failed search for the vanished Flight AF11 off the Discovery Sea. It was moved to the Rocky Sea only a few weeks ago to patrol for Aquelian submarines and Haukland Pirates, but also to patrol the Griffish Straights as a part of the aforementioned Operation Wonambi, to patrol for illegal smuggling from Nova Griffonia or Stalliongrad.
KS-19 was assigned to follow the Kostroma four days ago, encountering it south of the Straights of Vedina, the exact location being classified. It followed the Kostroma until the latter stopped at the port of Sirius. Per a request from Rooke, the KS-19 attempted to come as close into port as it could to take pictures, but then returned to Trottingham to refuel and change crews. The KS-19 was able to catch the Kostroma on its way out of Port in Sirius the evening before last. Kostroma remained in port for 34 hours in Sirius. We have no idea what happened while in port. The direction the Kostroma took after leaving port was consistent with a final destination of Ravensyoke. However, yesterday evening, the Kostroma took a subtle turn to the North, almost consistent with a final destination of Krasny Port, but over shooting it.
The KS-19 would have been within visual range of the Kostroma for a majority of its time following the ship. It’s entirely possible that they were intentionally diverting the ship to confuse the KS-19 about its final destination, or perhaps cause the KS-19 to enter into Nova Griffonian Territory. It’s also possible that there was a problem with the ship that caused it to either not have full control, or to need to stop at Mended Horn for repair. Among the last messages we have from the KS-19 is that the Kostroma had maintained the same slight starboard bias consistently for the night, and that only a small number of the Kostroma’s normal lights were on. It’s possible that the ship was trying to lose the KS-19 in the darkness.
The last message from the KS-19 was shortly before sunrise this morning. We lost contact with it not long after that. A seaplane confirmed in visual that the KS-19 had partly-deflated on Mended Horn on a hill side, though banks of fog prohibited much more confirmation than that. The KS-19 would have encountered Mended Horn shortly after sunrise, though it may have occurred before then. Lighting was minimal, and the island has been covered in rolling banks of fog from the Equality Bay, which are usual in the spring, if perhaps a bit early in January. The usual explanation would be that the KS-19 was caught in a downward draft of air and crashed against the ground. Another, very realistic possibility, is that the KS-19 simply lost sight of the Kostroma in the fog, descended to a lower altitude to look for it, and quite simply flew into a hill in the fog and morning twilight. What we call a ‘controlled descent into terrain’."
File (): 4B2DB008F11C8AD609956717D30B824B-9123.jpg (8.9 KB, 211x239, images (1).jpeg)
>>178769
Rosey Ring nods
"But what of the possibility of enemy attack? Isn't it plausible that the Kostroma lured the KS-19 into a trap, or even fired on the craft causing it to crash? The fog could have made easy cover for enemy attack, especially if magic is involved. I don't think we can rule out the possibility of enemy sabotage, or that more enemies may be waiting there to greet us when we arrive."
Her paralyzed face momentarily twists into a sinister grin, her excitement breaking through her professional demeanor.
"That only makes things more interesting. When do we begin?"
Rosey Ring nods
"But what of the possibility of enemy attack? Isn't it plausible that the Kostroma lured the KS-19 into a trap, or even fired on the craft causing it to crash? The fog could have made easy cover for enemy attack, especially if magic is involved. I don't think we can rule out the possibility of enemy sabotage, or that more enemies may be waiting there to greet us when we arrive."
Her paralyzed face momentarily twists into a sinister grin, her excitement breaking through her professional demeanor.
"That only makes things more interesting. When do we begin?"
File (): F4D1E3F19E9AD73F6551AF38E81644B2-248895.jpg (243.1 KB, 1400x935, 10ddce49564269.5ca9ce7be6d0a.jpg)
>>178771
Shoal Water Smiles
"But there is another possibility, one that is far more insidious, but cannot be dismissed out of hoof. Kostroma, as was said before, was aware of the KS-19 trailing it. The lights on the Kostroma may have been turned off specifically to lure the KS-19 closer to it, and within easier range of its anti-aircraft guns. KS-19 may have been lured to Mended Horn to be shot down. Perhaps this a show to keep New Mareland from trailing its ships. Perhaps the cargo of Kostroma was that critical, that it’s final destination could not be known. Or perhaps they wished to capture the KS-19’s crew or its new systems.
KS-19 had two systems that were upgraded since its production. One, is an air-to-ground radar system that is able to detect a surfaced submarine even dozens of miles away. The other is an improved, higher performance engine set. We cannot afford for these systems to be in the hooves of International Communism. If I am being honest, Stalliongrad likely already has similar radar systems. But the engines they almost certainly do not. And we do not need Stalliongrad, nor any other nation having faster, higher flying fighters or bombers.
The KS-19, being literally a balloon, did not crash at high speed or with force. It’s crew – or at least most of them – almost certainly survived. A seaplane reports that at least one pony was seen walking about near the crash, and more importantly, waving at the passing plane. They are alive and have at least some means to defend themselves. Whether they could survive the cold night, or avoid being captured by Stalliongrad, is uncertain.
The Kostroma was also cited in a small bay in the island. It was in the water away from shore, and had no obvious list. If it ran aground it avoided sinking, though it may have beached itself upon a reef or sandbar, and may come lose in higher tides.”
It is a fair bet that Stalliongrad will have more interest in Kostroma than KS-19, especially if the freighter’s stop on the island was unintended. If that is the case, it may be possible to simply slip past the Stalliongradian patrols with no bloodshed. However, if targeting KS-19 was indeed the goal, the combined force may be nigh unstoppable.
And now, why you are here...
As stated before, this is contested territory with Stalliongrad as they consider it to be their own territory. They may have ignored the KS-19's presence on the island if it were alone, but the Kostroma arrival at the island guarantees a Stalliongradian response.
Now, there are those that say that Stalliongrad does not base all of its decisions on its ideology, and that in foreign policy it acts in many ways like a traditional nation seeking its own national interests and claims. Unfortunately, that is probably at least partly true. White Severyana, that portion of the historical Severyana territory that did not secede from Equestria in 995, has long been eyed with envy by Stalliongrad. They did not invade Equestria, nor the New Mareland administrated territory to seize White Severyana during the war. Now, however, neither the Equestrian Army nor the New Mareland Army are present to prevent Stalliongrad from simply walking into the territory and taking it. Our Army is almost wholly engaged in the defense of the Homeland, and in Operation Thylacine over in Griffonia. Even the excess sailors and marines of the Navy have been similarly reassigned. We absolutely cannot afford a war with Stalliongrad right now. We cannot afford an international incident that could lead to Stalliongrad creeping South.
And as you may have guessed, it isn't just Stalliongrad. Nova Griffonia claims the island as their own. They won't send a force in response to a blimp, but they might to Stalliongrad's force. They have their own conflicts with Stalliongrad. We likewise have disputed claims with them, as they claim the Village up North as theirs. While Mended Horn is not very valuable to us, keeping it as a claim has value in having something in counter to Stalliongrad and Nova Griffonia. There is also a non-zero chance that the Kostroma will attract pirates who hide out in the Haukland Islands. It has the appearance of being a weapons trafficking ship returning with payment, afterall.
It would be easy to say that every dead Stalliongradian soldier is one less whom we must stare down over White Severyana. However, even that is not necessarily the case. The entire situation is made much more complicated by the Changeling Hegemony. The Changeling Hegemony may attack either Stalliongrad or New Mareland, and either nation must surely either lose, or through itself into the fight, as it will not get a better chance for victory. Likewise, if New Mareland and Stalliongrad are at war, and especially, if one nation wins, the Changelings would have an easier time of defeating the winner. If Stalliongrad did creep south, we'd have less to bribe them with in the event of a sudden Changeling invasion, and we'd be less disposed to cooperate as well. Thus any war between any two of Stalliongrad, the Changeling Hegemony, and New Mareland is almost certain to drag in the third. We cannot afford to do that now. It must wait until it is on our terms, or never happen at all."
Shoal Water Smiles
"But there is another possibility, one that is far more insidious, but cannot be dismissed out of hoof. Kostroma, as was said before, was aware of the KS-19 trailing it. The lights on the Kostroma may have been turned off specifically to lure the KS-19 closer to it, and within easier range of its anti-aircraft guns. KS-19 may have been lured to Mended Horn to be shot down. Perhaps this a show to keep New Mareland from trailing its ships. Perhaps the cargo of Kostroma was that critical, that it’s final destination could not be known. Or perhaps they wished to capture the KS-19’s crew or its new systems.
KS-19 had two systems that were upgraded since its production. One, is an air-to-ground radar system that is able to detect a surfaced submarine even dozens of miles away. The other is an improved, higher performance engine set. We cannot afford for these systems to be in the hooves of International Communism. If I am being honest, Stalliongrad likely already has similar radar systems. But the engines they almost certainly do not. And we do not need Stalliongrad, nor any other nation having faster, higher flying fighters or bombers.
The KS-19, being literally a balloon, did not crash at high speed or with force. It’s crew – or at least most of them – almost certainly survived. A seaplane reports that at least one pony was seen walking about near the crash, and more importantly, waving at the passing plane. They are alive and have at least some means to defend themselves. Whether they could survive the cold night, or avoid being captured by Stalliongrad, is uncertain.
The Kostroma was also cited in a small bay in the island. It was in the water away from shore, and had no obvious list. If it ran aground it avoided sinking, though it may have beached itself upon a reef or sandbar, and may come lose in higher tides.”
It is a fair bet that Stalliongrad will have more interest in Kostroma than KS-19, especially if the freighter’s stop on the island was unintended. If that is the case, it may be possible to simply slip past the Stalliongradian patrols with no bloodshed. However, if targeting KS-19 was indeed the goal, the combined force may be nigh unstoppable.
And now, why you are here...
As stated before, this is contested territory with Stalliongrad as they consider it to be their own territory. They may have ignored the KS-19's presence on the island if it were alone, but the Kostroma arrival at the island guarantees a Stalliongradian response.
Now, there are those that say that Stalliongrad does not base all of its decisions on its ideology, and that in foreign policy it acts in many ways like a traditional nation seeking its own national interests and claims. Unfortunately, that is probably at least partly true. White Severyana, that portion of the historical Severyana territory that did not secede from Equestria in 995, has long been eyed with envy by Stalliongrad. They did not invade Equestria, nor the New Mareland administrated territory to seize White Severyana during the war. Now, however, neither the Equestrian Army nor the New Mareland Army are present to prevent Stalliongrad from simply walking into the territory and taking it. Our Army is almost wholly engaged in the defense of the Homeland, and in Operation Thylacine over in Griffonia. Even the excess sailors and marines of the Navy have been similarly reassigned. We absolutely cannot afford a war with Stalliongrad right now. We cannot afford an international incident that could lead to Stalliongrad creeping South.
And as you may have guessed, it isn't just Stalliongrad. Nova Griffonia claims the island as their own. They won't send a force in response to a blimp, but they might to Stalliongrad's force. They have their own conflicts with Stalliongrad. We likewise have disputed claims with them, as they claim the Village up North as theirs. While Mended Horn is not very valuable to us, keeping it as a claim has value in having something in counter to Stalliongrad and Nova Griffonia. There is also a non-zero chance that the Kostroma will attract pirates who hide out in the Haukland Islands. It has the appearance of being a weapons trafficking ship returning with payment, afterall.
It would be easy to say that every dead Stalliongradian soldier is one less whom we must stare down over White Severyana. However, even that is not necessarily the case. The entire situation is made much more complicated by the Changeling Hegemony. The Changeling Hegemony may attack either Stalliongrad or New Mareland, and either nation must surely either lose, or through itself into the fight, as it will not get a better chance for victory. Likewise, if New Mareland and Stalliongrad are at war, and especially, if one nation wins, the Changelings would have an easier time of defeating the winner. If Stalliongrad did creep south, we'd have less to bribe them with in the event of a sudden Changeling invasion, and we'd be less disposed to cooperate as well. Thus any war between any two of Stalliongrad, the Changeling Hegemony, and New Mareland is almost certain to drag in the third. We cannot afford to do that now. It must wait until it is on our terms, or never happen at all."
>>178772
At Shoal Water's statement about waiting until it's on their terms, Silver gets a grim look on his face. "In few years, it may not matter whose terms it is on. Everyone loses regardless..."
At Shoal Water's statement about waiting until it's on their terms, Silver gets a grim look on his face. "In few years, it may not matter whose terms it is on. Everyone loses regardless..."
>>178746
The zeeb looks at all the ponies in the room, points a hoof at himself, and shakes his head no
"Magic like that is not my type
Please do not involve me in your tripe."
The zeeb looks at all the ponies in the room, points a hoof at himself, and shakes his head no
"Magic like that is not my type
Please do not involve me in your tripe."
File (): C3EF0BDC969AC275C27F5DF1BFAD4B7D-28769.jpg (28.1 KB, 474x296, OIP (4).jpg)
“Returning to the subject of Pirates…
You have already noticed that your… documents are not exactly traditional. We have here somepony with a Changeling Hegemony association, and with the Hives, no less! The Changelings are our greatest allies, after all…” He looks over to Brie, and the last sentence contains definite hints of sarcasm.
“And then we have… what? Farbrook? That’s exotic. And a visa that’s only a couple weeks old. A clear foreigner. We’ve got Nova Griffonia. An even fresher visa. One of you, ”Mala Mata”, is not a pony, probably Stateless, and there’s, well, no record of you existing anywhere before a week ago. I would suspect a false identity, except that I don’t care. It actually suits us. And then we have a… uh… a… snake thing? I don’t know. Your visa is also fresh, and you don’t look Equestrian. In fact, we only have two Equestrians here at all. One of you is a Severyanan Émigré. Both of you are military veterans of the last war. You both fit the profile of being an Equestrian Émigré, or even ELF. In short, you, as a group, you’re not from New Mareland. You don’t fit the profile even of an Auxiliary unit raised in East Equestria. If you were captured or noticed by Stalliongrad, you’d look to them more like pirates from Haukland. And that’s exactly the cover we are going with. Once you leave that sea plane, you will be considered ‘pirates’. While the New Mareland Navy has a policy of never admitting to negotiating with pirates, we have a spot in our budget for paying ransoms. That is what, nominally, the pay will be. A ransom to pirates for our lost crew and equipment.”
He looks over towards Brie with a malign smile, like he’s gotten away with something
“As for the Loyalty of a potential Changeling Operative, do you think New Mareland would have gone as far as it has gotten if it could not turn treachery into Opportunity? The Changeling Hegemony could give us no greater gift than to have one of its operatives found to have participated in hostilities against Stalliongrad, especially if the Hegemony simultaneously attacked a New Mareland Navy Airship. Our alliance with the Changing Hegemony has done us well, but if our friendship is ended with the Hegemony, Stalliongrad could now be our friends. Stalliongrad may agree to a defensive pact with New Mareland against the Hegemony without demanding White Severyana as a concession. More importantly, we could use the occasion of an attack to enact a mild draft in East Equestria and raise several hundred thousand Equestrian soldiers to guard our Eastern border. That would be more valuable than any airship.
And no, I’m not concerned about anything any of you could say to your Stalliongradian captors if you are captured. It’s very well known that their prisoners will and have said anything to make the torture stop.”
You have already noticed that your… documents are not exactly traditional. We have here somepony with a Changeling Hegemony association, and with the Hives, no less! The Changelings are our greatest allies, after all…” He looks over to Brie, and the last sentence contains definite hints of sarcasm.
“And then we have… what? Farbrook? That’s exotic. And a visa that’s only a couple weeks old. A clear foreigner. We’ve got Nova Griffonia. An even fresher visa. One of you, ”Mala Mata”, is not a pony, probably Stateless, and there’s, well, no record of you existing anywhere before a week ago. I would suspect a false identity, except that I don’t care. It actually suits us. And then we have a… uh… a… snake thing? I don’t know. Your visa is also fresh, and you don’t look Equestrian. In fact, we only have two Equestrians here at all. One of you is a Severyanan Émigré. Both of you are military veterans of the last war. You both fit the profile of being an Equestrian Émigré, or even ELF. In short, you, as a group, you’re not from New Mareland. You don’t fit the profile even of an Auxiliary unit raised in East Equestria. If you were captured or noticed by Stalliongrad, you’d look to them more like pirates from Haukland. And that’s exactly the cover we are going with. Once you leave that sea plane, you will be considered ‘pirates’. While the New Mareland Navy has a policy of never admitting to negotiating with pirates, we have a spot in our budget for paying ransoms. That is what, nominally, the pay will be. A ransom to pirates for our lost crew and equipment.”
He looks over towards Brie with a malign smile, like he’s gotten away with something
“As for the Loyalty of a potential Changeling Operative, do you think New Mareland would have gone as far as it has gotten if it could not turn treachery into Opportunity? The Changeling Hegemony could give us no greater gift than to have one of its operatives found to have participated in hostilities against Stalliongrad, especially if the Hegemony simultaneously attacked a New Mareland Navy Airship. Our alliance with the Changing Hegemony has done us well, but if our friendship is ended with the Hegemony, Stalliongrad could now be our friends. Stalliongrad may agree to a defensive pact with New Mareland against the Hegemony without demanding White Severyana as a concession. More importantly, we could use the occasion of an attack to enact a mild draft in East Equestria and raise several hundred thousand Equestrian soldiers to guard our Eastern border. That would be more valuable than any airship.
And no, I’m not concerned about anything any of you could say to your Stalliongradian captors if you are captured. It’s very well known that their prisoners will and have said anything to make the torture stop.”
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