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Occupied Equestria: K-19
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.191000
191002
Continuing
1328 replies and 65 files omitted.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192194
192202
>>192167
>>192183
>>192187
Silver: "Wait, 'less ruined'..." Silver suddenly hoofs himself in the face. "...you mean modern village. Дерьмо. He is going towards Kostroma and is going to come into contact with last group of survivors." Looking over at Cavaliere, Silver tells him, "Tell griffons to finish up, we are moving out. Possessions can be replaced, lives can not."
Posey
8eb4598
?
No.192200
192202 192206
ohe0s6dxynz71.jpg
sfjz9y43ls761.jpg
After having recaptured the sheep, Posey zones out for a bit, her eyes still glassed over in a zombie-like trance. She suddenly snaps back to reality as the herd mentality wears off and she looks around in confusion.
"...Wait... Why did we even come here? We are supposed to be at the village. Have we all just been following eachother this whole time?" she pauses, looking left and right, before pointing in the direction of the village
"That way." she says, towing the sheep behind her
Cavaliere
6bae2c1
?
No.192202
192204
>>192194
>>192200
Cavaliere directs the griffons and follows to the village.
Posey
8eb4598
?
No.192204
>>192202
Alright. We're on the right track now.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192206
192207 192218
Through the mist and fog of that small valley on the way to the villages, distant popping sounds, and the sound of... A violin

>>192200
Staring back at Posey is an ewe, her ragged winter coat partly removed somehow by two ponies who do not have actual sheering tools
Posey
900bb46
?
No.192207
192208
>>192206
Yay, sheep fren!
Posey slowly approaches the ewe and ties her lead around her
"Come along now, Mary."

Posey follows the others towards the village.
>A violin
"..... Did Hooked In play a violin?"
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192208
192209
>>192207
"Bah"
The sheep looks up at her

The white pegasus stallion airpony, who has not quite kept pace with her, answers
"Not to my knowledge..."
Posey
900bb46
?
No.192209
192210 192211 192217
>>192208
>"Bah"
Posey pets the sheep.
"I doubt the thralls of the Traveller have any appreciation for music in their state, but we should not discount it... Music on a deserted island in a frigid ocean.. Sirens? No, no lyrics. It could also be a spectral Lyrist or other keening spirit. Be on guard for any auditory psychic attacks." She says, drawing her sword
Rolling Arcana, to check for any potential supernatural elements to the song.
Posey
900bb46
?
No.192210
192217
>>192209
[1d20+11 = (19+11) = 30]
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192211
192214
>>192209
Kira raises her hoof. "Uh, psychic means 'mind stuff', right? I'm fairly certain that's the Traveler's whole shtick..."
Posey
bc292f7
?
No.192214
192215
>>192211
"Psychic attacks can come from a variety of sources. It's always important to be on the lookout."
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192215
192216
>>192214
Kira proceeds to lower her hoof, only to raise it again. "Oh...so, like the voices that have been telling us to go to sleep?"

Silver: "Speaking of, we need to inoculate airponies against Traveler's influence. I will just say again; I have heard wrapping something soaked in urine around your head has same effects as tin foil against mind control."
Posey
bc292f7
?
No.192216
192217
>>192215
"Possibly." Posey replies.
"My mind is fortified against such attacks. I will proceed and give the signal to approach once the coast is clear."

Posey slowly approaches the sounds of the violin.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192217
192219 192220
>>192209
>>192210
Posey knows what it is. And she knows what magic it carries. What she is hearing is a part of a symphony. Not every instrument plays, but the core of the harmony remains, and that sound carries with it a spirit that incites to great action. It is the sound of a nation, a sound that stirs the heart to great deeds, and to offer great sacrifices.

>>192216
In that now well-travelled valley, through the fog. She can hear it.
Cavaliere
6bae2c1
?
No.192218
192222
>>192206
"Anything that would play a musical instrument in these circumstances has no fear. Be on your guard."
Posey
bc292f7
?
No.192219
192222
>>192217
So it's not a spell or another sort of sonic attack?

Posey proceeds towards the source of the sound, taking advantage of the music's distraction and the fog's cover to approach stealthily.
She takes 10 on stealth (both skills), for a modified 17.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192220
192221
>>192217
Is it only Posey who can hear the music, or is it the whole party?
GM Pony
6f97275
?
No.192221
192222
>>192220
Everyone can hear it, though it is not very loud, and the wind sometimes drowns it out.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192222
192223 192225
>>192218
>>192219
>>192221
Kira rubs her hooves together awkwardly as she speaks up again. "Um...isn't it usually a sign of bad things, when you hear mysterious music? Like those stories of sirens luring sailors to wreck their ships by singing?"
Posey
0bb8462
?
No.192223
>>192222
"That is what I said. Now hush." Posey whispers, as she stealthily approaches
Posey
72b5bba
?
No.192224
192225
Posey takes 10 on her perception for a modified 13 as she faces the music?
Does she see anything before she bumps into the source?
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192225
192226 192227
>>192224
>>192222
Staring into the mist they look down the valley. It's the same valley where before they encountered and fought the Petrushkas, and where the sheep was found. Though the sky is white, visibility is not entirely hindered.

To the left side of the valley, across the southern slope of the northern hill, a green light appears in the sky, attached to a slowly falling parachute. It casts a wide light upon especially that slope, but the valley as well.

The party does not need the light to see what occupies the center. Two groups of four ponies wearing green uniforms, flak jackets, and gas masks, carrying a diverse array of weapons, with a group of four less obviously well armed ponies behind. Some look around at what seem to be items left behind on the ground, and the lone corpse of a pony, but most maintain vigilance.
Posey
0e3a99c
?
No.192226
192228
>>192225
>a green light appears in the sky
"~Ooh! Ghost ligh-"
>attached to a slowly falling parachute
"Aww, nevermind..."
>Two groups of four ponies wearing green uniforms, flak jackets, and gas masks, carrying a diverse array of weapons, with a group of four less obviously well armed ponies behind
Looks like trouble. We should try to avoid them if we can, but they're likely to track us down eventually due to the size of our group if they have any interest in engaging with us.
Be on guard.
>lone corpse of a pony
Does that look like one of our ponies? Uniform visible?

Where is this in relation to the violin music from earlier?
Cavaliere
6bae2c1
?
No.192227
>>192225
"They are sending in paratroopers. We need to be careful."
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192228
192229 192239
>>192226
>one of ours
It does not. Best guess is Stalliongrad Merchant Marine based on the aqua/blue colors (Republican Naval Air Service wear green), but this is at a distance and it's kind of hard to tell.

Indeed, Posey can see that one of the ponies - he's in the back, behind the main line - is armed with a violin besides his carbine and is sawing away. She cannot recognize the tune, but it it's surely a specific song rather than random notes.
Posey
0e3a99c
?
No.192229
192230
>>192228
>Indeed, Posey can see that one of the ponies - he's in the back, behind the main line - is armed with a violin besides his carbine and is sawing away.
"A Dirge Singer... I believe ponies in this region call them 'Bards'. A specialist agent tasked with communing with spiritual forces and keeping morale in the face of supernatural terror. He is either the leader of a subelite force, or a supplement to elite warriors of heroic level... With our luck it is the latter. The GRU is not sparing any resources for this mission." Posey whispers, slowly backing away towards the herd

"No sign of our pony yet, but we will not be able to properly search the village without engaging these hostiles." Posey remarks
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192230
192239 192253
>>192229
Black Heel walks up besides Posey

"Nyet, they are called 'Combat Troubadors'." He turns to look at her. "Did you think that they would send only their weakest to fight a god?" He asks. Evidently this is a rhetorical question, as he starts to move past her, moving up the slope and away from the small group.

Looking into the herd of soldiers, in that last row there is a stallion carrying a machine gun, an earth pony stallion with a service rifle and several pan magazines on his back, and a unicorn stallion who is unarmed besides a carbine on his back. But all these stay well behind the two separate lines of ponies with submachine guns, bolt action rifles, and what must be automatic rifles with their metallic, box magazines and venting holes above the wooden handguard.
Posey
de8dd69
?
No.192235
192239 192253
"It appears as though this troupe is obstructing our path to the village. With the size of our herd, we would not be able to search the village without engaging with them."
She draws her sword
"Best to eliminate them, swiftly and decisively."
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192239
192253
>>192228
>>192230
Silver: "I am surprised he does not play balalaika."

And Silver moves to follow Black Heel sneaking away, can he recognize the song from anywhere?

>>192235
Kira: "I think that's the village we encountered the first group of Kostroma survivors in, the one with the dead medic..." Kira's ears droop for a moment as she says this before they perk back up a bit. "I think we can sneak around without fighting. The from what I've heard, the village we're looking for is on the other side of the island from where the 'gee are you' landed, past this older village."
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
0b5ad5b
?
No.192245
192246 192253
You didn't arm the rescued ponies and griffins, so they'll only have the arms they bothered to pick up themselves
Posey
7a312bb
?
No.192246
192247
>>192245
Well, the Kostroma ponies had guns already, right?
The griffins had harpoons when we fought them. Harpoons are a very good melee/ranged weapon. They can prevent the enemy from running or charging, and they do just as much damage coming out as they did going in.
The airponies don't need to fight.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192247
192264
>>192246
I think what GM pone is trying to say without directly telling the party what to do is that it's a better idea to go around than it is to engage. And if you're worried about experience, doesn't D&D account for encounters that were successfully stealthed/avoided?
Posey
c7532ec
?
No.192248
If going around it is an option, then let's go around.
Posey
c7532ec
?
No.192249
192250
We don't need to roll anything to take the long away around to avoid this encounter, right?
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6589926
?
No.192250
192251 192258
>>192249
Of course you do.
Posey
3be90b0
?
No.192251
>>192250
What do we roll?
Posey
38be613
?
No.192252
I will roll once I get the answer.
Cavaliere
6bae2c1
?
No.192253
192254 192255 192257
>>192230
>>192235
>>192239
Cavaliere whispers, "We motley few are the only ones who can go head-to-head with them and I don't favor our chances. We need to blend in the best we can and go around."
>>192245
I suppose we could have looted the prisoners and given their guns to our guys. Lessons learned.
Posey
2f81f94
?
No.192254
>>192253
They could fashion clubs, quarterstaffs and slings fairly simply.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192255
>>192253
Silver, and then Kira, nods in agreement.
Posey
5648868
?
No.192257
>>192253
"Oh, fine then. Let us go around them."

GM, what do we do to go around?
Posey
32cb5ad
?
No.192258
>>192250
GM, please tell us what to roll, so we can progress to the next scene.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192264
192265
>>192247
No. In fact, it was initially intended to be an encounter that can really only be resolved with combat. But then the party spent so long in the whaling station that by this time, the venturing soldiers were further inland, which actually makes it easier to go around them.

To try to go around is the same you use to avoid any encounter: move silently, hide, and luck. There's always room for things like distractions or smoke screens or spells if you are creative. The point of the flare appearing on the north opposite the party, but not on the south side where the party is, is to make slipping by at least plausible.

To attack, it's probably best to use explosives, area of effect weapons, or whathaveyou.
Posey
a97900a
?
No.192265
192266 192269
>>192264
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Looks like a fun fight.
>move silently, hide
We can't possibly all roll that without at least one member of the herd failing the check, unless it's a single luck roll.

How's this, Posey will roll a luck check, with a little bit of bloodletting for food fortune. If the result is above whatever GM determined the DC to be, the enemies are sufficiently distracted by the flare allowing our herd to simply walk past them. If the check fails, then cowabunga it is, and we fight through the encounter as intended. A simple diceroll to advance the plot.
.
.
.

Posey slowly walks across the side of the herd, inspecting each creature like a piece of meat, making sure to gaze at any creature not already under her spell.

"Alright, you landlubbers. We have ourselves our conundrum here. The enemy forces have an elite troup in the way of our path. If we are lucky, we may be able to move past them. If we are unlucky... You will need to fight for your lives. Consider it a trial run, to test if you have what it takes to earn your place aboard the Kostroma and leave this desolate rock alive. Everypony pulls their weight in our crew."
She eyes the New Mareland airponies
"The hostages, however, will trot in the rear, abd should consider themselves exempt. You are worth little to us dead."

She majestically trots back to the front of the herd, and mutters a short prayer to the Bloated Goat
"Oh bloated pale master of herds, guide this pitiful flock to through the mists, so that we may reach our true battle and spill even greater blood in our fury."
Posey draws her sword, and levitates it to her 'wrist' (do ponies have wrists?) and slashes a deep cut, stifling a moan at the exquisite pain of the silvered blade reaving through her impure flesh, the wound sizzling as it drips with icor.
Damage (Posey starts the encounter with this much less HP)
[1d8+5 = (3+5) = 8]

Luck roll
[1d20+2 = (13+2) = 15]
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
61332cc
?
No.192266
192267 192269 192270
>>192265
Posey can feel her energy - her essence - slowly drain out of her, and taking something with it.

But as if from a light shining above - though nothing pierces the grey-tinged twilight - Posey can feel the smile of Fortuna looking down on her.

The fog, though not so thick at sea level, is here as before, more intense at a higher elevation. If the party does not make much noise, they may be able to walk around the crest of the hill undetected. For now, at least.
Posey
a97900a
?
No.192267
>>192266
Posey glances behind her towards the herd
"The shepherd of fortune is not a patient one. Be swift and be silent. Lest you be food for the hounds of fate." she says back to the herd, as she gracefully glides forward into the flog
Cavaliere
6bae2c1
?
No.192268
Cavaliere gestures to the griffons to remain quiet and silently shepherds them through the fog around the hill.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192269
192270 192271
>>192265
>>192266
Kira grimaces at the bloodletting, but she slithers through the fog, following the path the others are taking. Silver takes a look at Posey's new wound as he passes her, commenting, "You need to lay off dark magic, blood is not supposed to look like that" before following suit with Kira.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192270
>>192266
>>192269
Oh, and Silver motions for the commies to follow, telling them "Тихо. Туман нас скроет."
Posey
08218f9
?
No.192271
Posey orders Monstro to crawl across the ground with it slower land speed, where it should be covered by the mist, and it not, hopefully mistaken for an inanimate pile of whale bones.
She ushers it towards the rear of the group, interposing the bony behemoth between the airponies and the GRU, so that they have cover.
>>192269
"I already told you, my body is fortified by magic, which is what suppresses the cursed spirits that hound me. I never call on my powers when they are not needed. It was just a little recitation, letting out some bad luck to make room for good fortune." Posey says, before trotting away evasively and concealing herself beneath her cloak to heal her wound
Anonymous
2375965
?
No.192279
Do we make it? Can we proceed to finding the airpony?
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192282
192284 192285 192286
The party goes up the hill, away from the nearby squad of soldiers. The soldiers for their part, take a moment to observe and investigate the remains of the battle fought there in the valley. Presumably they move on, and presumably, they take interest in the derelict whaling station at the end of the valley. But the herd of creatures following the party have little interest in that. Climbing up the hill, the fog gets thicker, even if it never quite cuts of visibility. Perhaps the party choses to cut around the northern rim of the hill. This is the most risky path in terms of being spotted, but it is the quickest. Perhaps they chose to go around the southern edge. This is the longest, but the furthest from the line of sight from the GRU. Or maybe they go straight over the top and by the crashed Patrol Bomber. The train of ponies and griffins shows little hesitation in following Posey and whomever else in going along. The griffins do so silently, though the Kostroma survivors talk amongst themselves at a low volume in their own language. Most are busy carrying those who cannot carry themselves, as the wounded remain great in number. Mala stays in the rear, uncomfortably looking back towards the advancing soldiers, and prodding the ponies in front of him to move more quickly.

Past the crest of the hill, the party can see the edges of the village. Not in much detail, as not much twilight remains, nor does much of the light of the wanning gibbous moon penetrate the ever-present haze. But between the dim moonlight, and the edges of the flickering, green light of mortar-launched flares, the ponies can see a row of stone houses that still have their slate roofs, and the black sand of the nearby beach. That is the modern village, and that is their best guess as to the location of both the last air pony, and any other Kostroma survivors.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192283
The wind coming in from the Rocky Sea has slowed considerably. It is also, perhaps oddly, somewhat warmer, above freezing if not by much. The fog carries with it a light mist that falls and slowly begins to cover everything.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192284
192289
>>192282
Can Silver tell what the Kostroma survivors are talking about?

In either case, he looks to the rest of the group. "GRU has taken interest in this place. Let us hurry before they send squad to secure this location." He hardly waits for an answer before moving down the hill closer towards the village.
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192285
192286
>>192282
Cavaliere directs the train of followers to take shelter in a couple of the buildings, to keep them out of sight of any passing patrol. Room by room he searches the abandoned village.
Posey
cc12463
?
No.192286
>>192282
>That is the modern village, and that is their best guess as to the location of both the last air pony, and any other Kostroma survivors.
Posey forges ahead of the herd, speeding up to a light canter, confident in her nightvision.
>>192285
Posey assist Cavalier, deliberately mentioning Captain Waters's name out loud, to draw out the airpony who may be in hiding.
Posey
90e057b
?
No.192287
192288 192289
Rolling perception

Spot:
[1d20+3 = (9+3) = 12]
Listen:
[1d20+3 = (20+3) = 23]
Search
[1d20+3 = (5+3) = 8]
Posey
b1caccd
?
No.192288
>>192287
I know skills don't crit, but if a 23 on listen doesn't detect him, then I doubt we'll find him any other way.

Does Posey hear any traces of the last airpony? Response to the mention of waters? Unconscious breathing? Buzzards circling a corpse?
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192289
192290
>>192284
It sounds like "how far away is [unintelligible]?" "Keep up"
"What will happen to Miya?"
These are voiced at lower volume, and the majority seem to concern the immediate situation.

>>192287
A moving shadow, and small droplets of falling rain lit by a flare.

In the sounds, she hears the tapping of hooves, waves hitting the shore, a singular gun shot over the other side of the hill, a diesel engine on the far side of the South Bay, a cough, babbling in a foreign language behind her, and the wind tugging at her ears.
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192290
192291 192293
>>192289
It's likely any hiding pony doesn't want to be found.
Rolling search.
[1d20+2 = (14+2) = 16]
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192291
192292 192293
>>192290
Both the Silver and the Noodle go into the village to search around, keeping their eyes and ears open. Kira especially tries to do so silently and sneakily.

Silver:
Spot: [1d20+3 = (5+3) = 8]
Listen: [1d20+3 = (12+3) = 15]
Search: [1d20 = 2]

Kira:
Spot: [1d20+8 = (12+8) = 20]
Listen: [1d20+8 = (14+8) = 22]
Search: [1d20+5 = (7+5) = 12]
Move Silently: [1d20+14 = (19+14) = 33]
Hide: [1d20+14 = (19+14) = 33]
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192292
>>192291
One thing is for damn sure: Kira isn't going to be seen or hear by anycreature she doesn't want to be seen by. She slips in very well to the night and the low, stone walls
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192293
192294 192304
>>192290
>>192291
Cavaliere is the first to see it. Past the first house, one with its four stone walls and slate roof, but no remaining wooden door, or at least, an open wooden door, it moves out of the shadow. The shadow must have hid it well, because Cavaliere saw no signs of it until he approached. Perhaps it came from behind the house. Perhaps it was next to the house, but hidden by the shadow of the house, which blocks the light of the flare. The angle is wrong for it to have come out of the door.

Hopping out of the shadow, and looking up at Cavaliere, is a small beige colt. It's an earth pony with a beige coat, a long, sandy mane, and wearing two articles of clothing: one, a white, linen shirt over the chest, and the other, a
woven woolen article of clothing most akin to a fillies' dress or skirt, green in color with lavender and blue plaid stripes. The colt's green eyes reflect brightly like a wolf's in the dim light. Though he is outside he is not damp from the mist. He looks upwards at cavaliere, and his tail briefly moves from side to side.

"Mr., can you help me? I think they might have left."
His voice is prepubescent, and accented to some bizarre, backwoods variety of Equestrian.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192294
192295
>>192293
Silver blinks once he sees the colt. He looks over to the airship ponies to see their reaction, if this is the pony they're missing.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192295
192296
>>192294
The airship ponies don't have much of a reaction at all. They are of course much further back and likely distracted. From the noise, there is reason to think the soldiers will be down the hill soon
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192296
192297
>>192295
Silver looks back to the colt. "You are from airship?"
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192297
192298
>>192296
The colt moves forward, stopping at about the edge of the house, and looks towards Silver. He tilts his head, and an ear flops down.

"Nnno?" He rights his head. "Ship? It hasn't left yet, has it? I was at the cliet at the end of Kirchner's Hill, lookin' for anything to use, and I... okay, I was picking flowers. I wanted to take them with me. To have something, you know. But I lost track of time. Is anypony still here?"
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192298
192299
>>192297
Now Silver looks over to the griffons from the whaling station to see if they know anything about this.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192299
192300
>>192298
The griffins, like the airponies, have not travelled with the vanguard of the party to the village, but have stayed in the rear, moving along the long train of wounded ponies. They look distracted and confused.
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192300
192301
>>192299
Silver sighs, and looks at the colt. "I want you to explain more clearly. Ship, Kirchner's Hill, everything. Because we are on island that was previously assumed to be uninhabited and is currently in middle of warzone."

Kira, meanwhile, flicks her tongue from the shadows.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
6f97275
?
No.192301
192302 192303 192304
>>192300
He looks at Silver, tilts his head, rights it again, and then stomps his forehooves on the ground - though it's a quiet, and unfelt stomp.

"I don't have time! You have to take me to the ship." His ears go back. "Or they will leave without me..."
The Floof and The Noodle
d62b663
?
No.192302
192306 192384
>>192301
Survival: Kira, ever curious about this occurrence and wondering if this is some sort of mind trick, flights her tongue into the air to see if the colt actually smells like a living pony.

[1d20+11 = (14+11) = 25]
Posey
410474b
?
No.192303
192306
>>192301
Posey glides over, her golden eyes glinting in the dim light
"What is your name, little one?" she asks, calmly
>"Or they will leave without me..."
"Hush now. Nopony is leaving this island anytime soon, because the ship is grounded. We are on our way to the ship right now. We are just looking for one of our friends first. Perhaps we could help each other. Did you see a lone stallion pass by here?" she asks, to her voice calm and gentle
She reaches into her satchel and levitates out a few flowers (Rosey Ring always has her pockets full of posies), and offers it to the colt, skillfully floating it in front of his nose to lure him into her gaze.
"My son likes flowers too. They're a rare treat where I come from."
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192304
192306 192307
>>192293
>>192301
Cavaliere keeps a calm voice. "Which ship do you mean? There was an airship there behind that hill, and now there are two ships, the Kostroma and a military ship. Don't worry, we plan on getting off this island too." He looks to see if there is any sign of recognition once the Kostroma is mentioned.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192306
192308 192310
>>192302
flick flick flick
Guh!
flick flick
Ugh, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. Except it’s not like looking for a needle in a haystack. All you’d need to do is find the needle. This… it’s more like looking for a needle in a needle stack. And all the needles are a little different, but you don’t know what the one you’re looking for looks like. Let’s see…

flick flick
That’s Silver
flick flick
That’s Posey. She smells a little off. Kind of plasticky. Actually not that strong of a smell. You can only really smell her because she’s so close.
flick flick
That’s a Griffin. Cavaliere probably
flick flick
An airpony?
flick flick
That’s that annoying bat pony. No not that one. The other one.
flick flick
That’s a hyena
flick flick
That’s Mary. Go wave hi to her!
flick flick
That’s Rustling Pine. I know because his smell is kind of distinct.

Well nothing here smells like a foal. I mean, you could go and lean over the foal and flick your tongue but… well when I tried that with a couple zebra foals back in Dhamaji they didn’t like it. Maybe ponies don’t mind being, well, tasted? But what if they do?

>>192303
The foal looks up at Posey. The muscles of his face are strained, and convey fear and desperation, but somehow his eyes look past her.

“B-barley Corn.” He leans forward, as if about to spring and jump onto posey.

“Can you take me to the ship? I haven’t seen anypony. Honest. I think they’ve left. Can you take me to the ship?”

>>192304
“I forgot the name. Two masts, I think? Leaving for Sunset.” He tilts his head . “The one going to Sunset. That’s where everyone is going.”
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192307
192308
>>192304
The little pony’s head perks up, and then tilts, when Cavaliere mentions multiple ships and the Kostroma.
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192308
192309
>>192306
>>192307
Cavaliere looks skeptical. At least, he seems skeptical. There's precious little mouth on griffons to emote with. He does not come any closer to the colt.

"The ship had masts? Do you know if it had sails? And Sunset…do you mean the city in New Mareland?"

He tries to place the colt's accent, to get a bead on where he may be from.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192309
192310 192311 192312
>>192308
Roll Knowledge. Local or whatever category you can argue is relevant. Int modifier.

The colt looks up over towards Cavaliere.
“Yeah, I believe so. Maybe paddles, too? I’m not sure. I only saw it as it sailed in and I went off to Kirchner’s Hill. Yeah, o’er in the Dominion.”
Posey
d76c6b1
?
No.192310
192311 192313
Screenshot_20250922-111920.png
>>192306
"Why certainly, I will take you to the ship. Just stay beside me now." she says, gently caressing the Colt's mane pushing his cheek towards her chest
She steps back and looks into his eyes
"Everything is going to be ̸̧͇̯͠o̶̠͐̈́k̸̹͗̃̅̏͜á̷̺̀ẙ̶̡̞̲͉̒̌."
Bluff check to elicit eye contact
[1d20+16 = (15+16) = 31]
The Gaze's DC is 19 as usual
>>192309
"Just what was a little colt like you doing aboard the Kostroma? I did not hear of any civilians aboard the ship besides the scientists."
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192311
192313
>>192309
Local is good.
[1d20+5 = (4+5) = 9]
He raises an eyebrow and raises a talon.
>>192310
"Wait. The airponies were observing the area prior to the crash and they would know of any other vessels. Get the Lieutenant or Captain here and let's ask them."
Posey
d76c6b1
?
No.192312
192313
>>192309
Posey takes 10 on Local.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192313
192314 192315
>>192310
The colt does not let Posey get close enough to touch it, moving back. The colt is looking right at posey. It’s the focus on the eyes that is questionable. Like he’s looking past her, rather than at her.

“Cost Roma? No, it was like… the Lucky Lady, I think? I don’t remember. I don’t know anything about scientists.” Looking down and shaking his head. “Today is moving day and… you have to get me to the ship or they’ll leave without me!”

>>192311
Probably… Griffish Isles or Village Up North by accent. Clothing… the shirt is factory made, and the dress is hoof woven. He looks like he put on a filly’s clothing, but it may be some kind of cultural thing. Ponies are weird.

>>192312
Posey can’t tell too much about many of the particulars, but she can tell that the dress is made for cooler weather than the shirt, which was probably made to be worn under a jacket.
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192314
192316 192317
>>192313
Cavaliere gets a hold of the closest airpony and asks for the pony in charge of observation data.
Posey
d76c6b1
?
No.192315
192316 192317 192318
1643777460.png
>>192313
>The colt does not let Posey get close enough to touch it
Touch
[1d20+5 = (6+5) = 11]
Grapple
[1d20+5 = (15+5) = 20]
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192316
192318 192319
>>192314
The White Pegasus pony is brought up, as he was the copilot on duty at the time of the crash. He looks around the buildings, not really focusing on the Colt.

“I… don’t recall seeing another ship, no. But we did lose sight of… well, everything, for several minutes. There was a bank of fog near the island, and the Kostroma disappeared into it. But more so… we felt… dizzy. If we were in a plane we probably would have flipped it upside down, or stalled it. We lost our sense of direction. Then we crashed.”

>>192315
Posey reaches…

And she doesn’t grab the colt. It seems to have moved out of the way.
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192317
192318 192319 192320
>>192314
>>192315
“Take me to the ship. Please…”
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192318
192321
>>192316
"Did your records indicate any passenger vessels in the area on their way to Sunset? Does the name 'Lucky Lady' ring any bells? I find it hard to believe that a civilian vessel under New Mareland colors would be out here."
>>192315
"He does not want to be touched," he remarks firmly to Posey.
>>192317
"Before we do, can you tell us how you came aboard and where the other passengers are? Where are your parents?"
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192319
192321
>>192316
"Considering that he speaks our language as a colt, it is unlikely that he is from Stalliongrad.... Perhaps there is a third ship out there somewhere. If so, we may be able to leave aboard it, without the Kostroma."
>It seems to have moved out of the way.
>>192317
>another sidequest
Hmmm, maybe we should just kidnap him instead...
Grab
[1d20+5 = (9+5) = 14]
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192320
192325
>>192317
"Did you see any landmarks that could tell us what side of the island your ship is on?"
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192321
192322 192323 192324
>>192318
White Pegasus
“No, and I’d know, because we run escorts for the merchant marine. Civilian ships aren’t permitted to sail in the Rocky Sea under New Mareland flag without a Navy or at least R&M escort. It’s called Songline operations when ships carrying refugees leave eastern Equestria to go to the Metropole. The last civilian vessel to leave Ciklage up North was a week ago, and it was a freighter, not a Songline. Frankly it’s easier to go through Nova Griffonia now, and leave from Wynghagen. Though I think civilians have been transported out of Village Up North. Most Songline ships in the area have left out of Trottingham, but Trottingham gets fewer migrants than further south, since most migrants are just passing through from Western Equestria. I don’t know if any ‘Lucky Lady’.”

“I have lived here. They are on the ship. They are all on the ship. Everyone is on the ship but me. At least I think they are. I am alone here.”

>>192319
Posey expects to hear a squeaky sound of a foal being grabbed. Instead, she feels onto the chilly air of the Rocky Sea night. Posey genuinely has no explanation as to how she missed. She thought she had him. But instead, he’s just a little further down, and looking up at her.

“I need to get on the ship!”
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192322
>>192321
>Civilian ships aren’t permitted
>I have lived here.
>She thought she had him. But instead, he’s just a little further down, and looking up at her.
Posey narrows her eyes at the curious foal.
Religion (check-in for undead traits):
[1d20+11 = (15+11) = 26]
Arcana (checking for signs of time slips or illusory factors):
[1d20+11 = (1+11) = 12]
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192323
192325
>>192321
He nods with appreciation to the airpony. "Thank you."

To the colt he replies, "You lived here? For how long have you been here? Did you notice anything unusual in the past few hours?"
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192324
192325
>>192321
"Barley... Can you tell me what year it is?"
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192325
192326 192328 192329 192331
>>192320
“Yeah. The village and the pier. It’s this side.”

The big, stone houses leave long shadows from the moon light. Shadows that are especially vivid when flares shoot up into the sky, sometimes casting overlapping shadows that move as the flares fall to the earth. The buildings are not alone in producing these shadows. So too does Posey and Cavaliere. But the Colt… you can see on the other side. His clothing is dry, even as so many droplets form on Posey’s own coat and clothing.

The colt looks up toward Posey
“Please? I need to go with them. Or else I’ll be stuck on the island…”

>>192323
Barley’s ears go down, and he looks down
“I kind of lost track of time…”
Then he looks back up to Cavaliere
“You showed up. And some other ponies. Please? I need to get on the ship. Can you take me to it?”

>>192324
“Um… 947.”
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192326
192327
>>192325
What calendar year is it in canon?
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192327
>>192326
1013. Like… January 30th, ish[/i]
Cavaliere
ca7c830
?
No.192328
192330 192340
>>192325
Cavaliere takes Posey aside and whispers, "You said you are a student of the supernatural and specialize in talking with the dead. You could put those skills to good use now. Put him to rest or whatever you need to do, but see if there's any information on the lost airpony."
If nopony else wants to talk to him, Cavaliere will resume the search, hopefully with help from the airponies.
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192329
192330
>>192325
Did Posey notice any magical/undead traits that are relevant to this situation?
GM Pony
!PonerGM.4A
2d0465e
?
No.192330
192331
>>192328
>ignoring the lost foal looking up at u
Heartless

>>192329
I’m confused. Like what?
Posey
3f34663
?
No.192331
192332 192333
>>192325
"Barley, you poor little thing..." Posey says, crouching down
"947 was 66 years ago." she says
>>192330
Like, any indication that he might be a ghost or something, or background knowledge for any sort of time slip that may have occurred.