This RPG is set in the land of Equestria after it has been conquered and split between the Changelings and a foriegn fascist nation. It is based in large part on the Equestria at War mod for Hearts of Iron 4, and uses D&D 3.5 mechanics
4 of the group have taken a job to clear a site of a future real estate development of undead. They seem to have stumbled upon a centuries old evil long forgotten by Equestria. Meanwhile, Ash has discovered foals from the order of Saint Prancis orphanage practicing dark magic and sacrifices in the woods, while Iron is having not-so-pleasant dreams
>>76856 →The skeleton does not animate. It's dead Onyx
>>76859Onyx snorts and walks towards the others.
>>76855 →"Well, this does not look like ash, at least..." Silver shows the vase and the substance it contains to the others. "What do you all think?"
>>76864Onyx licks the salt looking substance to confirm
>>76865It's the most disgusting taste he has ever tasted in his entire life
>>76865Silver gives Onyx a horrified look. "Do not just lick it!"
>>76868It's a grainy substance that is white. It does not taste like Sodium Chloride, if that is your question
>>76870Silver takes an empty coin pouch from his saddlebag, and fills it with the substance.
>>76865"There are better ways to tell what something is other than licking it!"
https://youtu.be/Wrf15CzeWroOnyx instantly turns un-crystal
>>76870Salt gotcha
>>76869"Not good..."
Onyx stumbles off and pukes his guys out
>>76873>>76872Kek
>>76874When he disturbs the substance, there arises a magical blue aura around it, that starts to coalesce, but does not before it is placed in the coin pouch
>>76875*Guts cause I can't type today
"Yep, that's salt"
>>76876"...Did...any of you see that just now?"
>>76879Absolutely fucking disgusting. Dark Star can be absolutely certain that if he tasted dried Zebra semen, he would enjoy the taste better than what he just put in his mouth
>>76879Silver just stares at Dark Star, having witnessed a new level of stupidity he did not know existed. He feels as if he has become dumber simply by having been party to it.
>>76881There is a well in the center of the room, and a small shelf with a single small book on it in the room as well
>>76883Dark Star pukes in the corner.
"thats definitely not salt."
>>76882He diverts his attention from the comedy of errors he has just seen, and goes to the lone book, wondering if, by some miracle, it might have some piece of information to help dispel the mystery of this room.
>>76886Opening the content of the book, Silver can see number of chemical equations, a language he does not understand that is probably something like Ponish in short-hand, drawn out plants, and.... Hello. At the beginning of the book is a written note
"Dear Cinnamon Corn,
I have discovered a way of preserving corpses that merits no little attention. By taking a corpse, rubbing it in an herbal and arsenic based solution, and then burning it with the proper spells, any corpse - even one that has been severely degraded, may be turned into a mixture of bone-fragments and arsenic-phosphate salts that may be stored in a simple container. Here is the real magic of this solution - the salt allows the spirit of the deceased to be summoned readily as an apparition, even without Resurrection magic, and then reduced back to a salt just as easily. In this way, you may summon the spirits of the dead even from ancient and decayed corpses
Yours, Joseph Curwhinny
August 6, 762"
>>76888He looks up from the book and towards his companions. "Congratulations! You both just licked bone fragments, arsenic, and dead ponies' souls."
>>76888Silver pockets the book. While he can't make heads or tails of the equations and the alchemy described in the book, he figures he can take it to somepony who can. With the mystery of the vases and what they contain dispelled, he turns to the final mystery in the room: the well.
>>76893"i think i should go see the nuns after we leave."
>>76894"Hmm? What would nuns be able to help you with?"
>>76896"Well, you did just lick remains of somepony."
>>76893He can look down the well and see... well, it;s pretty dark. But he can tell that it is a pit that is probably as wide as the room he is in now, with the floor of this room being probably a ceiling for the pit. There are black and brown spots on the floor of the pit. And now here's another feature that should get his attention: A piece of lumber that probably once blocked the door has fallen down it, allowing a sort of connection between the side of the well and the floor of the pit, like it could be climbed up
>>76896"You can feel wrong with me if you like"
>>76897Silver has this... elated feeling. This feeling of relief. A feeling of a sort of invulnerability. At least two ponies now can
never again criticize his choice of diet
>>76898He taps his chin with a hoof, thinking about it. He checks to see how deep the pit is, if there are any good hoofholds on the lumber, and if there is any place good enough to secure some rope.
>>76857>>76902The lumber seems steady enough. The drop is less than 12 feet. As for rope, well, he could probably tie off on what remains of a door frame
>>76898>>76906It would actually be kinda funny yet demented if he ended up with the spirit of the pony he licked inside him.>>76905He grabs the length of hempen rope from his saddlebags, and starts tying knots in it to give him some extra hoof holds to help him climb down. "I am going down there."
>>76909reee don't give me such ideas>>76909The door frame does not come loose with the first few tugs
>>76910Climb: With a deep breath, he starts his climb down, keeping his horn lit to help him see what's down in the pit.
>>76905>Less than twelve feetOnyx jumps, the taste in his mouth making him no longer care about temporary things like life or death.
>>76913Silver proceeds down normally. But when he looks around the pit, he finds it to be... Empty. Disappointingly empty. The floors have a black and brown substance covering much of them, and a few halves of rib cages that Silver can identify as belonging to cattle. The walls are a simple brick like the remainder of the room, and have hundreds of knife-like scratches on them
>>76914I... Don't think he would take fall damage. The piece of lumber would probably support a climb out. Probably. He sees
>>76915
>>76916"This room is about as pleasant as that taste"
[1d20-1 = -12]>>76915Search: The fur on the back of Silver's neck stands on end: something is off about this room.
>>76917It actually smells better than the room above them. Then again, that smell didn't really seem as strong in the room above
>>76918Unfortunately, Silver can gather no more information than the following:
The room is just a pit, which ordinarily would not allow anything or anyone in or out except through the well-like opening at the top
There are cattle ribs strewn about on the floor, as well as a couple pebbles, and a black and brown substance
The walls have cuts all over them
The lumber that sits on the floor of the pit and rests on the wall of the opening would allow a pony to climb up and out of the pit, and into the main level
>>76919>>76917"We should go. I do not like thought of being down here any more than I have to."
>>76920"I'm just here for the ride"
[1d20+2 = 9]>>76921Climb: He nods, and begins to climb his way back out of the pit using the knotted rope he secured.
>>76923Good enough
>>76922>>76921The hell is that smell? There it is again
>>76924describe the room we are in.
>>76922"Yes, yes, I know, but this is not easy task. We need to search for anything of use to help us."
>>76924Silver wrinkles his nose at the smell once he's back out. "Ugh...I am tired of this stench..." He begins following the scent trail to find out what exactly is causing it.
>>76850 →Sister Ash maintains a serious but soft voice as she lays out the offenses.
"... Now, you're only foals, so you didn't know better, but if you want to get out of this one you'll have to be very compliant in telling us exactly who set you up on this."
She gestures to the filly who was commanding the hound
"Who taught you those words?"
>>76925On two walls are a number of shelves with various jars on them. Most of them look like the "salt" jar, some do not, and appear to contain other chemicals. In the center is the "well" which is the entrance to the pit. On a sort of shelf by the door was the booklet that Silver pocketed, as well as a couple flasks. One wall has chains on it and various restraints, which do not appear to have been used recently
>>76927It seems to be coming from the hallway
>>76927DArk Star follow with his guns out
"I hope whatever is making it is dead."
>>76928They are entirely silent, and unwilling to snitch. Except for the Rust colored earth pony. He points a hoof straight at the cream colored Pegasus fillie
>>76929He continues to follow it to find its source, readying his hammer just in case.
>>76930"In all likelihood? That is probably why it smells."
>>76931Sister Ash turns towards the fillie her voice calm, but dreadfully stern
".. Just what were you thinking you would accomplish when you brought your friends out into the forest to conjure evil spirits?"
>>76929ill comeback and check those flasks out when we find out what stinks
>>76932"well i guess i mean undead then."
[1d20+5 = 12]>>76933Sister Ash takes a strip of cloth and ties it around her wound.
Heal check
>>76935"So, that place where you bought your revolvers, do you think they will clean weapons?"
>>76938>>76935On the floor ahead of them, illuminated by the flashlight, they see a pony.
Well, "pony" is perhaps a bit generous. The creature clearly was a pony at some point. The lips of the pony are entirely gone from the head. It now has exposed fore-teeth, the natural gap between teeth and the rear molars, giving it a perpetual wicked smile. One eye is entirely missing from its socket, leaving a black hole in the skull. The tongue too, seems missing. A cracked and cataract filled right eye remains and stares at the group, but... with the eye lids entirely missing. One ear has fluff on it, the other is bare flesh. The skull has at points only exposed bone, but most is covered in this dark leathery flesh-like substance that won't quite rot. Ontop of the head is a helmet. The strap goes down underneath the head, and keeps it firmly strapped on.
My Celestia does he smell
ghastly... worse than he looks. It's not just the decay of a corpse, it's almost supernatural
The pony wears a uniform. It is a uniform that can be instantly recognized by most as belonging to an Equestrian non-commissioned officer. This uniform covers most of the front of the horse, although it can be seen that further down the rear of the horse the belly seems to be missing some flesh and is likely castrated. He has a belt with a holstered pistol nearer his flank. One forehoof still has a horse shoe, the other hoof is split and sinew is showing. The uniform has a couple tears in it, and some blood, but this pony is missing any sign of a bullet or shrapnel wound, unlike the last two, who were clearly wounded. This pony is wearing a flak jacket, and aside from one long gash it is undamaged. Indeed, you can see from a Los Pegasus campaign medal and a Manehattan campaign medal that this particular pony was quite an experienced soldier of the Empire of Harmony, having fought both the Changelings and New Mareland, and making it all the way to Harmony's last stand. For all of that, the Fascists never slew him
In fact, he seems kind of animated now, clearly capable of movement, probably quick movement. He seems to have seen the group. He lets forth an unnatural "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOORG" that does not seem to belong to this realm
Roll for initiative
>>76938"possibly. im not very sure. that was the first time ive been there."
>>76941Well, he ain't going forward quickly
Are Onyx and Spark present for their initiative rolls?
>>76933"Protection from bad ponies"
Rosemary is still speechless
>>76945I'm here, but I am just a little confused as to the location of this new encounter. I said I would follow you guys, so if the GM will allow me to be there, I will roll.
>>76946"Protection you say? So you summoned a hellhounf from the depths of Tartarus?" She says, stepping forward
"After you summoned, just what were you intending to do with it?" She implores, leaning in
>>76950The colt does not want to answer
>>76946"A hellhound is an evil creature: invoking it is by definition an act of evil. It's not the sort of monster that can be used for good intentions, but only for ruthless violence." She continues accusingly
"So what was it that you all had planned? To have it bite someone? Burn them? Set fire fire to a building?" She demands
>>76952At the colt? He lowers his ears, and squeaks out "It wasn't my idea..."
>>76953No, at the filly, the one she was speaking to earlier that directed the hellhound to bite her
>*Is still bleeding*
>>76955There. That outta be closed up by tomorrow morning.
>>76953"Well?" She demands, speaking to the filly who was seemingly running the stunt
>>76954She stares at Ash. Silently. Defiantly
>>76958"I don't have all night, young Missy." Sister Ash hisses, once again levitating the foal by the scruff
"What were you even thinking?!"
>>76959"I should ask you the same, calling down bolts of lightning from the sky. Sending a large dog after children"
>>76962Spark did respond to the roll call, so he should still be here.
>>76966Good, better than the lich.
Alright, so current initiative order is:
Dark Star
Silver
Spark
The Sargent
>>76961"Don't change the subject, young lady. I'll have you know that when I perform my practices, I actually know what I'm doing." She is now holding back her fury, her eyes visibly glowing
Caleb as well bales in disapproval before laying down on the floor.
"And I know better than to go around cohorting with evil spirits. Any sort of evil spirits that accept a measly wounded rabbit as a 'sacrifice' are bound to have ulterior motives in the matter: you should all hope that you're not already cursed!" She exclaims, pointing at each of them
"Now spit it out. What were you planning to do with that monster?"
>>76969It got a pretty large description for a single zombie tho.
>>76967If it were a lich, you'd all be dead and reanimated by now.
>>76970Rosemary: "Consorting with evil spirits? What is this?"
Fillie: "Speaking of being the consort of evil, who is that gangster you brought along?"
>>76971This
>>76972Also this
>>76972I guess that's true. Still, he seems to be the main baddie in this situation.
[1d20+5 = 17]>>76968Dark Star shoots at sarge with ride the lightning
>>76975The Sargent's skin is pretty tough, it seems to bounce off
>>76973Sister Ash rear and stamps her forehooves into the floor
"Answer the question, young Missy!"
>>76974Might be an advanced Ghast or a Wight, or some other kind of higher CR undead creature.
>>76979If you don't want to use s move action, just charge.
>>76977For the first time since they have been here Dark Star looks worried maybe even afraid.
>>76978AC is higher than 17! Use touch attacks if possible to bypass it!
>>76983It's a special property of an attack which bypasses armor class. Mostly magic shooty stuff, I think
>>76983For you, grapples and trips.
>>76978"You want to know? Really? Well I will tell you"
She looks at Rosemary. Not Ash. Rosemary. She narrows her eyes
"You
sold us to those monsters. Do you even know what happened to half of us? Do you know what happened to me? Did you know that the little unicorn was almost starved to death?
How could you"
She looks back to Ash, and speaks now to her. "My father trusted in the power of Good and Harmony. He told me we would triumph because we were good. When he was killed, they sent me here to these nuns, and they told us that they were good. And the nuns told us that Celestia would win because she was good. And they all told all of us, Lily Breeze, Orchid Blossum..." She is crying now "That the Changelings and the Fascists were evil. Well guess who is still alive! Guess who is still free! If being good means selling children to monsters and being a slave... or dead... Then I chose EVIL!"
>>76979No. It can be hit only by means of a move action. Distance 20 ft
>>76981I think you are underselling your attack bonus. Although even if it is higher, I think you still would not have landed a hit
>>76986I should slap this little shit, but I won't.
Sister Ash just stands there fuming (literally) for several moments, not even sure where to start as she dangles the silly filly in the air with her magick
".. How foolishly shortsighted...!" she gasps
She turns to Sister Rosemary with an awkward glance, still unsure how to respond
>>76987Just charge in and have it to pieces. It's not invincible.
>>76988Sister Rosemary looks back at Ash. Her expression is of awkward horror. She looks at Ash as if the Fillie's speech shut her the hell up
>>76991>No responseThanks for the help, Sis...
Sister Ash takes a deep breath, as the smoke coming from beneath her shawl ceases abruptly.
".. You've been dreadfully misguided.." she begins.
>>76992Sister Rosemary adds, finally finding an argument
"you can thank Ash here for your freedom, and that you are still alive. And she is Good"
>>76992She picks up the filly and levitates her so close that they can feel each other's breath.
"For starters, nopony sold you." She state boldly
[1d20+9 = 21]>>76989>INB4: Silver dies here.>>76990Oh boy, I sure am ready to die."RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHH!" An intense rage fills Silver's entire being at the sight of the defiled pony. He charges straight for it, aiming a blow from his hammer right at the creature's head to try to put it out of its misery.
>>76995I seriously hope this guy has low HP at least.
>>76996>>76997No way amonster that got a whole paragraph to describe it is going to go down in one hit.
>>76994The fillie spreads her wings, presumably to try to steer herself in the air. She retains her trademark look
"
They did"
>>76995That smell. So that's where it was coming from
Roll a Fortitude save
>>76997That doesn't sound too bad for HP, just two hammer and revolver hits should do it. If it's AC though, you're fucked hard.
>>76997If it's any compensation, defeating a CR 3 monster by yourself is worth a lot of XP.
>Tfw just killed a hellhound
>>77001Speaking of, will the GM tells us we won XP when certain actions are done?
>>76999"No, they didn't." Sister Ash replies sternly
"You were kidnapped, by gangsters. Everyponyhere has been worried sick for you." She continues
[1d8+3 = 7]>>77003"Is that what they told you?"
She looks angry
>>77005He withstands the stench, and the hammer cracks a dent in the Helmet of the Army of Harmony
>>77005>>77007A shrieking "RYAAH!" comes from the creature's throat, as the hammer has harmed it
>>77008Ok, seems it has fullplate as armor, so 18 is the sweetspot where you can hit the beast.
>>77009GM decides that.
>>77007"It is, and I believe them." Sister Ash replies sternly
"Everyone in this Abby has been disturbed by the events of these past few weeks, and by the looks of it, you have as well." She says, looking the filly
>>77010I know...
>>77011Wait, there's 4 of you? Then why are you so worried you're going to die?
>>77014First shot is a miss, that's all. Also Onyx's player isn't here. Only Dark, Spark, and Silver are fighting.
>>77012She looks disturbed alright
"I will not be a slave, food, or a sacrifice"
[1d20 = 4]>>77007I fire a shot at this monster... hopefully.
>>77017Nice me.me
We'll get them next time.
>>77016"Don't you even get me started on sacrificesyoung lady!" Sister Ash growls, lifting the bloody, cloth-wrapped knife
>R.I.P. Mr. Bun Bun"Who was it that taught you that little pathetic excuse for a conjuration back there? Did you think you'd feel safer with a few diabolical canines running around wreaking havock?"
So I am wondering if we should wait until we have Onyx for the next attack, or if the Sargent should make his move
>>77022"THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT!" Sister Ash shouts, losing her composure for a moment
"There was no way you had goodintentions summoning fiends in the middle of the night. What was it you were trying to do?"
This little shit is begging for a spanking, dodging questions like this.
>>77023If you're bringing out the strongest attack of the Sarge, then yes. If not, just go for it.
>>77026It can't be that bad. Maybe it'll take like 25 HP off from a hit. Completely passable stuff.
>>77024You are interrogating her next to somepony she knows has authority over her. So of course she doesn't want to speak without her lawyer present>>77024"To prove we could"
>>77026FALSE. A Ghast's two secondary attacks are not as strong as its primary
>>77029Sister Ash is now fuming again.
"Who taught you that trick?"
>>77031[Angry dragonhorse noises]
[1d20 = 14][1d20+3 = 20][1d20+5 = 6]>>77031She doesn't want to speak
>>77030Fuck it. Let's do this.
The Sargent lets forth an unnatural shriek as it bites out at Silver, and tries to smash him with his hooves
>>77031*Dangling intensifies*
"You're in big trouble young lady. Do yourself a favor and tell us who it was that put you up to this foolishness."
>>77034How much dex does Silver have?
>>77036"No pony put me up to this. I did this all on my own"
>>77034Stop being a crybably, it's not like you got slashed after the perfect opportunity to grapple the opponent into unconsciousness for 3/4 of your health.
>>77039Well, you only did 1 fortitude save, not 2. Also I failed a damn easy grapple check.
>>77037"You taught yourself an extraplanar language and made up a conjuration spell that involved 3 people on the fly? I find that hard to believe." She replies quizically, being no stranger to the school of summoning
"What kind of debauchery have you been involved in? And what have you been reading?"
[1d4+1 = 5]>>77038>UnconsciousnessUh...
>>77039Iron was already paralyzed, and he didn't get away
>>77039The forward teeth of the sargent seem to get stuck in a part of Silver's armor. His good hoof bounces off of Silver's breastplate. But the broken, sinewy hoof breaches and contacts Silver's hide
Roll a fortitude save
>>77042"There are books..."
>>77041>Avoiding getting infected.I guess that wouldn't be automatic. Roll a second fortitude save
>>77044Wait, really? I was going to kill him if I grappled him underwater? Damn, chalk it up to rookieness.
>Iron was already paralyzedI-it was just a dream... i-it wasn't real
[1d20+7 = 17][1d20+7 = 27]>>77044[Very Much Dead Fighter Noises]
>>77045Oh, you were talking about when he wanted to 1v1 the special forces guy but do it unfairly
>>77046Well fuck. He ain't getting paralyzed today, nor turned into a ghast tomorrow
>>77046See? You had nothing to worry about, my guy.
Why those dice did not appear for me?
>>77047I just wanted to knock him out and take them to an arena of sorts, I wanted to isolate him first then ask for a duel.
>>77044Sister Ash grits her teeth and continues
"What books? When did you get them?" She implores
She turns to Sister Rosemary
"Make sure to search all of their rooms. There's nothing more unruly than a rambunctious child playing with a black magick tomb."
>>77053Kids should'nt be playing with tombs. It's just asking for trouble.
They'll have plenty of time to do that shit after college.
>>77057Didn't you have like 50 HP? Surely your HP hasn't dropped lower than 40 or 35, right?
>>77054Or the dreaded Necmarenomicon of the mad Arabian Abdul Alhazelred
>>77051Sister Rosemary: "That we shall. What is this about a 'fiend'?"
>>77060Passable, keep it up, proud of you.
>>77059i suspected as much with the words she was saying earlier.