But more importantly, today you woke up feeling… better. Not great, not well enough to stay up and about for too long, but better. Better than you were yesterday, better than you were before that. And most importantly, you feel good enough to get out of this damn bed.
Yeah, when you're sick enough you REALLY can't get out of bed, that moment where you can finally wake up for real is... Not sure what words to use for it.
But more importantly, you tell yourself that your body already had plenty of time to at least stitch those wounds. In fact, just yesterday, you spitted out a clot that you were sure was lodged inside your head for the longest time. And for all that you are sure that having a blood clot in your brain is not the kind of thing a pony should survive, you still spit it out eventually, and you are still alive.
wow, Heart is surely some strong stuff!
Stormchaser, whose face you can barely see through the darkness, seems to be looking at you wide-eyed and surprised. You didn't really want to wake him up, but you are still glad that he did.
can BARELY see through the darkness. So she has not yet recovered her lore Realizations...
"Fiiine, fiiine, I promise. If I need to do anything crazy or illegal, I'll ask you to do it instead," you say.
Although, for all that you meant it as a joke, you can't help but notice that Selene lets out a small sigh of relief, before giving you a thankful nod.
"Thank you, mom. And yes, please. Let me know if you need anything like that to be done."
Dear heavens, what have you been teaching this filly?
oh, you know, a bit of
this and
that and
something or
other...
"Why… why do you…" she says, but her youthful expression once again shifts into a kind of hesitation no filly should rightfully have on their face. "No, forget about it," she finishes.
Why do we tolerate Mareinette? Why do we pursue Glory and/or power?
But still, she claims these items are yours to claim. And you will oblige her:
[The following items have been added to your inventory]
-5x artifacts, UNSTUDIED, of the following levels:
--Heart 1
--Secret Histories 1
--Moth 1
--Moth 3
--Winter 4
-A book, with no Lore levels. "A pile of reports, letters and maps. No doubt containing a wealth of information about the less reputable places of Manehattan. And perhaps of the treasures they hide."
well, we now have...
7 artifacts to study.
Presumably 4 whole actions.
Lantern 4, Winter 4 and Moth 3 are obvious priorities, and cover 3 more Lores for confidants and summon to do rituals in our place!
...actually, what are we missing?
Knock 2 (unstudied)
Lantern 4 (unstudied)
No Forge
Edge 3 (studied)
Winter 1 (no need to study) and 4 (unstudied)
Heart 1 (unstudied) and 3 (studied)
No Grail
Moth 1 and 3 (unstudied both)
Secret Histories 1 (unstudied) and 3 (studied).
So we're only missing something for Forge and Grail.
Well, we should try and study the Winter 4 and Lantern 4 artifacts soon, as they're likely to be REALLY useful. The other ones would be nice too, but we probably won't have the actions for it... then again, maybe we'll have a few spare followers for Cover Your bases in a couple turns?
oh, and the book is obviously about a Manehattan expedition site. Probably some criminal organization with loot to be had!
You have found BLACKMAIL MATERIAL on a number of rich, influential and powerful ponies. Part of you wants to burn all of this, and then cut it away from your memory. But you realize this is just too good of an opportunity to simply waste.
Good, Velvet, let's not be too hasty!
-[] What of the merchant, who engaged in bribery?
--[] Ask for a small "donation" (gain 100 bits)
--[] Ask for a few favors (gain TWO "servant actions", on turn 21 only)
--[] Just give this low hanging fruit to the Bureau (gain a small amount of respect from the Bureau)
--[] Have Mareinette deal with it (unpredictable result, that will still benefit you)
mh... servant actions is actually tempting, IF it would allow us to get an extra Velvet action through "Cover Your Bases". We have a LOT of stuff to do after all, between Fleeting Opportunities, likely 3 actions on Axe Knock Sacrament, and
two lvl 4 artifacts I really want to research as soon as possible!
I'm kind of tempted to let Mareinette do it though.
-[] What of the public servant, who needed a pony to "disappear"?
--[] Remind him that nothing is free (gain 200 bits)
--[] Have him work for his misdeeds (gain FIVE "servant actions", on turn 21 only)
--[] Equestria will be better off without him in power (gain a reasonable amount of respect from the Bureau)
--[] Have Mareinette deal with it (unpredictable result, that will still benefit you)
...damn, FIVE actions OR 200 bits?!
...or, again, Mareinette... tempting...
-[] What of the great noble, who conspired against the Crown?
--[] Wring him (gain 400 bits)
--[] Give him a list of tasks, and a short time to get them done (gain NINE "servant actions", on turn 21 only)
--[] Put him behind bars, where he belongs (gain a great deal of respect from the Bureau)
--[] Have Mareinette deal with it (unpredictable result, that will still benefit you)
ok, this is a bit bigger than the other ones.
THIS ONE I might actually want to put in jail.
Some small amount of bribery is expected. The occasional disappearance is bad, but it's kind of beneath our attention.
But
a traitor to the country and crown? THAT is actually part of the Bureau's duties to deal with...
...on the other hand, 9 actions or 400 bits...
That said, actions have diminishing returns due to escalating costs to convert in "Cover Your Bases", and limited things we have to do for "unskilled" servants...
Part of me is tempted to go full Mareinette on all 3 just to see what happens though.
...Not even the 4th wall can protect me from her then?!
The next memory you have is waking up on Stormchaser's guest room, after yet another "short nap". And Selene tells you that, despite her misgivings with the Grail-mare, nothing out of the ordinary happened during your conversation.
… or at least, you privately think, nothing she could sense.
Never underestimate Our Lady Of Wires...
Or the mystery box
IT could be ANYTHING! It could even be Money, Time or Trust!
or a boat!
I'll read the rest of the discussion tomorrow
