754 replies and 44 files omitted.
>>187040 →The bat pony's perked up, tufted-ears drop back, angling outwards somewhat. What she had of a smile disappears as her lips drop and curve downwards. Her eyelids likewise drop to a half-closed, almost rested position. She lets out a small, somewhat high-pitched sigh
"As I should have thought. Very well then."
She takes a moment to pull the documents closer to herself, and to rearrange them to face herself. Vir can see that the papers include the big, block letters of type-written pages, but more prominently, black and white photos of ponies. She looks down at the contents of the open manilla folder.
Vir can see that the little mare is what would be called "conventionally attractive," with a concave belly, weaker muscles, and a long, thin muzzle. Well, attractive if you can get past those elements that make her alien, like the fangs, the snake-like eyes, or the naked wings. Surely, she must be popular with the bat pony stallions.
"Let's see" She starts talking, "The police identified three suspects. Technically there were more, but the remainder were just foals who were around.
I have narrowed it down to three.
The first is a pony by the name of Hock Spire, a cranberry colored stallion above middle age -
more soon(TM) [Read more] >>188328Cavaliere answers the question directed at Silver.
"We are treasure hunters, of a sort. This island used to be settled and is a beaching spot for seals. In between the various maritime patrols that come here, we believed we could find valuables that were left behind." >>188328Sense Motive: Hmmmmm...before Silver answers, he assesses Black Heel's honor, whether he would tell Stalliongrad about the mission or not should Silver not prove persuasive enough to get him to join up with the party.
[1d20+3 = (17+3) = 20] >>188328"Then what are you crying about getting stabbed in the back for. Do you think we're here because we planned any of this? I appreciate your skepticism and anxiety, but from THIS group you're more likely to be stabbed in the face, and it'll be me who does it,"
He returns to the torpedo, awaiting further stages of dissembly.
Tell me when to roll, I don't even have access to my player sheet anymore
>>188333<nope, don't do it,....No I'm gonna.
With all the substantive dialogue, a fair amount of time has passed. In recognition that the explosive was disabled, by that one post I "didn't" (but did 3 times, if you count the follow up) then by now, the torpedo should be entirely able to be extracted. And so.
Brie drops down from the machinery, cuffing off his hooves.
"Pretty sure we just need the means to move it. Its quite heavy. There's a few undone bolts, for safety, but whoever intends to pack this monstrosity will need to get in position. Unless I should just trigger the dis-loge mechanism and we can try and pick it up off the ground."
By text comparison, Brie has had almost an hour to disassemble this torpedo, your long-winded niggers, and thats by chat gpt
"Assuming that the torpedo is otherwise ready to move (and why wouldn't it be, in that it's been worked on for how long? Over an hour in-game, and months on end), Brie would continue to step forward.
"Yes, I heard everything; you understand. So are we done faffing about? Can we pretend to be professionals? I thought Silver first and foremost would be a take-charge sort of pony, but he seems quite content with his noodle to play with communications. Cavaliere seems on point. Dusty is ostensibly shadowing in the back, cuz hes said fuckall.
AND UNLIKE WITH SCONES, NO ONE IS GETTING LEFT BEHIND FOR HOWEVER FUCKING LONG E_E
So it's Brie, Cavaliere, Rosey, Dusty, Silver, and Kubana. And Mala.
Talk was of splitting off, but that seems to not have happened cuz Cavaliere was essential for dissabling the machine gun and he's still on site (hence Brie's quips)
Also no, I don't give a fuck, and that includes (you). What are you gonna do now "not respond to my posts?"
[Read more] >>188330"Seals and a deserted island... Right..."
>>188331Silver knows this,
As a Comisar, he is neither a part of the military nor a civilian, but works directly for the Communist Party of Stalliongrad. He does not entirely trust Silver and the party - or anyone for that matter at this time, save evidently for the ponies in his group of survivors.
>>188347Even if keeping the secret is necessary for preventing a war?
>>188331You should not be telling them anything more than you need to.
>>188360
Wait, I withdraw this entirely. We're supposed to be pirates
>>188359Silver whispers in Posey's ear as to not be overheard by Black Heel:
"He already has negative assumptions about our reasons for being here and he does not seem to be buying any of your stories about us being pirates or treasure hunters. If he would be willing to keep secret, it might help smooth over his fears if he knows truth about our mission." >>188403Posey takes ten on her innuendo check
"I would be wary of telling them more than they need to know. Captain Waters did tell us to operate with secrecy. We are supposed to be pirates, remember?"
>>188331Cavaliere looks over at Silver's uncertainty with a concerned glance.
"Terribly sorry - I'm sure you're having a lovely sioree - but can we get a move on? You know, that whole "ponies might be dying, time is of the essence, talk is cheap" sort of thing?"
Brie finishes with a "shoo-ing" gesture, as though to suggest that you should hurry the fuck up with the dialogue
>>188347Silver: "You know, thinking on it, there is no guarantee that killing Traveler would leave anything behind to be studied. These demons and monsters he is summoning in battle merely turn to dust upon expiration, it is possible same may happen to him, especially if our bat's hypothesis is proven correct."
>>188358That may change things
>>188440"I don't know. Maybe. That may be why the modus operandi so far has been to keep the entity in its dormant state. I would prefer the thing die."
>>188441"No. You would not like to have a conversation with the 'Traveler'. For all of its claims to ignorance, it knows how to manipulate ponies and other creatures. It will invade your mind, steal images from your memory, and take the form of some god or whatever so that you will respect it, and then it will manipulate you.
I have no idea if it can regret. It does seem to feel a desire for revenge. I wish for it to feel and desire no more."
>>188456Silver: "It is also possible that upon expiration Traveler's body would lose supernatural abilities that would provide research opportunities. Only way for GRU to guarantee that he can be brought home and studied would be to capture him alive, and that is likely primary objective of their operation here on this island."
>>188456Cavaliere looks toward the ground in thought.
"Its powers of manipulation, however extraordinary, might be limited. Records indicate this thing has killed numerous ponies. If it had unconditional obedience from them, why would it kill them?" >>188458Orange Unicorn
"Yes. Like a unicorn's horn. If you have a well preserved one, you can use it as a conduit, but it loses something when it is dead. And the entity, we did not know what it was. We uh, we still don't know what it is, but to find that it was alive was a blessing, as it let us read the ambient magic it put off. A vivisection was desired, but impossible with the equipment on the ship, so we tried to keep it in stable condition on the way to Rave-" Blackheel reaches over and places his right hoof pretty firmly into the orange stallion's right cheek. With his lips partly open, the hoof is forced through to the teeth in some places.
>>188459Blackheel:
"Bizarre as it is, hubris is one quality it hasn't demonstrated, at least entirely. We know with the snow ponies that it was willing to place itself in a subservient position in their belief system. Something similar happened here on the
Kostroma. If you tell it it isn't a god, it'll back off until it finds something you will accept."
>>188484The orange stallion, who just had a hoof removed from his mouth, winces, rubs his cheek, and speaks:
"t would be easy to say that killing the ponies made it stronger somehow... but it was weaker when we found it than it surely must have been before we came."
Blackheel speaks up,
"When I rejected it, it pissed it off. And that is when it became overtly violent."
>>188493"Maybe, but it does seem to notice when ponies tell it one thing, and then do another. And it pisses it off."
[Read more] >>188497Silver: "Talking to him through one of possessed ponies we captured, he seems to have weird idea of what is 'True Harmony'. I wonder if he believes in some kind of corrupted Elements of Harmony. Think on it; he gets angry at any form of dishonesty, even something as simple as innuendo or other turns of phrase to say one thing and mean another. He controls minds of his victims, forcing them to be loyal to him and to turn against their former comrades. He believes he will save everyone from death and suffering even though his gesture of kindness will cause even more, and his 'generous' gift is neither freely given nor able to be rejected. I suppose one could look to these demons he is summoning as example of corrupted magic. I do not know how laughter would fit in, but laughter is little bit weird anyways."
>>188501Turning toward Silver, Cavaliere responds,
"Would it have any idea of the Elements of Harmony? It looks to be ignorant of the societies it encounters, with what it knows reflecting the beliefs of those it talks with. In this case it has mainly been Soviet ponies and a griffon.">>188497"That violent reaction might not be hubris, but it could be a vulnerability we can exploit. Its rage over total rejection will cause it to overexpend itself. We need to learn how to survive its wrath. From what I read about the village, with enough effort on its part it looks to be able to control even those who reject it." Brie realizes he will have to do all the thinking, without assistance from the party, and without the benefit of a safety net.
He places a hoof on his holstered revolver and addresses the Orange stallion
>>188497"Oh don't be bashful, you were about to say something. Go on then," he says flashing a warning glance at Blackheel.
Supposing that might count as an intimidation check
[1d20 = 13]
>>188507Silver: "He mentioned Harmony by name specifically, and it would be odd to talk about 'True Harmony' without having any idea of
actual Harmony. Clearly he has at least some knowledge of what should be beyond his ken, but what he knows appears to be surface level as if he has only ever heard of and learned of these things second-hoof. Or perhaps only seeing them through viewing lens."
>>188512Brie feels like he's taking crazy pills, or y'all being retarded.
"Am I the only bat who noticed Blackheel stuff a hoof in the face of this one?" he says, very clearly designating the orange unicorn who got gagged by Blackheel. "Please forgive me if I insist on getting to the bottom of THAT," Brie says, drawing his firearm.
"Are we 'pirates' or not? Theres a bit too much asking and a little less telling, one thinks."
>>188497Brie fires a 'playful' shot (#7) out over the shoulder of the unicorn stallion
"Now is NOT the time for circumspection! We're well within the "shit" as it were, and your ability to survive it seems to depend on US. Now. What were you about to say about Raven...."
Is Brie really firing a gunshot into the air to scare the orange stallion into talking?
>>188498Blackheel lowers his eyelids and his lips
"Do not tip off the entity to your plans."
>>188500Blackheel:
"I didn't take you for having a sense of curiosity at all."
>>188501Blackheel:
"Oh, you must be Equestrian, with all of those ideas about Harmony being divided into incommensurable parts. No, Harmony must be one and united. Anyways, if it is enacting an interpretation of Harmony, I do not trust its interpretation. It does seem to try to mirror the beliefs of those it is in communication with, and this mimicry doesn't seem to be just a feint."
>>188507The orange stallion, who no longer has a hoof in his mouth, says
"It seems to have some ability to access the memories, or at least the thoughts of creatures."
More fully addressing Cavaliere, and readjusting his hooves,
"It can control those who do not wish to be controlled, certainly. These protective helmets are not just for show."
[Read more] >>188516Brie may be losing patience with this commie fuck.
"You seem to be laboring under the delusion that you have some degree of choice or say in the matter; allow me to absolve you of this delusion! Whether or not you go the obvious memo, your very survival depends on us you see here.
So, whether I SEEM curious or not, you would do your hooves well to answer our questions, and promptly! The Traveler will never catch wind of our plans because we make them up as we go, if that's your concern," Brie states firmly before pausing and addressing the orange stallion, "Thank you."
"Oh, and if by 'plan' you're referring to the intentions with regard to the traveler's posterior and this," he says pointing to the torpedo payload - in whatever stat it is in - "I'm hazy onthe specifics, but it has been impressed on me that whatever Mrs. Ring has in mind - in spite of any unsavoryness of her methods - will be equal parts mindless, autonomous, and incapable of misbehaving. Now is indeed not the time for a clutching of pearls about economic policy or political lines; we may be all that stands between this THING and complete domination of Equestria; all of it, under the mental domination of whatever this thing is. Miss Ring,...." Brie cedes the conversation to Rosie.
Still with his gun drawn, but seeing that Ms. Ring may be suffering the affects of sedatives, Brie continues.
"Let me guess: you think that we might be a bunch of filthy capitalists here to steal everything not nailed down, something like that? Well, let me assure you we ARE filthy capitalists and that we WILL steal everything not nailed down. But that of course will come AFTER dispensing with this very unpolitical and far beyond the pale threat that you can clearly speak to it's ability to dominate minds! One wonders why there's even a modicum of hesitation here!" Brie waves the revolver as though to say 'this is silly'
>>188513If Brie is willing to stay his hoof and not just randomly fire into the air, Silver answers, "Orange stallion was about to give confidential information about final destination of Traveler and Black Heel did not want him speaking so freely. Apparently there must be some sort of secret research labratory in Ravenskoe, and Black Heel is afraid we would take that knowledge to other state entities."
>>188516Silver: "You can be Severyanan and believe in Harmony just as Equestrians do. My father was, and he taught me all he knew of Harmony when I was colt growing up in St. Petershoof. But yes, I do not trust it when others claim to have changed Harmony into its 'true' variant."
Kira, how up to this point has been silently listening to the conversation while wriggling about in place like the ADHD noodle she is, speaks up. "There's more than one type of Harmony? I thought Harmony was just...Harmony."
>all these postsI'm channeling James Spader!
"Let's make a deal shall we? Just for today, pretend that we're good friends who share everything and want all of us to succeed. That's the ostensible doctrine of communism isn't it? And for the same period, we will pretend that that isn't an absurd ideology. Seems fair doesn't it? After today, you can go back to hating money, and we can go back to being happy because we have it. The prize you NEED to focus on for the time being is," and Brie assumes to be cut off by Silver
>>188521
Thats up to GM. I don't deny it was reckless and flippant.
>>188522>>188520>>188519>>188517The following is immediately evident to Brie:
Intimidation requires an appearance of an imbalance of power in favor of the intimidator. The presence of a friend or ally immediately gives a dramatic boost to either party, as that basically doubles the power.
The orange stallion Brie seems to be focused on is kind of effeminate and is not a normal combatant. Blackheel is larger, of stronger will, and stronger overall. The other two stallions are each armed, and have presumably been through basic training. Neither seems to speak Ponish (unless they are keeping that fact to themselves) and have nothing to tell Brie, and they will only understand tone, body language, actions, and whatever Blackheel and the orange stallion choose to tell them. Together, the four stallions appear stronger (to themselves) than Brie singularly.
To say the same thing bluntly, if Brie could somehow isolate the orange stallion, he'll likely succeed. If Brie
has to face all four of them, but has the appearance of the full support of the party, it's a more perilous proposition, but it has a decent chance of success. But simultaneously talking to both Blackheel and the orange stallion when he only really wants or needs to talk to the orange stallion, and making a sound that will stop the conversation and get the attention of the entire set of communists, all while seeming at odds with the approach of the other party members...
[Read more] >>188530>>188521Blackheel's ears go down, and his eyes half close.
"Oh. I see."
But his ears go up, his eyes widen, and he moves a couple steps to the right when Kira moves closer, trying to move away, and angling his body towards her.
"No. There is only one Harmony."
>>188530Blackheel tilts his head,
"'Tailor thoughts'? How do you 'tailor your thoughts?"
[Read more] >>188532A few things of note:
1. The intimidation check was directed at the orange stallion, I apologize for neglecting to specify.
The intimidation check was intended to convey to the stallion that while he may regret going against Blackheel, he might more immediately regret not telling us what we want to know, and it's 7 on 4.
2. It can have been a poorly worded diplacy check if it is really that troublesome.
>>188534"Ever get a song stuck in your head? Similar, except it's deliberate."
>>188535I know, but at the same time he's talking to both ponies when he speaks, and then a gunshot (even when suppressed) is kind of hard to miss...
>>188536Appreciated, it wasn't intended to interject into any existing conversation, it was more intended to occur during a brief pause, assuming he doesn't willingly cough up the information. The actual sequence of dialogue is difficult to ascertain in a timeline.
>>188534Kira tilts her head at Black Heel. Her only response seemingly as he moves to try to get away is to flick her tongue. "But...you and Silver disagree about it. How come?"