The Adventure continues
Six years after season 6, Occupied Equestria presents an alternative history where Chrysalis chose a different approach to her second attack on Equestria. The Changelings have conquered half of Equestria, while a former Equestrian colony - soured to Princess Twilight's notion of harmony with all creatures thank to their dealing with griffins - Invaded and took the other half. In Baltimare and the Equestrian Southeast, the magic of friendship has weakened, as Communists, Changeling infiltrators, Fascists, gangs, and corrupt creepy politicians threaten the city. 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.
The Eastside Tavern Gang has broken through the house and pool-house of the politician Comte Burgher. What they found has been nothing short of astonishing. Deeds for properties bought by secret societies, seditious communications, cryptic booklets, concerning academic interests, and above all else, a sex dungeon with two young colts chained up, and traumatized. With these, they found something else: two caged and chained up adolescent Changeling drones. So doing what any logically minded group of people would do when encountering caged life-force vampires, they let the things suck on them, then took them home and hugged them and loved them and squeezed them and called them 'George.'
Dark Star is coming to terms with loss in the Stallion's room of the Eastside tavern, while Iron aids him. Silver dreams of an Equestria that is no more and his long lost family (while sleeping in a fairly awkward position). Ash awaits a new dawn of service, Onyx a new life of possible employment, while Brie and Spark stay in a small room with two strange guests
1812 replies and 49 files omitted.
>>88678That sounds good. Congrats.
I think. >>88678Does this mean you're officially employed?
>>88683Ah, good luck with that then.
>>88685No, and its my fault that he's unresponsive. I was harsh in a political argument and he didn't take it well.
>>88686Oh. That does not sound good.
"I wonder where Ollie could be..."
Iron wonders mentally about the two colts taken for gang training.
Also if Ash would accept his advances after helping the foals.
>tfw tired but can't sleep
>>88696I'm just staring at my character sheet for the 80th time...
>>88699I see. Frankly, I don't feel the same way about Iron.
Maybe if I go for the changeling bard character I would since there's more to worry about like permanent spell slots and 'does my character have to pick up shapeshifting spells if its race ability is to shapeshift' kinds of deal
>>88711I was thinking the same thing tbh
>>88712Tbh, I wouldn't recommend it for any other character, considering that it screws you vs 40% of enemies.
>>88713I know. That's why it's so great as a character flaw.
I don't remember Iron hitting any mares as of yet, unless petting Marey was considered assault. >>88714Hitting mares is a generally uncool thing to do.
Although, in an Equestrian setting you can expect more than half of the toughest opponents to be mares.
[Sweaty Fighter Horse Noises]
Gonna try to fix my sleep schedule, so odds are I won't be awake for too much longer.
>>88715Silver's backstory is an example of that. Let's hope that they like gawking at Earth Pony muscles more than fight.
>>88716Well, goodnight in advance.
>>88718Thanks, but I'm not heading to bed just yet. It'll just be a lot earlier than it has been in the past.
>>88719So if I recall correctly, Silver told Kerr that he was
not going to have sex with him, a statement that I think sounded less weird in context. Then Kerr responded with “Well I’m going to suck the love right out of you anyways,” and Silver responder eith “listen here you little shit. If I have to make ONE more saving throw, so help me Celestia, I will cut your wings off with hedge trimmers and rub sand in the bleeding stumps.” To which Kerr responded with “if you want to watch me beg as I slowly waste away from starvation, then you will be sorely disappointed.” And then Silver said “does some creature need a hug?” And Kerr was like “maybe...” and then Silver hugged the bug and platonically cuddled him for a while
>>88720Kerr is one unstable boi.
Cute bug, tho. I hope Iron fights Kerr when he gets older, see how strong can he become. >>88720Well, that's basically it, yeah.Silver looks over the sudden appearance of sweat, finding it odd when Kerr felt so cold while hugging him. "Why am I so..."
He pauses for a couple seconds, thinking of what next to do. "Kerr, Wesley, gibt es noch etwas, was du brauchst?"
>>88724“Nein”
“... Nein”
>>88722Unstable? What would have made more sense, given his experience with ponies and the way the conversation went down?
Alright. I'm going to go to bed and try to sleep for real.
Goodnight, guys.
>>88726Sleep well.>>88721Silver turns to Spark. "Do you think you could keep an eye on them for bit? I need to take shower and go see Blue about what sending them home would entail."
>>88729"Of course."
The sorcerer watches the changelings.
>>88730As he turns to speak with the changelings again, he pauses and looks back to Spark. "Erm...you would not happen to know where Black Hooves headquarters are in Baltimare?"
>>88731“They are stationed in a hotel.”
I take out my map and show where it is located.
The universe knows how to piss me off at just the right times. My internet cut out. >>88732He takes a look at it, nodding and creating a mental marker for future reference. "Thank you."
>>88725Silver turns back to the changelings. "Kannst du dich für Spark benehmen, während ich weg bin?"
>>88733“Okay... Er scheint nett zu sein“
“Keine Zusagen”
>>88734Silver chuckles at Kerr's response. He turns to leave the room. "Ich werde nicht zu lange weg sein." He heads to the bathroom to take a quick shower, before making for the location Spark marked on his map.
>>88734 I won’t be able to go for much longer without my internet. Spark is unsure what to do next, but smiles and hopes the changelings will be easily entertained until Silver gets back.
I feel like I should go to bed. Goodnight everyone.
>>88735Assuming that Silver has not been recalled to the room after his shower because all hell has broken loose, he can make it to the headquarters.
The building is located in near the center of town, to the west, and in a relatively affluent commercial area. The building is the Grand Baltimare Hotel, one block south of Main Street, on Kingsely, Five floors in total with beige stone exterior and small balconies on some windows. He can tell that it was once a grand civilian building with ornate architecture and an exoensive interior, confiscated and repurposed for the political and security needs of the new overlords. The main entrance is accessed through a short set of steps to the main lobby
Outside, to either side, are guards in brown outfits. Griffins, both of them.
>>88736Something a little like pic comes and sits before Spark
>>88740D’aww.
I sit still though to see what he wants.
>>88741He looks at Spark, cutely, tilting his head ever so slightly. He probably wants
something but who knows what it is
>>88742I tilt my head too. I can hardly hold back the urge to hug.
>>88739Silver grumbles to himself about how the Black Hooves decided to occupy the fanciest hotel in the city out of every option available to them. Oh well. Nothing he can do about it, and it's not as if him grumbling to himself is going to serve a purpose.
He's thankful he left his weapons back at his room as he approaches the griffon guards. "Excuse me, are civilians allowed on premises?"
>>88744What is your purpose? The bird asks back, with an indeterminable foreign accent
>>88743He continues looking right at Spark, with a smile
>>88745He's somewhere from Griffonia, Silver bets. Where exactly he doesn't know. "I would like to speak with one of your number about private matter. Blue Skies is her name."
>>88745I smile back. I levitate a toy over to him to see if he wants it.
>>88746He looks a little irritated
“Are you trying to find your hen friend? Anyways, go inside and see if they know who you are talking about”
>>88747He does not seems interested in the toy
>>88748Well, that answers Silver's question at least. He trots inside the Grand Balitmare Hotel to see if there's anypony at the desk who can help him.
>>88748I have another idea. I hold my hooves out to see if he wants a hug.
>>88749There is more than one, but one s only one is marked to the administration of “counter-subversion.” It’s a unicorn with a dark blue coat, and a lighter blue mane. But he does not look to be in the best of all conditions. He has an eyepatch over his right eye. He wears a hat like the old Dominion hats, but his horn, which sticks through, is called inn gold. Almost like a golden crowned tooth. His front right leg is almost completely gone, replaced with a steel prosthetic. His right leg below the thigh is also prosthetic, and his right flank seems to be scar and naked pink. His cutie mark, at least in his right side, is gone, seared off. He wears a somewhat fancy black uniform.
>>88750He starts to hold out his hooves. The a marble flies by. Then another marble flies and gits his side. He raises up a good to cover himself and turns towards the incoming projectiles. Then one hits him fairly squarely around the head, and he reacts with a “HISS!”
>>88751Wut?
I quickly jump in front of the incoming marbles and shield him. I then look around to see the source of marble slinging magic.
>>88751And here Silver thought
he was a fairly scarred individual. He trots up to this unicorn. "Excuse me, do you know where Blue Skies is at moment, and if I may speak with her?"
>>88754This gets his attention immediately, and he looks into Silver’s eyes.
“How do you know her, and what do you want her for?”
>>88752Shimmer is hit by two marbles flung by Kerr, while Wesley has his back arched up like a cat and is hissing back
>>88755Silver meets the unicorn's gaze and puts every ouch of truth he has into his eyes as he makes his statement. "She is friend of mine. I would like to speak with her about private matter."
>>88755I sit down back down near Kerr and look at him.
“Silver is a good pony. I serve Silver.” I say calmly, knowing they won’t understand, but trying to calm them down.”
>>88756He sighs, and tells a white griffin, “will you find Blue Skies, and tell her that not only is one of her boyfriends aware of who she works for, but is standing right here”
>>88758He furrows his eyebrows at the word 'boyfriends'. "I have helped her before with some work."
>>88759This completely changes his expression, from contempt and concern, to confusion
“Work?”
>>88756>>88758The white griffin goes off and into a hallway. It is at least a minute before nine other than Blue Skies comes out. She has an extremely irritated and angry look on her face. Then when she sees Silver, she stops. Then she prances over to him
>>88757Kerr picks up the toy gun and starts shooting it at Wesley “pew pew pew” then says something in his language
>>88760>>88761He nods, Blue's arrival cutting him off from any further explanation. He turns to Blue. "It is good to see you, Skies. If you are not too busy, I would like to converse about private matter."
>>88761“Ah. You want to play it seems. This is going to be harder than I thought isn’t it?”
I levitate some toy soldiers along the ground and move them to mimic marching. I try to use this to distract Kerr from Wesley.
>>88728I meant to ask, what's Iron's cutie mark?
>>88765I was thinking a boulder broken in half.
>>88768Yeah, not sure what else I could place a pony whose main talent is his body strength.
>>88766Did he get it by breaking a boulder in half?
>>88771Eh, it's a good excuse, but it could also be because he cracked somepony's skull or something.
Maybe I could add some vines around the broken boulder, just to cement he's a native. >>88762She looks to Silver with an expression of uncertainty. Then she goes back to the unicorn and whispers something to him. She comes back to Silver and says, without much emotion, "What do you need?"
>>88763Kerr jumps on the marching soldiers. This seems fine for a few seconds until... Wesley jumps on Kerr
>>88774The lack of emotion is a little unnerving to Silver. Despite his best efforts, it shows in his face. "Uh...I would prefer if it was discussed in private."
>>88775She goes back to the unicorn, yet again, and whispers in his ear, and he whispers back, for a very short conversation. Then she comes back to Silver
"Where do you want to go?"
>>88776Silver's unease grows to mild concern. "I...did not have anyplace in mind, no...look, if it is bad time, I can always ask at later time."
>>88777"You bothered to come into the Dragon's den specifically to find me, so it is obviously important to you. What is it?"
>tfw when can't interact with foals due to my armor scaring them
I'll be out for a bit, have to do some errands.
>>88779Can we drag Dark Star to the tavern?
>>88778The concern is now joined by a health dose of frustration. "Yes, it is, but..." It looks like he tries saying something, but no words actually come out. It continues for a couple seconds before he just gives up with a sigh. He puts a hoof to his forehead while silently cursing in Cyrillic. "Look, it is obviously bad time, so I will ask you about it later. I am sorry for having bothered you. Have good day."
>>88780It's not wether we can or cannot drag Dark Star. It's a matter if we should interruput his scene for our sakes.
GM, guide us through this hard choice. [1d20+7 = 15]>>88781And now, she is
really curious
She says “No, tell me. What is it? You clearly didn’t think it could wait before”
Sense motive
>>88782Last I knew, he was talking to those foals.
Maybe it'd be better to wait until he's ready..
>>88783There's only one particular topic she knows of that Silver would want to discuss in private at the moment, especially in the damned headquarters of the Black Hooves, and it ends in -lings. "I did not know when you were going to be off work, so I figured I would see if I could talk with you now, or at least find out when I would be able to talk with you."
>>88769What skill is related to his mark?
>>88786Mainly his fighting ability. Of course, it can extend to the intimidate skill, as he can break some weak ponies' will or something. Maximum extension of his cutie mark could be his strength, so any strength-related skill like jumping, climbing and swimming would do the trick.
>>88785“As I have stated before, my hours are flexible.
Let’s talk”
>>88786Duh. He’s a rock crusher. When a rock that is knocked clear is too large to be carried off site, he breaks it into smaller pieces. This can be used for quarrying, construction excavation, or road clearing
>>88788Silver motions to the fact that they are still not in a private setting. "As I said, it is private matter."
>>88789Is that a profession or craft skill?
>>88789That sounds like a nice backstory to be fair. It makes Iron accomplish a goal in his tribe. Tribesponies needs their stone for their primitive tools and housing.
Although I don't know if you're serious or not. >>88790She gives him her smile, eyes narrowed
“Do you want to go down the hall and into a room? Or even my room?”
>>88793Somehow, the smile does not reassure him. "Yes, that would work."
>>88794She motions for him to follow her.
“To the right, through the door, first door on the right”
>>88795He does so. "Seems like fancy place."
If it works on Silver then it should work for others, as inductivism has taught me.
DARK STAR, I COMMAND THEE TO COME FORTH AND CONTINUE YOUR TOUCHING SCENE WITH THY FOALS.
>>88796I guess this would be a good time to look for any objects that belonged to the missing foals, so that Caleb can recognize their scents.
>>88798“A populace that for a millennium obeyed rulers who lived in opulent high castles would never respect anything less. It’s a nice central location, and having so many rooms is useful”
She opens a door down a hall with many black doors, and opens the first on the right. When Silver looks in, he can see that it still has many of the patterns of an old hotel room, but with furniture replaced with simple chairs and tables
“Here is private. Now, what was it?”
>>88799I predict that it may be quite a while.
>>88802I know. Worth a try I guess.I suggest linking your post about the stuff from the missing foals to the GM's posts.
>>88801"I will admit, it does seem like strategically sound location.
"Last night, when you were talking about how you send changelings back to Hegemony territory, I forgot to ask: how does this process work specifically?"
Last episode, things are getting wild at the abbey, as suddenly Waterfront mare gang members storm the abbey, shooting instant-growth trees that threaten to collapse the abbey!
As Iron is petrified of hitting mares while Ash has her worries of cutting the trees down later, will they succumb to their traditions and let the abbey fall or rise up and show these mares what for?
That and more next time, on Void's Adventures!
*cue theme song*
>>88813Just use Wood Shape and Grow Plants to merge the new, living trees into the abbey itself.
Elves do it.
>>88814I guess it's doable. A purple unicorn lives in a library treehouse after all.Do you even have those spells on your repertoire?
>>88815Not today, but they could be prepared tomorrow.
Was at the gun range. Did you know that Vector .45s can be owned in fully automatic in the United States? Because I didn’t>>88806“That often depends on what they were doing before they were caught. If they were spying, or could have been spying, they will never go home. Depending on how they were feeding themselves, the police may not let them over smoothly. But if they are being sent back, Immigration takes them. They are generally detained until they can be sent back through train, airship, or ship. They are never sent through commercial carriers, for obvious reasons. Always with an armed escort. They are usually received by Hegemony officials at a border town, like Hoofington or Ponyville.
>>88818Yup. There's a gun store near me that has one for sale. They also have a fully automatic MP5 and STG 44.He seems a bit calmed by this response. "How long are they typically detained?"
>>88820“That depends on cirmcumstance. Are they trying to find out information? I would imagine they wait until there is a waiting ship or train.”
>>88821"Thank you, Blue." He smiles for a second, before his face returns to a neutral stance. "So, do you mind if I ask what that whispering earlier was about? Worried I was going to be threat, or something of that nature?"
>>88821>>88800Is there anything Sister Ash can find among the orphanage she could use to give Caleb the foals' scent s?
>>88822“You never answered who you were, or why you were here. There are very many bad answers to those questions, for an agent who is not supposed to be widely known. I had to reassure him.”
>>88823Assuming that Ash is not satisfied by the fact that she has names and addresses, or that she has pictures of these two foals - who actually have cutie marks, unlike the others - yes, there should be some articles of clothing
>>88824This just makes him confused. "I was never asked who I was. I would have gladly offered my name if it was asked."
>>88824Just some a scraps of clothing will be alright.
This way, Caleb can track them, and he'll know if he gets within 60 feet of them.
>>88825“So, are you keeping changelings in your
room?”
[1d20+3 = 16]>>88828This just makes him even more confused. "That is odd question to ask."
Sense Motive: Silver tries to figure out if there's a motive behind Blue asking a question like that in that manner, especially when she knows the answer to it.
>>88829She seems curious
“Odd? Why are you looking out for the welfare of
changelings?”
>>88830Silver begins to feel like he made a mistake in coming here, as she keeps putting odd emphasis on specific words. He subconsciously adopts a more defensive stance. "Blue, what is going on?"
>>88831“”Nothing, I just want to know. It is not normal to look after changelings as if they were your own foals”
>>88832He hasn't dropped the stance. It appears she's put him on edge with those past couple of sentences.
>>88826Sister Ash busies herself with helping the Sisters with their chores until Dark Star is ready.
Iron decides to walk out the door and wait outside the entrance of the abbey so as to ease the foals' worries about the big wolf-head pony-body monster.
>>88833She frowns, and her eyes have a slight expression of sadness. She sits down and moves back
>>88838"...Sorry. It is just...odd, having conversation and taking 180 with it like that." He slowly drops back into a neutral stance, and sits down next to her.
>>88839Disheartened in part and non-comprehending in full, she looks like she wants to ask a question she could never word correctly.
>>88840Silver finds this to be an awkward situation. He shifts his rear around idly as if trying to make his seat more comfortable. "...To answer your question, I suppose it is because they were in need, and that I could help them, and because it is what I would want changelings to do if they found ponies in that situation."
>>88841“Perhaps this
is a bad time. Do you have any further questions?”
>>88842He sighs, a little crestfallen himself. Internally, he's beating himself up for having obviously hurt Blue. "...No."
>>88843“You seemed to be in a very different state of mind yesterday than Dark Star. Tell me, were they restrained in your room when you went to sleep?”
>>88844He simply shakes his head no.
>>88845“And you were not worried?”
>>88846"Why would I be? Up until that point, neither of them had shown any signs of hostility, and they had no reason to. I was likely first friendly pony they had seen in weeks. I was source of food, protection, and friendship, and alternative was trying to survive and make it back home on their own in hostile territory."
>>88847“So you let them feed off you?”
>>88849"When we rescued them, yes. I also let Wesley feed on way to take them back home."
>>88851"No, changelings already have names like ponies. One was Wesley, the other was Kerr."
[1d20+3 = 20]>>88854I get it.
Rolling to sweep hallways.
>>88852“I should have figured given how you were talking to them. You know they would not do the same to you, nor would most ponies do the same”
[1d20 = 20]>>88855>>88856Let me try
Iron attempts to stand still outside, trying not to space out.
>>88858Whatever it is you were trying to do, you succeeded above and beyond intentions.
>>88857He sighs. "I know, sadly."
>>88858Foals start to play around the strangely realistic pony statue, even using it for hide and go seek
>>88861“Then why do you do it?”
>>88864Nice. My roll is paying off.Iron remains steady. As long as the foals are having fun around him, everything is fine and dandy.
>>88865Nah, concentration check. So no money. >>88864"How could I call myself Equestrian if I could not show kindness to those in need, to those who have done no wrong themselves? This is cruel world, and sometimes those beings within it can be crueler still. Without kindness, we'd lose ourselves to this cruelty, and become less than we are now."
>>88868“Are you not worried that they
will do wrong, once they return?”
>>88869"There is always that worry, for helping changeling and pony both. But much like how our ancestors did not give up fire once they got burned, we can not give up kindness because it blows up in our faces."
>>88870“I suppose that is the difference in philosophies.”
If Silver was expecting an argument as to why one was superior, none is forthcoming
>>88871He's fine with a lack of argument. He doesn't want to cause any issues with Blue. "Yes, I suppose that is difference." He chuckles, keeping quiet for a couple seconds before throwing a foreleg around her for a hug. "I am sorry for earlier, Blue."
>>88866>>88871Iron slowly moves his eyes, hopefully being covered by the wolf-skin, to see if any of the saved foals are in on the fun and games.
>>88872*coo*
“You puzzle me sometimes”
>>88873A couple of those removed from the warehouse seem to be among them
>>88874Iron tries to get a feel if anypony is on top of his still body.
>>88774I begin to wonder if Silver leaving the changelings was as smart of a decision as leaving the Kirin unattended next to flammable materials in the quarry.
I gently lift Wesley off of his brother and set him back down.
>>88874"Funny. I always thought I was fairly straightforward pony." He gives her a little hug squeeze. "Still, you are my friend. I meant as much as I said last night. I should have had more trust in you than I did, and I must apologize for it, if you will accept it."
>>88875No pony is
on Iron
>>88876Kerr strikes back at Wesley as the latter is levitated through the air
>>88877*squeek*
She must have washed her coat this morning, because her fur is especially fluffy. She feels like she recently came in from outside, and again she smells of lavender
“It’s okay. I don’t really come off as the most trustworthy”
>>88878He looks stunned by the level of care she's taken with her coat. He draws in a deep breath of the lavender scent. "Wow...you really know how to take coat care to next level. You make my quick shower earlier feel so...inadequate."
>>88878Iron, curious to see the foals' reactions, decides to slowly and gently drag his unarmored
hoof a bit forwards.
'Colts'll be colts', as the Coatette pony mascot says [1d20+5 = 15]
Rolling Profession (herbalist) to brew tea.
>>88880Hmmm... I’m wondering if this needs a roll
>>88881Decent enough tea
>>88879She pulls her left cannon up to her mouth and giggles
“I try, thank you. Your coat is just fine”
>>88878I lift Kerr and set him back down as well.
>>88882He rolls his eyes and laughs. "Thank you, but I certainly know I do not smell near as lovely as you do now. Nor is my coat so perfectly fluffy as yours." He rubs an exceptionally fluffy patch of fur on her barrel.