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

[jelloloaf]

Heartened to see so much Copper sympathy. Still one of my favorite characters; I really wish we'd befriended her when we had the chance.

 

[Maer]

I love how Velvet's entire family just… Moth's and SH's their way into increasingly Bullcrap situations.

Velvet? Random nobody who got lucky to be courted and loved by just the right point with a knack for knowing when things are IMPORTANT. Then she got invited to a cult, learned ancient spooky magic Lores, did STUPIDLY well at them, accidentally lucked into Luna not being able to talk about her tormentors, successfully escaped and mostly separated herself FROM the cult, girl-bossed her way into single-hoofedly pulling the weight that the entire nobility dropped the ball on, earned the personal attention and favor of Princess Celestia, found and adopted a mentally damaged Princess Luna who came to truly see her as her mom, befriended Princess Cadence, took down the NAME OF MOTH in its own domain and body, then slipped across time and space to give ANOTHER Cadence a chance at love, before surviving an impossible assault that should have and effectively DID KILL HER, all while playing host to a dozen other Names!

Then there's Stormchaser who found and instinctively felt the need to marry a random cold mare who seemed painfully distant. After marrying her, they fell in love and had a daughter they ADORED, and she joined an odd book club. He eventually was told about everything, nearly abandoned her before realizing that he needed to stay and managing to let her mend the break between them, only to start learning. He indulged and found ways to slip into others lives, trade places and let them help him, which helped him help Comet, alongside numerous other tiny moments he's had of just… KNOWING what he needed to do. Culminating most recently in defusing a ticking time bomb through sheer himbo lack of awareness of the aggression in the room and wife-obsessed, lovesick agony over his injured beloved. It didn't even seem intentional or like he noticed anything at all!

Then there's Silky, who met and somehow befriended a Name through sheer innocent love and kindness, met and instantly attached herself to Selene- secretly the Princess of Equestria Luna herself. She reinforced that friendship when Axe returned, and has become something of a niece to all the Names she's been allowed to meet, learning from and spending time with all of them.

Luna was assaulted by worms and saved by Harmony, attacked by an ancient magical nightmare and driven nearly to total collapse only to be saved by pretty much the only Mare in Equestria both equipped to help her, familiar with raising a daughter, and willing to help rather than harm or shape her. She then learned the lores, gained a sister, recovered her memory, gained new parents, and is actively working on healing her OTHER sister, gained the trust of that Mare to the point she was willingly handed the reigns of a number of the most powerful creatures in all of Equestria, easily succeeded in a difficult task to protect her family and regain her self confidence, and has a perfect opportunity to learn grow and improve herself with endless love and affection from her family while also growing in strength and knowledge and capability with every passing month!

Soft Sweeps is maid to a minor noble house, innocent thanks to reading THAT BOOK so young instead of when she'd actually have internalized it, got effectively adopted by the lady of the house, DIED AND WAS BROUGHT BACK by said adoptive mom, has founded the beginnings of her own cult, and has not grown any worse(more Wolfish) thanks to her mother VERY CAREFULLY avoiding further stains on her soul, and may soon claim Twilight as a member of her following. In the process, she formed the closest possible thing to a Wolf cult dedicated to comforting and supporting those around them, the most harmonious POSSIBLE interpretation of the Wolf that I think can actually exist- community in shared suffering, support through pain, and connection through loss. The unmaking of your life left to fester and hurt, while using that commonality to grow closer as friends and found family. Still not healthy or ideal, but INFINITELY better than most examples of The Wolf…

Pride stumbled into his Sister's life and didn't find spite or resentment, but a caring sibling who was wary but willing to offer support. Then he fell face-first into love with a Name, got his sisters hesitant support for the crush, got support from ANOTHER Name on how to pursue the first Name, got 'not rejected' BY that Name he is pursuing, and is hoping to make further overtures since he's already made more successful overtures of romance towards a Name than any other living stallion has in thousands of years!

Just… our entire family is the most glorious and wonderful kind of Bullcrap in existence. I love them so much. XD

 

[spiderhellian]

Just… our entire family is the most glorious and wonderful kind of Bullcrap in existence

Click to shrink...

You're not wrong on this part…

and has not grown any worse thanks to her mother VERY CAREFULLY avoiding further stains on her soul

Click to shrink...

And nor are you here, because those stains on our soul only make Soft Sweeps better!

 

[Rafuki22]

And nor are you here, because those stains on our soul only make Soft Sweeps better!

Click to shrink...

If you use a specific non-conventional version of better, then yes, she is made "better".

 

[Greymere]

It's sorta surprising if the underworld-involved pony in Manehattan didn't have some interaction with or knowledge of another pony involved with that same underworld!

Click to shrink...

Not really. Manehattan is a pretty big place after all, and Copper's cult didn't have a ton of time to make themselves major players in the underworld.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Not really. Manehattan is a pretty big place after all, and Copper's cult didn't have a ton of time to make themselves major players in the underworld.

Click to shrink...

Especially since Copper's Winter Name seems to have insisted on Copper going into public works and the arts instead of organized crime.

 

[spiderhellian]

Not really. Manehattan is a pretty big place after all, and Copper's cult didn't have a ton of time to make themselves major players in the underworld.

Click to shrink...

Especially since Copper's Winter Name seems to have insisted on Copper going into public works and the arts instead of organized crime.

Click to shrink...

The cult has been there for a while at this point (it goes back to well before the Master left) and it even started off with taking over some gangs.

It is a big city, but it would be a little surprising…

Not clear it matters much now, though!

 

[Greymere]

The cult has been there for a while at this point (it goes back to well before the Master left) and it even started off with taking over some gangs.

Click to shrink...

That still amounts to less than a year, in a city with pre-established criminal organizations, and a good chunk of that time would have been spent actually getting the cult branch itself off the ground.

Like sure, they were involved in criminal actions, but that doesn't automatically make them a big fish in the Manehattan underworld, which seems to be where Steppes plays, Grail adept or no Grail adept.

 

[Venerable Ro]

So I had the strangest dream.

I dreamed that Windy Flakes had gone off and become the benevolent administrative savior of, somewhere (dreams eh?) solving everyone's problems through a combination of charisma and sheer organizational chops.

Then, after all of this he burst into a meeting in the townhall/throne room/main office/? and went off on this whole "I'll show them all!" rant about proving he could do anything Velvet could do, that unlike what some people believed he wasn't going going to turn into an animal just because he admired The Wolf, and now that he'd proved his point he was going to burn everything to the ground anyway for reasons that made good sense in a dream.

It was a whole official interlude, I even "remember" commenting to the effect of: "Welp, we found Windy."

 

[Rafuki22]

So I had the strangest dream.

Click to shrink...

Sometimes i wonder how dreams like that are formed.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan They Have A Winter Name
-[X][BUREAU] You will assault Copper BEFORE the Bureau picks her trail.
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
--[X] Who is going? (WRITE IN which followers will go)
---[X] Biedde (as planner). Daughter of Axes, Mareinette, Baldomare, Selene
--[X] What are they taking? (WRITE IN what artifacts, if any, to take)
---[X] Edge 3 artifact, SH 3 artifact, Heart 3 artifact, Winter 1 artifact, 1 Wrong Key (due to expire at end of turn)
--[X] What is their objective? (WRITE IN what your followers must do, in order of PRIORITY)
---[X] Neutralize Copper.
---[X] Neutralize Neighnia.
---[X] Remove any evidence tying us to the cult.
---[X] Loot their library, artifacts, bits, and so forth, should time allow.
--[X] Anything else? (WRITE IN any other orders or specifications you have)
---[X] Minimize non-Cult casualties.
---[X] Leave as little trace or tracks as possible.
--[X] Who is going? (WRITE IN which followers will go)
---[X] Rarity (as planner)
---[X] Daughter of Axes
--[X] What are they taking? (WRITE IN what artifacts, if any, to take)
---[X] Heart 3 artifact
---[X] SH 3 artifact
---[X] Winter 1 artifact
-[X] You are wounded! (You currently have 2 wounds. You must pick one of each option.)
--[X] Take a few breaks, every now and then. (Costs 1 action. Rolls TWO dice. 0/-15)
--[X] There is no holy grail for healing magic, no miraculous wound-closing spell. But vigor-enhancing spells, and other small boosts, are a thing. The crystals where they are stored for sale are expensive, though… (Costs 60 bits. Two dice will auto-succeed)
-[X][STEPPES] There is no guarantee he will be able to help you, but you will write him about…
--[X] How Silky has been shaken up by the attempt on your life, and how she might be comforted by her beloved uncle's presence.
-[X][SOCIAL] You don't have it in you to teach anypony of the Lores. But you can make a social call to… (WRITE IN) (IF CHOSEN, will give you a -15 to your healing roll, free action)
--[X] Mayor Mare
--[X] Cheerilee
--[X] Applejack

[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)

[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.

You are Velvet Covers.

Although, you don't feel like you have thought about that for a while now.

Sixteen days, to be exact. For the last sixteen days, your life has been nothing but a confusing blur of consciousness and darkness, sprinkled with long bouts of discomfort and pain. Of half-remembered conversations and familiar smells that you couldn't really recognize no matter how hard you tried.

You wonder if that number means anything. Probably not, you figure.

But more importantly, today you woke up feeling… better. Not great, not well enough to stay up and about for too long, but better. Better than you were yesterday, better than you were before that. And most importantly, you feel good enough to get out of this damn bed.

Because it doesn't matter how vigorously your maids clean your bedroom, during the short periods of time you were being showered or otherwise somewhere else, or how many time they changed your bedsheets. You still swear that the smell of this place is somehow infecting your fur.

"Alrighty Velvet, you can do this… one leg at a time," you say to yourself, as you tentatively light up your horn to push away your sheets, and gingerly try to climb out of your bed.

Your body feels heavy. That is the first thing that comes to your mind as you begin to settle your weight on your legs. First by putting your two forelegs on the ground, then by cautiously bringing down your left hindleg to the floor.

And finally, you-

"Just one more, and we c- ouch, ouch, OUCH!"

-you nearly spasm as your right hindleg touches the floor. The weak muscles of your crippled member screaming with pain when you try to put the slightest strain on them.

By the heavens, you had forgotten how much this hurts. You had forgotten what it meant to walk around with a limp, and not be able to do something as simple as trot.

But you… manage. You still manage to stand up, and get out of your bed, without any help.

You can still do this.

"I can… still… do this," you say to yourself, trying to ignore the fact you are already breathing heavily just by doing this much.

You try to tell yourself that the wounds you suffered to your legs were only imaginary. And you also remind yourself that the only thing that really happened to you was that, well, you got struck in your head so strongly that it probably cracked your skull.

But more importantly, you tell yourself that your body already had plenty of time to at least stitch those wounds. In fact, just yesterday, you spitted out a clot that you were sure was lodged inside your head for the longest time. And for all that you are sure that having a blood clot in your brain is not the kind of thing a pony should survive, you still spit it out eventually, and you are still alive.

So, you try your best to stop dwelling on those little things, and you focus on what needs to be done next.

"Right, now to… get out…"

One step at a time, you slowly make your way towards the door.

The corridor outside is dark. Which makes sense, you suppose, since it is still probably early in the morning. But still, you begin to make your way down the long corridor of the second floor.

You shoo away the rather alarmed guard that comes up to you, asking if everything is alright, and you don't much care for what he says right before he leaves.

You walk pass Silky's room, and then Selene's room.

And finally, you arrive at a particular door, that leads to the closest guest room. You light up your horn, and make your way in, without breaking your slow stride.

"Wha… did anything happ-… Velvet?! Sweetheart, what are you doing here?"

And there he is!

Stormchaser, whose face you can barely see through the darkness, seems to be looking at you wide-eyed and surprised. You didn't really want to wake him up, but you are still glad that he did.

There are several things that you want to tell him, and to be honest you just want to have a nice conversation with him so you two can spend some time together. After all, ever since you got hurt, he has been sleeping in this guest room so you could have the whole bedroom for yourself.

But right now, after you walked all the way here, you are just so tired that…

"Velvet, is anything the matter? Please, just t-" he begins to say, concern apparent in his voice.

"Wake me up for breakfast," but you interrupt him, as you weakly crawl up to his bed.

And before you realize it, you are already asleep once again.

But this time, and for the first time in too long, you are asleep in the warm and familiar embrace of your dear husband.



- - -



You join your family for breakfast.

Granted, you have your husband carry you downstairs before your daughters wake up, so they don't have to see you limping down the staircase. But still, you try your best to reclaim the normalcy of your life, one step at a time.

Of course, the breakfast is unusually quiet, and everypony is looking at you with a concerned expression. But still, you are there rather than cooped up in your room.

It is more than just a little bit sad, that Silky almost didn't speak a word and leaned on to you during the whole morning after she sat down to eat. But… well, you have to start somewhere. And starting today is better than starting tomorrow.

Still, you have breakfast with your family, your suggestion that your daughters don't need to go to school today is quickly approved by your husband, and after yet another short nap, you once again feel like you can get one more thing done.

"I think this will be my life, for a little while. Do something, nap, do something else, nap," you say, letting out a short laugh. "But to be honest? Now that sleeping is actually pleasant again? I don't really mind this routine."

You say that, but Selene doesn't seem to share your humor. Instead, she answers you with a worried expression.

"Please don't push yourself, mom. Nopony will think badly of you if you take a break."

The two of you are currently on your room's balcony, looking down at the estate's central garden. Behind you, every window of your room is open, and you can't help but smile as a fresh breeze washes over you and flows into your home.

"Selene, dear, I have been doing nothing but taking a break for the last two weeks. At this point, I think that staying inside my room will do me more harm than good," you tell her with a calm smile.

To which she responds by pursing her lips. An expression that is completely out of place on a filly as young as her. At least according to her current appearance, that is.

"Well… just promise us you won't do something you shouldn't? Better yet, at least promise you won't leave the estate?"

You make a show of rolling your eyes, before giving her another smile. Because you definitely understand where she is coming from, and how she is trying to get a "promise" out of you without being too pushy about it.

Even though, in all honesty, she didn't even need to ask you any of that to begin with. You don't think you have enough energy to make it out of the garden even if you wanted to.

"Fiiine, fiiine, I promise. If I need to do anything crazy or illegal, I'll ask you to do it instead," you say.

Although, for all that you meant it as a joke, you can't help but notice that Selene lets out a small sigh of relief, before giving you a thankful nod.

"Thank you, mom. And yes, please. Let me know if you need anything like that to be done."

Dear heavens, what have you been teaching this filly?

"Speaking of which, the other stuff that I wanted to tell you about," she continues, cautiously breaching a certain subject that has been on her mind. "Do you think you can talk about it? It's fine if you're feeling too tired, or…"

"Oh, no, I'm fine. By all means, dear, go ahead," you say.

For the last hour or so, you two have been here sitting on the balcony mostly keeping each other company. And for the most part, Selene would just tell you about this and that whenever the fancy struck her.

Stormchaser told you about the "incident" Silky had at school. But Selene did not mention it to you. So, you suppose Selene herself either did not hear about it, or that she is just avoiding topics that she thinks might upset you.

However, it seems she is finally willing to steer in a particular direction, from what she just told you.

"Well, I wanted to tell you about what happened," she says, pausing for a moment to look behind her, just to make sure nopony is overhearing your conversation. "In detail, that is. As well as…"



- - -



Selene had already told you, in general, about how her "trip" to Manehattan went.

But still, she only told you the broadest of facts. She told you that she succeeded in her most important objective, that your family is a little safer now, and that she did her best to minimize whatever evidence they might have left behind.

Shining Armor has not yet given you a full report on the Bureau's investigation on Manehattan, given how it is still underway. So, it will be a while before you learn how well, or how badly, Selene succeeded in being subtle about it.

However, there is one thing that you can address right now. One part of her tale that the two of you can… verify, so to speak, and decide what to do about.

It is still early in the afternoon. Silky is out in Ponyville with Stormchaser and Soft Sweeps, the two of them taking the filly somewhere to try and cheer her up.

And right now, you and Selene are slowly crossing the central garden of the estate. Making your way towards one of the annex buildings.

Specifically, the two of you are making your way to the estate's wine cellar.

Or, as your servants have come to call it, the fair abode of Lady Mareinette.

"Mom, before we go in can I ask you something?" your daughter asks you, as the two of you enter the building and make your way to the trapdoor-like entrance that leads underground.

You try your best to hide how tired you already are, just from walking here. But still, you answer her with a nod.

"Why… why do you…" she says, but her youthful expression once again shifts into a kind of hesitation no filly should rightfully have on their face. "No, forget about it," she finishes.

And unfortunately, you are already too tired to force the issue, or to try and coax her concerns out of her. For now, you can only trust her judgment, that whatever she meant to ask you isn't really important right now.

With that in mind, the two of you reach the wide trapdoors that lead to the cellar.

Neither of you are surprised by the fact that it is already wide open, and that a pleasant aroma is wafting from that gaping maw.

Still, the smell invigorates you, even if only slightly.

And for all that Selene hesitates for a few moments, to the point that she is a few paces behind you when she begins to follow you, the two of you eventually make your way down to the underground cellar.

Within the confines of the cellar, lounging over a pile of precious items like a dragon sleeping over a hoard, you find the mare you are looking for.

And between your own exhaustion, and the strange energy that is filling your lungs from her perfumed censers, you can only partially remember what happened after you entered that place with Selene.



"[Heart]?"

"I am doing fine, Mareinette. Thank you for asking. And… and thank you for your help."

"[Grail]."

"Indeed… And Selene here told me about your endeavors… but she didn't know the details herself. Are you available to talk about it?"

"[Lantern]!"



You partially remember how uncomfortable Selene felt, as you two went over what Mareinette brought back to your estate.

But most importantly, in the end, she agreed with your decision on how to handle it.

...

It is hard to imagine a lady as dignified as fair Mareinette hauling a cart from Manehattan all the way to Ponyville. It is even harder to imagine how she did it so quickly.

But still, she claims these items are yours to claim. And you will oblige her:
[The following items have been added to your inventory]
-5x artifacts, UNSTUDIED, of the following levels:
--Heart 1
--Secret Histories 1
--Moth 1
--Moth 3
--Winter 4
-A book, with no Lore levels. "A pile of reports, letters and maps. No doubt containing a wealth of information about the less reputable places of Manehattan. And perhaps of the treasures they hide."

...

However, the greatest volume of items that Mareinette brought back were… books. Ledger-sized tomes, stolen letters, and even photo albums. A cart-load of disparate pieces of information that, after sifted through, reveal a story. Or rather, three stories, about three particular ponies.

Copper was proficient in two things. She was good at figuring out what ponies desired, and she was even better at giving it to them. She was a mare who traded in favors, and in other types of coins that are much more precious than mere bits. This is a hoard of such currency."

You have found BLACKMAIL MATERIAL on a number of rich, influential and powerful ponies. Part of you wants to burn all of this, and then cut it away from your memory. But you realize this is just too good of an opportunity to simply waste.

But still, you should strike while the iron is hot. These ponies will catch wind of Coppers disappearance, so it is best to "cash in" these favors before they grow wary, desperate, or bold.

Have Mareinette deal with it. Give her instruction on how to proceed. Reap the rewards, and think of it no longer.


[You must pick ONE option from each category. None of these options will have any cost, be it in actions or otherwise. Mareinette will "collect" on them throughout the rest of the month, and deliver the results by the beginning of turn 21.]


-[] What of the merchant, who engaged in bribery?
--[] Ask for a small "donation" (gain 100 bits)
--[] Ask for a few favors (gain TWO "servant actions", on turn 21 only)
--[] Just give this low hanging fruit to the Bureau (gain a small amount of respect from the Bureau)
--[] Have Mareinette deal with it (unpredictable result, that will still benefit you)


-[] What of the public servant, who needed a pony to "disappear"?
--[] Remind him that nothing is free (gain 200 bits)
--[] Have him work for his misdeeds (gain FIVE "servant actions", on turn 21 only)
--[] Equestria will be better off without him in power (gain a reasonable amount of respect from the Bureau)
--[] Have Mareinette deal with it (unpredictable result, that will still benefit you)


-[] What of the great noble, who conspired against the Crown?
--[] Wring him (gain 400 bits)
--[] Give him a list of tasks, and a short time to get them done (gain NINE "servant actions", on turn 21 only)
--[] Put him behind bars, where he belongs (gain a great deal of respect from the Bureau)
--[] Have Mareinette deal with it (unpredictable result, that will still benefit you)



The next memory you have is waking up on Stormchaser's guest room, after yet another "short nap". And Selene tells you that, despite her misgivings with the Grail-mare, nothing out of the ordinary happened during your conversation.

… or at least, you privately think, nothing she could sense.





Since this vote is being offered on a Monday, and not the usual weekend, we will have TWENTY-FOUR hours of moratorium. So everyone can catch up, realize we are playing ball, and jump in if they wish to.

Vote in plans. You must pick one option of each blackmail target.

Gaining a "servant action" is exactly that. You will gain one action point for turn 21 that is generally unreliable, and will not apply Velvet's bonus. But that can still be used for some actions, or to "cover your bases".

Yes, it is intentional that you are being offered the opportunity to gain "servant actions" without knowing what awaits you on the next turn. Cashing in on these favors will take some time, so you need to decide now.

75 bits were removed from your inventory, after you got your ledgers in order following Selene's expedition in Manehattan.

More to follow. Other updates will probably be posted, before the voting period is over, as the turn moves along.

 

[Sveta08]

Money. Time. Trust.

How fitting. Mareinette knew what we wanted, and would offer us but that.
And ask of us one thing.
What do we value most?

I'll need to think on this.

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

Sure, getting a bunch of bits would be great, but what if we let Mareinette deal with all of the blackmail? The results could be anything! Even a bunch of bits!

Noticeably, there are no Windigo Jars in the collection. I'm hoping that the planted warning won't be needed, but it feels more prescient now that we don't know where they are.

As for my preferences for the options, I'd prefer locking up the noble as I really want to solidify the Bureau's loyalty to us. I'm wary of how many fleeting opportunities we'll have waiting for us next turn, so I'm thinking we also take take the five servant actions from the public servant and then the 100 bits from the merchant.

 

[Greymere]

@OurLadyOfWires quick question before I go to sleep (and I've admittedly only skimmed the update currently), is the "respect gained" for the Bureau options synonymous with the loyalty we've been building with our commissioner actions?

 

[Venerable Ro]

Well hot dog, that's a pretty hefty Winter artifact, that thing would be gas for dealing with Fascination.

We gotta get to studying, or we need to find/train an eldritch appraiser.

 

[Zxzx24]

Would Marenette LIKE to handle these ponies in her own way?

Im sure she has... a lot of ideas.

 

[Shaper47]

700 bits sounds good to me

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

@OurLadyOfWires quick question before I go to sleep (and I've admittedly only skimmed the update currently), is the "respect gained" for the Bureau options synonymous with the loyalty we've been building with our commissioner actions?

Click to shrink...

Mechanically, yes. The narrative would take another direction.

But ultimately, every time Velvet invests in "gaining the Bureau's trust", she is working towards being personally respected by the Bureau, rather than being "the outsider that was appointed by the Princesses". Because for all that you have legitimate authority (Princess Celestia officially chose you), you are still a random noblemare thrown into a job that you explicitly know nothing about.

So yes. Locking them up would be the equivalent of "The Commissioner gave us this. So she probably isn't a clueless civilian like we thought" kind of thing. And it is a thrust in the same direction that "ingratiate yourself to the Bureau" goes.

TL-DR: yes.

 

[spiderhellian]

AHAHAHAHA YES 700 BITS YES YES YES

…Okay, now time to actually digest.

 

[BritBiscuit]

It's been present constantly through the quest but I think this is the first time I have actually thought about how in universe Velvet constantly at least once a month starts of her thoughts with ''You are Velvet Covers'' it's pretty funny.

Also I don't really get how we'd explain how we got all this evidence to lock the criminals away whilst bedridden if we gave them to the Bureau but I trust that OurLadyOfWires wouldn't give an option with a trap of suspicion like that, or at least would explain that the choices have consequences so i'm not worried about that and I kinda want to see Velvet's mystical spinning a web to explain it to the detectives in a scene where they are breifing before sending men to get the criminals.

My tenative thoughts on this vote are

Merchant - bribery: bits for rituals and expeditions

Public servant - hired murder of somepony : lock em away boys

Noble - Conspiracy against the crown : lock em away boys

Gotta get that respect before we get hit with that manuscript safe, also it is our job and im my eyes the merchant isn't really a bad enough crime to not just take money from whilst the others are, in addition the Noble would continue the appearance that the Bureau doesn't care about social status which would further insulate us from our father and would also just be nice.

EDIT: forgot to mention how Selene almost asked us why we summoned the monster that is Mareinette which is going to be a heavy subject in the future especially with Axe making her promise to keep Silky away, so Luna definatly has suspicions about what she has done.

Also a bit leary of how comfortable Velvet is about speaking and praising Mareinette after the help she gave at the cost of spending time with her, really makes it seem like she is getting distracted from how much of a monster she is which I guess really shows the power of her social skills that within a month of time spent Velvet has gone from barely wanting to interact with a being that wants to eat children to casually speaking to it with some warmth.

 

[Sveta08]

For the use of the public....
251 Bits to start our turn. 60 for Medicine. 3 days for Copper Mission (5*5*3) for 75 Bits. 4 days soft planned for Grave mission (5*2*4) for 40 Bits.

Expected end Bits of 76.
Monthly Salary of 160. Expected earnings from Rarity of 40

Expected starting total for turn 21 of 276 Bits.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Thinking let Mareinette handle all 3. A merchant, a bureaucrat, and noble. Mareinette will raise a real scandal, it will be headlining for weeks.

 

[Shaper47]

before we get hit with that manuscript safe,

Click to shrink...

You do remember we get a free Bureau action which we can probably use on the safe right?

Throw an Attention of the Laws Forge and just have Velvet deal with it herself.

Magic 14 + 40 (Forge Application doubled) = 54 vs a DC 60.

 

[BritBiscuit]

You do remember we get a free Bureau action which we can probably use on the safe right?

Throw an Attention of the Laws Forge and just have Velvet deal with it herself.

Magic 14 + 40 (Forge Application doubled) = 54 vs a DC 60.

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Would that be an action? I don't think so.
Wouldn't the detectives not have the safe at the scene, crack it and see whats inside way before we'd be able to do anything about it?

Manehatten is a days train ride away and we were bedridden and also wouldn't have set off before Selene came back with the report, so thats 1 day since explosion. The Bureau were already hunting the attackers and arrived on the scene after we left so they would have at least 2 full days (if we set off immediately which no) with access to the best detectives and locksmiths in Equestria and Manehatten to crack that vault especially as they don't have the time constaints of needing to leave without getting spotted.

I'm fairly sure its set in stone that the Bureau has the manuscripts and likely made copies for their records of the events in Manehatten unless there was a natural 1 which I could see as them accidently destroying the evidence.

Deleted and reposted as I forgot to add the quote whoops...

 

[spiderhellian]

We should strongly consider servants actions. Getting Velvet 3 AP next turn is huge.

 

[Sveta08]

I'm fairly sure its set in stone that the Bureau has the manuscripts and likely made copies for their records of the events in Manehatten unless there was a natural 1 which I could see as them accidently destroying the evidence.

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I do not know.
I would not promise they have the manuscripts yet, but it's likely they will find them by turn end.
As of this writing, they likely do not have them yet though. See the below.

Shining Armor has not yet given you a full report on the Bureau's investigation on Manehattan, given how it is still underway. So, it will be a while before you learn how well, or how badly, Selene succeeded in being subtle about it.

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[DelightedOne]

Oh, update today? How unexpected.

Sixteen days, to be exact. For the last sixteen days, your life has been nothing but a confusing blur of consciousness and darkness, sprinkled with long bouts of discomfort and pain.

You wonder if that number means anything. Probably not, you figure.

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Really Velvet, really? You are at Wolf 3 and don't even know his sacred number. I don't know if I should be disappointed or happy seeing your lack of knowledge.

Okay, let's go for the good stuff now.

[The following items have been added to your inventory]
-5x artifacts, UNSTUDIED, of the following levels:
--Heart 1
--Secret Histories 1
--Moth 1
--Moth 3
--Winter 4
-A book, with no Lore levels. "A pile of reports, letters and maps. No doubt containing a wealth of information about the less reputable places of Manehattan. And perhaps of the treasures they hide."

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Ah, Artifacts. So good to have more of you when we barely have time for the ones we already have.

The level 1's are basically useless unless their effects(if they have any) are very special.
Moth 3 is actually interesting since we don't have anything for it, Winter 4 may allow us to burn that noose already, I think Jade would like that.

Oh and that book that just screams Expedition(s), we are going to look at you later for sure.

Now for the last part.

-[] What of the merchant, who engaged in bribery?

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Kinda low blackmail, anything is good for me, maybe not Bureau.

-[] What of the public servant, who needed a pony to "disappear"?

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Oh my, someone that definitely should go to jail, but again no strong feelings, I hope the last one makes me feel something.

-[] What of the great noble, who conspired against the Crown?

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YES, YES, FINALLY SOMETHING WE CAN USE. We are sending this one to the Bureau for sure, imagine it: "Comissioner Velvet Covers, on the brink of death was still capable of fulfilling her responsibilities to Equestria by catching a conspirator who acted against the Crown"

Just a reminder we need the Bureau to be loyal to us more than ever, that Celestia will get another example of the Velvet luck/competence making her potentially calmer and it would be just so awesome to have another big noble bite the ground only a couple of months after the Bluebloods.

 

[BritBiscuit]

I do not know.
I would not promise they have the manuscripts yet, but it's likely they will find them by turn end.
As of this writing, they likely do not have them yet though. See the below.

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While I see how what I wrote may have been seen as me saying they have them now I did mean that they would likely have them by next turn, I was just saying its set in stone as we cant really do anything to stop it at this point as the actions of the turn are already decided so I was questioning/arguing against Shaper's claim that we could do anything to stop them getting the evidence/destroy the evidence as by the point we have another turn/bureau action it would be too late.

Restating that I do see how what I wrote could be seen as saying they have it already on this turn despite Shining Armour not saying anything but thanks for attempting to clarify that.

 

[Shaper47]

We should strongly consider servants actions. Getting Vekvet 3 AP next turn is huge.

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It's not worth 700 bits though.

Besides we have a free social AP which we can use on reassurance, free Bureau which we can use on evidence.

Having been nearly killed can have the Bureau cover some of our paperwork 1 free AP without them causing a fuss and easily have enough followers to do the 2 followers AP for 1 Velvet AP.

That's 5 Velvet AP, enough for our goals of Knock Sacrament, Forge's Redemption and SH Sacrament.

you are still a random noblemare thrown into a job that you explicitly know nothing about.

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She does have heroic bureaucratic skills.

 

[BritBiscuit]

Oh and that book that just screams Expedition(s), we are going to look at you later for sure.

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I wonder if that book as well as expeditions would also mention Uncle Steppes operation in the underworld as it is about the less reputable places in Manehatten.