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

[Bedna337]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Windigo – 27, Biedde – 43]



[Windigo: 36 + 45 (total combat bonus) = 135]

[Biedde: 4 46 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 169]



[Overflow: Windigo – 27, Biedde –71]

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There seems to be something unclear happening with the math here - neither of the roll+bonus equations add up, and Biedde's overflow increased by 28, which is neither the difference between the results as written (169-135=34) or as calculated (126-81=45)?

Edit - looking further, Biedde also got an unmarked +20 on his first turn, and Velvet's opponent looks to be at full health on her second turn despite the two wounds given


Velvet getting hurt isn't great, but at least none of her family were harmed.

Giving Mareinette Time seems like the best option, agreed, since its value is so diminished by our dancing.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

And of course Mareinette, I'm definitely in favor of giving her some of our time. We really must thank her after all, she had to fight three windigoes tonight, that deserves appreciation.

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Mareinette did not fight three Windigoes, she fought three mortals. They only had one Windigo.

 

[Zxzx24]

This was kind of an embarrassing showing on Bieddes part. But he still rocked the windigo. Lucky rolls or unlucky.

Cheers for him.

...I'm surprised that she only sent one Windigo honestly.

I assume we didn't get any bodies. Or sacrifices to summon the ash puppies?

Mmm...

All in all I think this is a pretty good outcome? A shock to the system can be... quite helpful.

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

There's no chance that this is a purposeful bait on Copper's part to get us to attack her, right? What I'm thinking is that she thought we had Comet defending us and no one else. She wasn't expecting Biedde or Mareinette, which is why she sent so "few" attackers?

EDIT: This reaction is mostly me being surprised she sent four "normal" ponies and only one Windigo. I would have expected a larger group, so I suppose she's keeping more in reserve?

 

[angelsadvocate666]

...I'm surprised that she only sent one Windigo honestly.

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To be fair, Marinette, Biedde and Resolutioned Velevet were surprises. Even if we had DoA, Velvet would still probably be very dead right now under normal circumstances.

 

[DelightedOne]

I assume we didn't get any bodies. Or sacrifices to summon the ash puppies?

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Mareinette had dinner , so no.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Nope, Lore Level 0 is actually a step above "Nonexistent." We have cratered so hard she could personally examine us and we'd register as a mundane pony. Which is hilarious, frankly.

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Huzzah, more ways to turn things to our advantage, we let people know we were attacked, we attract a frantic Cadence to help with healing and costs thereof (Crown service had better have full health coverage...) and if Celestia turns up she'll be able to see with her own two eyes that we are very much a normal pony. Amazing.

 

[Shaper47]

Attackers have unleashed their sealed Windigo]

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and from the jar that it was carrying that was just cracked open.

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definitely in favor of giving her some of our time. We really must thank her after all, she had to fight three windigoes tonight, that deserves appreciation.

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It was only one Windigo.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Mareinette did not fight three Windigoes, she fought three mortals. They only had one Windigo.

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You're quite right, I lost track of what I was doing. We'll still fete her though, everyone likes appreciation.

 

[Rafuki22]

Amazing.

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Let's not jinx things, it isn't safe until it is safe.

Edit: Also, hypothetically speaking, if we die would there be a vote for a regrettable action that basically is "I keep living."?

 

[DelightedOne]

we let people know we were attacked, we attract a frantic Cadence to help with healing and costs thereof (Crown service had better have full health coverage...)

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Oh my glob, Caddy. She will have a new trauma for sure, if she teleports to our home if we tell the truth and can feel that Velvet is at 0 Health... girl might think we are a zombie.

Oh... Oh... Money for medicine we need 60 bits to auto-heal two Wounds and that is pocket change for a Princess.

Edit: That is a good way to introduce her to the lores: as something that saved a pony who promised to not leave her, the thing that made it even possible for that promise to be kept.
And if she wants to learn, our Library is right there.

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

Weirdly, this attack might make some sense to those in the Beaureu with what happened this turn. We find a Changeling and then the Comissioner is almost immediately attacked? To them, this might not seem like the coincidence it is.

 

[Cochimetl]

Jesus. I'm not sure if it's possible to drop a lore level and lose the realization that way, but if it is, Velvet would be fucking dead right now if she had just one scrap of Heart less.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Hmm. Honestly, one thing I really wish Marinette hadn't hidden her combat over was… did the other assassins have Influences as well? I would assume so, but maybe not.

If they did, well… that's a lot of firepower. Especially if they had somewhere around the same base combat stats as the one Velvet killed. Like, it already was, but holy fuck she wanted us dead.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Edit: That is a good way to introduce her to the lores: as something that saved a pony who promised to not leave her, the thing that made it even possible for that promise to be kept.
And if she wants to learn, our Library is right there.

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"Speaking of wounds (ow), I've been planning to get rid of this old injury of mine, the method should be safe and once I've gotten it down I think I can fix Shining's horn in the same way. For that matter, with the proper supplies I'm pretty certain I could teach you how to do it as well..."

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Oh look the thing I was warning about happened. Enemies are not Passive people, take them out as soon as you can.

 

[Steady Gaze]

Spoiler: Copyedits for Turn 19 - Closing

@OurLadyOfWires copyedits:

The walls, you all know, is mostly meant to keep critters and wildlife away, given how one-third of the population can easily fly over it.

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are

And only sik a witness if you have to.

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Should be sic (sic vs. sik).

So, you grab the bet you were carrying on your back, holding it firmly with your mouth.

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Based on the later context, it seems you meant bat

It's occurrence will be completely ignored both narratively and mechanically, unless Velvet Covers decides otherwise

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Its

So many ponies to meat.

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meet (unless "meat" is intended )

Bad luck and bad timing. It happens; I wouldn't get too caught up on whether we could've done this or that. I think we were pretty badass at least.

So the reason the enemy was able to break through to directly attack us is just due to the volume of attackers? Or narrative causality/because it made for a better story? I guess the mechanics of who attacks who and when depends on how the QM decides it should play out; not much we can do about that.

I have a lot to say on this: is it just me or would the

[] There has been an attempt against the Commissioner's life.

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option seem the most to our advantage? We get

1. Unlimited/definitely enough guards.
2. An opportunity to launder the lores and excuse our rapid lore progression.
3. An opportunity to take out Copper (if we don't take her out ourselves, which I would still recommend).

The main issue is whether we can prevent our prior cult involvement from becoming known. If we pair this with sending a few names to quickly and quietly kill Copper (while the Constables are busy with Tall Tale before the trail goes cold) and take care of any manuscript kompromat (perhaps with Baldomare), that would make it quite tidy, and quite a good laundering scheme given that it pairs with what Eclipse discovered. Even without it, I wonder, since we have been squeaky clean, if we could even just tank the suspicion it would give us. Any connections we have might just get dismissed as lunacy (sorry Luna). But I would still rather take out Copper before, since dead mares tell no tales and all.

There are a couple of natural excuses I can think of that may help and also excuse us having lore knowledge and/or progressing rapidly in the lores, such as:

• "I'm just a natural talent at this and Copper must have somehow known and decided to take us out preemptively"
• "I just started having the dream accidentally; that must brought me to Copper's attention because she thought she could retain her monopoly on the lores by killing me"

Subsequently over the next few turns, we can steadily show more of our power level with the excuse that we're learning rapidly, and that we just "get" whatever artifacts and information that were captured from Copper better. We'd know enough to easily mislead Eclipse by pretending to make level-appropriate "new discoveries" and whatnot; keep in mind they have no idea how the lores work since they just discovered them themselves.

The other reason is that we could really use the extra guards. We are now in a time of heightened risk, one that we can't sleepwalk through. In a couple days Copper will realized she swung and missed, and that she's now really poked the bear. If we don't substantially strengthen ourselves (in days, with the extra guards), it would be stupid of her not to send an army, everything she's got, before Velvet can properly retaliate. This is war, no? Honestly I'm a little surprised at Copper's hubris at not properly scouting and sending just four stallions and a windigo. (Why not fifteen stallions and three windigos? Manehattan surely has no shortage of muscle.) Having the Constables guarding us will be a huge relief.

Going point by point:

-Your family will be extremely worried about your (and their) safety.

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Yeah… while it will save them the worry, I don't know if being blissfully unaware of the risks is better. That's kind of why the Stormchaser home/away mechanic was so agonizing. Our family didn't experience any trauma, thankfully, so we don't have that to worry about.

-Information that you were attacked will, eventually, reach the public (although without any reliable details to it).

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Don't really care either way.

-Selene will insist on "Guarding" you this turn (although you are not forced to have her do it).

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Adorable, but "the guards are more than enough" will hopefully be enough to calm her, narratively speaking.

-Your Investigators will gain the option to "Investigate the Commissioner's attackers", which is a specially tailored investigation aimed at Copper Secateur.

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Lore laundering opportunity. And we can reasonably delay it a month while we clean up with the excuse of "don't let those Tall Tale changelings get away; aren't I so selfless?"

-Your Constable's "Guard" action will be permanently upgraded.

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Sweet!

-Your Constables will request to "Guard" you this turn (and the Bureau's morale/trust will decrease if you refuse this request)

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Nice, exactly what we need.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Oh look the thing I was warning about happened. Enemies are not Passive people, take them out as soon as you can.

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Well considering what this incident is gonna let us do... We get to be extremely vindictive and use Equestrian tax dollars to do it.

 

[Rafuki22]

So, if we spend time with Mareinette, will she roll the same way we roll for social actions? What is stopping her from convincing us from doing something that we don't like, small enough to not reject it? I don't think that would happen, but...

 

[Venerable Ro]

So, if we spend time with Mareinette, will she roll the same way we roll for social actions? What is stopping her from convincing us from doing something that we don't like, small enough to not reject it? I don't think that would happen, but...

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She's level seven to our (usual) four, plus her social bonus, plus her regular bonus. You saw the roll she threw at the bystanders, she could do that at any time.

Nah, she's not going to cheat when she can play the game out normally and possibly win anyway. It would be so much more satisfying to bring us around to her way of thinking without any tricks.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Honestly, as annoyed as I am at how this hurts us, I do kinda feel sorry for Copper quest. Like, imagine if we had thrown all this at a Velvet who should, at most, have DoA and Comet protecting her… only for your kill squad to get jumped by not one, but two Names out of fucking nowhere and oh yeah Velvet just happened to be wearing a Resolution and Edge Attention for no fucking reason.

 

[Pittauro]

For you, it has always been about the bits. Money is the only form of currency you really care about.

And Copper knows this. Of course she does. She knows what everypony wants.

So, you don't care how she goes about everypony else. You don't care what she promises them, who she fucks, or who she promises to fuck if they just do one more thing for her. What matters to you is that she knows that, as long as she keeps the bits coming, you will do what she wants.

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oh, look!

Our next victim!

But the ponies she sent with you tonight? The preparations… no, the ritual she insisted you did, to help with your task?

You barely understood half of the things you were doing. And for all that you can feel the results, this still feels inky to you.

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she sent thugs buffed by an Edge Influence


I'm so happy we BOTH summoned Biedde AND called the RESOLUTION for Velvet!

THIS WILL BE A MASSACRE!

[Edge Realization: Velvet Covers is immune to ambushes]

[All guarding characters have been alerted]

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That's Velvet, BIEDDE, and MAREINETTE.

they're so fucked it's not even funny!

shame we are wounded. though hey, we can use this attack as a justification for the lost health!

Not being able to take a train here, at Copper's insistence, was a drag. Having to hide the cart they hauled here was even worse. But still, finally, you have arrived.

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oh, it probably has a Windigo or three...

"Alright everypony. Let's make this quick and clean," you say in a hushed tone, as the four of you and the cart hide behind the tall crops. "Get in, kill the bitch, get out. No stealing, no breaking shit, and no fooling around. And only sik a witness if you have to."

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I can at least respect she's not going after our daughters and husband.

You should be worrying about the stallion who is right in front of you.

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He has a pipe on his mouth, a calm expression on his face, and the chilling confidence of a stallion who cannot be denied.

"I can see from your faces that you went through a lot, to arrive here. However, I must inform you that if any of you go through this entrance, you will all die."

He says that.

And you immediately believe him.

You all do.

"Fuck… fuck, fuck FUCK!" one of your companions immediately loses his composure, and runs back towards the cart before you can do anything else.

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and the smart one leaves first.

That said... Biedde never said that if they leave they'll stay alive.

and there's a Velvet and a MAREINETTE there too...

More than just that, you wish you had brought five carts with you. Because maybe then you would have a chance.

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yep, there's Windigoes in there.

Probably only the one.

[Attackers have unleashed their sealed Windigo]

[Mareinette has initiated combat]

[Windigo has initiated combat]

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I actually feel a bit sorry for them.

Imagine being told you have to kill a crippled noble lady.


and then you find yourself facing THE EDGE NAME, THE LAST OF THE LIGEIAN, and THE STRONGEST MORTAL IN THE WORLD (because with her influence right now Velvet probably IS the most dangerous combatant. The ONLY thing holding her back is that she's at health 1)



ALSO I FUCKING CALLED IT! I KNEW WE'D BE ATTACKED THIS TURN! I CALLED IT, YOU KNOW I DID!

it was either now or never, really.

You think you just saw your two other companions being dragged by… something, into the forbidding crops.

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I think Mareinette found a new playmate!

or meal.

or both!

"Ah, quaint. Well then, I will deal with you later," the old stallion says.

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it's just so amusing to see how Biedde react to a WINDIGO.

"oh, how quaint. let me deal with that a sec".

[Mareinette has invoked "NEVER ASK A LADY HER AGE"]

[Details of combat have been redacted]

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...disappointing, but not totally unexpected.

Because you don't care about the money anymore. You don't care about your companions, or whatever problems might arise if you return without them.

The only thing you care about is getting this job done with, so you can get away from here.

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what an idiot.

He should care only about leaving, while everyone else is busy and he's beneath their concern.

"Did you really come all the way here just to try to kill me?"

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"A very poor decision."

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an EXTREMELY poor decision.

and not leaving when he had a chance was the last bad decision he'll ever make.

So, you grab the bet

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I think you mean bat?

[Velvet: 85 88 + 89 (total combat bonus) = 177]

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...Bird, did we really HAVE to reroll an 85?

[Velvet: 85 88 + 89 (total combat bonus) = 177]

[Invader: 9 + 37 (total combat bonus) = 46]



[Overflow: Velvet – 131, Invader – 0]

[Invader suffers two wounds (-100 to Velvet's overflow)]

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and in HALF a clash, they're now equal health


Velvet is terrifying.

"Come to my house-"

-the world turns upside down. And somehow, the mare is staring down at you with the moon behind her-

"-where my husband lives-"

-your legs hurt. You think you heard something break, but your brain did not yet have the time to feel what happened yet-

"-and where my daughters sleep?"

-she has a knife on her mouth. A knife that is tied around her neck, and that she took from somewhere under her clothes-

-you think you let out a muted gasp as she sinks that knife into your chest-

"Very. Poor. Decision."

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if I have any regret about this fight right now



It's that Comet is not here to be properly terrified of Velvet as well.

[Velvet Covers suffers one wound (-50 to Invader's overflow)]



[Velvet Covers has reached zero health]

[Velvet Covers has activated "Dancing With Death"]

[Velvet Covers is being attacked in her home, she will refuse to "Escape" or "Play dead"]

[Velvet Covers has chosen to continue combat]

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FUCK

...but hey, we lose access to our lores... but the Influence should still work!

This is even MORE terrifying. Imagine dealing a mortal wound, and this crippled mare that should be dead is STILL FIGHTING.

[Velvet: 64 + 48 (total combat bonus) = 112]

[Invader: 18 + 37 (total combat bonus) = 55]



[Overflow: Velvet – 92, Invader – 4]

[Invader suffers one wound (-50 to Velvet Covers's overflow)]

[Invader has been defeated]

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oh, that's cute.


and again, nice justification for the wounds we had. And maybe an excuse to take it easier next turn from work, or to delay the assault against the changelings...

That is, until your hoof finally connects with her skull, and you hear something crack.

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...he fucking fractured our skull.

but still, we got the last laugh.

Biedde looks down at the figure of his employer. She is alive, but only barely. Her mouth mumbling the song that is keeping her heart going, and her legs fidgeting under her as she shakes her blood into motion.

He breathes in a short sniff. Heart does have its uses, but her method definitely needs to be refined.

"[WINTER]."

"Yes, almost. But not quite. I wonder if she will learn from this," he says, answering the thing that is standing next to him.

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Velvet knows the secret song that endures and never dies...

It's nice to see Biedde acknowledging us, even with his dismissal of Heart.

Meanwhile, the thing next to him finishes swallowing the dead body of the last attacker. The one that was next to his employer.

He wonders if the four bodies she had tonight were to her liking. Probably not, he supposed. None of them were mares, and all of them were adults.

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creepy.

Expected, but creepy.

kind of a shame we couldn't keep the bodies for Risens though.

The thing gives him a dismissive nod, her bony head still preoccupied with gulping down the foreleg that is still sticking out of her gullet. But a few crunching sounds later, her large silhouette is back to its elegant self.

The Grail-monster then looks up towards the shocked audience, and then she-



[Combating suspicion, breakpoints 60/80/100/120/150]

[Mareinette's roll: 90 13 + 50 (Social action) + 30 (Grail, level 6) = 170]

[Final breakpoint reached]



"[GRAIL]!"



-and then she convinces everypony this is just a bad dream, and that they should go back to sleep.

And they all, without exception, believe her.

[This enemy's attack will create absolutely no suspicion. It's occurrence will be completely ignored both narratively and mechanically, unless Velvet Covers decides otherwise]

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Impressive. REALLY Impressive.

This gives us a clearer idea of what a DC 150 means. It's quite literally something impossible for mortals to achieve.

120 DC is already close to the limit of what Mortals can do, with their limit of 20 to a stat and maybe +10 from traits at the very best, and we're talking of basically the best mortal in their field then. We're talking Sherlock Holmes tier of near impossible.

Mareinette can do even more absurd stuff than that kind of character...

-ALL Fleeting Opportunities that might happen will be ignored or discarded, without coming to your attention (because you are in no condition to meet them by happenstance); and

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NO!

-ALL actions that might take place outside of your home will have narrative and/or mechanical maluses associated with them.

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more no! super annoying!

[Due to Mareinette's efforts, you are able to completely control the narrative of what happened]

So, what happened?


[] Nothing happened. You are just ill.
-Your family will be worried about your health. But you will tell the, and they will believe you, that you are only sick.
-The events of tonight will be completely accepted as… a series of disconnected events. A group of stallion colts got hold of some storm clouds, for a prank. The side-gate was left unlocked by a servant. The Lady suddenly got ill. Several small things, with no ties to each other whatsoever.

[] There has been an attempt against the Commissioner's life.
-Your family will be extremely worried about your (and their) safety.
-Information that you were attacked will, eventually, reach the public (although without any reliable details to it).
-Selene will insist on "Guarding" you this turn (although you are not forced to have her do it).
-Your Investigators will gain the option to "Investigate the Commissioner's attackers", which is a specially tailored investigation aimed at Copper Secateur.
-Your Constable's "Guard" action will be permanently upgraded.
-Your Constables will request to "Guard" you this turn (and the Bureau's morale/trust will decrease if you refuse this request)

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well, if we get "constable" guards, that gives us a reason to reject Selene's request. And this gives us an excuse to send the Bureau against Copper.

We should probably ALSO send Names to deal with the Manuscripts though. It will likely take the investigators at least a full turn to find Copper, if not more, so we could still try and deal with this.

I'm not 100% sure I want to go for this, but it offers some interesting possibilities.

[As three months have passed, Mareinette requests an audience]

After the dust settled, she came to you. She expressed her condolences for your situation, she reminds you that she hopes your relationship continues to flourishes… and then, she asks you for a small boon.

[The winning option will be used to renew Mareinette's summoning bindings. With the exception of the LAST option, all other options will increase in price with every passing re-binding.]

What do you give her?

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ok, so options that rise in cost, except the last one...

let's see what they look like.

[] Time
-"Are you not valuable partners? Is it not fair that you spend some time together?"
-Current cost: ONE Velvet action.

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seems reasonable? The implication is that she'll try to influence us, and that's objectively dangerous... but it's a cost we CAN pay right now.

then again, maybe being in her presence while at our weakest (so without Winter, Lantern and Grail of our own) is not the best idea...

still, it's acceptable.

[] Resources
-"What will she buy with it? Oh, this and that… Toys, materials, clothes… never mind none of those would fit a grown pony. Never mind that the word she used to describe them was bait."
-Current cost: 50 bits

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...fuck.

the BITS are fine. what she wants to use them for is not.

The implication is that we're basically giving her the candies and the van to go and steal children!

[] Freedom
-"So many sights to see, so many places to visit. So many ponies to meat. She has been away from the Wake for so long, of course she yearns to explore it."
-Does not cost any character's action points. You will just give Mareinette some "time off" for herself.
-Current interest: A small village, that barely appears in any map.

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...@OurLadyOfWires please tell me the "to meat" is a typo. PLEASE.

also, again, fairly concerning

[] Offering
-"She was a mare of means, long ago. Would you not help her recreate her collection?"
-Current cost: A STUDIED artifact of level 2 or higher
-WRITE IN which artifact you will give her

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kind of annoying. NEXT TIME we could give her the Knock one. Right now is there one we don't need?

not sure WHY she needs it to be "Studied" though.

she's a Name. I refuse to believe she can't tell what an artifact does at a glance.

[-] Access
-"But a hoofstep, into the place you call home?"
-VETOED by Velvet Covers and Selene.

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Yeah, Axe would have something to say about this.

[-] Accept her "Invitation to Dinner"
-"Tie the knot. Make a friend."
-This option will always be available, and will never increase in price.
-This is Mareinette's Grail Sacrament.
-WRITE IN who will be consumed (must be a minion or a prisoner)
-INSUFFICIENT GRAIL SCRAPS

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... you know, If we had captured one of those thugs alive and were at Grail 4 I MIGHT have considered it, actually.

Author's Note: Damn, the drafts I have ready for Soft!Quest will have to wait.

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...

I'll ignore that!

 

[Steady Gaze]

And we can reasonably delay it a month while we clean up with the excuse of "don't let those Tall Tale changelings get away; aren't I so selfless?"

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Ok, re-reading the update and the previous turn's planning, I'm realizing the Constables would be able to guard or raid Tall Tale, and the Detectives have nothing else to do but to investigate Copper. We could try to pull rank and tell them to do something else, but I don't think we have a good excuse to not have them investigate for a full month. Mechanically, that could probably be reflected with a trust decrease, but that is something we could tank if we really want to.

Additionally, it would be rather pathetic if, after an attempt on our life, the state can't be bothered to give us enough Constables to both guard us and do something else. I'm thinking that an actual permanent guard will be stationed with us at our house, and the "upgrade" to the guard action will make it "guard extra hard".

 

[Sveta08]

Well well well... Isn't this something?
I'm going to need a minute to rethink things.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

It's nice to see Biedde acknowledging us, even with his dismissal of Heart.

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I think the dismissal was more about Velvet's level of skill—barely Level 3–than about the Lore itself. Hence why she should refine it.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Also hey guys, this is the first time Velvet has personally killed a pony in hoof-to-hoof combat! Wonder if that gives an Edge scrap...

 

[Fouredged]

well, that's a clusterfuck and all our plans are now out of the window.

QM, were there any clues to this being prepared, or we got fucked over by some unlucky roll of the dice?

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I mean, we knew Copper was coming for us with Windigoes ever since The Master tricked us into trying to kill her.

We even got an official "Cult War" status announcement.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Can we finally beat Copper's cult for every Bit, Artifact, and Book they own now?

 

[Sveta08]

Alright. I've had a snack, and I am ready to rethink and rework things.

First and foremost, this is... so very very useful. In the most painful of ways admittedly, but still.
For the vote, I can think of reasons we shouldn't let people know there was an attack against the Commissoner, but we cannot afford such things. Or rather, we can, but we would loose out on the opportunities that this would afford us. Guards that are more competent? An avenue of attack against Copper from within and without? A reason and excuse for Velvet to have a personal vendetta against those who harmed her? Why, it's almost too good!

Pity that Celestia will see that someone chose to attack one of her "Designated Ponies." But, that was inevitable. Ah well.



So! With that said, I feel that the Constables should be made known of this attack. It will worry people, yes, but... they should be worried. This will tell them in ways we couldn't really say before. Not really.

As for the adjustments? Detectives get easily slotted in on hunting down info on her attackers (Copper) and Constables get changed over to guard duty as a way to boost Velvet's reputation with the Beureu. Selene... it may feel rough, but I feel we can afford to give her the spare action guarding Velvet. She only needed to spend one of her actions learning this turn anyway.



As for the planning of things though?

Velvet will give a resource she now, for a moment, has. Time. Spending an action with Mareinette.
And... ah, I would propose we move a step further even! I am not usually one to lean into making Velvet seem scarier than she is, but needs must.
Mareinette can speak and act and work in Velvet's place after all. Albeit, with a Mareinette twist. So if we have Mareinette's action be a "Not-Velvet" action, then the cost pays for itself. And hey! That means for one action this turn "Not-Velvet" has lore levels, even despite the injury.

As for what to spend the remaining Velvet actions on and so on, I still need to think that through, check some numbers of what she has without lore levels, and the odds of a few things.

 

[Venerable Ro]

As for what to spend the remaining Velvet actions on and so on, I still need to think that through, check some numbers of what she has without lore levels, and the odds of a few things.

Click to shrink...

A good opportunity for low-level social actions mayhaps, we could make progress on Cheerilee and Mayor Mare while we're bedridden and it wouldn't be at all out of the ordinary for them to visit us considering the unfortunate circumstances.