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 58 files omitted.
I won't do it if it's not actually feasible for me to be helpful.
>>186435If she were high in the air, above the fog, couldn't she see the Kostroma?
>>186433>find a specific person in a building once you’re separatedAren't all the locations mentioned in the shore? Couldn't she just follow the shoreline?
>>186437If I remember correctly, the island is three miles across.
>>186444Then Posey could run across the entire diameter of the island in 15 minutes.
There's a pillar-shaped mountain in the middle of it that indicates where the center of the island is, and the setting sun pretty easily indicates where the West is.
Is it really that hard to get back to the whale skeleton?
>>186445To get to the station? No. To find the moving party, especially when the sun goes down and the fog returns? Yes.
>>186446>To find the moving party, especially when the sun goes down and the fog returns? Yes.Weren't we all going back to the Kostroma to kill The Traveller? Posey was going to meet them there after she conjures her minions for the fight.
>>186447No. The party is going to rescue the airmen first.
>>186447>>186448Yup, airponies first so we know they're safe and also because they could possibly help us. Also we're gonna blow up the airship's propulsion since we don't know if we'll get the chance to once the Traveler is dead.
>>186448So, while the party is getting the airmen, could Posey go off to raise her minions for the fight?
The party is moving at Tracking speed, and Posey is running. She should have enough to do her thing before the party is done.
Unless what you're telling me is that you really don't want us to split up the party. Idk then. You seemed cool with this idea the other day.
>>186453Are you aware that you're potentially excluding Rosey from most encounters?
At last, after a series of misadventures, I am home
If everypony could remind me of where they are and what they are going to do, both in the Mended Horn group, and Vir and Dark Star.
>>186519pet pet petThe Mended Horn group, following our noodle scout, is traveling towards the likely location of the lost airponies, in the relative area of where they arrived from.
>>186519I wanted Rosey Ring to go off and do Necromancer stuff while the party rescued the Marines, but I think that's still pending approval.
>>186520Yes, following the noodle
>>186521Posey could also explain what she wants to do in character with the rest of the party. I have zero doubt in my mind that we can work in what she wants to do into our plan in such a way that we can work together to achieve it.
>>186519Brie is at about 50' elevation, watching for spoopy shit to try and confound the coot noodle
>>186519Cavaliere is alongside the danger noodle.
>>186521Well I wasn't a super fan of splitting up the party because
1. No means of communication was taken
2. The party has made no plans to meet up
3. No. They have not agreed to attack the Kostroma at any specific time. They aren't even sure how they will get there
4. The main party isn't staying in one place. It's moving around, and even they don't know where they are going to.
5. Visibility, which is good right now, should not be expected to hold
It just sort of felt like it was being done without putting much thought into the extremely basic question of "how do we meet again?" which felt disrespectful
And then I'm not a super fan of splitting the party for the obvious reasons of how it requires more time because it means that now two sets of environments will need to be described, and encounters need to be rebalanced.
These may just be non-issues though.
[Read more] Really, this
>>186523 is how it should be handled
In character, well-reasoned, and as a democratic decision
>>186519We were here:
>>186372Or were we here:
>>186339Rolling for deep-throat: [1d20 = 19] Can Vir swallow Dark's dark member into her dark cavern-hole, whole. Dark.>>186412^^
Nuns know all about worship, colty.~
*Snort* What am I writing? Sorry, I'll try to get-it-out-of-my-system. ;3 >>186529I'm sorry. I can't help myself. For some reason that escapes me. I find this hilarious.
Don't mind me, I'm a moron.
>>186529Also, the links to the posts are in the reverse or I noticed. ^^
>>186529Oh my...
Whelp, that's a critical on an expanded-critical range
Now Dark Star's little swimmers can join the amoebas...
Fortunately it doesn't count as losing her virginity, so she doesn't need to go through the trouble of changing her name
>>186339Looking straight at Vir with a strained expression
"Yes..."
[Read more] >>186529>>186530>>186531Vir did nothing wrong, i looked
>>186532>Whelp, that's a critical on an expanded-critical rangeHehe, that's so funny that it became that.
>Now Dark Star's little swimmers can join the amoebas... In the belly of the beast. ^^
>so she doesn't need to go through the trouble of changing her namePhew! Close one.
>Back to realityVir looks at the Bap. She blinks a few times. She inhales a huge breath and then exhales it. She is stunned. She doesn't have words right now.
>>186533^^ Thank you.
[Read more] >>186535Now I want to see a Flaming Star/Dark Flames shipThe bat stares back, at first unblinking, but then finally blinking.
"What was it you wanted concerning a statue at Saint Christopher?"
>>186526I'm not hearing a "no"...>>186523Maybe ask a question before she runs off, and she can answer.
>>186536>Now I want to see a Flaming Star/Dark Flames shipYh, if we're gonna be real
fr bruh famalam, they (romance/no-romance) could be a fun duo, maybe. Honestly, I look forward to meeting other pcs. ^^
Also, nuns are lewd. ^^>Bappity bap bap!Vir shakes her body as she wakes out of her trans.
"I'm looking to get it back. The head I found in the river but I the body wasn't there," Vir says and smacks her mouth in annoyance. "The Anarchist had the statue last. They should know where is. I just nee you to point me to them."
>>186538Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase? We'll do so much better as a party if we work together on this. You'll still get to do your cool necromancy thing, I promise.
>>186540>maybe.Don't know why I wrote maybe. I do think they would be a fun duo so... I dun know why I wrote that.
>>186541So say something in-character, before Posey runs away
>"~You'll thank me later!"Is the last thing she said before she got ready to gallop
>>186543>using our own argument against usscrunchSilver: "Wait up moment! Splitting up now is bad idea. Were you not just telling Kira it was bad idea to split up when she wanted to do so to go save airponies? That is why we all are going to save airponies together."
>>186529Per the Book of Erotic Fantasy, sex is a Perform skill, so you should add your charisma, like so
[1d20+6 = (4+6) = 10] >>186544"Splitting forces is unfavorable, but The Traveller has us outnumbered."
She brandishes scroll case
"But I have a plan. I will conjure some allies to help us deal with the Traveller's forces, but it will take me time, so make sure to secure the airponies while I take care of it. Let us both meet at the Kostroma to begin our assault once we are ready."
>>186543>>186547"By running off you are putting the life of that pony in danger," Cavaliere says as he gestures to the bound captive. "What do you have in mind exactly?"
>>186546^^
>>186545^^
Well, "luckily" Vir has no charisma so I don't have to do anything. Nor did she practice sex much at the monastery so no ranks in sexary.
This is why she is a virgin. Not because she is unwilling but because she's so incompetent at it. ^^ >>186547Silver: "Getting to airponies will not take too long, and while I know my distraction will not work forever, I believe it will last long enough for us all to rescue airponies and still travel together with you to summon your allies. It is much safer for you as well, in case you were to be attacked along way."
>>186540She looks down at the paper
"Yes, well as I said, it was a police investigation. They had their theory, their witnesses, and their suspects, and... " She holds it up "We have our ponies. Our net of ponies, as it were." She looks over to Vir as she says that
>>186552Vir nods.
"That... Sounds good," Vir says. "So... As an expert, what would you say I should I do now?"
>>186548>"By running off you are putting the life of that pony in danger,""He is still our enemy, is he not...?" Posey says, with a quizzical expression
>"What do you have in mind exactly?""I am going to consult with the spirits of the northern wind to send us aid, after conjuring my own helper with this scroll from my teacher."
>>186550"I will not take long. This is a risk that I am willing to take."
She paused, her ears drooping a bit nervously
"You really do not need to be there for the summoning..."
I have to sleep, but I have all day tomorrow.
>>186554Sensing her nervousness, Silver smiles warmly at the strange mare, and holds out a hoof as an offer of friendship. "It will be far, far from worst thing we have seen today. We are not going to leave you behind. That is not what friends and allies do."
>>186532>>186529>>186540Kek Dark star is looking forward to meeting virgin flame
>>186519>>186187Dark Star looks at him whispers back
"Of course not, they're two pegasi mares,"
If we're gonna derail the group mission, I have an unresolved dice roll that I could bring up. GM knows the one, it was a 26
>>186560He eases up, and smiles
"Ah, Pegasi mares. I always liked the winged ones. Yeah, I can make space for a couple of runners. And potato peelers. Not easy to have too many of those, when all the other services keep stealing them."
>>186562"Very Good, I'll let them know, when do they begin?"
He shakes his hoof
>>186560>Kek Dark star is looking forward to meeting virgin flameI'm glad you take it in strides. I was a bit worried that you felt uncomfortable with my constant string of rp-sexual harassment.
I know shouldn't...
>>186565Without speaking for anyone, the only pony that seems adverse to sexual activity is mine
Posey groans
"Oh fine, let us go find the marines together. I will fight the Traveller's thralls with my bucking sword."
>"Celestia forbid mares have hobbies"
She thinks to herself
>>186566Well, Virgin herself is more retrained that I am. Her creator is a perv that she tries to distance herself from at family reunions.
>>186572The thing with the bap was the GM teasing me with bat wings, so in my defense he was asking for it, practically begging. I puppeteer her for a short while there and she has yet to forgive me for it. It won't happen again. ^^
>>186572Aside from cheeky banter, Brie is all business. Lacey is as well, but she's far more flirtatious/seductive/glamorous. 100% decent at all times, the only ponies who knows she wears white cotton panties are the adversaries she has fought, performing sort of acrobatic kick/stunt.
And one bat in particular knows that in spite of her otherwise diplomatic/negotiator proclivity, she gets very aroused when she's fighting, not unlike Ms. Oonnatop from Goldeneye Brie's mask perpetually hiding his expression, one can nonetheless tell by his tone of voice that Brie is quite resolved to finish the business of the airship/marines so that they can get to the personal matter of the Traveler, unnerved though he is by the idea of what it even is.
"Let us make haste then," he lands. "Ms. Kubana, you're lovely at struggle snuggling, but how are you at stealth?"
>>186583Kira blushes at the bat's compliment. "Well, I'm not sure I'd call it 'struggle snuggling' per se, that's more like what Posey tried to do earlier...anyways, I've got quite the knack for being super stealthy! Slithering sneakily through the tall grass, or waiting silently in a tree's branches ready to pounce. Lately I've had to use my extra sneaky abilities to hide my tail when talking with ponies, you know, to keep them from freaking out."
How long do we end up following Kira for?
>>186585Brie thinks for a moment. If you arent asking permission/consent, what do you call it other than struggle-snuggling?
Its like the term 'molest' which literally and historically meant to "annoy", and it's only in the last 40 years that it was adopted to assume a connotation pf sexual transgression.
But Brie digressess, even in his interior monologues.
"Very well. If by your scent you can determine when we are nearing the marines, let out a whistle. I will attempt to shadow you until then. I prefer the overhead vantage, but our adversaries and the situation entirely has defied my expectations on several occasions, and I'm feeling far more inclined to err on the side of caution.
What Brie is suggesting is, when we're nearing a threat range, is a window-wiper pattern, where he sneaky sneaks back and forth anywhere 5rom 5-20 in front of Kira. Its not something I really care about, I'm just trying to draw engagement to the thread XD
Sneak roll? [1d20+15 = (18+15) = 33]
>>186587Kira smiles brightly at Brie. "Oh, that's easy! You can count on me, Brie! Isn't that right, Hazel?" Kira ends her statement by addressing the cute little field mouse who is accompanying her on her shoulder.
In front of, and to the left of the party, is a large hill, the hill that was in front of them when they first came to the island, in the southwest of the island, though surely a small string of hilly islands and sea stacks continues further south, the great "mended horn." Over a thousand feet tall, presumably, and covered in still-green grass with frequent patches of bare rocks, it extends upwards into a low level-cloud that has come in from the south, so that while where the party is, as well as much of the base of the hill is more or less clear, the summit of the hill is densely foggy.
Looking over, there is a small, irregular rut exposing clay and rock, which though still leaving a mark in the hillside, has since grown partly over. It runs around the edge of a smashed and shattered low-stone wall, ending in a small stone hut at the base of the hill which has collapsed on the side facing away from the party.
Past this and up the hill is the smell. The smell of pony that Kira smells caried on the southern, salty wind.
>>186592>>186589>>186587Kira flicks her tongue out into the air, catching the whiffs of friend-shaped creatures. "They're getting closer, up the hill. Follow me!" She slithers towards the source of the smell, leading the party there. Silver is right behind her, ready to give aid if needed should they run into hostiles.
>>186563He takes Dark Star's hoof. At first, Dark Star thinks that it may be a weak hoof shake, with a lack of a grip and a motion up and down that is just a bit too far. But then he increases the grip and the speed, and if anything it is too firm.
"Bring 'em in. I can get 'em bussin soon. We just lost one last week to the truck loading bay. Hard to keep a stallion. But mares? They won't be quick to move 'em to manual labor. Sides, it would be nice to have some more mares around here."
>>186591squeaky>>186553"What would you like to do? I can say which ponies seem to have been involved. Well, which ponies the police mare thought were involved. And then we have theories of our own. Perhaps you'd like the report?"
>>186586Yes
>>186574So soft and velvety.
But the price of giving in to intrusive thoughts is that the bat pony still doesn't trust her
[Read more] >>186593'What about a 'whistle' was I ambiguous about?' Brie thinks for a moment, before flanking out in stealth to Kira's left
Btw, ooc I can tone down the cheek in and arounf Brie-posting, but hes SUPPOSED to be 'that' asshole. :3
>>186594Kira: "Yeah, exactly right, Hazel!"
>>186595Kira: "Oop! Sorry Brie!" Kira purses her lips, and lets out a whistle. As she whistles, her tongue flicks up and down out in front of her face, causing the pitch of the whistle to oscillate.
>>186596This is both adorable/heartwarming and tactically saddening, but okay. ^_^
The tear in the clay - it cannot properly be identified as a rivulet, as it is more of a small gash - continues upwards on the hill.
Walking up, the party can feel that they are walking into a cloud, with grey consuming the sky and green grass still covering the ground. The sound of the wind howling continues, and that ever present tinnitus sound rings on...
Kira's oscillating whistle is met with (relative) silence. But the smell intensifies. It's near
>>186598Brie remains in silence, flanking Kira
>>186598Kira wonders to herself if this is what it's like to be a pegasus. Then she wonders to herself, if a pegasus tried walking up this hill, would they get stuck in the middle of the cloud? Can they decide when and where they walk on clouds? If so, is that a natural ability, or is it something they have to learn from they're a foal? If that's the case, how many pegasus foals are lost per year due to falling through clouds? That's a sad thought...maybe she should move on from that.
Risking breaking stealth, Kira calls out cautiously into the void. "Um...hello?"
>>186600Nothing in the grey. Or at least, nothing willing to call back.
Hazel:
>I think I know this place >>186601Kira turns to look at Hazel. "You do? Can you tell me anything about it?"
>>186602>This is where the other beast laysShe answers
Proceeding onwards just a few feet, can be seen ruts in the ground. Large gashes of soil disturbed and upturned and rocks sent to the top, only for grass to grow over
>>186603Oh, a crash site! Kira finds it interesting that she's getting such a strong smell of pony from it. She plows on, curious what it is exactly that they'll find.
>>186604Brie skeedles off in a circumnavigatory pattern, will be back soon with info
>>186603Rolling Search to check that site
[1d20+5 = (4+5) = 9]And Spot + Listen, to check for monsters
Spot
[1d20+3 = (1+3) = 4]Listen
[1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7] Gonna roll for the Dreads
Dread 1
Spot
[1d20+5 = (11+5) = 16]
Listen
[1d20+5 = (17+5) = 22]
Dread 2
Spot
[1d20+5 = (14+5) = 19]
Listen
[1d20+5 = (18+5) = 23]
Since the Dreads are mindless, they cannot make search checks.
[Read more] >>186607Maybe the noodle will have better luck.
Search: [1d20+5 = (2+5) = 7]Spot: [1d20+8 = (8+8) = 16]Listen: [1d20+8 = (17+8) = 25]>>186609Aren't the dreads just skeleton arms? How could they see or hear things?
In that Brie is first scouting for danger, I'll just roll a spot check [1d20+8 = (11+8) = 19]
Imagine that, picking one thing and going with it
>>186610Same way skeletons can see without eyes.
>>186612But I mean, at least skeletons have eye and ear holes, you know?
>>186613It beats me. All I know is that the dreads have +4 racial bonus to spot and listen checks, and they don't have any blindsight.
>>186607Looming above in the mist, a monster
>>186610Ahead in the distance, the sound of hoof prints against
>>186592If a hill is over a thousand feet tall it counts as a mountain.
>>186598"This can't be the track the airship left. It looks too old to be from this morning," he says softly to the other party members.
Obligatory search, spot and listen:
[1d20+2 = (6+2) = 8][1d20+7 = (16+7) = 23][1d20+3 = (2+3) = 5] The gash in the ground deepens, with one, two, three, four series of gashes with sometimes another one on either side, and then a massive drag in the center. The growing grass has covered this in several areas, but the outline can still be seen. And then going further up the slope, there is no disturbance. Just grass. But then a few silver objects. And then after only a few feet, the gash resumes.
Looking at the party is a large triangular shaped... something. Almost 10 feet up in the air is a solid section with a glass windshield still intact, and what seems to be the barrels of guns. To each side and protruding 15 feet are large, thin, horizontal metal fins. Above this, looming a full 30 feet above ground is a thin, metal fin. All is painted a kind of sky blue, except on the bottom, which is painted white, almost like the color scheme of a whale. Moving to the side and walking past, this is easily enough identified as the empennage of a massive airplane, albeit one that is much larger than anyone is the party has seen before, at least up close. On the vertical stabilizer is the black painted sign of a pair of horseshoes opposed to each other, and the letters "MP48". A rear door, which is now five or so feet above the ground, is not simply open, but missing.
Ahead, the looming form of two engines under the left wing, and a left wing that rides high on the fuselage, can be seen. The propellers on the engine closest to the fuselage are bent and entirely missing on the one further away. Panels on the inner engine are burned or missing. The right wing is intact if a little lower from the tilt of the plane, with two more engines and mostly missing propellers. The whole structure of the plane tilts to the right, with the end of the left wing higher in the air. It has made an indentation in the dirt but is on the whole very intact.
Moving past the large wing, another door by the cockpit is open and missing. Past this, a large, blue nose section with a turret on the fore.
[Read more] >>186618Woah. Kira wonders to herself what happened to this plane. She recalls the symbol of the two horseshoes, figuring it to be a New Marelander plane. What happened to it? It looks like it was made for war.
She flicks her tongue in the air to get more of the scent of pony. Did she really smell them here? How old is the scent?
>>186618Can Cavaliere determine from rust patterns or other signs of weathering how long this aircraft has been here?
>>186611I guess Brie is chopped liver
>>186625See
>>186618>>186620Only a few years, if even that long. Perhaps only a year. There are the first hints of corrosion on the exposed door frame and on the exposed parts of the engine, but overwhelmingly the paint remains intact, and what metal is exposed is silver aluminum.
>>186622The scent is fresh and new
>>186626Kira slithers up to the crashed plane. She gives Hazel some comforting pets. "It's okay Hazel, it's a dead beast. It can't hurt anyone." Using her powerful tail, she lifts her pony half up towards the doorless door, calling into the plane's fuselage. "Uh, hello? Is anyone in here?"
>>186627Brie continues to shadow Kira
>>186626>>186627Cavaliere shines his flashlight into the fuselage, being careful to keep the light beam within the plane.
>>186629>>186627Looking inside is the exposed skeletal ribs of the plane. There are some wires, what seems to have been a desk for something like a navigator, and hooks on the walls that probably held something. It isn't possible to see very much of the interior without trying to climb into it. This is doable, but with some vulnerability. There is no response.
>>186628Kira is shadowed
>>186630Cautiously, Kira pulls herself into the airplane's fuselage. "H...hello?"