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

Reader mode
Congratulations, @OurLadyOfWires I'm reading the Silky Stream omake and it does in fact cause agony to realize that this moment is likely going to be consigned to never happen. On one level this is what happens literally all the time and always has every time a choice was ever made about anything. But seeing it still hurts. Very very subtle way of sneaking that knife into our ribs with the SH influence.
 
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[X] Turns out, she just needed some happy company!

Having slept on it, decided to go with this instead of flank. Our schedule is going to be packed enough as-is next turn, I genuinely don't think we have room to squeeze in healing Shining's horn in there. Plus, I think I want to see how the rest of this turn plays out first before we start making plans about how to go about healing his horn, since Bird has, uh, pretty strongly hinted that we're getting the Luna-Bureau reveal soon, and I want to see how that might affect the Lore situation.
 
So, so far it seems there are two main issues with Mareinette option and two with Forge Redemption too.

First of all both may arouse Celestia's suspicion. She should know about Shining's horn and if they ever cross the paths would be able to tell that his new horn is real thanks to her Lantern. Same with Cadence and Lores, and she even more likely to meet with Cadence! But at the same time I think knowledge about Cadence Lores are less damning for us? Mostly due to method she would have gained them, i.e through Mareinette. So if asked Cadence can just tell Celestia that she met this mare one day, and introduce her. And either Mareinette disguise will hold which I find likely, or it will not, in which case Mareinette could simply slip away and adapt new disguise. And at most we would be tasked with trying to find and catch new monster that Celestia discovered. Shining Armor have much, much lesser chances to escape Celestia scrutiny if he ever catches her eyes.

Second issues are very different. For Forge Redemption it is immediate need to spend action on it, when we already incredibly busy. With Mareinette influence over Cadance it is opposite, as it is issue for the later. Honestly I don't care much for the aftergame, because if we ascend we should be able to rein in Mareinette. If Velvet loses, then it would matter even less, and Mareinette being one of the beings aware about Worm threat, in position to assist and motivated to stop them can only help Equestria.
 
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It's about what we want to do vs the factors surrounding us and the consequences. Which I guess is very simple - will we hide who we are or will we help even if it risks a game over?

Pretty much the only option we can't do later is the Mareinette option - we can still introduce the Forge's Redemption to the Lunar Bureau, we can still show our filly's Cutie Mark. But this feels similar to the Mirror!Twilight vote but in the other, more benign direction. Simply, will we delay a little more, or will we help now?

I'm going to sit on this for a bit and think. Suggestions and opinions welcome.
 
Well, if we introduce Cadance to some new friends then she'll be meeting Silky anyway when she comes cannoning into our bed to wake us up, call it an opportunity for her to experience all of the joys of parenting, hmm?
 
After some thought, I would prefer if the safe option won, to conserve AP and to avoid taking any unnecessary risks so close to the endgame.

However, if I had to choose between the two options, I would go with the ritual. We can pass off his healed horn as a prosthetic. The same is true for Twilight, if we had to. While I trust Mareinette enough, I also don't want her to be Cadance's first introduction to the Lores. Also, passing off a real horn as a fake would be easier than hiding Cadance's Lore, if only because Celestia has less of a reason to pay attention to it.

[X] Turns out, she just needed you to take off your dress.
[X] Turns out, she just needed some happy company!
 
[X] Turns out, she just needed some happy company!

Well this is my vote but there have been some convincing thoughts for Mareinette, so I'm less worried if we pick that choice than I was before. Hopefully the power of friendship will convince Mareinette to not fuck us over once she inevitably has a chance.

Fairly sure that I am just biased against Grail in general too, it's probably my least favorite Lore with Edge in second place.
 
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des-pair-2 said:
After some thought, I would prefer if the safe option won, to conserve AP and to avoid taking any unnecessary risks so close to the endgame.

However, if I had to choose between the two options, I would go with the ritual. We can pass off his healed horn as a prosthetic. The same is true for Twilight, if we had to. While I trust Mareinette enough, I also don't want her to be Cadance's first introduction to the Lores. Also, passing off a real horn as a fake would be easier than hiding Cadance's Lore, if only because Celestia has less of a reason to pay attention to it.
Click to expand...
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I think long term worries about Mareinette are valid, but we can't tell how dices will fall in the aftermatch of All in expedition, and many things may change after it. First off all Velvet, Cadence and Mareinette need to survive it, for any of said worries to stay relevant. And for Velvet not to be able to hoof away any such issues after ascension.

But when it comes to risk of lores, as I mentioned I think that horn is more suspicious. If say Shining was replaced by changelings, him starting to use horn again would be dead give away. I imagine after her run in with changelings Celestia is very paranoid about any replacements , and Daybreaker and Paranoia are very helpful in that regard.

And unicorns use their telekinesis as hands. First we would need to explain to Shining that he would need to actively hide his restored ability. Second if he ever meets with Celestia every time he moves something with his hoofs instead of telekinesis he would be actively aware that he is hiding it from her. Even detective without a bit of Lantern was able to tell that his horn was fake. Celestia is unlikely to be any less aware.

On the other hoof Cadance Lores only point toward Mareinette who is master of disguises. Celestia would need to get answers from Cadance first, unravel Mareinette disguises next, and thoroughly investigate her connection to even reach us. Even if Celestia is best detective in Equestria it would simply take much more time, even if theoretically doable.


Of course if we have fun with Cadance, after we restored flank and got ourself influence Rarity would be in her full rights to swear eternal revenge on Velvet for sending her away :V
 
We have WoG that Mareinette may freely talk to Alicorns. Just a little bit ago it was pointed out that the only reason Mareinette can't straight up Honored Guest and talk to Celestia as Not!Velvet was because she can't do a social action Real Velvet can't do, and she can't currently choose to chat with her.

It's also just... an unlikely chain of events to end up in that exact scenario in the first place? And privileging that one hypothetical path too much is doing an implicit disservice to all the other unknown unknowns in all paths. It's really unlikely that Mareinette and Celestia have a talk even regardless of if Celestia notices Cadance has Lore 0, seeing as we already planted the Lore Primer and alicorns stumbling into Lore 0 from shit starting material isn't really a low probability event seeing as its already happened.

There's LOTS of ways it could go wrong or right, so to me its less about exact predictions and more the fact that we've already laid groundwork for Lore 0 in a way we havent for FR. And yeah Shining cannot hide his healing from the very observant. Celestia's General Bonus is probably a match for Reproach's intrigue and special trait, regardless of Lantern.

(Also yeah we have Soft's Request locked in next turn... we're already squeezed as is before adding a 2nd mandatory AP. This isn't major enough to be enough on its own but it is a thing.)

There's also the thing that Cadance is currently effectively ruling Equestria in a time where it needs rulership the most. And Winter/Heart/Grail is probably literally actually the best three lores possible for a monarch in Cadance's current position.

cultistsimulator.fandom.com

Tranquillity

Tranquillity prevents use of Shrines while on the board (including while it's locked in actions). However, its easy availability, long life, and strength in Winter and Heart Aspect make it useful for handling some Complications and Challenges without costly investment in Assets. Cost: Dawn...
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Note the aspects on the Tranquility card
 
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quiet despair noises

Oh dear. Well, have the vote then.

If I am to be handed this problem, I would rather the deep unknown than the concerning unknown. And much as I may fear the things about Marinette that are still hidden, I would rather that than leave fate up to chance.

[x] Turns out, she just needed more friends.

Edit: This vote makes sense later
 
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[X] Turns out, she just needed more friends.

Getting Cadance into the lores starts massively improving her abilities, which is important for delaying Celestia, her spending actions on lores not Lantern is a win for us.
 
[x] Turns out, she just needed more friends.

Will i regret this? Probably. I just really don't want our honored guest to ever be our enemy, and I really hope giving them a friend who is steeped in Harmony might work a little friendship magic.
 
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