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Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

Voting is open for the next 4 hours, 26 minutes
Reader mode
Good morning folks.

Talon Tiger Dino said:
-snip
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I wish it attacked the hive. If it did, it would be a delight beyond delight. But, it also has one critical thing that made it better when I finally stopped championing something I had to keep telling myself I wouldn't regret
It had three more votes.

Everything else is say is just rehashing what Greymare said above.

But. As I said I would. Prisoner Chomping has eclipsed Cannibalism is Cringe, so I have removed my vote from Devouring the Sky.
 
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Just checking.

Adhoc vote count started by OurLadyOfWires on May 5, 2025 at 12:37 PM, finished with 252 posts and 32 votes.
  • [X] Plan: Devouring the Sky
    -[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
    -[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
    -[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
    -[X] (Commissioner) Introduce Lore: Forge
    -[x] (Director) Lantern
    -[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
    -[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
    -[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
    -[X] (Cherenkolt-Free) Recalibrate: Moth
    -[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Selene) Dreamwalking: Spy on Windy Flakes
    -[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] Assault an Opponent: Velvet Hill
    -[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
    --[X] At Jade's old house
    -[X] Build a prison
    -[X] Obtain a dead body
    -[X] Perform the Attention of the Laws (Edge) (x2)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
    -[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
    -[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
    -[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
    -[X] (Commissioner) Introduce Lore: Forge
    -[x] (Director) Lantern
    -[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
    -[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
    -[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
    -[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[x] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry x 2
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
    --[X] Target: Easiest Forge 6 reagent to acquire
    --[X] At Jade's old house
    -[X] Acquire a prisoner, preferably not an innocent civilian
    -[X] Build a prison
    -[X] Obtain a dead body
    -[X] Perform the Attention of the Laws (Edge) (x2)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Cannibalism is Cringe
    -[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
    -[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
    -[x] (Commissioner) Get your Hoofs Dirty
    -[x] (Director) Lantern
    -[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
    -[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
    -[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
    -[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[x] [CHERENKOLT] (Free) Recalibrate to Grail
    -[x] [CHERENKOLT] Something else? (Go over Rarity's Contract with the Needles, see what can be improved.)
    -[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
    -[x] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[x] (Free) Summon a Risen.
    -[x] Go searching for expeditions.
    -[x] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry x 2
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 6 Forge Reagent to acquire
    -[x] Edge AotL x 2
    -[x] Cover your Bases x 2
    [X] Plan: Graven Commissioner and Commander
    -[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
    -[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
    -[x] (Commissioner) Get your Hoofs Dirty
    -[x] (Director) Lantern
    -[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
    -[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
    -[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
    -[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Selene) Dreamwalking: Spy on Windy Flakes
    -[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] (Summon) Summon a Torn Risen
    -[X] Assault an Opponent: Velvet Hill
    -[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
    --[X] At Jade's old house
    -[X] Build a prison
    -[X] Perform the Attention of the Laws (Edge) (x2)
    -[x] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Let's Not Kidnap a Prominent Figure From Canterlot
    -[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
    -[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
    -[x] (Commissioner) Get your Hoofs Dirty
    -[x] (Director) Lantern
    -[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
    -[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
    -[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
    -[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
    -[x] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[x] (Free) Summon a Risen.
    -[X] There really is no other way. Ask somepony to get you a live prisoner; specifically, a foal peddler/predator. (You have no place to keep live prisoners)
    -[x] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry x 2
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 6 Forge Reagent to acquire
    -[X] Build a prison (Cherenkolt)
    -[x] Edge AotL x 2
    -[x] Cover your Bases x 2
    [X] Plan Prep for Moth and Grail Sacraments while finally getting our SH Sacrament and Edge Sacrament
    -[X] [DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) They have confirmed the presence of changelings in Dodge City. Have them take a closer look, and focus their efforts there. (May not be picked with "Siege Dodge City")
    -[X] [CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
    -[X] [COMMISSIONER] Spend time with Cadence
    -[X] [DIRECTOR] Lantern
    -[X] [RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
    -[X] [AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson x 2
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night.
    -[X] [SELENE] Get the Silver Key from Axe (Knock Sacrament)
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] SH Sacrament
    -[X] [BIEDDE] Edge Influence.
    -[X] Leash Filithy Rich
    -[X] One extra Velvet action! (Costs 2 follower actions)
    -[x] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.
    -[X] Aotl lantern x 2
    -[X] Aotl edge
    [X] Plan: Velvet of All Lores, Introduction
    -[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
    -[X] Detectives - Dodge City
    -[X] Constables - Tall Tale Proto-Hive
    -[X] (Commissioner) Introduce Lore: Forge
    -[X] Free Lore Introduction - Lantern
    -[X] Cherenkolt Mode - Lantern
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] Grail Influence
    -[X] [BIEDDE] Edge Influence.
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] Lantern Influence
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night.
    -[X] [SELENE] Spy on Windy
    -[X] RotT for Lv. 7 book.At Jade's old house
    -[X] RotT for Forge 6 reagent. At Jade's old house
    -[X] Get body. If successful Risen
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP )
    [X] Plan Prep for Moth and Grail Sacraments while finally getting our SH Sacrament
    -[X] [DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) They have confirmed the presence of changelings in Dodge City. Have them take a closer look, and focus their efforts there. (May not be picked with "Siege Dodge City")
    -[X] [CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
    -[X] [COMMISSIONER] Spend time with Cadence
    -[X] [DIRECTOR] Lantern
    -[X] [RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
    -[X] [AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson x 2
    -[X] [CHERENKOLT] Ask for a Forge lesson
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night.
    -[X] [SELENE] Get the Silver Key from Axe (Knock Sacrament)
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] SH Sacrament
    -[X] Leash Filithy Rich
    -[X] One extra Velvet action! (Costs 2 follower actions)
    -[x] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.
    -[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
    --[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
    -[X] Aotl lantern x 2
    [X] Plan: Velvet of All Lores
    -[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
    -[X] Detectives - Dodge City
    -[X] Constables - Tall Tale Proto-Hive
    -[X] Commissioner - Get our hooves dirty
    -[X] Free Lore Introduction - Lantern
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] Grail Influence
    -[X] [BIEDDE] Edge Influence.
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] Lantern Influence
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night.
    -[X] Assault Opponent: Velvet Hill
    -[X] RotT for Easiest Level 7 book to acquire. At Jade's old house
    -[X] Build a prison
    -[X] Get body. If successful Risen and Edge AotL
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP )
    [X] Plan: Waste Not Want Not
    -[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
    -[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
    -[x] (Commissioner) Get your Hoofs Dirty
    -[x] (Director) Lantern
    -[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
    -[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
    -[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
    -[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Selene) Spy on Windy's Dreams
    -[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] Forge Lesson (Cherenkolt)
    -[x] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] Look for Medium difficulty Expeditions
    -[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
    --[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
    -[X] Edge AotL
    -[X] Cover your Bases (1 AP)
Click to expand...
 
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping

I don't think this will win, but let's see.

[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs
-[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
-[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
-[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
-[x] (Commissioner) Get your Hoofs Dirty
-[x] (Director) Lantern
-[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
-[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
-[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
-[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[x] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry x 2
--[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
--[X] Target: Easiest Forge 6 reagent to acquire
--[X] At Jade's old house
-[X] Acquire a prisoner, preferably not an innocent civilian
-[X] Build a prison
-[X] Obtain a dead body
-[X] Perform the Attention of the Laws (Edge) (x2)
-[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
 
Nevermort said:
Yeah I'd rather keep summoning Mansus creatures in barn than have brave ponies die in the assault because strongest fighter they have can't be bothered to show.
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You say this as though it's something we've actively been doing, when in reality the moment that it became suspicious to do so we dropped it like a hot potato, even spending Baldomare's AP on finding somewhere that we could use immediately for DoA's summoning instead of just eating the possible suspicion.
 
Greymere said:
You say this as though it's something we've actively been doing, when in reality the moment that it became suspicious to do so we dropped it like a hot potato, even spending Baldomare's AP on finding somewhere that we could use immediately for DoA's summoning instead of just eating the possible suspicion.
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And now we don't need to care about suspicion as Bureau that is supposed to investigate such things is under our command. Sure you can argue that not everyone is converted , but regardless all reports are going on Velvet table and if anyone decide to investigate Velvet directly we know by now that such talented investigators are getting speedy promotion into inner circle like Reproach.
 
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Nevermort said:
And now we don't need to care about suspicion as Bureau that is supposed to investigate such things is under our command. Sure you can argue that not everyone is converted , but regardless all reports are going on Velvet table and if anyone decide to investigate Velvet directly we know by now that such talented investigators are getting speedy promotion into inner circle like Reproach.
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Literally why would the Bureau be investigating "oh I found weird stuff happening in a barn". They do not investigate every single suspicious thing in Equestria, normal detectives and law enforcement still exist. The problem with summoning stuff in the barn has never been about Bureau suspicion.
 
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[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs
 
Greymere said:
Literally why would the Bureau be investigating "oh I found weird stuff happening in a barn". They do not investigate every single suspicious thing in Equestrian, normal detectives and law enforcement still exist. The problem with summoning stuff in the barn has never been about Bureau suspicion.
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Regular police will need order to investigate Velvet's property. Good luck getting permission for this. And private detectives would not work unless someone is paying them for it.
 
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
[X] Plan: Let's Not Kidnap a Prominent Figure From Canterlot
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs
[X] Plan: Cannibalism is Cringe

Greymere said:
So eating someone's body is cringe, but eating someone's soul is perfectly fine?
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ses said:
Eat someone's body- Prevent a full powered Name from becoming an enemy, gain a full powered Name as a Friend, get a marginal Sacrament unlock
Eat someone's brain: Spend a Velvet AP and make a CD 100 Lantern roll for the privilege of saving 1 Baldomare AP and getting a slightly different flavor of sacrament than was on offer for basically free.
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No, but if you are in the business of eating minds and bodies, you should eat the mind jam-packed with useful knowledge rather than lose all that information by eating the body holding it, and instead eat a body that doesn't hold much information useful to you.
 
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
[X] Plan: Let's Not Kidnap a Prominent Figure From Canterlot
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs
 
posting my thoughts before FINALLY looking at the plans and deciding what to go for:

I PERSONALLY think the decision to in the end go for Mareinette sacrament is NOT a wrong decision, in that there's a very good argument that we can't afford risks, and Mareinette is extremely useful both for All-In, BEFORE All In (especially if we get the two actions, as that will allow us to quickly reach Heart 4 too!), and in general she's better as a friend that an enemy (or even a mere acquaintance).

As for eating Velvet Hill... I'd RATHER we went for an unrelated pedophile/serial killer, as I imagine Velvet would more easily accept it/rationalize it, but I have to admit the idea of reading an update in which Velvet FINALLY tears into her dad (METAPHORICALLY! I MEANT WITH WORDS), telling her all the reasons why she despises him...

...before tearing into him LITERALLY, I suppose.

I have this image in mind of a reluctantly proud father for once. Alternatively, something like this instead:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iWgonJ85jY&ab_channel=DanDan

just replace "strongest pokemon" with "succesful/worthy heir".
 
Nevermort said:
Will they be worse than Hill? Who knows. Just shame that Hill's social status apparently protects him.
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For one Velvet doesn't actually know that. He's a terrible father, which if that's enough fair, but it's a constant running joke how Velvet doesn't actually know her family is the pony mafia.

More than anything I'm worried about us getting bogged down with more distractions. We keep getting count downs. Mareinette, Celestia, and now hints at Velvet getting distracted by Glory. We've been told time and time again to focus on Glory. Can we handle the fallout, sure, but we shouldn't have to. The QM gives us enough distractions, there's no reason to potentially create more. Look this world is super interesting and we don't have to dedicate every action to progress, but we restored Luna, we got the Bureau's loyalty, we're about to solve the Mareinette issue. We have the potential to make a ton of progress the next few turns, I'd rather not jeopardize that.
 
Updating my vote.

[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
[X] Plan: Let's Not Kidnap a Prominent Figure From Canterlot
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs

Let's Not is probably my ideal plan, but at least there's less of a risk if we spread knowledge of the Lores instead of going to Tall Tale.
 
Solace2117 said:
For one Velvet doesn't actually know that. He's a terrible father, which if that's enough fair, but it's a constant running joke how Velvet doesn't actually know her family is the pony mafia.

More than anything I'm worried about us getting bogged down with more distractions. We keep getting count downs. Mareinette, Celestia, and now hints at Velvet getting distracted by Glory. We've been told time and time again to focus on Glory. Can we handle the fallout, sure, but we shouldn't have to. The QM gives us enough distractions, there's no reason to potentially create more. Look this world is super interesting and we don't have to dedicate every action to progress, but we restored Luna, we got the Bureau's loyalty, we're about to solve the Mareinette issue. We have the potential to make a ton of progress the next few turns, I'd rather not jeopardize that.
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Well I always thought that when protag goes off deep end the only satisfying conclusion for his story is were he dies while redeeming himself or have it all crashing down on him as some ironic consequence of his actions. And quest is written well enough for me to treat it as interesting story beside it being a game.

In the end interesting narrative is more important than just winning. Not to mention that if anything I would like to look on Harmony or fixing Wolf sons instead of Glory. It is pursuit of Glory that turns Velvet into typical cultist after all. And in regards of QM insistence on Glory I just treat it as roleplay of Velvet's obsession (otherwise I would be just annoyed by it and it helps). Maybe it is Glory progress being pushed so much that turns me against it. At this point it feels like something that need resisting as Velvet is clearly addicted.
 
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Nevermort said:
In the end interesting narrative is more important than just winning. Not to mention that if anything I would like to look on Harmony or fixing Wolf sons instead of Glory. It is pursuit of Glory that turns Velvet into typical cultist after all. And in regards of QM insistence on Glory I just treat it as roleplay of Velvet's obsession (otherwise I would be just annoyed by it and it helps). Maybe it is Glory progress being pushed so much that turns me against it. At this point it feels like something that need resisting as Velvet is clearly addicted.
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You got it!

It's so good to see someone that understands.
 
[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping

I'm sad this plan doesn't include Tall Tale Velvet though, but other than that I think it's everything I want?

[X] Plan: Let's Not Kidnap a Prominent Figure From Canterlot

This seems a lot like Prisoner Chomping except for having Tall Tale.

[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs


...wait a secon aren't these last two plans BASICALLY the same plan?

The only difference I see is basically "not an innocent civilian" vs "a pedophile".

...I'd argue that the second one is a bit TOO restrictive, at least when done without a scrying ritual.
 
Pittauro said:
...wait a secon aren't these last two plans BASICALLY the same plan?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
...Uhhh...

[X] Plan: Let's Not Kidnap a Prominent Figure From Canterlot

[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping with dirty hoofs

[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
Nevermort said:
In the end interesting narrative is more important than just winning.
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Click to shrink...
They don't have to be mutually exclusive, each vote could be an interesting narrative, how close each gets us to winning? Well, that's another thing entirely, not counting the RNG.

But i would prefer the interesting narrative where we win.
 
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I don't think any of the proposed plans result in a bad NARRATIVE.

I'd still rather keep a Velvet that tries her best to limit her evil... killing Velvet Hill is in a way a Velvet that gives up.

It's her indulging.

which, well, fitting for the GRAIL sacrament, sure, but there's no way to justify it to herself beside "because I wanted to".

Because she could have picked ANYONE in Equestria. There's PLENTY of people she could find that would deserve it as much as him, or more (at least as far as she knows).

And yet picking Hill is Velvet deciding that "I might as well enjoy it!"

It's Revenge, not justice. The distinction is important.

Again, though, it makes for a cool narrative. I'll be there if that plan wins, I just... would rather it didn't.


If Velvet ever had to explain everything she did to someone, which option would they be LESS horrified and more understanding of? If we were to tell to Stormchaser, or, years down the line, to Silky?

Killing a serial killer or pedophile, even if in cold blood and for power, is just... easier to justify or rationalize away than "and so I decided my father was the perfect pick"
 
This late it may not make a difference but I've been convicted.

[X] Plan: Devouring the Sky
 
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