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

[Pittauro]

Look if you're going to kill someone just kill them, all this Mareinette kriffery is a bad habit to get into, gives her mixed messages when we'd like to at least try to mellow her out, and sets a bad example for our sons.

For that matter we're also hoping to get on good terms with the rest of our names, and while doing their various task/quest things is the primary way to get that done, not playing akulite games would probably help too.

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Definitely a good point.

Though I'll point out that cannibalism is not really something most Names would be against it. They hate Alukites, but plenty of grail names and longs engage is such stuff.

Honestly I'm still not sure WHY Alukites are seen as monsters beyond monsters. It's STILL not clear what exactly changes with them after they commit the Crime of the Sky.

Personally I'd rather use Copper for the Grail Sacrament, consuming the Grail cultist is amusingly ironic.

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I'm willing to consider it, but seriously all greil options SUCK.

I'm hoping we somehow get a third option eventually. Maybe the grail sacrament changing due to narrative reasons... Or somehow finding another grail teacher, like in the house of the moon...

But truthfully, you don't think it is. The pony who ignored everything she owed you for that first introduction to the occult

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part of me wonders what could have been if we'd tried to stay closer to her.

We only tried a bit, too little too late...

Though hey, I'd argue she never really asked us for anything either!

, the noblemare who turned her back on the cult when it needed support the most,

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...ok, admittedly she DID ask for help THAT one time...

"Nod if you're leading a rebellion against the status quo." It takes a moment to drag your attention away from those teeth. But as soon as you do, you nod.

"Nod if you need to be stronger." The Glory shining down, that still feels so far distant to you (and undoubtedly less distant for her), catches your eye as you nod again.

"Nod if the one you fight bears scars." You… pause? Maybe she does, but you don't really know, do you? You hesitate, and the predator in front of you snorts a laugh.

"She does. I can smell it on you."

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It's a perfect setup, really. And Selene is such a nicely big secret of betrayal...

I came across this quote buried deep in the SV thread:

That quote is from the discussion of the Changeling assault! And who would "her" be but the Name of a power whose very essence is "Rebelling against a terrifyingly strong master"?

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...I REMEMBER THAT QUOTE!

How could we forget it?!

yeah, hopefully she hasn't met that Name yet, and we can stop her before they meet

Who knows, maybe it's even possible to bring a truce to the Corrivalry. We've done weirder.

In which SONething else is added to the Menu",

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That's so BAD

The seventh may not be touched by any colt who has reached the age of maturity," "the seventh must be treated with the utmost respect," "it is forbidden to speak, within earshot of the seventh, that the statue itself is not shaped like a wolf."

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Velvet is of course very protective of her lonely wolf-daughter's feelings

About this, honest question. I haven't threadmarked this yet because I am not sure what place is the best to put it. We only have "Threadmarks" for the main story, and then "Extras" and "Index". I really don't know which of the latter two would be less inconvenient.

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I'd say Index, unless it's somehow possible to add new categories?

Never do your enemy a small injury. We seem intent on driving her into a corner without stopping to consider what Grail-tinged mutually-assured destruction might look like.

Examine her, evaluate her, plan and execute a strike that renders her harmless one way or another. Don't half-ass it like we did with the Changelings, don't give her a chance to do something vindictive out of hopeless spite.

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well, another saying is that the best way to destroy an enemy is by making them a friend.

I doubt it's a popular or easy option, but it's still there.

You'd think, but at the same time Windy never found the Garden or the Tower despite spending a ton of time in the Blank Plains. I also kind of doubt that NPCs would have access to Regrettable Actions? But I may be wrong on that.

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how would we know if he did?

For all we know he got to the tower and could do nothing about it.


It's LESS likely that he kept the mares secret, but it's not impossible. and of course he might have found them AFTER leaving.

It suggested to me the not altogether pleasant thought that Velvet's sons might resemble her more and more as she resembles them, with the particularly nasty thought that by the time the penultimate son came about Velvet might pass him going the other way morally speaking.

Now wouldn't that be "fun"?

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horrifying is a better word

 

[Zxzx24]

For the record I was (and am) very firmly of the opinion that if we wanted her dead we should have sent DoA after her instead of wasting 80 bits on a ritual, and I still do not understand why people thought spending 80 bits on a ritual when we had both a cheaper and more likely to work option right there was a good idea.

Though if we successfully summon Biedde, now we can send both DoA and Biedde after her, just to be extra sure.

Edit: Actually now that I'm thinking about it, @OurLadyOfWires the assault an opponent is basically a short expedition for one goal, right? Can we add more goals at the cost of making the expedition longer?

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too much opportunity cost. A lot of people want to kill copper. But no one is willing to put in the effort.

Half measure after half measure after-

You get the idea.

And here we are presented with the promise the ash will try to kill copper. With no promise of success of course.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Who knows, maybe it's even possible to bring a truce to the Corrivalry. We've done weirder.

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Well in Book of Hours one may find:

Spoiler

Dueling Hall: In Baronial times, this was a ballroom, but in the nineteenth century, during Brulleau's time as Librarian, a dyad of eternally duelling Edge-long agreed to stay at Hush House for a year and a day to allow Natalia to study them, if she satisfied certain conditions. A properly equipped space was one of those conditions. (Ultimately, the business turned out to be a trap or trick played by one or both of the dyad, and they left after only a single battle.) Their names are recorded as 'Mistress Dearday' and 'Father Torgue'.

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(Spoilered for very mild flavor text spoilers)

So I'd say it's very definitely possible after a fashion, if we hit a really good diplomacy check.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

There can be no truce to the Corrivalry otherwise it wouldn't be the Corrivalry now would it? It's just not in the nature of Edge now. However there can be nuances to hate, some that might from a certain angle even be similar to liking someone, this we know from even further back in the Exile DLC.

 

[DelightedOne]

I'm hoping we somehow get a third option eventually. Maybe the grail sacrament changing due to narrative reasons...

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Healing the scar could do that, it holds a very traumatic memory of Velvet that shaped her body and personality so facing it after fixing all the damage could change Velvet so much her lores change too, if Jade got a Heart affinity why can't our Personal Sacrament be modified? It also could get Velvet firmly in the Lionsmith side of things.

I'm just hoping people won't fall in the "must have all Sacraments" mindset and do anything to get it(including asking a Criminal for one).

well, another saying is that the best way to destroy an enemy is by making them a friend.

I doubt it's a popular or easy option, but it's still there.

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Yes, please. Velvet got played like a fool and the insistence in staying on this path when it was all a plan of the Master(who did not have good intentions towards us)can't give us anything good, our only opponents right now are Windy and Copper so it is possible to end the war in a short time without falling in line with the rules of the old Wake and maybe that will be enough to douse the fire Velvet reignited.

 

[Pittauro]

Healing the scar could do that, it holds a very traumatic memory of Velvet that shaped her body and personality so facing it after fixing all the damage could change Velvet so much her lores change too, if Jade got a Heart affinity why can't our Personal Sacrament be modified? It also could get Velvet firmly in the Lionsmith side of things.

I'm just hoping people won't fall in the "must have all Sacraments" mindset and do anything to get it(including asking a Criminal for one).

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That's kind of my hope too (sacrament changing after healing the scar I mean).

As for the "all sacraments"...

Well, I DO want them all, ideally. But I'm willing to give up the worst ones (morally speaking).

Right now that's mostly Grail, and possibly winter and moth.

Who knows, we might end up needing them. There's also the LVL 6s To consider, though at that point we basically only can use books from expeditions and very valuable name actions for them...

 

[Venerable Ro]

Healing the scar could do that, it holds a very traumatic memory of Velvet that shaped her body and personality so facing it after fixing all the damage could change Velvet so much her lores change too, if Jade got a Heart affinity why can't our Personal Sacrament be modified? It also could get Velvet firmly in the Lionsmith side of things.

I'm just hoping people won't fall in the "must have all Sacraments" mindset and do anything to get it(including asking a Criminal for one).

Yes, please. Velvet got played like a fool and the insistence in staying on this path when it was all a plan of the Master(who did not have good intentions towards us)can't give us anything good, our only opponents right now are Windy and Copper so it is possible to end the war in a short time without falling in line with the rules of the old Wake and maybe that will be enough to douse the fire Velvet reignited.

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I think I'd really like to know exactly what Biedde's perspective on the matter would be before messing with yon scar, scars are serious business with Edge, and a Name on the roster is worth much more than an acquaintance-in-theory.

Being formally All-Skilled would be nice, but not at the cost of drowning our characterization in decoherence.

Perhaps our talk with Comet will yield something we can bring to that table, proof or perhaps another piece of the puzzle. I suppose we could ask Baldomare to act as a mediator/fact-checker, Copper ought to know enough of the lores to know that Lantern will not lie for us or for anyone else.

Well, I DO want them all, ideally. But I'm willing to give up the worst ones (morally speaking).

Right now that's mostly Grail, and possibly winter and moth.

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Actually... I'm having a thought here... Baldomare offered us two sacraments, one for Secret Histories and one for Lantern, yeah? And Mareinette likewise offers Grail and Heart. Both of them have 6/6 levels in their two lores, whereas Axe for example has Knock 6/ Edge 3 and only offers a Knock Sacrament. Mayhaps there's another Name with a sufficient grasp of Grail, or one with Moth. Or perhaps it could be gotten from something else in the Mansus. The Wolf offers "a" Sacrament, mayhaps there's an avenue towards, (well not Moth or Heart we kinda blew that chance) but Winter or Grail might be possible.

 

[DelightedOne]

I suppose we could ask Baldomare to act as a mediator/fact-checker, Copper ought to know enough of the lores to know that Lantern will not lie for us or for anyone else.

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That was what I had in mind, yes. And as a bonus we get to fuck up the last Moth plan of the Master, with Lantern... That would be so much fun and respects the subversion chain.

 

[Greymere]

That was what I had in mind, yes. And as a bonus we get to fuck up the last Moth plan of the Master, with Lantern... That would be so much fun and respects the subversion chain.

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Didn't we get told before that Baldomare will not be a walking lie detector/truth teller for us before? When we were talking about telling Celestia about Lores and stuff.

And even beyond that, as I've said before, I don't think telling Copper it was actually the Master blah blah blah will help as much as you seem to think it will. Because we have actively fucked her over of our own volition beyond the PtN, and have been a source of envy/hatred for her for a while before that.

 

[DelightedOne]

I just want a truce at this point, Copper agreeing to leave us alone is more than enough and probably the only thing we can expect in that path.

And wasn't the whole truth teller thing not working because of Daybreaker(now that we know about her it makes sense) or was it a game thing?

 

[Solace2117]

I don't particularly want to kill Copper, but I keep coming back to the thought it's too late to go back. I don't know that she has any reason to trust Velvet. Also with Velvet leading the Bureau I think conflict was inevitable. Also looking at the contested summons it's likely she has been more willing to sacrifice others for her goals. Not that Velvet is free of sins, but the choices we made accelerated the conflict. I'd like to be wrong, we were about her starting it to begin with, but sometimes there's no going back.

 

[spiderhellian]

Yeah, I'm really not sure.

I think it's totally true that the middle of the road attack on Copper that was the PtN was a bad decision.

I also think the nature of quest/approval voting makes middle of the road approaches quite likely. If there's a spectrum of possible actions, the ones in the middle are more likely to be approved of and more likely to be chosen. @Iustus Vitea you seem annoyed there's inconsistent decision making, but this is a quest! Voting gives rise to inconsistencies, especially because not everyone is spending as much time on this as you or I.

I can see why trying to block Copper from the Mansus might backfire — cutting off a path of growth that forces her to focus on attacking us in the Wake.

I can also see why it might be important, because Names are really strong and that's the way you find them.

Maybe that's playing not to lose, rather than to win. We could be less Name greedy. Seems like a different form of risk.

And I was and remain doubtful about a truce?

1. I don't really see why Copper would ever agree to one? I know why we want to be able to focus on climbing and exploring without threat. But why would she want to let us play that game?
2. How can we credibly commit to one, when we're head of the Lunar Bureau? If ponies start to disappear in Manehattan, isn't that exactly our problem to solve? Or is the truce going to include not doing actions that would bother us, in which case go to 1.

 

[Pittauro]

I think I'd really like to know exactly what Biedde's perspective on the matter would be before messing with yon scar, scars are serious business with Edge, and a Name on the roster is worth much more than an acquaintance-in-theory.

Being formally All-Skilled would be nice, but not at the cost of drowning our characterization in decoherence.

Perhaps our talk with Comet will yield something we can bring to that table, proof or perhaps another piece of the puzzle. I suppose we could ask Baldomare to act as a mediator/fact-checker, Copper ought to know enough of the lores to know that Lantern will not lie for us or for anyone else.



Actually... I'm having a thought here... Baldomare offered us two sacraments, one for Secret Histories and one for Lantern, yeah? And Mareinette likewise offers Grail and Heart. Both of them have 6/6 levels in their two lores, whereas Axe for example has Knock 6/ Edge 3 and only offers a Knock Sacrament. Mayhaps there's another Name with a sufficient grasp of Grail, or one with Moth. Or perhaps it could be gotten from something else in the Mansus. The Wolf offers "a" Sacrament, mayhaps there's an avenue towards, (well not Moth or Heart we kinda blew that chance) but Winter or Grail might be possible.

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Maybe.

My best guess is the House of the Moon, if wee ever reach it

I don't particularly want to kill Copper, but I keep coming back to the thought it's too late to go back. I don't know that she has any reason to trust Velvet. Also with Velvet leading the Bureau I think conflict was inevitable. Also looking at the contested summons it's likely she has been more willing to sacrifice others for her goals. Not that Velvet is free of sins, but the choices we made accelerated the conflict. I'd like to be wrong, we were about her starting it to begin with, but sometimes there's no going back.

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We'd have to promise to keep the bureau off her, and then we'd have to get similar assurances in return (like holding back on sacrifices and crimes).

I don't see it happening without strong incentives (or threats).

I suppose we COULD basically go there, humiliate her with a show of force, and intimidate her... But I fear she'd just fall even deeper in the desire of making us pay.

I don't really see why Copper would ever agree to one? I know why we want to be able to focus on climbing and exploring without threat. But why would she want to let us play that game?

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Only way I can see a truce happening is if we outclass her and intimidate her so much we scare her out of her ways (it would be FAR easier to kill her), which would HAVE to include her willingly giving Neighnia to us (as anything less is not a believable surrender), or if we somehow recruit her and can offer her a pardon in exchange for becoming a follower (would require at the very least Selene's approval, AND later Celestia, and i can't see copper accepting this either unless the alternative is certain death. She's more likely to leave Equestria and try to start a cult in another country even!).


...actually @OurLadyOfWires do we know ANYTHING about other countries? They're NEVER mentioned, but as leader of the secret police I'd expect them to come up at times.

Or are you waiting for the first time we pick the foreign threat detective action?

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Honestly, I'm not sure why it's expected that Copper will survive Ash. At the absolute minimum I expect her experiences to be as bad as a victim of the Starve option, but I honestly think it'll be worse because Ash won't just be going insane and attacking randomly. He'll be purposefully focused on killing her specifically in order to please his Mother.

Is it possible? Maybe. Is it likely? Not from my perspective. It really isn't "half-assed" at all.0

As for the Nightmare ritual… I mean, we haven't been attacked since. It's quite possible it did work, at least somewhat.

 

[jelloloaf]

I think it's totally true that the middle of the road attack on Copper that was the PtN was a bad decision.

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Completely agree. Instead of a decisive strike to take her out or letting it go to try and cool things down, we're just needling her with reminders about how we're fighting each other. It keeps the tensions high but doesn't take advantage of it at all.

 

[spiderhellian]

Honestly, I'm not sure why it's expected that Copper will survive Ash

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Practically speaking I don't think dealing with Copper will be that easy.

Mechanically speaking, this is probably the second or third most talented mortal practitioner out there, after us and possibly Windy. I think she has enough experience in navigating Mansus threats that while she may be wounded, she won't be killed.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Practically speaking I don't think dealing with Copper will be that easy.

Mechanically speaking, this is probably the second or third most talented mortal practitioner out there, after us and possibly Windy. I think she has enough experience in navigating Mansus threats that while she may be wounded, she won't be killed.

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Honestly? I think it never mattered much how talented we were or how experienced we were at navigating the Mansus if the Master wanted us dead. Ash shouldn't be much different.

Like, I'm trying to imagine anyone who's not a Name of equal power and scale spending hours trying to get across a geographical feature that actively wants them dead and just… survival doesn't really compute.

As for ease… I mean, killing an enemy doesn't have to be some grand undertaking. A strong enough EiB could do it, theoretically, and our last couple of enemies didn't even require direct action to be removed.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

And even if Ash fails... she would immediately start investing in figuring out a way to get around him, not in ways to beat up Velvet. Because the Mansus is the gateway to power, and power is what she needs, and Glory is what she desires, and smacking us would (from an outside pov) do nothing about the new Mansus locale that is actively trying to kill her.

And screw a truce, she knowingly sacrifices and eats innocent ponies. And not-so-innocent ponies, tbf.

But also her cult looks really ransackable to me. I crave those artifacts and bits they presumably have.

 

[Pittauro]

As for ease… I mean, killing an enemy doesn't have to be some grand undertaking. A strong enough EiB could do it, theoretically, and our last couple of enemies didn't even require direct action to be removed.

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We can now do LVL 4 reagents. Honestly if we really want someone dead we can roll +93 (+13+40+40) with reroll, they roll ... Not sure the base stat, but let's say martial + heart.

So she'd roll likely +10.

Then divide the difference between the two rolls by 17. That's the health damage.

We roll twice, and have +93... IF she rolls nat 100 and we roll an average 50, that's 143-110= 33, rounded down to 1.

One point more for us, or less for her, and we do 2 damage.

If we roll the same (and we have a reroll she doesn't, so most likely we roll above her) we deal...


5 damage.


Again, our AVERAGE damage to copper with an EIB if we go all in (45+80 =125 bits) is 5 damage. 4 damage with a LVL 3 reagent ( NEARLY 5, but we round down...)


We can kill most everyone in an undetectable way, really. It takes basically Mareinette (+40+60=100 compared to our +93, both of us with rerolls) to no-sell our EiB.

 

[Pittauro]

And screw a truce, she knowingly sacrifices and eats innocent ponies. And not-so-innocent ponies, tbf.

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To be absolutely fair we don't have proof of that.

I think we only know for MOSTLY sure she sacrificed some cultists to try and summon Baldomare, BUT they might have been rituals or reagents instead for all we know.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

@Iustus Vitea you seem annoyed there's inconsistent decision making, but this is a quest! Voting gives rise to inconsistencies, especially because not everyone is spending as much time on this as you or I.

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I'm aware it's a quest and there will be inconsistent decision making. I wasn't annoyed about that. I'm more annoyed about the fact that people decided to put off information gathering for a later turn, again, and then argued one way or another on Prey because we don't have enough information to know what the right choice is.

You do get why that's a little frustrating yes?

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

To be absolutely fair we don't have proof of that.

I think we only know for MOSTLY sure she sacrificed some cultists to try and summon Baldomare, BUT they might have been rituals or reagents instead for all we know.

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Don't forget the five recently emptied prisoner cages around Twilight's when we broke her out. For some reason I don't think they were let off to walk the streets freely.

 

[Greymere]

We can now do LVL 4 reagents. Honestly if we really want someone dead we can roll +93 (+13+40+40) with reroll, they roll ... Not sure the base stat, but let's say martial + heart.

So she'd roll likely +10.

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Nah, she still rolls Grail. It's just that it's a "survive with a REALLY bad Malus or die" roll after the damage is inflicted (if it would kill her), iirc.

 

[Sveta08]

Good morning.
Let's see what we got today...

I'm aware it's a quest and there will be inconsistent decision making. I wasn't annoyed about that. I'm more annoyed about the fact that people decided to put off information gathering for a later turn, again, and then argued one way or another on Prey because we don't have enough information to know what the right choice is.

You do get why that's a little frustrating yes?

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I don't .... This... Is mostly an info gathering and resource gathering turn? Getting bits, performing summonings, Taking names and getting money in a very literal sense. Performing RotT's to get info, diving into our books, upgrading allies...

This is an information gathering turn. Aimed at reaching for Glory. It is not dealing with Copper, which you seem to not like. And because Ash is a new.... Resource to be blunt, that could be aimed at Copper, people tend to err on caution. Because Velvet has been handed a loaded gun which we could shoot at Copper. Thing is, we did not know we were being handed a loaded gun. What Ash would be or do, we could guess, but didn't. And so people aren't all keen on firing into a situation we don't know about.

If we knew we were being handed what might be a kill spell in the shape of a wolf, maybe we would have moved info gathering on Copper up a turn. But, we didn't, so we didn't.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

I don't .... This... Is mostly an info gathering and resource gathering turn? Getting bits, performing summonings, Taking names and getting money in a very literal sense. Performing RotT's to get info, diving into our books, upgrading allies...

This is an information gathering turn. Aimed at reaching for Glory. It is not dealing with Copper, which you seem to not like. And because Ash is a new.... Resource to be blunt, that could be aimed at Copper, people tend to err on caution. Because Velvet has been handed a loaded gun which we could shoot at Copper. Thing is, we did not know we were being handed a loaded gun. What Ash would be or do, we could guess, but didn't. And so people aren't all keen on firing into a situation we don't know about.

If we knew we were being handed what might be a kill spell in the shape of a wolf, maybe we would have moved info gathering on Copper up a turn. But, we didn't, so we didn't.

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And gathering information on Copper would somehow make it a not information gathering turn? I wanted to take at least one action this turn so we could use the probable down time of next turn to further scout and deal with Copper, that not happening isn't what I'm frustrated about. It's the fact people want to sicc Ash on Windy (or Copper but it's mostly Windy) with the logic that who knows what horrors he could be perpetuating? We simply must preemptively kill him, it's for the Greater Good you see. I'm frustrated by the thread's inability to commit to information gathering and when that comes to bite us in the ass we go all, 'Oh woe is us what hard choices we must make, if only we knew more'. Not checking up after the Master (and yes there were valid reasons, yes I was part of the group voting for it then) and saying it'll be fine we can put it off for an another turn is a huge part of why we're even having this vote. We're doing it again, now with mortal foes yes but people manage to kill each other just fine on their own.

And yeah sure we outright didn't know Ash is a kill spell but when the tag line of his favour to us is literally about him gnawing on the bones of the people we send him against, well it doesn't get any more explicit now does it? The thread's consensus was that this would be a kill spell long before it was confirmed. Hell people were talking about using it to kill Copper and Windy back then too.

 

[Pittauro]

Don't forget the five recently emptied prisoner cages around Twilight's when we broke her out. For some reason I don't think they were let off to walk the streets freely.

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it's not definitive truth, it's what I'm saying.

but yeah, she NEAR CERTAINLY is sacrificing people.

This is an information gathering turn. Aimed at reaching for Glory

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well, more to "extend" Axe and Baldomare and progress in their friendship quest, really.

And start Biedde's with his summoning.

Reaching for Glory is more something we'll work on in the next couple turns, as we'll most likely send some followers to search for the outsider next turn (Something like Baldomare + Fluttershy have a 50% chance to complete it on their own, add a third follower and it's near certain).

I'd rather not have Velvet work on it directly as her actions are more valuable generally speaking. In any case we're near certain to finish the 0/200 search by turn 21 at the very latest I think, same for SH Sacrament (We need at least Baldomare influence + 2 actions on either turn 20 or 21, assuming we don't need a reroll on the first attempt and then delay the second to be safe).

Next turn much of what will do will depend on our bit availability, and of course some things are mutually exclusive.


Short term priorities to work on in the next two turns:

1) get lvl 6 book for baldomare (depends. might be an expedition from the scrying, we might get lucky and it's with the frangiclave, or we get one from Canterlot expedition... who knows)

2) 0/200 outsider search (2 to 4 actions, depending on who does it)

3) Frangiclave expedition (we might need to scout first, or wait a turn to gather enough bits for it)

4) Complete SH Sacrament (2 velvet actions and 1 baldomare action for influence minimum for max bonuses)

5) Pay Mareinette's first price to renew the bindings

6) Get Heart 4, so we can teach family and Selene with the same action (otherwise it's 1 action for Selene and ANOTHER action for the rest of the family later once we're all 4).

7) One lesson for Rarity to Grail 4 Forge 2.

8) Probably Fluttershy level up as well (2 actions, not a super priority but it would likely make her more useful)

9) Deal with Copper, one way or another

BONUS/STRETCH GOALS:

10) Maybe start on Biedde's requirements for Sacrament and "friendship". We're 2/4 in Edge, so an Influence has us ready for the Sacrament, it depends only on what he requires of us.

11) Start Working on Axe Knock Sacrament (we're at 3/4, so we're nearly ready for it as well).

12) Memory of Light research. we'll probably have Jade work on it in the background

13)Summon some Mares-in-the-Light for extra actions and muscle

14) More Mansus exploration, and Wake expeditions.

I think that's all the "important" stuff we're likely to work on in the next 2-3 turns.


...you know, I think I had a realization.

@OurLadyOfWires do Names progressively give you more actions per turn as you progress on their "friendship quests", so to speak? It would make sense for Baldomare and Axe to give us an extra action per turn after lvl 6 book and Frangiclave respectively I think. And Selene has 2 actions, which could be justified as how we already worked on her "friendship quest" so to speak.

If we knew we were being handed what might be a kill spell in the shape of a wolf, maybe we would have moved info gathering on Copper up a turn. But, we didn't, so we didn't.

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we... kind of already knew, though not the exact details

remember this?

-[The Benefits of the Mother]: "Give me their scent, Mother. Tell me your will. The ashes will consume them until only the flavor of their bones remains."

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We already knew of the above.

the below is new:

(Ash will "guard" the entrance of the Mansus, afflicting ponies who try to enter. The greater the proportion of ponies it is directed to afflict, the lesser the effect. Additionally, Ash may be given the "scent" of a single character, who will be actively hunted whenever it tries to enter the Mansus regardless of Ash's "guard" orders. Velvet Covers may spend one Mansus action to visit Ash, and give it new directions.)

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And gathering information on Copper would somehow make it a not information gathering turn? I wanted to take at least one action this turn so we could use the probable down time of next turn to further scout and deal with Copper, that not happening isn't what I'm frustrated about. It's the fact people want to sicc Ash on Windy (or Copper but it's mostly Windy) with the logic that who knows what horrors he could be perpetuating? We simply must preemptively kill him, it's for the Greater Good you see. I'm frustrated by the thread's inability to commit to information gathering and when that comes to bite us in the ass we go all, 'Oh woe is us what hard choices we must make, if only we knew more'. Not checking up after the Master (and yes there were valid reasons, yes I was part of the group voting for it then) and saying it'll be fine we can put it off for an another turn is a huge part of why we're even having this vote. We're doing it again, now with mortal foes yes but people manage to kill each other just fine on their own.

And yeah sure we outright didn't know Ash is a kill spell but when the tag line of his favour to us is literally about him gnawing on the bones of the people we send him against, well it doesn't get any more explicit now does it? The thread's consensus was that this would be a kill spell long before it was confirmed. Hell people were talking about using it to kill Copper and Windy back then too.

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we didn't know for sure that Copper was a valid target, but yeah, we had guessed Ash was a kill spell of some kind.

As for the information gathering for Copper (or Master in the past)... well, we only have so many actions, and while there's good arguments to do those there's also good arguments against.

As a matter of fact, about the Master... he was moth 7. so trying to scry him (which was basically the only way to get info on him when we needed them) would have required us to beat his likely 50 (likely base) +70 (moth 7) = +120 roll, with reroll, and that's assuming Moth 5-6-7 didn't give him anything extra he could use against the attempt.

The ONLY reason we MIGHT have been able to still succeed is because Lantern Subvert moths, and Baldomare scrying for us would have rolled... +50 + 60 = +110 + reagent with reroll, so a max of +140.

 

[Zxzx24]

Honestly, I'm not sure why it's expected that Copper will survive Ash. At the absolute minimum I expect her experiences to be as bad as a victim of the Starve option, but I honestly think it'll be worse because Ash won't just be going insane and attacking randomly. He'll be purposefully focused on killing her specifically in order to please his Mother.

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So how long until she can re-summon that winter name? What was she called again?

Something to do with a painting?

No. Sicking ash on her is just as half assessed.

 

[Greymere]

So how long until she can re-summon that winter name? What was she called again?

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?

Neighnia never got unsummoned in the first place, as far as we're aware. Yatta yatta "the cult will do anything necessary to keep the Names" or something like that.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

we didn't know for sure that Copper was a valid target, but yeah, we had guessed Ash was a kill spell of some kind.

As for the information gathering for Copper (or Master in the past)... well, we only have so many actions, and while there's good arguments to do those there's also good arguments against.

As a matter of fact, about the Master... he was moth 7. so trying to scry him (which was basically the only way to get info on him when we needed them) would have required us to beat his likely 50 (likely base) +70 (moth 7) = +120 roll, with reroll, and that's assuming Moth 5-6-7 didn't give him anything extra he could use against the attempt.

The ONLY reason we MIGHT have been able to still succeed is because Lantern Subvert moths, and Baldomare scrying for us would have rolled... +50 + 60 = +110 + reagent with reroll, so a max of +140.

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I'm aware, I acknowledge this in my post.

So how long until she can re-summon that winter name? What was she called again?

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She doesn't need to be resummoned she is wholly in the Wake after all. No she just got her bindings updated.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

So how long until she can re-summon that winter name? What was she called again?

Something to do with a painting?

No. Sicking ash on her is just as half assessed.

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Neighnia remains in play until we do something about her.
And no, sicking Ash on a known enemy is not half-assed is having him sit on his ass and do nothing, allowing our foe to access the Mansus with relative ease. She has to dream to access the Mansus, and the Mansus makes your foes stranger just like it makes yourself stronger, so just hit her when she tries to access the Mansus with our hungry Wolf Son. It forces Copper to devote time and resources on getting around the murderous hurdle rather than plotting our doom. It is a free hit, just do it.