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

[Zxzx24]

We should also pay extra attention to...

Well keeping in mind that we have zero lores I am glad as hell we are not leashing anyone.

Our minions and confidantes are also likely to have... feelings. About the tasks we assign them. Even if only narratively. So once again. I advise caution.

@OurLadyOfWires would winter allow a pony to resist having their dreams spied on?

 

[Sveta08]

I dislike the idea of using a ritual to spy on Windy instead of sending Selene to his dreams, especially since it would mean removing one of the Outsider search actions. The sooner we complete our search, the sooner we can reach the next stage and adjust our plans.

As for using the Guard action to reinforce Selene's protective convictions, I see Guard as a very passive, reactive action. I'd rather her be proactive when it comes to searching out would-be threats.

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Interesting idea. but....
Remember that the cultists don't dream normally. So, not sure how that might go.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Don't forget that Luna canonically has a bit of... difficulty to connect with and trust ponies, because she tends to place her responsibilities and title as THE reason why ponies should trust her and her alone to deal with any problems she feels are hers to solve without help.

Having Selene guard could reinforce those thoughts. And it would be preferable if she learned that other ponies can deal with their own issues without her getting involved but we also need to give her something to do so she feels useful(or maybe needed?), so Expedition.

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A valid concern, she does tend to get lost in her own head. Therefore it's important to help her build strong interpersonal connections with friends and loved ones who can help her trust herself and believe in her own value.

I'd like to recall and emphasize her first talk with Silky after coming back to herself, they promised to trust each other and stay together.

Luna will definitely get her shot at some good old fashioned righteous vengeance, but I also want to anchor her in her family's love and also reinforce for her (and for Velvet) why she's doing all of this.

Because she has a family.

Because she is a protector and guardian.

Because Silky is frightened and that simply won't do.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Personally I say we take out Copper this turn, and Next turn take out Windy. Clear the board of all the old Master's inner circle. That will take out the biggest threats, of Velvet's past getting out.

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

We have to remember that if Copper and Windy disappear, that does not remove the threat of other Cults. Taking them out just removes the centralizing figures. There will be other ponies who once worked under them now working to reach the Glory themselves.

The knowledge will spread, but we'll be ahead of the game.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

We have to remember that if Copper and Windy disappear, that does not remove the threat of other Cults. Taking them out just removes the centralizing figures. There will be other ponies who once worked under them now working to reach the Glory themselves.

The knowledge will spread, but we'll be ahead of the game.

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It won't stop the cults from appearing but it will take out the only 2 left with serious power already. It is much much harder for every else to gain lore knowledge compared to Velvet. You basically need a Name to boost yourself to even maintain parity, with Velvet. And importantly Copper and Windy have been the most active the longest by far.

Meaning Copper and Windy probably have a small collection of books, artifacts, and general lore stuff, Velvet can steal, to boost herself even further. We know Windy at least has one masterwork painting, Copper the Winter Name's painting etc.

 

[Steady Gaze]

Time for the follower phase table. (@OurLadyOfWires this may be of interest to you.) @ me if something is inaccurate or you need something updated. I forgot how tedious it was to make this, so I decided to skip the double-check and action counting this time, and I might stop doing it going forward. About the plans:

• So, I noticed people have been specifying followers for actions that are not actually unique to those followers. I'm not sure how the QM will handle this, so I decided not to really worry about presenting this info.
• Some voters include the constables 24/7 guard upgrade (vs. discretionary guard) as part of the actual plan, while other voters treat it as a separate vote. No one who proposed a plan actually voted for the discretionary guards though, so it probably won't matter.

Plan/Follower	TURaWork	TURaSearch	ElimThreat	Outshine2	TakeAlive	MoreHeart	GetOutsider	RCAssault	TURSSS	TURSSSVM	TROWS
Security			24/7	24/7	24/7		24/7	24/7	24/7		24/7
Detectives	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers	Attackers
Constables	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard	Guard
Rarity	Work		Work			Work		Work
Selene	Winter	Winter	General	Winter	Winter	Winter	General	Winter	Winter	Winter	Winter
Selene	Guard	Guard			Guard	Guard			Spy Windy	Spy Windy	Guard
Mareinette	Social Filthy	Social Filthy	Heart infl	Grail infl	Grail infl	Find victim	Social Filthy	Social Twilight	Social Filthy	Find victim	Find victim
Mareinette	Social Spoiled	Social Spoiled					Social Spoiled		Social Spoiled
DoA	Wrong keys	Wrong keys	Knock lesson	Knock lesson	Wrong keys	Wrong keys	Wrong keys	Wrong keys	Wrong keys	Wrong keys	Wrong keys
Baldomare	L6 or L5	L6 or L5 book	L6 book	L6 or L5	L6 or L5	L6 or L5	L6 book	L6 or L5	L6 or L5	L6 or L5	L6 or L5
Servants			Find easy exped
Jade				MemLight				MemLight
*	Outsider 2x	Outsider 3x	Outsider 2x	Outsider 3x			Outsider 4x	Outsider 2x	Outsider 3x	Outsider 3x	Outsider 2x
*	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper	Scry Copper
*											Scry Windy
*	Assault Copper	Assault Copper	Assault Copper	Assault Copper	Assault Copper	Assault Copper	Assault Copper		Assault Copper	Assault Copper	Assault Copper
*	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped	Grave exped
*					Make prison	Make prison
*						Find Heart, Forge books
Plan/Follower	TURaWork	TURaSearch	ElimThreat	Outshine2	TakeAlive	MoreHeart	GetOutsider	RCAssault	TURSSS	TURSSSVM	TROWS

You need this to be done. Send a pony on an expedition.

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This plan doesn't include which expedition to go on. I decided to assume you meant the Grave on a Hill.

Plan Relative calm before the Assault

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FYI this is the only plan that doesn't actually assault Copper this turn.

The one thing I'm dissatisfied with with the existing plans is that there aren't a lot of plans that want to take Copper alive. I guess we can rely on the Mareinette victim-finding method.

 

[spiderhellian]

This plan doesn't include which expedition to go on. I decided to assume you meant the Grave on a Hill.

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I'm pretty sure we decide all this when we do the expedition planning vote, but yeah it's moot.

Thanks for compiling!

One note: There's no need to distinguish training actions for Selene, since either one gets them both done with Diligent.

I think Baldomare free are all the same too tbh, no ones like "No, our precious level 5 books!"

The one thing I'm dissatisfied with with the existing plans is that there aren't a lot of plans that want to take Copper alive

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Seems a little dicey with using the Rarity action and the prison not being guaranteed. But man it would be cool to use her for Lantern sacrament.

 

[Quaxotia]

The only thing you know is that it is dark. You can't feel your legs spasming under you, with the rhythm of a fake heart. You can't even hear your own voice, as you mumble something unintelligible to yourself.

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I am now imagining that this is what Velvet was listening to subconsciously:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erbOgj6Alvc
No wonder she begged for salvation

Seems a little dicey with using the Rarity action and the prison not being guaranteed. But man it would be cool to use her for Lantern sacrament.

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If she gets taken alive and the prison doesn't materialize, I wonder if Biedde will just dispose of her on the spot or if she will be taken directly to Velvet who will then have to execute her? If the prison does get dug out in Jade's basement in 1 turn is it suitable to store someone who is likely more learned than an average cultist? She's caused enough trouble for us as it is, and dead mares don't bite (mostly). I would be totally down for it if only the Lantern sacrament were ready though.

 

[Limabot]

[X] Plan Outshine v2
I like this plan for pursuing the Memory of Light (which may help in dealing with the Daybreaker seed in Celestia).

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying
I am also voting for this plan for finally doing something about figuring out what Windy's been up to.

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Working
And here's just a really safe backup in case the other two don't win (as in, it's probably the least risky plan in my opinion).

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

[X] Plan Outshine v2
I like this plan for pursuing the Memory of Light (which may help in dealing with the Daybreaker seed in Celestia).

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying
I am also voting for this plan for finally doing something about figuring out what Windy's been up to.

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There are two other plans that also look into Windy, you know.

 

[Shaper47]

? If the prison does get dug out in Jade's basement in 1 turn is it suitable to store someone who is likely more learned than an average cultist?

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Our Lady of Wires can happily take that delicious grail knowledge from her.

 

[Alan975]

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying, and Venerable Mareinette

[X] Plan More Heart

What sorcery is this, are we actually going to solve a recurring problem?

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

Would Rarity even be willing to dig a prison for us? Unless the plan includes a Grail Influence, she would no longer be a Minion with our current lack of lores so she might find creating a prison to be morally questionable.

 

[Limabot]

There are two other plans that also look into Windy, you know.

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I know. I'm just kind of repelled by Mareinette's "finding a victim" action. I know it's nonlethal, but it rubs me the wrong way. Plus, she may end up finding someone too sympathetic to want to give them up.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Would Rarity even be willing to dig a prison for us? Unless the plan includes a Grail Influence, she would no longer be a Minion with our current lack of lores so she might find creating a prison to be morally questionable.

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Rarity and Jade are both minions outright, Velvet just lies to herself that they are not.

 

[AuthorTransient]

But if you want the chance to heal two wounds, you'd need to spend at least one action healing. Plus, you already promised Mareinette one action.

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@OurLadyOfWires - wait, so if we don't channel an Influence this turn for Velvet to have actions, that means we need to grant Mareinette one action on the next turn?

If that's the case I would honestly prefer channeling a Lantern influence, to at least have Velvet actually see that her friends and family care for her (and maybe illuminate Mareinette's motives a little - though that most recent update has made me revise my estimation of her by a few notches). And, I suppose, to not turn her face from the truth - 'we do what we must, because we can. for the good of all of us - except the ones who are dead'.

 

[Venerable Ro]

The one thing I'm dissatisfied with with the existing plans is that there aren't a lot of plans that want to take Copper alive. I guess we can rely on the Mareinette victim-finding method.

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Thing is we are 0/4 on scraps for both Grail and Lantern, the two highly dubious sacraments that would require a prisoner. We also don't currently have a place to put a prisoner, or the proper arrangements to preserve one. It's just too much of a damn hassle to try and keep a high level Grail adept (one who hates us) imprisoned in a makeshift basement oubliette indefinitely while we wait to get enough scraps to do a Sacrament that might very well never come to fruition.

I might have had some sympathy towards the recruit/conscript idea before, melancholic might-have-beens being what they are, but then she set a windigo on our house.

Sympathy's gone.

I know. I'm just kind of repelled by Mareinette's "finding a victim" action. I know it's nonlethal, but it rubs me the wrong way. Plus, she may end up finding someone too sympathetic to want to give them up.

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Now I did try to specify "a reprehensible person fit for a reprehensible fate", since I can read the wind and see people fixating on the Sacrament now that Celestia is Lantern 0. Better an actual monster than Cheerilee or some other bystander being summarily declared disposable.

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Also to the general thread, looking to highlight this notice.

Despite what is written here, you are not "forced" to act upon any of this information. However, these notes should be considered carefully:
-Selene insists that you order her to "Guard" this turn, with one of her actions.
-The Constables of the Lunar Bureau insist that you order them to "Guard" you this turn.
-The Investigators can follow the trail of your attackers in a specially-tailored investigation.
-Your family is extremely worried about you, and about their safety.
-No enemy rituals are forthcoming. And no Fleeting Opportunities will be made available during Velvet's Phase.

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"Your family is extremely worried about you, and about their safety."

Let's go down the list:
As our husband Stormchaser would have gotten our full medical report, he knows we could be dead, he knows we should be dead, and aside from our Names and Luna he has the best understanding of why we aren't dead. Furthermore he knows more about our personal history and struggles than anyone else, including we voices in Velvet's head, and he's going to be concerned about how we're going to take this. Ah yes, and we can't forget that he's had his inability to protect his wife and children thrown in his face by this incident, he didn't even know Velvet was in trouble, now he gets to wonder what he'd be able to do if this happened again.

Soft Sweeps is an orphan, adopted into our family after losing both her parents all at once during the Catastrophe, the horror of that led to her successful attempted suicide which was only averted by Velvet's caring love and dedication. She's doing better than she was, but she's still deeply scarred, seeing Velvet like this after a sudden attack is like something whispered by her worst nightmares. I don't think I can overstate how traumatic this is for Soft Sweeps, she's in desperate need of reassurance.

Silky Stream is our firstborn and only child by blood, a dear little filly with an earnest gift for empathy and making friends with everyone she meets. She's led an idyllic and adventurous life so far, recently making a bevy of friends her own age and meeting fascinating new ponies such as Mr. Biedde and her favorite Auntie Baldie! Best of all she's gotten not one, not two, but three new sisters; even if Soft has her bad days, Selene turned out to be a princess, and Axe had to leave for a while, they all came back to her when they could. Tonight was different though. Tonight Silky saw her mother lying in her bed looking like a dead pony, tonight Silky's mother looked at her and didn't recognize her.

Selene, née Luna, is our recently adopted daughter, brought back to her fullest potential through the careful and loving attention of Velvet Covers, Stormchaser, and all our family. She has heard, accepted, and forgiven our role in her original downfall, any recrimination abandoned in favor of love, a daughter's love for her mother. Selene has committed to staying with her family as a daughter and a sister no matter what, even after her presumed eventual reinstatement as a princess. She and Silky in particular share a strong bond of trust reforged on the night that Selene came back into her own.

"S-so… uhm… am I the little sister now"
"Pfff, you are worried about that? Well, I guess you are."
"Okay… and uhm, can I… Can I look at your cutie mark? I mean, I always hoped we'd get ours closer to each other but…"
"Of course you can, you don't even have to ask!"
"And I… can I keep calling you Selene?"
"I'd love it if you did, sis."

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Selene has committed herself to her family, and also to her place as one of Equestria's alicorns, that sacred charge of guardianship. Vexingly, barely even a month later Velvet was attacked outside their very house and Selene wasn't able to do a thing about it, she didn't even know Velvet was hurt until after the fact. Now her mother is on the very edge of death and suffering, her father is beside himself, and her sisters are terrified of the present moment and the uncertain future.

Selene needs to put this right, to protect and comfort her family as they did her, to be the inspiration of hope that a princess can be. This is what she was born to do, not as an explanation but as a duty. A glad and joyful duty, not a cold and scarred one. If this is a nightmare for her family, well defeating nightmares is Princess Luna's buisness.


View: https://youtu.be/tWpe2ppRRGg?feature=shared


All of this being a longwinded way of saying that Selene's [guard] action is not just gilding the lily but allowing her to uphold her promises to her family and make up for her perceived failure. If we send her off to another city or to dream-haunt some random serial killer instead of letting her keep her loved ones safe... Well that's a message isn't it? "I trust Biedde and these constables to keep us safe more than I trust you, we don't need you."

That's not true at all though, she is absolutely needed, absolutely trusted, and we need to prove it to her.

 

[Shaper47]

I wonder if we could have Velvet watch as Mareinette drinks prisoner Copper's grail levels?

We might learn a thing or two and gain a Grail scrap.

 

[Nevermort]

In order

@Steady Gaze Plan Take them Alive have Memory of Light (but not says that Jade is the one who must do it) and one Search for Outsider action.

Also let's be honest, there's always going to be more opportunities to get prisoners if we decide we really need one. Hunting down any murdery cultists the Bureau might have missed, Windy, nabbing a changeling from one of the hives before the Bureau gets there, sending out Biedde or Mareinette to nab the closest unrepentant serial murderer...

Edit: Point is, we really shouldn't be worried about getting prisoners right now, considering both possible Sacraments that can consume one are still a ways off.

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Changelings do not count for Sacrifices, hunting down murderly cultists is what we embark this turn on and making it a separate action would be wasteful. Plus nothing stops us from befriending said prisoner via Marienette and using for Moth Sacrament too, why send Mareinette to search for one when we can get them delivered to us by Named squad that we send after Copper, less murders this way too.

Don't forget that Luna canonically has a bit of... difficulty to connect with and trust ponies, because she tends to place her responsibilities and title as THE reason why ponies should trust her and her alone to deal with any problems she feels are hers to solve without help.

Having Selene guard could reinforce those thoughts. And it would be preferable if she learned that other ponies can deal with their own issues without her getting involved but we also need to give her something to do so she feels useful(or maybe needed?), so Expedition.

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Selena guards not only Velvet but the whole house. She promised to protect Silky and Selena staying with her will help Silky too.