Welcome to the latest thread of Occupied Equestria. Set six years after season 6, it presents an alternative history where Chrysalis chose a different approach to her second attack on Equestria. The Changelings have conquered half of Equestria, while an Equestrian splinter colony - soured to Princesses notion of harmony with all creatures thank to their dealing with griffins - Invaded and took the other half. In Baltimare and the Equestruan Southlands, the magic of friendship has weakened, as Communists, Changeling infiltrators, Fascists, gangs, and even ancient necormancers and dark gods threaten the city and the surrounding regions. This role play is based in large part upon the Equestria at War mod for Hearts of Iron 4, and uses D&d 3.5e mechanics.
In the latest episode, we are starting day 4. Ash is finally getting to sleep after dealing with foals that scarified animals to evil gods, Iron is disappointed to find that the only sex he is getting is in his dreams, Dark Star has declined to have sex, Onxy has discovered the joys of socialized medicine, I don’t know what Spark is doing, and Silver has discovered that when you don’t complete a quest, you don’t get paid for it
1864 replies and 43 files omitted.
>>80332A certain bitchy pegasus Ash thought she'd never have to see again spots her and interjects
"Sleeping Beauty awakens! Dark Star has taxis for us, you can ride in the back of the second vehicle next to your dog"
>>80333"R-really..?" Sister Ash stutters out, confused, but too paralyzed to care
"O-okay then.." she says, Asher eyelids grow heavy
"Wake me up when we get there.."
>>80334Sister Ash just nods, muttering some tantric meditation as her body gets used to running on empty again.
>>80335>>80333Silver turns to Iron and speaks in his trademark Stalliongrader accent. "Are you sure she is alright? She seems very tired."
>>80336Blue Skies interrupts with her trademark butting into a conversation she was never intended to be a part of: "She'll be fine, just a little hung over. Give her some water when we get there"
>>80335Iron smiles. "Sure thing, Ash." He strokes her mane with his unarmored hoof.
>>80334"Skies, do you think the dog can be at the front seat without any social repercussions?"
>>80336Iron strokes his chin. "The most she may need is some food. She is really good at finding it on the nature. I think the whole 'retreiving foal' business took a physical toll on her. Maybe something interrupted her sleep. Tried to sleep in the same room but the 'sisters' would not let me."
>>80338"The driver may be skeptical of the dog's ability to stay still or not attack his jugular while driving. I would strongly recommend someone holding him during the drive"
>>80337Yeah, I get it, that particular detail is kinda stupid to point out at this point."...Hung over? Nun?"
>>80338"You will have to tell me about it sometime. I do not have much food on me, most of what I own is back at my room in tavern, but I think I have couple cans of food, if she is hungry."
>>80340Not really, because it's easy to forget that a character is supposed to have an accent. I just wanted to point out how she was interjecting"Well... now that you mention it, they may be some other reason..."
>>80339"Oh please, this dog is the most playful animal I have ever seen. If it is great with foals, then it is great for drivers." Iron chuckles.
>>80340"I guess. Not sure. Maybe after the mission. I think she will decline. She likes things natural." Iron shrugs.
>>80341Iron likes the purring being done on top of him.
>>80342His ears perk up in interest, and he raises an eyebrow at her. "Hmm?"
>>80343"I'm not sure he'll be so easily convinced"
>>80344"I mean, there are a number of reasons to be tired or feel drained of energy, that is all"
>>80345Caleb does the puppy eyes on Skies.
>>80346Somehow, strangely, Skies seems immune to cuteness
"You go in the back with your master"
>>80345And now Silver's ears return to their normal positions. "Ah. My apologies. I misinterpreted what it is you meant by statement. So, since it seems you have issue with Spark sitting next to you, perhaps it will be you, Star, and I in back? I can not say it will be most comfortable for you in middle with me there."
>>80347Iron interjects. "Do not worry, dog. The driver will be more sympathetic to you. She is having a bad day, that is all."
Caleb tries to do the puppy eyes to the cab drivers, see who will take the dog in the front.
[1d20 = 15][1d20+1 = 3]>>80349Rolling will saves
>>80348"Well, to be honest I thought that Dark Star would volunteer me for the front seat as soon as I made that statement, but really I don't mind being pressed between large stallions"
>>80349One of the two seems sympathetic. Unfortunately, this one is the driver for the vehicle currently with Spark, Silver, Star, and Skies
>>80350The look on Silver's face suggests he doesn't fully understand the implications of her statement. "I am not sure I would call Star 'large' as much, but if that is case then you will not have issues."
>>80350"the front seat is all yours"
>>80349"Hey Iron. Why don't you let the doggy ride back there with you? Unless I guess you want to ride in the back with Onyx"
>>80352She shrugs
>>80353"Are you sure? I could sit between you and another stallion"
>>80352"im large where it counts"
Dark Star laughs
>>80355"No. it fine. let me help you."
>>80351>>80350Iron pets Caleb. "Sorry, dog. It seems some ponies are just too cautious to trust a cute pup like you. You can be with Ash at the back. I will go to the front seat."
Caleb wags his tail and licks Iron's hoof. He then jumps up inside the cab at the back followed by Iron settling Ash next to Caleb. "Anyone nice enough to point me where this 'trunk' is? " Iron asks the group.
>>80354"I was planning the dog to go at the front, have Ash and the dog to be at the back and Onyx goes in the trunk. Maybe Ash can go to the front, but any sudden move by the driver and I am not responsible for his or her well-being."
>>80356Iron stifles a giggle.
>>80358*planning to go at the front
>>80356Silver looks Star up and down. "...I will have to take your word for it."
>>80357She smiles and walks with prissy expression as she takes her spot in the front. The driver looks like he would have preferred the dog
>>80358“Oh I knew
precisely what you were planning”
>>80360“Oh you don’t have to take his word for it. I’ve seen it. He does indeed have a very big heart.”
>>80361"Well, if you are thinking I would stroke her mane, then you are damn right it was my intention." He closes the back taxi door with Ash and Caleb inside. The dog walks a little circle and lays down next to Ash. "But you cannot have everything in life." He opens the front door seat and enters it. "Be sure to place Onyx in the 'trunk' thing."
>>80361"...Oh. Oh! That is what you meant. It is good to hear." Silver steps into the back seat, sucking in and rearranging his equipment to provide as much room as he can for Star and Spark.
>>80362>>80363Alright, hopefully now we can skip to the quarry/old farm
>>80368Just the cab the S squad is in, whose only survivor is the dog lover.
When they arrive at the property, they find it similar to its appearance yesterday. A fence surrounds the property, one farmhouse is in a collapsed condition, the other was demolished utterly more than two centuries ago, and probably at least half of the quarry is above water, with a definite hole in its side. One thing that is different is that because it is 10:30-11:00, almost the whole inside of the quarry is illuminated, whereas the last afternoon it was largely covered in shadow. There are workers and machines on active construction sites on adjacent properties
>>80369Just for that, roll for luck
[1d20 = 15]>>80370Well, damn. Mistakes were made. Hopefully it's good.
>>80370Silver takes the opportunity as they travel by the quarry to see if there's anything inside they didn't spot on their first pass through the area.
>>80372Do you mean that he goes to the quarry to inspect it? Because it was never Investigated by the party
>>80370I suppose nothing happensIron gets off the taxi, having Ash on his back and the dog next to him and Onyx on the ground next to him. "Well, here we are. Where is the camp at?"
>>80373>>80372"we should scout out the quarry."
>>80375"There is farmhouse that is not quite destroyed." He points in its direction. "We had camp set up there."
>>80376Silver nods. "It is good idea."
>>80377Iron is unsure of the structure's integrity. "So, are we scouting now? Let me try to wake Ash up now."
>>80335Iron nudges Ash. "Hey, we arrived at the zombie place. I would want you to wake up."
>>80377"i figure that tunnel under the farm house. goes into the quarry."
>>80377>>80376Surrounding the quarry is some police tape, and some large machines that evidently drained water. There is a stream bed that once ran into the quarry. Recall that this was an artificial lake for over a century
The quarry is approximately an L shape with the fat side facing south and the skinny-side running east. In the south east side of the quarry, submerged in a few feet of water, is a bomb of the type dropped from a plane, and unexploded. The quarry has layers that are 20 feet wide and ten feet taller than each, which are deeper closer inside the quarry and to the south, and higher up on the north face of the Quarry. On the north side is an open tunnel. You can see the remains of wooden panels and some rocks by the tunnel that once covered the entrance. While the entrance isn't quite a straight line to the old farm house with the well in between, neither is is far off from being so
>>80380Silver grimaces at the sight of the open tunnel. "We should head back through Curwhinny Farm's cellar as soon as Sister Ash is awake. I do not like how tunnel is open like this."
>>80381"I have to agree. With any luck, more monsters won't have wandered back in there and we will still have a safe area to fall back while exploring."
>>80381Judging from the condition of the panels of wood next to it, Silver can deduce that wood, being left in a semi-tropical lake for 130 years, decays
>>80381>>80382"Well, she is not waking up so soon after a supposedly hard working day of looking for foals, so you should get comfortable. We should go to the camp and reinforce it, just in case." Iron is worried about Ash and these zombies.
>>80380>>80381"that sounds good to me."
>>80384"we need to cut down some trees."
>>80384"I am not sure what we could reinforce it with, but it would give us time to plan and prepare. Just, keep working to wake Sister Ash up. And give her these, if she says she is hungry." Silver levitates some canned apples towards Iron. "I know what you said, but we will need her to keep up her strength, if she is to assist."
>>80386"Do we have ax? I am not sure our weapons could fell trees."
>>80386"I think I can manage, but first I should settle Ash down at the camp first. No way I can chop trees with a sleeping mare on top of me, at least not without a lot of clumsiness."
>>80387Iron pushes it back. "Sorry, I cannot accept it. You are better off looking for food here than giving her canned food. I will try to wake her up to confirm this though." Iron nudges Ash some more.
>>80386>>80387"Why would you want to cut down trees?"
>>80387"hes a big colt."
Dark Star motions at iron
>>80389"for better fortifications."
>>80389Iron thinks for a bit. "I actually have no clue. Maybe to patch up any sort of holes zombies may come in?"
>>80393"It looks to me like at least one group of people has already tried to seal away this evil, and yet here we are"
>>80388"Very well, but she will have to make do with canned if you can not find other food."
>>80389The look on Silver's face suggests he doesn't understand either, but he's just rolling with it. It's not his area of expertise, after all.
>>80390Silver lets out a hearty laugh. "All he has are his hooves. There is much you can do with hooves, but I do not think bringing down trees is one of them."
>>80394"And that is why we are here to put final end to them."
>>80397"Hooves does wonders if you put some strength into it. Nevertheless, I think that just cutting the trees down will not do much." He looks at the house. "Unless you want trees sticking out everywhere around the house. No clue how to thin them out like the wood at the house myself."
"We should probably just make sure the tunnel in the cellar is clear first off, then make plans. It won't do much good to reinforce a camp in monsters are at the gate."
>>80399"Ah, so you have been here before. How clear is the area above this cellar you speak of?" Iron is getting fidgety from all these dangers Ash may be in for while passed out.
>>80400"Last we were here, there were only undead inside tunnels, not outside."
>>80399"That is wise decision. Let us go see."
>>80400"The whole house is leveled except for the cellar. No chance of ambush unless the monsters decide to come out and roam the farmland."
>>80401The sorcerer heads for the tunnel.
>>80402Silver follows, just in case Spark needs support.
>>80401>>80402These sentences calm Iron down. "So, what was in the cellar? I would rather not letting Ash be hurt in the vulnerable state she is right now." Iron looks around, then realizes they are going in. Iron is not amused by their recklessness leaving a sleeping mare behind. He looks for a safe comfortable spot to place Ash on.
>>80400>>80401>>80402>>80403The first basement and then the lower cellar are much the same as they were last left. Presumably, the entrance to the tunnel was resealed after Onyx and Spark last left it
>>80404"Last we were here, nothing at all was in here."
>>80405I approach the seal.
"And this is the entrance."
>>80406>>80405Iron is unsure. "I will take your word for it." He stills look for a confortable spot for Ash to lie down for the time being.
>>80406"Seems we are safe, then. Should we join others back at other farmhouse, where camp was?"
>>80406>>80403Dark Star comes down into the cellar
>>80408"I would like to make sure there isn't a vile creature on the other side of the seal waiting for the chance to break this thing."
>>80410"Fair enough." He draws his greatsword, just in case.
>>80411Spark draws his pistol and removes the seal.
>>80412It opens. As expected, it is pitch black in the tunnel. Air flows past him into the tunnel, suggesting a negative air pressure and flow of air that was not present the night before
>>80413"That is odd." Silver lights his horn up so they can at least see inside.
>>80414It looks essentially the same as it had the night before. By which I mean it is dug through an area of soft rock with rock floors, and some brick on the sides and roof. There are a few loose rocks on the floor of the catacombs, and the floor is a little uneven, but by and large it is the same
I don't recall if Private Saccharine Spoon was removed from the tunnel >>80416"Well, I suppose there are no monsters waiting to eat us, at least."
No bodies were removed from the tunnel, to the best of my knowledge. >>80415>>80414>>80413"that wasnt here before...was it?"
>>80417"I'm sure there will be. Do we continue or back out for now?"
>>80418"No. Although, perhaps it is just because wind has shifted to blow through tunnel in quarry."
>>80419"I do not like idea of proceeding while Sister Ash remains asleep."
>>80420"i hope thats all it is."
>>80418Iron places Ash on the floor, clearly not fine with Ash's current circumstance. He strokes her mane to feel better. Caleb is on guard, looking if any threats around Ash.
>>80417>>80418>>80419"Forgive me for not sounding enthusiastic, but I think we need to wait for Ash or at the very least guarantee her safety somehow. I thought she would have woken up by now." Iron keeps nudging Ash to see if she wakes up inbetween strokes.
>>80422"So whats wrong with her?"
>>80421"Could be further confirmation that this tunnel is same tunnel in quarry." He thinks some more. "Actually, it could be good idea for couple of us to go in and see which part of tunnel fork leads to quarry, if there Is now wind."
>>80422"Then it would be good idea for somepony to always stay with her."
>>80424>>80422"I don't understand, if nothing comes into the farmhouse cellar or the basement, then what is the danger of her being there?
>>80425"General rule in situations like this: do not leave unconscious ponies alone."
>>80424"I'll Take spark and go check it out."
>>80423"Her breathing is stable and she did purr when I stroked her mane at the city, so it is likely she is fatigued." Iron strokes her scaly coat.
>>80424"I guess I should stay until she wakes up."
>>80425"It is the chance that a zombie or anything evil may sneak through and attack her when she is weakest." Iron sits next to the sleeping Ash. "When she wakes up, I will go inside with you ponies."
>>80427Silver nods. "Fire your pistol if you get into trouble. Remember, you do not need to go far. Just check which part of tunnel leads outside."
>>80426>>80426"Well, I can't say that on the occasions I've done it that I cared much for what happened to the pony"
She shrugs, and backs off
>>80428>>80426"I guess
I could look after her, if what you need is somepony who is situationally aware and not of much use against zombies"
>>80430Iron is suspicious. "The dog stays as well. It will ease my worries."
Caleb does as instructed and sits next to Ash.
>>80429>>80427>>80419"So, we are as ready as we can be." Iron is still a bit nervous, but willing to follow.
>>80432"My hooves are my weapons." Iron shows off his unarmored hoof. "If you want, I can go first, since I have the heaviest armor of all of you, but I will need a light source."