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

[Greymere]

And when she wakes up, in the middle of the night and back in the Royal Castle, the only thing she can think of is…

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Ominous

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

I am feeling a lot better about Luna's Guarding now.

 

[Greymere]

Names have a three turn period between resummoning, I thought.

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DoA only has a 1 turn cooldown, unlike the other Names.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

DoA only has a 1 turn cooldown, unlike the other Names.

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Oh. Neat. Still would rather try to knock out her Sacrament, to save the bits and AP of summoning if nothing else.

 

[DelightedOne]

Ah, the Cadance interlude, I have been waiting for you.

The sun is nowhere to be seen, and the moon is currently being blocked by angry clouds charged with lightning.

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Foreshadowing? Only time can tell.

Everypony is sad, Cadance is worried, all according to the plan.

However, she can't… she can't really feel…

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Oh, she can't feel our conection because Velvet is dead... that sucks.

Fuck, the Wolf is strong in Velvet if she is that mad at Cadance.

"-Cadance! Cadance!"

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... It was just a dream. That is actually more realistic than Velvet going crazy like that and would you look at that Selene has her own color now, look how much she's grown.

"If you think this is your fault, then do better."

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And that is why I think she shouldn't guard, look at how she is dealing with everything, she will push herself so much to prove she is worth it that it may cause more problema down the line in a lot of ways for her development.

The sisters bonding is the only sweet thing in that house now. How sad.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

And that is why I think she shouldn't guard, look at how she is dealing with everything, she will push herself so much to prove she is worth it that it may cause more problema down the line in a lot of ways for her development.

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She'll push herself at any task we set before her anyways, or interpret being sent away on some other as a punishment of sorts for being inadequate protection. She's not in the headspace for interpreting anything in a favorable light right now.

At least she's not rushing out to try and solo Copper like she did the one Worm.

 

[Greymere]

And that is why I think she shouldn't guard, look at how she is dealing with everything, she will push herself so much to prove she is worth it that it may cause more problema down the line in a lot of ways for her development.

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And you don't think the alicorn with a bit of a martyr complex that won't take that as an indirect rebuke, just like Cadance did here? As a "you're not good enough to protect me, because you already failed the first time"?

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

And if there is a follow-up assault, she'll definitely blame any Constable deaths on herself right now.

 

[Zxzx24]

Perhaps it IS a good time to spend time with our loved ones.

 

[Venerable Ro]

It is night....

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Ah, vindication is sweet. Did I inspire or predict all of that? A harrowing passage either way, dear Cadance is not doing well it seems. Needs more hugs.

Alas for Baldomare-as-Virgil, for mercy is found only in shadow and she by her nature must illuminate.

 

[Greymere]

Is Cadance someone we can pick to talk to with our AP? I feel like she might need it. (@OurLadyOfWires?)

 

[Zxzx24]

...also not for nothing did I say "choose our follower actions carefully"

Everyone is in a bit of a fragile state right now. From Rarity to Cadence to Stormchaser.

Even Velvet Steppes. And our extended family will be rocked.

More than a blood tie we are the Steppes meal ticket. And we almost died.

@OurLadyOfWires you have a wonderful way of reminding people to care. I hope you know.

Also does anyone have a vote tally?

 

[Shaper47]

Yeah, we need more heart around here.

And we should probably have a social action with Cadence.

 

[Greymere]

Also does anyone have a vote tally?

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: Current Tally

Vote Tally : Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience | Page 173 | Questionable Questing [Posts: 5284-5449]
##### NetTally 5.0.6

Task: 【NONE】
— Voters: 24

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) Guard us and our home
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Filthy Rich and Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider (x 3)
No. of Votes: 8

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Time's Up - Rarity Searching
[X] Anjaxis
[X] Cochimetl
[X] Greymere
[X] LieutenantSpirit
[X] Quaxotia
[X] Rafuki22
[X] Steady Gaze
[X] Sveta08

[X] Plan More Heart
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on work
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) Guard us and our home
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Something else? (We intend to put on a performance in the near future, with Mareinette playing a central role. But we need a victim lead, would fair Mareinette be so kind as to seek out an ideal costar? For the Moth Sacrament we need a reprehensible pony to inflict a reprehensible fate upon without regret, Mareinette knows the sent of such all too well.)
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
-[X] Jade's house is now adequately clean. Or at least sufficiently presentable for ponies to work on it. You should…(Forge-aligned ponies are better suited at attempting these tasks)
---[X] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies.
No. of Votes: 6

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: More Heart
[X] Alan975
[X] HellFire666
[X] Lorrie
[X] Maer
[X] Nevermort
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Digging
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) Guard us and our home
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Filthy Rich and Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Jade's house is now adequately clean. Or at least sufficiently presentable for ponies to work on it. You should… (Forge-aligned ponies are better suited at attempting these tasks)
--[X] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider (x 2)
No. of Votes: 6

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Time's Up - Rarity Digging
[X] des-pair-2
[X] HellFire666
[X] Nevermort
[X] Quaxotia
[X] Sintonir
[X] Steady Gaze

[X] Plan Take them Alive
-[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
-[X][SELENE] Realize something about Winter. (Unlock her Winter skill) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X][SELENE] Guard her mother.
-[X][MAREINETTE] Channel an Influence. (GRAIL)
-[X] (AXE) Craft Wrong Keys. (She will give you three Wrong Keys, which will expire after five turns. Only once per summoning.)
-[X] Jade's house is now adequately clean. Or at least sufficiently presentable for ponies to work on it. You should… (Forge-aligned ponies are better suited at attempting these tasks)
--[X] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry.
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them.
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare.
-[X] Research "A Memory of Light".
-[X] Jade's house is now adequately clean. Or at least sufficiently presentable for ponies to work on it. You should… (Forge-aligned ponies are better suited at attempting these tasks)
--[X] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.
-[X] Lead an expedition. (A Grave on a Hill)
-[X] Lead the assault on Copper.
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider.
-[X] (BALDOMARE) Prolong her stay by giving her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book.
No. of Votes: 5

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Take them Alive
[X] DelightedOne
[X] Lorrie
[X] Nevermort
[X] Pittauro
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Working
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on work
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) Guard us and our home
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Filthy Rich and Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider (x2)
No. of Votes: 5

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Time's Up - Rarity Working
[X] Anjaxis
[X] Bakkasama
[X] Cochimetl
[X] Greymere
[X] Limabot

[X] Plan Outshine v2
-[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light"
-[X][SELENE] Realize something about Winter. (Unlock her Winter skill) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X][MAREINETTE] Channel an Influence. (GRAIL)
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book.
-[X] There is something in Canterlot that you simply must find. Look for it. (Progress 0/200, applies Intrigue and Secret Histories) 3 times.
-[X] You need this to be done. Send a pony on an expedition.(The Grave on the Hill)
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry(Copper and her Cult)
--[X] To be performed on the safe place Baldomare directed you to.
-[X][COPPER] Send somepony to attack this opponent.
No. of Votes: 4

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Outshine v2
[X] DelightedOne
[X] des-pair-2
[X] Limabot
[X] Pittauro

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) You need her to talk to somepony about…
--[X] Spy on Windy Flakes's dreams
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Filthy Rich and Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider (x 3)
No. of Votes: 3

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying
[X] LieutenantSpirit
[X] Limabot
[X] spiderhellian

[X] Plan: Talon-Ro Wartime Surveillance
-[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
-[X][GUARD] You would very much like to keep this safe. (Let Luna guard us)
-[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… ("The Reflection of the Tapestry" seeking Copper Secateur's specific whereabouts)
--[X] To be performed on the safe place Baldomare directed you to. (Will expire at the end of turn 20)
-[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… ("The Reflection of the Tapestry" seeking information on Windy Flake's current activities and whereabouts)
--[X] To be performed on the safe place Baldomare directed you to. (Will expire at the end of turn 20)
-[X][COPPER] Send somepony to attack this opponent
-[X][FLUTTERSHY] Ask Comet to go on an assault/expedition.
-[X] You need this to be done. Send a pony on an expedition. (The Grave)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Prolong her stay. (Gifting her the level six book found in the Grave expedition, if the book is unavailable then her choice of level five books.)
-[X][SELENE] Realize something about Winter. (Unlock her Winter skill) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X][AXE] Make Keys.
-[X][MAREINETTE] Something else? (We intend to put on a performance in the near future, with Mareinette playing a central role. But we need a lead, would fair Mareinette be so kind as to seek out an ideal costar? For the Moth Sacrament we need a reprehensible pony to inflict a reprehensible fate upon without regret, Mareinette knows the sent of such all too well.)
-[X] There is something in Canterlot that you simply must find. Look for it. (Progress 0/200, applies Intrigue and Secret Histories) X2
No. of Votes: 3

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Talon-Ro Wartime Surveillance
[X] Cochimetl
[X] Talon Tiger Dino
[X] Venerable Ro

[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
No. of Votes: 2

Spoiler: Voters

[X] Greymere
[X] LieutenantSpirit

[X] Plan Eliminate Threats. Setup for befriending 2 Names
-[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
-[X][SELENE] This body is new to her, but it is old to the world. She must learn of its abilities and privileges. (Grain +5 to her General Bonus) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X][SELENE] Something else? (Expeditions Grave on the Hill)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Scry Copper and her forces.
-[X][MAREINETTE] Channel an Influence. (Heart)
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][Biedde] Lead the assault on Copper.
--[X] Priority 1 Unsummon/Flip the Winter Name, and retrieve the means of summoning ritual/Painting
--[X] Priority 2 Kill Copper
--[X] Priority 3 Retrieve all the valuables.
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][FLUTTERSHY] Search for the Outsider
-[X][Jade] Search for the Outsider
-[X][Servants] Equestria is full of undiscovered places. You must learn their secrets…
--[X] Search for a place that is recent in its ruin, whose History is decided. Mundane as it might be, it might still bear treasures. (Search for an "easy" expedition)
No. of Votes: 2

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Eliminate Threats. Setup for befriending 2 Names
[X] des-pair-2
[x] Earth-Destroyer

[X] Plan Let's Get That Outsider:
-[X] A tighter security detail
-[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual…(Reflection of the Tapestry, aimed at COPPER)
--[X] To be performed on the safe place Baldomare directed you to. (Will expire at the end of turn 20)
-[X] Attack your foe, or defend yourself. In war, there is no other option.
--[X][COPPER] Send somepony to attack this opponent
-[X][MAREINETTE] Social Filthy/Spoiled.
-[X] You need this to be done. Send a pony on an expedition.
-[X][AXE] Make Keys.
-[X][SELENE] This body is new to her, but it is old to the world. She must learn of its abilities and privileges. (Grain +5 to her General Bonus) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book from Hill Expedition
-[X] Explore for the Outsider x4
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
No. of Votes: 2

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Let's Get That Outsider:
[x] spiderhellian
[x] Steady Gaze

[X] Plan Relative calm before the Assault
-[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light".
-[X][SELENE] Realize something about Winter. (Unlock her Winter skill) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X][SELENE] Guard her mother.
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Twilight Sparkle, if vetoed then search Canterlot for the Outsider.
-[X] (AXE) Craft Wrong Keys. (She will give you three Wrong Keys, which will expire after five turns. Only once per summoning.)
-[X] (BALDOMARE) Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry.
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them.
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare.
-[X] (BALDOMARE) Prolong her stay by giving her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Moth 5 book.
-[X] Lead an expedition. (A Grave on a Hill)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider. (x 2)
No. of Votes: 2

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Relative calm before the Assault
[X] Cochimetl
[X] Rafuki22

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying, and Venerable Mareinette
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) You need her to talk to somepony about…
--[X] Spy on Windy Flakes's dreams
-[X][MAREINETTE] Something else? (We intend to put on a performance in the near future, with Mareinette playing a central role. But we need a lead, would fair Mareinette be so kind as to seek out an ideal costar? For the Moth Sacrament we need a reprehensible pony to inflict a reprehensible fate upon without regret, Mareinette knows the sent of such all too well.)
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider (x 3)
No. of Votes: 2

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Time's Up - Rarity Searching, Selene Spying, and Venerable Mareinette
[X] Alan975
[X] Talon Tiger Dino

[X] A tighter security detail
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[x] Steady Gaze

[X] Plan Relative calm during the Assault
-[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (VENGEANCE) Somepony dared attack the Commissioner. Find their trail.
-[X][CONSTABLES] The Commissioner is just too important to leave unattended. Run security. (Order them to "Guard" you for this turn.)
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light".
-[X][SELENE] Realize something about Winter. (Unlock her Winter skill) (TRAINING ACTION)
-[X][SELENE] Guard her mother.
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Twilight Sparkle, if vetoed then search Canterlot for the Outsider.
-[X] (BALDOMARE) Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry.
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them.
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare.
-[X] (BALDOMARE) Prolong her stay by giving her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Moth 5 book.
-[X] Lead an expedition. (A Grave on a Hill)
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider. (x 2)
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Relative calm during the Assault
[X] Rafuki22

---

Total No. of Voters: 24

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

[X] Plan More Heart

[X] Plan: Talon-Ro Wartime Surveillance

On the off chance that using and recovering from our Heart Realization for the first time yields a Scrap, I am willing to perhaps gamble on finding a Heart Book. Then it's just a Read and an Influence to All-4.

 

[Zxzx24]

Good Baldomare is never wrong, and speaking to her is always as illuminating as it is distressing.

Click to shrink...

I imagine she is wrong sometimes. Even if she keeps well ahead of most other ponies in that regard.

But still, the stallion can't stop himself. He has to know. Even if it hurts him.

"Was… was there anything I could have done? Anything at all?" he asks.

To which the mare responds with a tired expression.

"No."

And that one word cuts the stallion deeper than anything else he has ever felt in his life.

Click to shrink...

That is the right answer. But it is also the wrong question isn't it?

No… thanks… I don't really feel like eating right now…" the pegasus mare answers.

Click to shrink...

"I have recently become acquainted with what hot ash tastes like and that was a far more pleasant experience."

She still remembers how… how Soft told her that… how her words made her remember all those...

Click to shrink...

Soft learning and exploring new depths of hatred.

It's one thing to lose everything in an attack by what are. Apparently. Monsters. To fire and chaos and tragedy.

It's another to realize that... thinking. Living. People. Who have parents and lives and loved ones.

Wanted her to lose it all again.

Thank you @Greymere ! And thank you for the tally!

 

[Rafuki22]

On the off chance that using and recovering from our Heart Realization for the first time yields a Scrap,

Click to shrink...

If that's the case we can do it next turn, no need to do it in this one.

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

My issue with the More Heart plan is that it doesn't include a search for the Outsider. I'd rather make progress on our main objective than maybe getting the chance to increase Heart next turn.

EDIT:
I'm also going to slightly change my votes around. I'm not the biggest fan of having Rarity dig a prison, but I've changed my mind about having Luna Guard instead of spying on Windy.
[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching
[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Digging

 

[Pittauro]

I would prefer to have our Secret Histories Sacrament before trying Axe Knock Sacrament.

Click to shrink...

Axe expires on turn 21, so to do that we'd have to get them BOTH in the same turn.

We just don't have the time to get SH before Axe expires, unless we go for something like what I posted, basically having 2 actions on SH Sacrament and 2 or 3 (or more) on Axe's Knock Sacrament all at the same time.

Sadly DoA is unsummoned end of next turn, so we either kick it into high gear to save that snake or we consign ourselves to being short our best expedition pony for three turns again, and contesting the summon should we get drained of Keys. And so on.

Click to shrink...

Axe is only one turn, but that's still fairly annoying (and we'd then need to resummon her. Also Silky would get sad!

However, she can't… she can't really feel…

Click to shrink...

no love? so Velvet doesn't recognize her either I imagine.

"Cadance… you have a lot of nerve coming here," the voice says.

Click to shrink...

...what?

And Cadance's heart sinks a little bit more as she realizes that Velvet's tone is not just tired.

It is angry.

Click to shrink...

what?

"Oh, don't give me that, you viper. You know what you did. You forced me into this job. You made this happen-!"

Click to shrink...

AH!

now I get it.

this is a nightmare.

So, will Selene interrupt it, I wonder, or will she just wake up when it's time for HER meeting with Velvet?

Or maybe she already met her and this happens later after she left...

"You just what? You are going to blame me? You are going to blame somepony else? Swear up and down it is not your fault? The same way it wasn't your fault when you let the country fall apart, right when Celestia needed you most? The same way it wasn't your fault that the pony you claim to love the most lost his horn? The same way it wasn't your fault when you failed to save Twilight?!"

Click to shrink...

...I'm interested in that "failed to save Twilight".

Then again, we kind of already knew from the despair the wolf-not-cultist felt from the house...

But while she failed to save her... it MIGHT have been enough to stop it from getting worse, at least for now?

"Everypony around you gets hurt. Everypony around you gets broken. How many more times does this have to happen before you realize that the one thing they all had in common was you. How many more ponies need to suffer before you see that this is all your fault?! Princess of Love, you call yourself? More like Princess of Loss." Velvet says.

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...this could easily apply to Velvet, I imagine. She probably has similar fears.

Except in her case there's a bit more of a base to it.

"-Cadance! Cadance!"



-fall on her hindquarters as the world suddenly twists around her.

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Nice!

I wanted more Selene and Cadance interactions!

No, she is right… everything is slowly coming back to her… A few seconds pass, and Cadance finally remembers the real conversation she had with her friend, and everything after that.

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ok, so this IS happening after.

"Mom didn't tell you anything, Cadance. This was just a dream. That was just a figment of your imagination."

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she calls us mom even with Cadance!

...I wonder if she finds it weird.

"Cadance, I need you to get yourself together. I can't keep doing this every night."

And as Luna says those words, Cadance doesn't even realize the other alicorn is also talking to herself.

"If you think this is your fault, then do better."

She doesn't realize that Luna is also in as much pain as she is. Or perhaps even more.

Instead, she only thinks that the Princess of the Moon has found her wanting.

And when she wakes up, in the middle of the night and back in the Royal Castle, the only thing she can think of is…

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Damnit Cadance!

And you too, Selene! Couldn't you have shared a bit of YOUR doubts as well, to make her understand!?

Her disguise is not worth it. She should just reveal herself right now, and damn the consequences. That way, the constables would have to obey her orders to fortify the mansion, and she wouldn't be expected to haul her flank to school to learn about fractions.

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...that would be so... I can't even imagine how Equestria AND Celestia would react!

Her mother did not yet have the time to teach her the theory in depth, and most of the knowledge she has is from the empirical lessons she learned over the last year. But still… still, winter is close enough to heart to detect its influence.

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oh, I suppose the All-4 lesson would also include more "narrative" knowledge of what the lores are and do, beside what SHE actually CAN do with her affinities...

"Is… is any bad pony coming to hurt us tonight? I-is… is mom going to wake up tomorrow…?"

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ok, I suppose there WERE good reasons to not make the attack known...

Couldn't he have avoided this somehow? Shouldn't he have predicted something like this was coming? Damn it all, shouldn't he be the one who was bound to a bed, fighting for his life, instead of his fragile, crippled wife, who almost died giving birth to their daughter?!

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...give us a turn and she'll no longer be crippled and fragile!

I wonder how that will make him feel.

I did NOT expect Stormchaser to spend time with Baldomare though.

"I don't want to hurt you, Stormchaser," the mare says, as she lets out a pained sigh. "Please," she finishes.

And for some reason, that last word carries an unusual amount of weight.

Almost as if the mare was asking him not to make her hurt somepony. Although he isn't sure if Baldomare is afraid that she will hurt him… or herself.

But still, the stallion can't stop himself. He has to know. Even if it hurts him.

"Was… was there anything I could have done? Anything at all?" he asks.

To which the mare responds with a tired expression.

"No."

And that one word cuts the stallion deeper than anything else he has ever felt in his life.

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Baldomare... she IS starting to care, even if she doesn't want to.

This is her 6th month spent with us, even if with a break in the middle. also Bird gifted us that lvl5-book-equivalent scene.

I really can't wait to progress our relationship with her.

She still remembers how… how Soft told her that… how her words made her remember all those...

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yeah, angry 3/7th wolf daughter is not something you really want to be in the presence of...

"Well, I heard Subtle Glare is already working on finding replacements. Most I heard is that he sent out a missive to the main house in Canterlot. But what's really been buzzing around is that a candidate appeared who is here form Ponyville!"

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Probably the "friend" from the Wolf-cult...

"Ah… I know her. She's a friend of mine and… Uhm, Cantrip, I don't like… asking for favors. But… do you think you could put in a good word for her? I mean, if she's going to be hired by your side of the estate, I can't…"

"No need to say anything else. Of course I will!" Cantrip says, as soon as the mare trails off. But the smile that Soft has on her face is more than worth making this promise. "That's what friends are for. And also, any friend of yours is also a friend of mine, so I'd love to meet this Amor!"

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...

I might have preferred she didn't get the job, really.

And the more friends one has, the merrier.

Right?

Right?

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I don't like that wolf-color there!

Perhaps it IS a good time to spend time with our loved ones.

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Is Cadance someone we can pick to talk to with our AP? I feel like she might need it. (@OurLadyOfWires?)

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true about family, Cadance is probably not an option as she's usually in Canterlot.

She already visited, and we can't exactly PICK for her. I imagine we might get another Cadance interlude later maybe?

@OurLadyOfWires a clarification: Let's say Grail influence win, and we then spend an action with our family.

How does Grail affect that? Grail is not ONLY sexual pleasure, but "pleasure" in general. would that make it more easy to, say, distract Silky from her sadness and worrying?

 

[Greymere]

Hey, uh @Zxzx24? I think something wonky happened with your post's formatting.

 

[Zxzx24]

Leading plan is workable for me. I think it's too soon to assault Copper. But hopefully reflection of the tapestry gives us good Intel.

As an idle question. @OurLadyOfWires

Since reflection of the Tapestry let's her see distant Vistas. But presumably not go to them.

Does she prefer visiting them in person? Or does the convenience of being able to stay in one place outweigh that.

That she can of course. Stay home and drink wine, while at the same time going on a trip to where and probably whenever she feels like. Goes without saying.

 

[Rafuki22]

Axe expires on turn 21, so to do that we'd have to get them BOTH in the same turn.

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We don't need to do Axe Sacrament next turn, we wouldn't finish it and we would be overstreaching when we could be doing other things, i think that it is better if we make the preparations to do her Sacrament before summoning her again.

Soft learning and exploring new depths of hatred.

It's one thing to lose everything in an attack by what are. Apparently. Monsters. To fire and chaos and tragedy.

It's another to realize that... thinking. Living. People. Who have parents and lives and loved ones.

Wanted her to lose it all again.

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yeah, angry 3/7th wolf daughter is not something you really want to be in the presence of...

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The attackers are fortunate to be dead.

 

[Greymere]

Axe expires on turn 21, so to do that we'd have to get them BOTH in the same turn.

We just don't have the time to get SH before Axe expires, unless we go for something like what I posted, basically having 2 actions on SH Sacrament and 2 or 3 (or more) on Axe's Knock Sacrament all at the same time.

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We could also technically just take Baldomare's SH Sacrament, since that only costs us 1 AP.

Edit:

We don't need to do Axe Sacrament next turn, we wouldn't finish it and we would be overstreaching when we could be doing other things, i think that it is better if we make the preparations to do her Sacrament before summoning her again.

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We don't actually know that, seeing as we don't know how many actions will be necessary. For that matter, we don't even know what's involved, so I'm not really sure how we could prepared for it beyond "don't be already carrying around a Wound and/or Dread/Fascination".

 

[DelightedOne]

Now that I stopped to think about it, how suspicious would it be for Mareinette to be Velvet if she is supposed to be half-dead?

 

[Rafuki22]

We could also technically just take Baldomare's SH Sacrament, since that only costs us 1 AP.

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We could, but do we want to? I know sunk cost fallacy and that...

We don't actually know that,

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We don't know many things, i don't think that we should rush things, but i wouldn't be opposed to doing it next turn, i suppose that way we would actually know what to be prepared for next time.

Now that I stopped to think about it, how suspicious would it be for Mareinette to be Velvet if she is supposed to be half-dead?

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I assume that it would be at the end of the month...if we heal properly...

Or the explanation could just be [GRAIL].

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

If that's the case we can do it next turn, no need to do it in this one.

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Not if we want to teach our family at the same time as Selene we can't. Takes our group a whole turn to come up with the books for purchasing normally.

 

[Greymere]

We could, but do we want to? I know sunk cost fallacy and that...

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While I do have a preference for our personal Sacrament, if it means we can start working on our other Sacraments sooner, or just actually get the SH Sacrament, period, since doing our personal one means convincing people to both have Baldomare give us an Influence and do the Sacrament action x2 in a turn, I'd be willing to go for it. Baldomare's SH Sacrament still sounds interesting enough, so I would be happy enough with it if it means we don't stall out on Sacrament progress.

Bird's mentioned before that her Sacrament will also give us some sort of insights into Equestria's history (I suspect because it might be related to expeditions ) which, while it isn't alt-History sight, is also a very interesting avenue to explore.

 

[Pittauro]

We don't need to do Axe Sacrament next turn, we wouldn't finish it and we would be overstreaching when we could be doing other things, i think that it is better if we make the preparations to do her Sacrament before summoning her again.

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How do you know we wouldn't finish it?

It LOOKS like most sacraments can be completed in 2 to 3 actions in optimal conditions (failed rolls might mean we need more actions). I think there's a reasonable chance of us completing Axe's sacrament before she's "desummoned".

That said we'll see next turn if we have the time for it. There's certainly a lot of stuff we need to do.

Outsider, study artifacts, remove scar, SH/Knock/Edge Sacraments...


...actually...

@OurLadyOfWires if the Forge ritual succeeds and we remove the scar, would we immediately go to health 3? If so, we might want to do Biedde's Sacrament that same turn...

which WILL have us getting hurt again, likely worrying people... but we DO need the sacraments...

We could also technically just take Baldomare's SH Sacrament, since that only costs us 1 AP.

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Sure, but I imagine we won't. Not when we already started with our own.

We could also technically just take Baldomare's SH Sacrament, since that only costs us 1 AP.

Edit:

We don't actually know that, seeing as we don't know how many actions will be necessary. For that matter, we don't even know what's involved, so I'm not really sure how we could prepared for it beyond "don't be already carrying around a Wound and/or Dread/Fascination".

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SH influence because we're presumably "searching for something", and that sounds like an SH roll.

Beside that... well, the more influences we carry the more prepared we'd be, but that's a bit of a random guess on which one we pick

Not if we want to teach our family at the same time as Selene we can't. Takes our group a whole turn to come up with the books for purchasing normally.

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eh, I imagine we won't do that shared lesson. We'd need 2 more heart scraps AND the Mareinette Heart Influence to get there, and in the meantime we'd have to willingly leave Selene at lower levels. Considering she'd get +1 health, +5 general and all-4 all at once I think I'd rather give her the bonuses earlier, even at the cost of wasting an action.

Unless we're actually sending someone to search for those lvl 3 heart books in ponyville, at least.

 

[Rafuki22]

She has, without a doubt, never had anything as bad as this happen to her in her entire life.

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Also, i forgot to comment about this at the time, but worse than meeting HIM? Than her regrets?

How do you know we wouldn't finish it?

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Being realistic, if we finish it in a turn or get a nat 100 you are free to tell me that you told me so.

If so, we might want to do Biedde's Sacrament that same turn...

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Yeah, because the church didn't teach us anything about risk and dangers.

 

[Greymere]

@OurLadyOfWires if the Forge ritual succeeds and we remove the scar, would we immediately go to health 3? If so, we might want to do Biedde's Sacrament that same turn...

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Or maybe we don't do trial-by-combat only a single turn after we were nearly killed and while also attempting a Sacrament with unknown risks?