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Occupied Equestria: Day 5
iTzX4
?
No.87000
87001 87029
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
1962 replies and 53 files omitted.
Anonymous
AN2qf
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No.88099
88100 88101
>>88088
Oh they are already egoists. What they don’t need is to moralize their amoralism

>>88095
But there is no paladin in the party to detect evil, nor cleric
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88100
88102
>>88099
Is there a potion to detect alignment?
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88101
>>88099
Well, it's not always to tell if creature or group of creatures is good or evil; you can tell by their actions.
If you have skill ranks in certain schools of knowledge, you can take 10 to know the alignments of certain monsters/creatures. That generally tells how easy they are to negotiate with.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88102
88103 88104
>>88100
No. Potions as a general rule only apply to spells with a touch range.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88103
88104
>>88102
... Although that's not my call to make. I just like answering questions.
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88104
>>88102
Oh.
>>88103
I don't think the GM will bend the rules just to use a detect alignment spell when no PC is capable of doing so.
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88105
88106 88146
>>88097
From what I read from Silver's conversation, Wesley was accepting to enact sexual favours for Silver while Kerr, the proud bugboi that he is, rejects this notion. Silver reassures both of them that he will not sex them or other evil-aligned things. Wesley seems dejected by this since he likes Silver more than her hive or the other ponies in Tall Tales. Kerr just wants to go back to being a fighter for the hive or something, not sure if it's correct. What I do know is that stubborn hug attacks are super effective to Kerr while Wesley is basically selling his body to Silver, partially because he likes him.
That's what I gathered from majestic (((Google))) translate.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88106
88107 88108
>>88105
Why not just send them back where they came from?
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88107
88108
>>88106
That being, wherever the fug their territory is supposed to be.
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88108
88109
>>88107
>>88106
If I'm not mistaken, it's because:
a- The border between New Mareland and Changeling Lands is basically that warzone between North and South Korea, so they should ask the government for deportation.
b- Some of the PCs are a bit reluctant, as well as Wesley and Kerr, to let them be deported to their place willy nilly without a guarantee on the foals' safety, since it could be bad press on the New Mareland people and something to justify bad acts against ponies, leading to possible cover up. Maybe even disposing of the foals if the GM feels like putting some drama.

Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88109
88110
>>88108
>something to justify bad acts against ponies
Insectoids don't need a reason to attack ponies.
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88110
88111
>>88109
From what Skies said, it is needed to inspire another war. I think it's taken from HoI's core mechanic of justifying war goals to the people.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88111
88112
>>88110
Wait, what?
So, Chrysalis doesn't have unconditional rule over her kingdom?
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88112
88113 88114
>>88111
She does, but there would be a lot more deserters if she goes to war without some justification. Let's just say that the fact that a pony willingly abused changeling foals put the ponies in a bad light, inspiring the death and suffering of the ponies by the changelings.
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88113
>>88112
aka the ponies in the changeling lands are going to suffer and the war comes ever so sooner.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88114
88115 88142
>>88112
The Changelings are energy-draining, predatory parasites. Chrysalis never before expressed any reasoning for why she wanted to attack ponies other than "I'm greedy, and they have what we eat"; they just all followed her with impunity.
Is there some other kind of group of bugs that have a different lifestyle?
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88115
88116
>>88114
Yes. On Farbrook there's harmonic changelings.
Basically the changelings are not a literal hivemind and have their own feelings about the changeling-pony war. Like I said, it probably was taken from the mod, not the show.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88116
88117
>>88115
What is Harmony anyway? Is it supposed to be the good side?
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88117
88118
>>88116
More like the democratic side. It is prone to leading to world peace if you want to look at it as the good side.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88118
88119
>>88117
Well, democracy isn't synonymous with good.

I'll just decide my opinion of each creature/faction as I meet them.
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88119
88120
>>88118
Alright.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88120
88121
>>88119
Besides, declaring war on another sovereign state in the name of "democracy" is a glownigger tier move.
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88121
88122 88123
>>88120
Pretty much this. If you want a bit of reassurance, harmonist states in the game cannot declare war unless there's 50% world tension, meaning they need an unstable enemy to cause it.
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88122
>>88121
*enemy to be a warmongering faction.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88123
88124
>>88121
Well, this isn't a war simulation. The story will play out as it does.
I was aiming for political neutrality anyway.
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88124
88125 88128
>>88123
Iron would be a bit apolitical as well, since he's a pretty young stallion that is only interested in renown and riches, but could be swayed into fascism if done right.
No, I'm not telling how to make Iron a fascist.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88125
88126 88128
>>88124
Sister Ash just does what she thinks is right, and protects what's valuable to her.
Alignment > Ideology
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88126
88127
>>88125
I guess that's true, but ideology is way easier to band with others than alignment.
But yeah, for chaotic characters, alignment is better than ideology.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88127
88129
>>88126
Well, I'm not exactly keen on spending feat slots leadership related feats.
Besides, being a Druid means having a lack of allegiance to anything but the natural world.
Anonymous
X/v+A
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No.88128
88129 88130
CorneliuCodreanuColorPortrait.png
>>88124
>>88125
>not sacrificing everything in service of a spiritual conflict
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88129
88131
>>88128
Like I said, Iron needs some convincing to enter that conflict. He's not just going to jump into it because he feels like it.
>>88127
Wait, there's leadership feats on vanilla D&D?
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88130
88132
>>88128
>Not putting objective moral reasoning above subjective ideological conflicts
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88131
>>88129
Yeah.
It's only good if you have high Charisma though, unless you have levels in Marshall, Outlaw, or Dread Pirate. Even so, you take penalties for leading your followers into harm's way.
It can be good for some types of characters, especially Clerics, Bards, Paladins, and Evangelists.
Having followers can help with clearing dungeons though, since you don't have to hire henchmen to carry stuff out, and instead just have to make sure your followers are paid and equipt.
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88132
88134
>>88130
But ideology is how we determine what morality is objective, right?
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88134
88135
>>88132
Nah, ideologies mostly govern how people live within a society. They can vary by circumstance.
Morals are objective. Even gods sit somewhere on the law/chaos axis. It's not difficult to determine a creature's alignment in d&d either, unless they intentionally try to conceal it.
>>88133
The first feat I know is call "Leadership".
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88135
88136
>>88134
I see your point about ideologies. I guess alignment is the better one in terms of individual morality.
>can't take leadership because character is level 5
Aw, I wanted to have followers for my bard.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88136
>>88135
Leadership is decent for Bards if you play an Evangelist or War Chanter.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
?
No.88137
88139
>tfw no spare skill points for Diplomacy
Iron OOC
wio4P
?
No.88139
88140
>>88137
Wait, did you put all points into heal, knowledge and handle animal?
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88140
88141
>>88139
Mostly knowledge.
I pretty much have to rank up Knowledge (nature), spellcraft, and concentration each level, or class features will become difficult to use.
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88141
>>88140
Ah. Sounds about right I suppose.
Anonymous
iTzX4
?
No.88142
88143 88145
>>88114
Look, if you want to learn more about the world, the proper way to find out is to talk to NPCs or read articles within the world. That way, the world unfolds naturally as you explore more of it and get to know it better, rather than everything being handed to you like an encyclopedia article. Second, see point number one becuase that is important. If you are hellbent insistent on playing a character who thinks that willful ignorance of the politics that form the motives and lurking fears of the people around her is the best way of being neutral to these same political machinations, then you probably deserve to remain as ignorant as your character.

But since you are insistent on being spoon-fed an encyclopedia entry rather than just asking an NPC, then fine, here is an encyclopedia entry:

Changelings tend towards hierarchy and collectivism. They are NOT a literal hivemind. This should be obvious from the show. In "The Times They are a Changeling," they met a drone who, well, didn't exactly like traditional Changeling living. And what happened in that episode is cannon in the mod and this story, being set after it. Then in "To Where and Back Again," we see the entire Changeling Hive turn against Chrysalis. Like Ronald Reagan's question to the American People in his 1980 televised debate against Jimmy Carter, Thorax asked the drones of the Changeling Hive "are you better off than you were four years ago?" To which they, like the American People, responded by overthrowing the leader that had lead them to poverty and want. So obviously, in the show the old-style Changelings have the option of disobeying Chrysalis. It's true that not everything about that episode is being followed here, but there is no reason at all that we have to abandon that bit of the show's lore. I see no reason to say "No, the show is wrong, Changelings can never ever under any circumstances at all disobey Chrysalis." Like what would be the point of that?

Compare Changelings to the culture of Germany circa the second empire. If you read the German philosophers of the preceding period: Fichte, Hegel, Feuerbach... You'll see that German political and social philosophy is overwhelmingly colletivistic. Add in Kant, and you see a strong preference for order and obedience in the German nations, a preference that was nearly infamous in other nations. And yet, at the very end of October in 1918, the German Navy mutinied, and then a larger socialist-led revolt overthrew the Kaiser, and forced him to flee the country. The proud, obedient German people (some of them) overthrew their own Kaiser. And I can pretty much promise you that it never would have happened if the nation hadn't been starving to death over the past 4 years, hadn't been fighting stalement for years, hadn't decisively lost the war and 1 million soldiers in the six months before, and all of its allies hadn't capitulated. The Germans did something sort of similar after the even more crushing defeat in WW2 many years later. So yes, even a culture centered on Nationalism and Obedience can be persuaded to overthrow their king, when the answer to the old question "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?" is a resounding "hell no."

Further, and listen to this as well, its not necessarily a matter of individuals or Changelings as a race, so much as clans within the nation. If we go by the mod, then the Changeling Hives are not a single hive, but well, a number of different ones that used to fight each other. Chrysalis united them. Think of them like Scotland, which consisted of a number of different clans which often commanded more loyalty than "Scotland" as a nation. Or, again, look to Germany around the time of the second empire. Germany had been a very large number of independent states until one particularly aggressive nation conquered, annexed, or forced into coalition all the rest. After this, it wasn't perfect harmony, but there were occasional disagreements between the people of the different states. British Soldiers in the trenches of WW1 tell about how German regiments from Saxony and Bavaria tended to be fairly docile compared to the very aggressive Prussians. And maybe the same would be true of Chrysalis's Changeling Empire, some hives being like Bavarians or Saxons. While these hives would be more loyal than not, neither will they follow Chrysalis to ruin, starvation and death.

Justifying a war is not just about preventing revolt from fighting. It's about persuading the members to give it their all in running through artillery barrages, or in committing to make 10 shells before lunch rather than only 6 shells. It's also about getting the populace to accept the terms of the peace rather than thinking it too harsh or too light, when it comes. Remember that what Chrysalis is doing in this scenario is different from what she does in the comics. She is not simply raiding a country for its love. She is colonizing it. That makes peace as difficult as war.

And finally - please for the love of God don't dismiss this off hand - justifications for war are not just for their own country's citizens. They are for the citizens and leaders of other nations. Chrysalis has to justify to uneasy and untrusting outsiders where she will invade, and where she will stop. Saying "I am going into East Equestria because the area is so lawless as to not even be able to stop its own citizens from kidnapping and raping ours" doesn't necessarily persuade other countries that Chrysalis has a right, but it just might make them less confident in New Mareland's claim, and thus less willing to help New Mareland - all the same for Chrysalis as it is a victory for her. Even a bad argument for why an invasion takes place where you already agreed to give up territory is an argument. It gives opponent's of the Hegemony's enemies a weapon to use against them.

And so on and so forth. If none of this is persuasive, I don't care. Deal with it in character and stop spamming with meta talk
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88143
88144
>>88142
Ah. I never knew that justification of war is for other countries except your own. Good to know.
Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88144
>>88143
*aside from your own.
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88145
>>88142
>willful ignorance of the politics
That's not what I meant at all.
What I mean is that my character is simply unaligned, as far as political factions go. She's not loyal to any major entity.
As for apparent ignorance, I don't have any relevant knowledge rank as a class skill, so I'm playing her as an uninformed foreigner.
EEEE
tPdkq
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No.88146
88147 88150
Sorry, I've been around doing stuff. So where are we at?
Is this >>88105 a reasonably accurate breakdown of the conversation? Did I miss parts? he says after skipping the last 40 posts Are we discussing their fate yer?

Iron OOC
wio4P
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No.88147
88148
>>88146
Silver tried to, but the changelings got too worried about their possible future, stopping the conversation for what I said in the post you linked.
OOCEEEEE
tPdkq
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No.88148
88151 88152
>>88147
Is it too late to continue the conversation?
OOCEEEEE
tPdkq
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No.88149
88151
Preferrably not in german?
Pacifist Ecoterrorist
mqvEd
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No.88150
88153
>>88146
My character hasn't moved since last night.