In the far-off, northern island of Mended Horn, the party there has learned that they face an enemy they have dubbed "The Traveller." They have decided to go to an old, abandoned village there in hopes of rescuing some communist sailors.
In Baltimare, Dark Star tries to get things in order, while Virgin Flame looks for her old friend.
1127 replies and 63 files omitted.
>>186795Kira tilts her head. "Well, wherever the Kostroma is, we've got some things we need to do to get ready, then we're going to go to the Kostroma to take out the Traveler/Entity thing. Why don't you come with us? You can help lead us to the Commissar, and he can help us with taking it out."
>>186795>On the other side of the island and the bays."Very well."
She turns to the group
"It looks like we are on the wrong side of the island. We should hurry up to the airship."
>>186796She steps forward a step, and tilts her head.
“How to kill it? I studied it. It is stronger than you may imagine.”
Ayo, what's up my ziggers?
>>186799Hello!
The party has found a plane crash. A different one.
>>186799Yay! A Dust!
>>186798Kira: "Well, I don't know. I mean, anything can be killed, I suppose, or at least I haven't ever heard of anything outside of gods being invulnerable. Silver's more of the leader and plan maker in the group, so I imagine he would know better. You should talk to him, tell him what you know, ask him to help with finding the Commissar."
>>186801Yes.
>>186802The mare sighs
“There are no gods. But that thing must be one of what inspired the old stories.”
>>186803I left off woth Broe is walking toward the sounds, and he took 3 shots now. Still approaching ....
>>186799We found a downed airship. Not the one we're looking for though. There is one communist left in the airship. She speaks English.
>>186803Kira tilts her head. "But if gods aren't real, how did the world come to exist?"
Silver, after waiting on hearing something from Kira or Posey, trots up to the plane and calls out into it. "Is everything okay in there?"
>>186805>>186800TWO crashed airships? In THIS economy?
>>186802wavesI suppose Dust is waiting off to the side. I wonder if there's any grass....
>>186807They don't seem to have any treasure.
"This mare is not one of the ponies we were looking for. Let us leave soon."
>>186803Since the noise appears to have been some
bullshit nonsense inexplicable phenomenon, brie is
ready to shoot somepony on alert, defaulting to a listen check
[1d20+10 = (1+10) = 11] Does anypony have anything else they want to ask or do here before we go to the other airship?
Do we want to take this nare with us?
>>186810Let Silver talk with her a bit before we figure out where to go next
>>186811Try to be quick about it this time
>>186812I won't make any promises about quickness, but I won't dilly dally.
>>186811We already know where we are going though.
>>186807Reeeee don't listen to Posey! It's not an airship. It's a four engine, fixed wing maritime patrol bomber. Basically a PB4Y-Privateer. See the description in
>>186704 and
>>186618.
>>186782Looking through, Posey can see that there are marked spots on the wall for parachutes, two rafts, and what was labelled as a "survival kit..." all missing, evidently previously removed. There are a couple smaller tools, like a screw driver. A hatchet is still present. A cabinet with food seems to have that removed. There is one medical kit still present. The plane itself seems to be pretty well intact, though according to the gauges, the fuel and the engine oil has drained out. The radios likely work but with the source of power dead, and it seems that
someone had attempted to modify the wiring on the radio system to accept an alternate electrical input. There is still a torpedo there, and multiple heavy machine guns. A nautical map has been left behind, as well as one sextant.
>>186809Brie hears the sound of the wind moving past his ears. And that ever-present tinnitus... And that muffled sound? It would be easy to say the tinnitus is from earlier loud sounds, and that the muffling sound is from the wind moving past his hearing protection. But Brie knows better than that. This is new. And that muffled sound... is that the wind, or so many thousands of whispers all placed together?
The island is fucking with him.
>>186806"Heh. The world has always existed. There is no 'coming to exist'"
Kira is subjected to this until Silver arrives
[Read more] >>186815Brie's hoof strays toward a hoof grenade
>>186814Well, maybe. Let's hear what the mare has to say as it might give us alternate optional objectives, and also I'd like for Posey to reanimate the leviathan skeleton since we're basically right nextdoor.
>>186815Hearing Silver call out into the airplane fuselage helps save Kira from having to debate the world's origin. She goes back to the door she came through, and helps Silver climbs up into the plane. "She's from the Kostroma. She knows where the airship and the Commissar is, and she wants to help save the Commissar. Can we?"
Looking at the mare in her tin foil hat and with her beaker cutie mark, Silver speaks to her. "Ты ученый из Костромы, да? Как тебя зовут?" -
"You are a scientist from Kostroma, right? What is your name?" >>186817Brie involuntarily makes a gesture of "Really?" At the sky, as Silver goes back into Severanyan.
Didnt this bitch speak ponish 2 seconds ago?
>>186807Yes. There is grass.
>>186818.50 cal
[YouTube] It's a machine gun
[Embed]>>186817"Да. Я научный ассистент пациента Пипетка." - "Yes. I am science assistant Patient Pipette."
>>186680Having likely beaten the information out of whoever necessary, the cow will now be heading (at a walking pace, the fly has to sleep) toward mended horn
>>186820"Насколько вам комфортно говорить на понише? Мои друзья здесь не так одарены в языке нашей родины, но если вы не уверены в своей способности говорить на понише, я пойму." - "How comfortable are you speaking Ponish? My friends here aren't as gifted in our native tongue, but if you're not confident in your ability to speak Ponish, I understand."
Ignore Google Translate, it doesn't know how to translate the word "Ponish".
>>186819Hey, Silver's gotta make sure which language she feels more comfortable speaking in.
>>186822"Yes... I learned Ponish at the International school, for speaking with Equestrian refugees, and for speaking with our" She pulls her lips back in an expression of disgust
"Hippogriffian comrades..."
>>186823Silver nods. "I did not know how comfortable you were with language. Figured I would give you option of which language to speak in. Now...are you alone out here, Patient Pipette? Were there any other ponies or other creatures here before our group arrived?"
>>186820What does that mean statistically?
"I wonder if this ship could still fly....?"
>>186825A lot
>>186824"Yes. There is another here, still hiding, and the Commissar has left in a small group for the ridge."
>>186826Hmmmm. Now Silver is a little worried that Brie might have actually shot that other pony, if he panicked and tried to run. "Do you know where this other pony is hiding?"
>>186827"In the bombardier's station. We were trying to modify the radio."
>>186827Dont you worry about what Brie did
>>186828Silver nods, and heads into the bombardier's station to look for the other pony. He calls out, "Это безопасно, вы можете выйти сейчас. Мы услышали сигнал бедствия Черной Пяты." -
"It's safe, you can come out now. We heard the Black Heel's distress call." >>186830A white maned head with grey ears pokes out of a whole near the flight engineer's station, then revealing a grey pony stallion.
Pipette says it is safe to come out in Severyanan.
>>186826Could my Dreads operate it?
Posey has her minions pick up one of the ones, one holding it steady stays behind the trigger.
>>186815Posey checks the nautical map, for any notes on it.
She takes the rafts and places them on the floating disk, believing that they could help with extraction.
She checks the survival kit and the medical kit, searching for any valuable items.
>>186831"Oh, another one."
"How many of you are there?" She asks Pipette
>>186831Silver smiles at the grey stallion, and offers him a hoof. "Как тебя зовут, друг?" -
"What is your name, friend?" >>186832While it's in the turret, yes but with a penalty. Outside of the turret... It's a size issue.
It would also have to be removed from the turret to be taken. Not impossible by any means, but not without effort
The map is a nautical map of the Rocky Seas, although this one also goes down further towards Albion. it shows shipping lanes, as well as what seems to be a flight plan that avoids Stalliongrad and Nova Griffonia.
>>186833"I think... six, in total." She answers, unsure
>>186834"Практический взгляд" - "Practical View"
[Read more] >>186835Silver: "Приятно познакомиться, Practical View. Я Silver Sword." -
"Nice to meet you, Practical View. I'm Silver Sword."Silver turns back to Pipette. "We are not only group to have heard Commissar Black Heel's distress call. Stalliongrad has sent GRU to kill all witnesses and bring Traveler - that entity that is on Kostroma - back home for study."
>>186836He comes out, and nods to Silver.
Pipette is silent for a moment, and then says
"How do you know that is what they are going to do?"
>>186804Cavaliere is also stuck in limbo, as he approaches the scene of Brie's targeting first. Is there anything there or will he go to catch up with the others?
>>186838There seems to be nothing there, but something is happening in, or on the other side of the plane
>>186839He climbs on top of the plane for a quick look around the perimeter before lowering himself in.
>>186840It would be a decent view but for the fog. Cavaliere can see the trail the plane left behind as it crash landed
>>186840Then he sees Silver with the two new ponies, including one mare who speaks Ponish
>>186837Silver: "It is GRU. They would not have sent GRU for simple rescue mission. Stalliongrad really wants to study that thing, consequences be damned, and they can not allow any potential survivors to spread stories that would make them look bad or cause international incidents. It is not good look to use eldritch extradimensional entity to forcefully spread communism."
>>186842Brie continues to surveil around the plane, content to let others determine what is gainful about the plane
>>186845For the moment, at least, it seems that Silver's plan to bargain with The Traveller has worked. No new summons have attacked.
Far off in the distance, however, is the sound of gunshots
>>186844It's in the bomb bay, should he look
She looks to him
"Sort of... Not really... Maybe, if we cannot leave."
>>186843"Oh, it's an interesting thing to study. But they couldn't want to kill us. Would they? Why would they want to silence us?"
[Read more] >>186847Yes.
But. There is a
nasty taint. Oil? Fuel?
>>186848Brie may may actually be the only one. Only Dust is outside. Well, Dust and the throng of griffins and ponies the other party members have drug along. Oh. And Mala. Mala is outside with Brie.
Mala looks up at Brie >>186846He's more focused on the ponies.
"Study? Did you know Dr. Evening Damp?" he questions.
>>186846Shrugging, Brie attempts to crouch. And make his way toward the sound of gunshots.
"Perhaps it'll be a right fellow such as myself, with the presence of mind to not....
He thinks to.himself. pist.at the ready. Move Silently ]1d20+15]
Oh ffs [1d20+15 = (2+15) = 17]
>>186850"Yes, he was with us on the ship in the forward cargo hold before we made a break for it."
>>186852Not his... best work, but Brie makes his way down the hill. He can't see the source because of the fog, but he hears the sound again.
>>186849Brie is being negligently nonvocal, but he clearly is expecting to shoot something in the vicinity
>>186846Silver: "As I said, they do not want world to know what it is they are attempting to study. You have seen what it does, what power it wields. If it gets out that Stalliongrad is studying it for their own ends, it will not look good for them. It would cause international incidents."
>>186854He does a whistling chirp, preparing to engage. The intent is to draw attention without being obvious.
>>186856"Well...." She is about to speak, but stops. Eventually, she adds,
"It is more than Stalliongrad studying it."
>>186855>>186857The sound seems a little further away than imminent
>>186858>>186860Is the direction Brie is pointing in towards the North Bay?
>>186861Cuz I know? Its over there *points*
>>186859"Oh... That is unfortunate. Several countries in the International." She tilts her head
"Should I be saying this?"
After a pause,
"You can go near it, sort of, but you can feel it. It has an aura, like an electric charge. You should not stay near it long, and do not sleep. Your dreams will be unpleasant at best."
>>186860>>186861Yes.
[Read more] >>186863The griffon nods thoughtfully.
"You were a lab assistant on the Kostroma? How did you know when to evacuate?" >>186863>>186860Silver: "It sounds as though Traveler and GRU have come into conflict. That is good for us. We have some time while they are both distracted." He returns his attention to Pipette. "Stalliongrad would still not want word of this thing to escape this island. They want to keep it secret. What better guarantee of secrecy than to permanently silence those who would have spoken of it?"
>>186863If no one else is seemingly responsive, Brie is still quite interested in the sound of gunshots.
>>186866>>186867Excuse us, I thought you were creeping towards their source, and outside the airplane. You would have to climb in to talk with us.
>>186864Breathing in,
"I knew better than to go to sleep. Many of us did, in the science crew. It had been giving us dreams. We thought we were more vulnerable than the rest of the crew. There was a disagreement with Science officer Light Water, and a griffin from the international contingent, and a few of his crew, who wanted to try to awaken the creature. We wanted to keep it sedated and study its powers, or disect it if possible... It was just after nightfall, when Light Water had more access to it than we... We did not lock the hold well... It seems that other ponies were affected. The ships crew. The marines. They held a sort of mutiny. But they must not have been fully conscious... we did not realize what it was doing, or how far it had gotten."
>>186865"I am not surpised, but are you sure they will not welcome us home?" She asks
"Yes, but... They trust us, right?"
>>186866crack [Read more] I would like to apologize for being so scarce this evening. I have been very busy.
>>186869"Where is Light Water now? Is he still on the Kostroma? Did you know about this plane before you came here?" He pauses.
"Excuse me, I don't think I got your name.">>186871Do not fret, Friday evening is a highly competitive time slot for many.
>>186870Sure
>>186871pets ze posey>>186872"No... I think he is on the Kostroma, but he may have come to land. My name is Patient Pipette."
>>186869Silver: "I am certain they would not. That is why they sent GRU, not some regular division of marines. They are Stalliongrad's 'problem solvers', in that they are sent to cover up their mistakes, not fix them. Kira says you know where airship and Commissar are. Come with us.
We will stop Traveler, fix this mess, and keep you all safe."
>>186874She lowers her head, then looks down, then back up.
"Well... Okay... Have you spoken to the Commissar?"
>>186875Silver: "We have not seen him yet. That is where you could help by leading us to him. We are going to gather as many friendly forces as we can on this island before we make our assault upon Kostroma."
>>186873>>186874>>186875He nods with Silver's proclamation.
"You have our word, Miss Pipette. When we arrived at the village where his holdout stayed, they were under attack and we helped them, but he was missing. He might still be somewhere on this island." >>186876"I know where he is. He will have ideas."
>>186877"Light Water... He's either on the Kostroma, or here."
>>186878Light Water isn't the commissar, is he? I believe he's the Fellow Traveler's chief spokespony.
>>186879Pipette believes that the two are
not together.
>>186878Silver: "Good. There is one thing I hope to do first that will take just moment, then we will be off."
Based off of the locations Pipette gave, what's closer, the Commissar or the Airponies?
>>186879Light Water's the chief scientist, Black Heel is the Commissar.
>>186871Turning to Posey, Silver asks her, "Your magic, or that scroll...could they do anything to make this fight against Traveler easier? Or perhaps make it so that GRU can not pursue us when we make our escape from this island?"
>>186879"Commissar" is Commissar Black Heel
>>186881Two sources of sound, both on the North Bay. One is a little North and to the east on the shore. The other is to the west somewhat, and north, near the center of the island on the shore. Each is around about one mile away.
>>186882The commissar unambiguously, as they are on the same hill.
>>186883Hmmm, okay then. What's closer: the Commissar, or the leviathan whale skeleton?
>>186884The commissar still, although the whale skeleton is likely closer than the airship
>>186885"Well, there is the torpedo and explosives... We were looking at the radio, for long range communication."
"We should leave soon."
>>186877Innuendo
[1d20+16 = (5+16) = 21]"You should not be so polite. We are supposed to be pirates.">>186882"It is possible." Posey replies
>>186887"Yes, this plane had several. The radio is long range and can be heard further away than short wave."
Hmmmmmm...okay. The plan currently in motion:
1.) Find the Commissar, rescue him if necessary, and recruit him to the group band of creatures.
2.) Have Posey reanimate the leviathan whale skeleton, for aid against the Traveler and/or disabling the ship the GRU came here on.
3.) Find and rescue the Airponies, and assess if the airship is in a repairable state or if its engines need to be scuttled.
4.) Go to the Kostroma, kill the Traveler, use magic to send a message out across the island to the formerly-possessed ponies to return to the ship ASAP, and escape the island with as many of the defecting commies as possible.
>>186886>>186890Silver: "You have been on this plane longer than us. Do you think they can be brought with us?"
>>186892Why do we need to find the commissar?
Also, these steps need not be in order. The air ponies should come first though.
>>186891Rooty tooty point and shooty
>>186892"Not easily. The radio is in the plane and the torpedoes are heavy. The one here is stuck in the plane"
>>186889Is innuendo even a 3.5e skill? I thought it was 3rd edition only?
>>186890mild concern"It's a little risky to be on a crashed plane with enough undetonated explosives to sink a ship. To sink a ship…if we can transport one of these torpedoes, we could easily sink the Kostroma. Guaranteeing the Fellow Traveler's destruction would need us to get closer."