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

[Shaper47]

I really, really want to study the Lantern 4 artifact though.

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Fair enough.

Personally I'd rather get Daughter of Axes this turn rather then kick her out and just study the Lantern artifact next turn.

I just feel that the option is being misrepresented.

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In what way?

Basically I think that getting the Frangiclave will be very hard without an SH influence in comparison to completing the Sacrament itself.

That would give 4 SH rolls, (well, 3 rolls + 1 reroll, which is worse if it is a progress bar).

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Yeah SH would make a massive difference whatever the mechanics.

It might be say a 0/400 progress bar.

A 150 DC with no changes.

A 150 DC with +10 for every roll over 80.

Something like that.

 

[Zxzx24]

Any kind of influence helping with the Sacrament is a blind guess.

I would presume knock. Since that is the only thing The DOA felt the need to explicitly warn us we would need.

 

[Bakkasama]

Not SH and Moth?

I mean I'm not opposed I guess, I'm just kind of surprised.

...though if we took Baldomare's SH Sacrament, we could be particularly daring and do Moth, Edge, and SH in one turn

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Given that the SH is a dangerous action (so it might leave us wounded) I feel like it is a bad idea to take it the same turn we pick a fight with an Edge Name. Any wound we receive is likely to delay us in most things.

I am not opposed to the Baldomare sacrament either. The main advantage I see to ours is the ability to gain extra scraps and that is more useful the less lores we have at 4/4 (be it because we are under that or because we already have the sacrament).

Edit:

In what way?

Basically I think that getting the Frangiclave will be very hard without an SH influence in comparison to completing the Sacrament itself.

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In misrepresenting the likely Velvet actions by adding a FO that most people seem uninterested in, for example (the Steppes one) or presentimg the study actions as sure things instead of conditional to completing/abandoning the foggy mirror expedition. We simply don't know enough about Axe's sacrament to present anything as a sure thing.

 

[Greymere]

Any kind of influence helping with the Sacrament is a blind guess.

I would presume knock. Since that is the only thing The DOA felt the need to explicitly warn us we would need.

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Nah, we have confirmation that it wouldn't.

She is, predictably, quite dodgy about the errand she wants you to run. But it doesn't look like a knock influence would help much.

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[Megaolix]

Crude insults and worthless slander.

Go back to SV if you can't keep your forked tongue within your worm drenched mouth.

This is a place for honest debate, logical and emotional reasoning. Not your pitchforks and torches and up jumped false righteousness to try and burn down this quest again.

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You can keep the insults out of your own posts yourself then.

 

[Maer]

First off I just want to say I'm touched that your reaching out to me on this.

I'm not really into Worm (that there are no coincidences in SH says bad things about the name correlations) but I'll give it a look.

I wouldn't say I'm very convincing, I feel like I'm horsely talking hard rocks sometimes but that's sweet of you to say.

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1. You're welcome. I'm sorry that I don't often express my appreciation for your contributions, and that I often speak as though I find your contributions somehow inherently incorrect. I'm mostly trying to be convincing thanks to fear or worry over what might be if you win. Mainly because I'm so attached to the whole 'bright and cheery Light' aspect of MLP as a setting. I just… WANT IT to be better. And it… isn't. Not here, in this Quest. I sometimes need to be reminded of that.

2. SH does have those nasty coincidences, but… well. The Author has written something… a creature infested with Worms in The Mansus. But not Worms. Instead… Worms. Whatever that is supposed to mean, there was a VERY notable difference when it was written about. We think that The Entities have gotten in and are trying to climb. Again. I REALLY think we could use your ideas to get ahead of this.

3. Honestly it's been incredibly convincing to me on several occasions and it's mostly been stubbornness and an admittedly powerful childhood attachment to the setting that has let me push for less Wolf-related choices. That and optimism hoping that we can make things far better with far fewer consequences that we probably can. Worm holds far fewer of those attachments and beliefs. Wolf would be a blessing there… and The Master there is a Name of The Wolf. So… we're already on the way there…

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

I've already given my thoughts on the matter of Selene's action.

As for Hormony's maliciousness or thoughtlessness… Harmony may be entirely ignorant of the Worms, or only have recently gained awareness of them. Lacking context for a problem tends to render one ineffective at solving it- which is why we would have taught it to hide its light. It is VERY young compared to Glory, and it lived in a world under Moth Wards until very recently, and so likely never realized it needed to hide at all, much less that there was sobering it needed to hide FROM.

Beyond all of that though, I was wondering, Shaper, if you'd join us on the Brockton Bay interpretation of this Quest that Our Lady plugged a short while ago? I've been there since nearly the beginning and… well, quite frankly, I feel your logic and mind are going to be needed. We've made a number of critical errors, some of which I blame myself for. I struggle with some things, and you excel in both being convincing, and having very useful ideas.

I really hope to see you, because I sincerely think we need your help, and I lack the skills and foresight you often display. While not what I'd choose to go with on this particular quest most often, I really believe you're possibly one of the few people that might turn around the nightmare we've got going over there. If we're lucky enough not to lose during this very next update…

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Look, unless Shaper possesses the ability to retcon horrendous combat rolls, he can't get us out of the combat death-spiral those Brockton voters locked us into when they wasted a perfectly good grail influence on immediately igniting a hot war between ourselves and our rival. The dice keep handing her crits to shoot us with, it is awful.

Fair, but isn't it like the same thing? Especially if DoA knows about the Frangiclave being there(she probably does and was looking for something in the Wake to help her get it since she can't just go and take it).

I doubt she wouldn't just give Velvet her Sacrament if we got her the thing she is been trying to get/copy for an Era.

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The DoA explicitly does not know her Key is there, which has been confirmed IC by Baldomare and OOC by QM.

Any kind of influence helping with the Sacrament is a blind guess.

I would presume knock. Since that is the only thing The DOA felt the need to explicitly warn us we would need.

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No. If Knock was the answer then DoA would have gotten whatever she needed done a long time ago. Whatever task she wants done on the other side, whatever hurdles places before our bonus Key objective, they are not Knock. You just need a minimum amount to qualify for the Sacrament, is all.

 

[Maer]

Look, unless Shaper possesses the ability to retcon horrendous combat rolls, he can't get us out of the combat death-spiral those Brockton voters locked us into when they wasted a perfectly good grail influence on immediately igniting a hot war between ourselves and our rival. The dice keep handing her crits to shoot us with, it is awful.

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Agreed, the post is unchanging and awful, but if we survive the upcoming incident, he may be helpful. Yes attacking her was the wrong move, and she somehow keeps getting insanely lucky against us while we are insanely unlucky against her, and there's nothing we can do about the past. But if we survive, I'm hoping that Shaper can help us convince the others to make some less terrible choices in regards to our attacks on her.

The more bodies we get there, the more likely we are to improve our future chances. Heck, if we'd gotten paralytics before the first attack we may have taken her out then and there… maybe. I'm pretty sure Shaper could've added a convincing voice to reason and preparation. I'm hoping he'll do so for the future, IF we manage to have one. By some miracle of the dice rolls.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Also, I don't understand why people are in such a massive rush to get the Moth Sacrament. Celestia has Lantern 1. That is the easiest Lantern to get. She could have practically just poked a book and got that. The Moth Book and Spoiled can be processed in any turn, as demonstrated by the book math shown earlier and Mareinette's overwhelming Grail, respectively. Instead of trying to immediately mitigate a threat that is, at best, three months away, can we instead please focus on the Name about to slip through our grasp this turn?

We can progress on our primary and secondary objectives far more effectively with the right Influences, and not have to hit a friend with the Leash out of convenience or traumatize a filly out of unneeded haste.

 

[spiderhellian]

Beyond the Frangiclave, I think it's really clear the favour for the DoA involves doing something for her in another history:

1. She clearly comes from a different one, where snakes (or snakemares ) dominate.
2. What else but another History would be a "foggy mirror", something "extremely distant but closer than you can imagine"?
3. It makes sense as a favour she'd ask of a SH-Branded.

Which is also why I'd like a SH influence.

Anyone have a Tally so I can see how hard I should be fighting

 

[Greymere]

Also, I don't understand why people are in such a massive rush to get the Moth Sacrament. Celestia has Lantern 1. That is the easiest Lantern to get. She could have practically just poked a book and got that. The Moth Book and Spoiled can be processed in any turn, as demonstrated by the book math shown earlier and Mareinette's overwhelming Grail, respectively. Instead of trying to immediately mitigate a threat that is, at best, three months away, can we instead please focus on the Name about to slip through our grasp this turn?

We can progress on our primary and secondary objectives far more effectively with the right Influences, and not have to hit a friend with the Leash out of convenience or traumatize a filly out of unneeded haste.

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You mean the Name that will have one month of downtime at most and that can be trivally resummoned for only 50 bits once Luna is trained? That Name?

Like yes it would be preferable if we kept her. But it is by no means an emergency. Like, at all.

(also Tiara doesn't remember any of the negative bits about Mareinette, she's fine and will continue to be fine for one more visit)

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

You mean the Name that will have one month of downtime at most and that can be trivally resummoned for only 50 bits once Luna is trained? That Name?

Like yes it would be preferable if we kept her. But it is by no means an emergency. Like, at all.

(also Tiara doesn't remember any of the negative bits about Mareinette, she's fine and will continue to be fine for one more visit)

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Yes, the Name who gets horribly traumatized by the chains each time they come to take her. That Name. Those who want to treat her like a daughter should try to prevent such traumatic experiences from occurring. Those who worry about Silky's headspace should also try to prevent this from occurring, as they clearly are treating each other like siblings at this point. So I treat this as a bit of an emergency.

Just in case anyone forgot, DoA doesn't calmly leave the scene like, say, Baldomare does. She instead goes through this:

Velvet Axe is near the center of the entrance hall.

However, you can already tell that the mare looks different.

Her cloak looks more lustrous, its hems embroidered and shiny, completely different from the rags she insists on wearing. Her hood, also, is covering all of her face, to the point that you can barely see the tip of her snout.

But most alarming of all, you can see that the mare is tense. She is pacing back and forth, walking in a tight circle. Looking around her, shooting urgent glances at the corners of the hall, as if looking for something you can't see.

You can tell, even from this far, that her body language is frantic. And even though you can't see even a single patch of her coat, you can tell that she is not alright.

The alertness inside of you turns into a sudden wave of worry. The notion that you should go down there and help her, or at least ask what is going on, flashes through your mind for a moment.

But just as quickly, the idea is drowned down by the imperative that you can't.

Because this is a dream.

And you are not supposed to be here.

And you can't be seen.

So, you stay put.

And as your ears get used to the silence, you realize that Axe is also mumbling to herself.

Eventually, you begin to make out the words.



"Knew et would foken happen. Knew et'd come fer me. Foken knew et… canny have a foken moment o' peace. Canny even be happy for a damn' second befor' this foken…"



Velvet Axe's voice is…

There is no other way to put it. Her voice is shaking. Velvet Axe's voice is shaking.

The realization catches you by surprise. And you strain your ears for a few moments, because you simply can't believe this is happening. But sure enough, Velvet Axe is…. she is trembling, and her breath is short, and if you didn't know any better you would even say she is nervous.

Still, no matter how you look at it, the haughty, arrogant, self-important mare you have come to know is nowhere to be seen. And in her place is a mare who is… scared.

Mumbling to herself, nervously glancing all around her as if the shadows had eyes.

Talking to herself through gritted teeth.

That is, until she freezes. Out of nowhere, Velvet Axe stops moving. The stops walking, and talking, and maybe even breathing. She isn't even trembling anymore.

Instead, she is focusing the entirety of her attention on one of the side doors of the entrance hall. The one that leads to the dining room.

She focuses all of her attention in that direction, and even though her face is entirely covered by her hood, you can tell that she is glaring right now.

You have no idea what is happening, until-



!!!



-something lunges out of the shadows. The doors to the dining room literally burst open as something rushes towards Axe. A thin, arrow-like blur, that speeds towards the mare in a gale so quickly it causes a gale.

And at the same time, Velvet Axe turns into a blur herself. Her movement so quick it almost looks like she twisted in the air.

The deafening, cannonball-like sound of metal striking metal echoes in the entrance hall. Your eyes couldn't follow what just happened, but less than a moment later you can see the end result.



"Ye'll FOKKEN hav to do BE'AH than tha'!"



Velvet Axe shouts, her voice loud and angry.

The thing that lunged at her is now under her hoof. And you can finally take a better look at it.

It is a chain. A long, barbed chain made out of metal and rust. A great, tight shackle on its tip, like the jaws of a hungry predator.

Still, the long, vicious chain is being firmly stamped down by her hoof. Five of its links shattered against the floor. The rest of the chain is sprawled on the floor, its length trailing back to the dinning hall and away from your sight, like a dead animal.

Your heart almost jumps to your throat as you realize what just happened. As you realize that the chain was not only alive, but that it just hurled itself towards Axe. And that somehow, the mare reacted just as quickly.

However, you don't even have time to process your surprise.



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Because all around Velvet Axe, coming from every door, and every window, and every shadow of the great entrance hall, you can hear the rattling of chains. The growing, almost deafening noise of chains upon chains upon chains trembling against each other. All of them moving, going into position, as they surround Velvet Axe from all sides.

You hear a low, piercing sound coming from Axe. One that you swear sounds too much like a hiss.

But before you can prepare yourself for what is about to happen, everything starts to move all at once.

An entire circle of chains, blur-quick and barbed, charge at the mare. All of them coming from a different direction. Some of them breaking through the glass of windows in a rain of shards, others bursting through wooden doors or out of the carpeted floor.

For a moment, you think the mare will be drowned by the chains. For a moment, you think the shackles are going to dig into every last part of the mare's body, and that they will all try to painfully drag her away in different directions.

But that moment never comes.

Instead, the mare lashes out. Her neck twists in a way that should not be possible, and before the first chain can reach even the halfway point towards her, the mare pulls out a great metal axe from her robes.

The thing is so large that the movement should have cut her, or her robes, as she pulled it out. But none of that happens.

Instead, the axe, firmly gripped in her mouth, makes a long circular motion through the air.

And for a moment, the entrance hall is filled with light.

A small, localized hurricane of sparks flares around Velvet Axe. She spins around so quickly, and the movement of her axe is so precise, that she immediately decapitates the first wave of shackles that lunged towards her. The barbed instruments of rusted metal cracking and breaking with sparks the moment her edge kisses their links.

And then comes the second wave. And then the third, and the fourth. Forcing Axe to leap and twirl to avoid them, punch and kick when her weapon is too busy elsewhere.

Until there are no chains left. None that are capable of moving, at least. And Velvet Axe is alone in the entrance hall, surrounded by leg-high piles of broken chains.

The mare, you can see, is heaving with exertion. Velvet Axe is exhausted, her cloak battered and stained with rust. Gleaming spots covering her fabric here and there, from where a chain struck her so hard that her coat bruised and bled under her clothing.

She lets go of her axe, the sharp edge burying itself on the floor. And she takes long, painful breaths with an expression that appears to be half-dazed.

Still, a few moments later she gets her bearings once again. Spitting on the floor before shaking her head.

"Es… Es tha' all ye fokken got…?"

She grits her teeth, that same hissing sound from before escaping her lips as she blinks her sweat away.

"ES THA' FOKKEN ET?"

She yells that, and then she turns towards the entrance door.

The same doors that, despite the previous rush of chains, have remained closed shut. The one part of the entrance hall that, in sharp contrast to the previous violence, still remains unblemished and undisturbed.

The same doors from which you can hear… a rumbling, growing, almost cacophonous rattle of chains.

As if, right behind the entrance doors, there is a sea of chains preparing to charge. Enough chains, barbed and rusted and topped with vicious shackles, to make the previous attacks look like a drop in the ocean.

Still, the mare glares at the door, taking in a few more tense, barely-not-panicked breaths as she yells her defiance.



"AE WAS AN AXE-BEAR'A, A SLITHERIN' SIS'ER, NAME O' ORDER AN' HUNTER OF MONSTERS! AE'M THA FOKKEN DO'AH O' AXES, AN AE'M NOT FOKKEN AFRAID OF YE FOKKEN CORS!"



Her words echo through the entrance hall, washing over you and reverberating through the rest of the estate.

And almost as if in answer, the entrance door shakes. It shakes, and then it buckles, and then it bends as a river's worth of chains presses against it.

In response, the lonely mare picks up her antler-topped axe.

She doesn't have time to do anything else before the door bursts open.



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



The things that flow in through the door are not chains. They are not chains, nor a hydra made out of chains, and not even a battering ram made out of links and barbs. No.

The thing that bursts in through the entrance door, and hits Velvet Axe dead center, is a force of nature. An imperative of binding and joining that washes over her. It strikes her with the force of a hurricane, or maybe a stampede, and it carries so much momentum that it just keeps going. Even after it surrounds and envelops and completely covers the mare, it keeps going. Rushing towards the stairs, and flowing out to the rest of the hall, and filling every last part of the lower floor like water coming out of a broken dam.

You can't see Velvet Axe. Not anymore. But you can hear her struggle. You know she is somewhere down there, drowning in that sea of barbed chains. But even then, you can still hear her fighting.

Even though you can already tell that… that her efforts will all be for nothing.

Her struggles eventually die down. And slowly, like a retreating wave, the sea of chains retracts back towards the entrance doors.

And for a moment, your heart sinks. Your heart sinks because you think that, once the chains finish retracting, Velvet Axe will simply be gone. You think that once the chains are all gone, there will be nothing left but an empty and damaged entrance hall.

However, as the chains slowly crawl away, you notice a mass of resistance. You notice a blob of chains, at the bottom of the stairs, that are trying to pull themselves back. However, despite their supernatural efforts, you can see that those chains are only succeeding in stretching themselves taut.

And when the other chains are gone, you can finally see why that is happening.

Velvet Axe is at the bottom of the stairs. Holding on to her namesake weapon for dear life. The blade of her axe sunk deep into the ground, stuck on the stairs and stopping her from being dragged away.

And the mare herself… your heart aches when you finally get a better look at her.

Because Velvet Axe is hurt. She is hurt, and she is bleeding, and her previously beautiful cloak is now in tatters. Covered in sticky blood, ragged and pierced from hood to hem.

She is also completely chained and bound. Her four legs tightly clasped by spiky shackles, her chest and neck surrounded by painfully tight chains.

But the worst part is definitely her expression.

It actually hurts for you to look at her. But Velvet Axe is… she is simply broken.

Her expression is pained. It is pained, and sorrowful, and miserable. You have never seen her cry before, you didn't even think that was possible. But sure enough, the mare is crying. She is weeping, and sobbing, and shivering as much as the taut chains allow her to.

And for the first time in this entire night, Velvet Axe finally looks up at you. She looks up from where she is, chained and bound. Looking you in the eyes as if she knew you were there all along.

And when she speaks, her voice comes out in broken, stuttering sobs.



"A-ae… ae dinnae wan'… ae dinnae want to be alone ageen…"



And the last thing you hear is her scream, as her grip on her axe falters and she is dragged away into the darkness. Her desperate, grasping hoofs clawing at the floor to no avail.

…

Leaving you alone.



- - -



You wake up.

You wake up, and for some reason you know that your home is a little emptier than it was before.

Your legs move before you can even think about it. Your legs move, and moments later you are out of your bed, and then out of your room, and then you are walking down the hallway towards the guest rooms.

The door to Velvet Axe's room is already half-open when you reach it. Which is already enough to make you swallow something dry. Because in all these months, you have never seen her door like this.

You want to hesitate. You want to stop, right here and right now, and go back to your room. You want to tell yourself that you should give Axe her privacy, and that you should just go back to sleep.

But the recent and vivid memory, of her crying and lonely expression, won't let you.

So, your forelegs are already pushing the door further open. And you are walking into her room, even though you realize the mare will yell at you the moment she realizes you are there.

Still, you do it anyways. Because you want her to yell at you. You need her to yell at you, and to prove to you that you just had a silly nightmare, and that she is still here to grumble and scowl and complain about everything you do.

However, when you step into her room…

…

… you see nothing but darkness.

Your breath gets stuck in your throat.

"Axe…?" you ask, your voice low and hesitant.

You take another step into her room. Then another. Then another. Looking all around you, hoping one of the dark silhouettes in the room will turn out to be the hooded mare.

But you don't see her. You can't find her anywhere. And before you realize it, you have already reached her bed.

The covers are messy and strewn around, as if she had just slept here, tossing in her sleep. Everywhere you look, you see everything but the silhouette of a mare.

That is, until you see another shape on her bed. A peculiarly placed something, nestled on top of a soft pillow in a way that looks particularly careful.

You cautiously make your way towards it, but it doesn't take long for you to realize what it is.

"…"

A soft, stifled sniff comes out of your mouth. And you don't even try to stop the next few from following.

You slowly, delicately reach out to grab the… the little rag doll shaped like a pony. You bring it towards you, cradling it in your forelegs. Noticing how strangely smooth parts of it are, as if it has been hugged for too long by something that has scales instead of fur.

Still, you realize a part of the rag doll is strangely coarse. And as you turn it around, you notice there is something written on its underside. As if something corrosive had been used to very carefully write a few letters on the rag doll's belly.

You almost can't read it. You almost can't read it, because it is still too dark, and the setting moon is barely bright enough for you to be able to see. But also because, you just realized, there are tears coming out of her eyes because she said it was a silly gift and she scoffed when you said she should give it a name even though you knew she appreciated it an-



"Silky? Is that… Silky, what happened? Is everything alright?"



You can't really stop yourself anymore. You don't even care when you hear Soft's voice coming from somewhere behind you. You just cry. You cry as you remember Axe's expression, as she was dragged away in your nightmare. You cry at how lonely she looked. And you cry because, even though you know it doesn't make any sense, you know Axe is gone.

Worse than that, you know she didn't just leave. You know she didn't want to leave. Something, something that you saw in that nightmare, took her away. It took her away, and now she is alone.

"Shh, shh, it's alright Silky. It's alright, shh… But please, what happened? A-are you hurt? Did Axe say something mean again?"

You can feel Soft Sweeps hugging you, but you can't answer her. You can barely bring yourself to shake your head, to at least try to tell her she is wrong.

But still, you can't even do that properly.

The only thing you can do is hug the rag doll, the one you gave Axe all those months ago. The one that she named, even though she said that she wouldn't. The one where she carefully, almost delicately, wrote the word Pasharka. And even though you have no idea what that means, you know that word is a name, and you know that it must mean something very dear to Axe.

Still, you can't do anything but cry.

Because every time you close your eyes, the only thing you can see is her devastated expression.

And the only thing you can think of is that, wherever she is, she is alone now. Alone, and without her Pasharka.

…

It takes almost a full hour for your older sister to calm you down. And even then, you don't really feel happy for a long time.

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It leaves the DoA shaking, crying, and broken, left alone with naught but Wrong Keys for company in a desert made of her own futile toil. It leaves Silky hurt and inconsolable, then depressed for an lengthy period of time. I don't want this to happen again. We should use what power we have to make damn sure it doesn't happen again. I want to save someone's day with our incredibly versatile lore power again.

As for Tiara:

"M-mom… I d-don't like… please…" Diamond Tiara, her foolish daughter, speaks out of turn.

Still, by the life of her, Spoiled Rich cannot understand why her daughter is so uncomfortable.

Because just a few minutes into her visit, the Lady asked if she could see Spoiled Rich's daughter. So, of course she complied. And in her matronly kindness, the Lady is currently sitting in the best seat of the house, with her little Diamond Tiara neatly within the embrace of her forelegs.

So, no matter how hard she tries to understand, she cannot comprehend why her daughter is shivering. And she better not start crying again!

If the Lady has chosen to drool over their daughter, as she keeps her between her forelegs, isn't that yet another show of favor towards their little Diamond?

Well, almost everypony.

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She was clearly was the exception to the good times had by all. Whether that's because the primal fear instilled in children by the presence of an Alukite cannot be Grailed away, or because Mareinette was savoring that fear like a fine wine, I cannot say. But the point is that, unlike her parents, she was clearly not okay with this.

 

[Greymere]

She was clearly was the exception to the good times had by all. Whether that's because the primal fear instilled in children by the presence of an Alukite cannot be Grailed away, or because Mareinette was savoring that fear like a fine wine, I cannot say. But the point is that, unlike her parents, she was clearly not okay with this.

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It also says, later right in that same update:

In fact, nopony realizes it. Not herself, not her husband, and not even her quivering daughter.

Because yes, they are being visited by their fair Lady, but… what was her name again? Who is it again that is visiting them? What pony will they think about, whenever they remember this impossibly pleasant afternoon?

Lady…

Lady.

Lady!

Yes, of course.

Whenever they think back to this day, they will only remember what was good about it. They will only remember what was pleasant. And as the fair Lady inflates their hopes, and string them along in their dreams, they will only be able to think back to the visit itself, and will barely remember the visitor at all.

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"They will only remember what was good about it. They will only remember what was pleasant."

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

It also says, later right in that same update:


"They will only remember what was good about it. They will only remember what was pleasant."

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It appears you have missed the last line of that little narrative, even though I quoted it:

Well, almost everypony.

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Pretty sure it's the one Rich who wasn't fawning over Mareinette in the update.

 

[Greymere]

It appears you have missed the last line of that little narrative, even though I quoted it:

Pretty sure it's the one Rich who wasn't fawning over Mareinette in the update.

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Yeah, because Diamond got yelled at by her mom immediately afterward.

I didn't miss it, I just actually payed attention to the context instead of cutting out all the text in between "Mareinette's slobbering" and "almost everyone".

Edit: Like, seriously. If the GM says in the update that no, they're not going to remember the details and no, they're not going to remember anything unpleasant, then I'm going to believe him.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Yeah, because Diamond got yelled at by her mom immediately afterward.

I didn't miss it, I just actually payed attention to the context instead of cutting out all the text in between "Mareinette's slobbering" and "almost everyone".

Click to shrink...

And I feel that Diamond being consistently being terrified and uncomfortable is vital context indicating that she was not being included in Mareinette's universal feel-good memory field. I believe Tiara to be an exception because she is shown to be an exception throughout the entirety of the update, not just from her mom yelling at her.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

You know what? There potentially is a simple way to determine whose interpretation of "almost everypony" is correct.

@OurLadyOfWires , is Tiara excluded from the only good memories with Mareinette effect, or not?

Also just remembered that Spoiled doesn't give us an AP even as a Confidante, we really should just ignore her until we need that Moth Sacrament.

 

[Nevermort]

So I have made a mistake. It was brought out that our only ritual location is Jade's house and she may refuse to get back there . So no scrying for her unfortunately.

@Maer
@shaper47
@authortransient
Some necessary changes were made to Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence .

[X] Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X] (Commissioner) . Get your hoofs dirty. Join the "Constables" in a raid/Expedition
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Channel a Grail Influence
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windigo's Urns
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Jade) Research the Memory of Light ritual (Stage 1 Progress: 0/100)
-[X] (Biedde) Ask for an Edge Influence.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing


Selene looking for Windigo's Urns is likely less effective but she still should have all info on cultists that Bureau possess via Velvet. So if Urns are being moved toward our house by hell bend on revenge cultists she should be able to discover it. If they are hidden in Manehatten there is reasonable chance that she would find it. If they are moved elsewhere then it is likely not immediate issue for us after all.
And only alternative being Soothe the night that I don't think would affect Celestia in any way, since Luna is supposed to direct her personal attention to Celestia in either case. If it affects Celestia then she is not trying hard enough.



On another note I would like to speak in favor of Grail influence.

[X] Plan Wrap-Up
[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

First of all DoA Sacramnet. QM confirmed Sunset existence and really how many mirror dimensions there is? Even if more than one then at least example that we know about have its own population of twisted beings ( fingers, the horror!) so Grail may be appropriate.
Another action is meeting with Cadence and we are bound to speak about cult and lores soon. Perhaps Influence and high enough roll will allow to start teaching her Grail straight away.
Plus at least some plans have us meeting Midday Dew in addition to all this.

As for Spoiled I think giving her all Mareinette attention is mistake. We only need her at close friend level. Going above is turning her into minion which makes her more useful for other Sacraments instead of Moth.

I would really prefer Grail, but I if not then at least get Filthy Rich too.
[X] Plan We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison)

And just in case

[X] Plan Lightcatcher but with Grail Influence
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Channel a Grail Influence
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Spy on Windy via dreamwalking
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Jade) Research the Memory of Light ritual (Stage 1 Progress: 0/100)
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

[X] Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence

[X] Plan Wrap-Up

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

I miss having an easy tally program. I know people linked me to the outside tally program But I frankly can't grok it at all. Still, at least these plans have both of the Sacraments I want.

 

[Limabot]

I am still waiting for a full list of the plans to make my vote. And yes, no in-built tally program is very annoying.

 

[Greymere]

Spoiler: Current Tally

Vote Tally : Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience | Page 249 | Questionable Questing [Posts: 7453-7819]
##### NetTally 5.0.6

Task: 【NONE】
— Voters: 19

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Spy on Windy via dreamwalking
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Jade) Research the Memory of Light ritual (Stage 1 Progress: 0/100)
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 8

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Lightcatcher V2
[X] Alan975
[X] DelightedOne
[X] Greymere
[X] LieutenantSpirit
[X] Maer
[X] Rafuki22
[X] Sveta08
[X] Waela

[X] Plan We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison)
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich + Filthy Rich
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Biedde) Ask him to channel an influence of Edge for us.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 6

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison)
[X] Anjaxis
[X] jelloloaf
[X] Maer
[X] Nevermort
[X] Rafuki22
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished
-[X] Do not leash anypony.
-[X][DETECTIVES] The dangers in the dark come from outside of Ponykind as well. Listen to the rumors. Study the myths. Look for the threats from without. (Search for Expedition Sites for your later consideration. Additionally, keep an ear on the ground for other "foreign" threats)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Your detectives have given you a very long list, of ponies and places involved in the attempt against your life. Round them up and put them all in jail, before this trail goes cold.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] The Lunar Bureau is not the only recently-minted institution in Equestria. Try to contact the others.
--[X] Eclipse(?), and Midday Dew.
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence. (Secret Histories)
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][MAREINETTE] Channel an Influence. (Grail)
-[X][SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X] Something Else (lend Heartifact to Comet)
No. of Votes: 5

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished
[X] Alan975
[X] DelightedOne
[X] Maer
[X] Nevermort
[X] Talon Tiger Dino

[X] Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X] (Commissioner) . Get your hoofs dirty. Join the "Constables" in a raid/Expedition
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Channel a Grail Influence
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Attack your foe, or defend yourself. Deal with Windigo's jars
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Jade) Scry for Windigo's Urns
-[X] (Biedde) Ask for an Edge Influence.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 4

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence
[X] AuthorTransient
[X] Maer
[X] Shaper47
[X] Talon Tiger Dino

[X] Plan Bakkasama
-[X][DETECTIVES] The dangers in the dark come from outside of Ponykind as well. Listen to the rumors. Study the myths. Look for the threats from without. (Search for Expedition Sites for your later consideration. Additionally, keep an ear on the ground for other "foreign" threats)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Your detectives have given you a very long list, of ponies and places involved in the attempt against your life. Round them up and put them all in jail, before this trail goes cold.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] The Lunar Bureau is not the only recently-minted institution in Equestria. Try to contact the others.
--[X] Eclipse(?), and Midday Dew.
-[X] Leash Filthy Rich (gain one follower action)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence. (SH)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Prolong her stay. (Edge 6 book)
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to… (Spoiled Rich)
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X][SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
-[X] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
No. of Votes: 3

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Bakkasama
[x] Alan975
[x] Bakkasama
[x] Shaper47

[X] Plan We Can Be More
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich + Filthy Rich
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Biedde) Build a prison
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 3

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: We Can Be More
[X] Rafuki22
[X] Shaper47
[x] spiderhellian

[X] Plan Wrap-Up
-[X] Do not leash anypony.
-[X][DETECTIVES] Follow Up: Changelings
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Your detectives have given you a very long list, of ponies and places involved in the attempt against your life. Round them up and put them all in jail, before this trail goes cold.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] The Lunar Bureau is not the only recently-minted institution in Equestria. Try to contact the others.
--[X] Eclipse(?), and Midday Dew.
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence. (Secret Histories)
-[X][BIEDDE] Kill any Bound Windigos that are discovered. Killing monsters is something you wish to do, after all.
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][MAREINETTE] Channel an Influence. (Grail)
-[X][SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
-[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Rite of the Tapestry, targeting Bound Windigos)
--[X] To be performed... somewhere, where you hope nopony will catch wind of it.
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X] Something Else (lend Heartifact to Comet.)
No. of Votes: 3

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Wrap-Up
[X] Maer
[X] Nevermort
[X] Talon Tiger Dino

[X] Do not leash anypony.
-[X] Gift Baldomare your Level 6 book.
-[X][DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them. (One of the chief expectations of the Bureau. Avert a future Catastrophe)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Your detectives have given you a very long list, of ponies and places involved in the attempt against your life. Round them up and put them all in jail, before this trail goes cold.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Princess Cadance is in Canterlot. You are in Canterlot. Oh, and you nearly died, just a few weeks ago. Use your free time here to meet her.
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence. (Secret Histories)
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][BIEDDE] Ask for an Edge lesson.
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X] Something else? (Be interviewed about what happened during the attack.)
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[X] Portec

[X] Plan Focus and Set up
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Beyond Reproach
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X][BIEDDE] Scout Tall Tail
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Focus and Set up
[X] Solace2117

[X] Plan Lightcatcher but with Grail Influence
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Channel a Grail Influence
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Spy on Windy via dreamwalking
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Jade) Research the Memory of Light ritual (Stage 1 Progress: 0/100)
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Lightcatcher but with Grail Influence
[X] Nevermort

[X] Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X] (Commissioner) . Get your hoofs dirty. Join the "Constables" in a raid/Expedition
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Channel a Grail Influence
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windigo's Urns
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Jade) Research the Memory of Light ritual (Stage 1 Progress: 0/100)
-[X] (Biedde) Ask for an Edge Influence.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[X] Nevermort

[X] Plan We Can Be More + Corpses
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich + Filthy Rich
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Biedde) Ask him for some corpses.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: We Can Be More + Corpses
[X] spiderhellian

[X] Plan We Can Be More with Tall Tale Scenario
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale expedition
-[X] (Commissioner) Get your hoofs dirty.
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] (Rarity) Take a commission
-[X] (Jade) Scry for the Manehatten W*ndigo jars
-[X] (Biedde) Send on an expedition to 1) destroy the W*ndigo jars and then 2) find and retrieve Neighna, if possible. If Jade's scrying fails, construct a prison instead.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: We Can Be More with Tall Tale Scenario
[X] AuthorTransient

[X] Plan: Knock and SH Sacraments with Friendship
-[X] Leash Filthy Rich (gain one follower action)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X][DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them. (One of the chief expectations of the Bureau. Avert a future Catastrophe)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Princess Cadance is in Canterlot. You are in Canterlot. Oh, and you nearly died, just a few weeks ago. Use your free time here to meet her.
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence in Secret Histories
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][SELENE] Comfort Jade
-[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. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Knock and SH Sacraments with Friendship
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan: Knock, SH and Edge Sacrament
-[X] Leash Filthy Rich (gain one follower action)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X][DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them. (One of the chief expectations of the Bureau. Avert a future Catastrophe)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Princess Cadance is in Canterlot. You are in Canterlot. Oh, and you nearly died, just a few weeks ago. Use your free time here to meet her.
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence in Secret Histories
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][BIEDDE] Ask for an Edge Influence.
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE) × 2
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Knock, SH and Edge Sacrament
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan: Knock, SH and Edge Sacrament with extra Aotl
-[X] Leash Filthy Rich (gain one follower action)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X][DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them. (One of the chief expectations of the Bureau. Avert a future Catastrophe)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Princess Cadance is in Canterlot. You are in Canterlot. Oh, and you nearly died, just a few weeks ago. Use your free time here to meet her.
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence in Secret Histories
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][BIEDDE] Ask for an Edge Influence.
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
-[X] You would like somepony to help you with a small ritual. Edge Aotl × 1
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Knock, SH and Edge Sacrament with extra Aotl
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan: Knock, SH and Edge Sacrament with extra Aotl (Jade on light)
-[X] Leash Filthy Rich (gain one follower action)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X][DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them. (One of the chief expectations of the Bureau. Avert a future Catastrophe)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Princess Cadance is in Canterlot. You are in Canterlot. Oh, and you nearly died, just a few weeks ago. Use your free time here to meet her.
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence in Secret Histories
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][BIEDDE] Ask for an Edge Influence.
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
-[X] You would like somepony to help you with a small ritual. Edge Aotl × 1
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Knock, SH and Edge Sacrament with extra Aotl (Jade on light)
[X] Shaper47

[X] Plan: Knock, SH and Wolf Sacrament
-[X] Leash Filthy Rich (gain one follower action)
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X][DETECTIVES] (FOLLOW UP) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them. (One of the chief expectations of the Bureau. Avert a future Catastrophe)
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Everypony heard what happened to your previous prisoner. Nopony wants to sit around and wait for what happens next. Time to raid the mountain of Tall Tale.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Princess Cadance is in Canterlot. You are in Canterlot. Oh, and you nearly died, just a few weeks ago. Use your free time here to meet her.
-[X][RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence in Secret Histories
-[X][MAREINETTE] You need her to talk to Spoiled Rich
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X] You would like for somepony to search for books…
--[X] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE) × 2
-[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.
No. of Votes: 1

Spoiler: Voters

[◈] Plan: Knock, SH and Wolf Sacrament
[X] Shaper47

---

Total No. of Voters: 19

It's not exactly a list of plans, but all the 'active' plans are on there so... here you go? Unless you'd like something organized by "does this specific thing" like I did before for the first round of the planting evidence vote.

 

[MisRAR1]

[X] Plan We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison)

 

[Greymere]

Uh, for whoever made WCBM + Edge (No Prison)...

What's the Edge Influence for?

Like I get why the SH Influence, it's been discussed to death, but maybe I missed part of the discussion or something?

 

[Pittauro]

Doesn't look too morally off-putting when measuring up against other Sacraments. I guess any objections to it were likely based on harder and currently unfulfillable prerequisites (three Minions to perform, while we have only one now, Rarity, and no clear prospects to acquire more), making it far less accessible than the Mareinette's Dinner option.

Click to shrink...

It's subjective, but permanent brainwashing is not THAT far off from murder for me.

The DoA explicitly does not know her Key is there, which has been confirmed IC by Baldomare and OOC by QM.

Click to shrink...

or at least if she knows she's not telling us. I don't think we got an explicit "she doesn't know", but she definitely did not tell us about it OR behave as if she thinks it's there.

Uh, for whoever made WCBM + Edge (No Prison)...

What's the Edge Influence for?

Like I get why the SH Influence, it's been discussed to death, but maybe I missed part of the discussion or something?

Click to shrink...

I suppose there's a fear of combat in the other world we're visiting?

And I suppose that, IF we somehow managed to finish with full health and 2 leftover APs, we COULD in theory try Forge's Redemption followed by Edge Sacrament at the last moment...

 

[spiderhellian]

I think it's silly to worry about combat on an errand that DoA has told us won't be dangerous!

Gah. A risen is very useful! Or we can get an edge AotL and also have a chance at the Biedde sacrament if there's room. As is feels messy.

Here's an alternative for that:

[X] Plan We Can Be More

[X] Plan We Can Be More + Corpses

[X] Plan We Can Be More + Edge (AotL)
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) Filthy Rich
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X] (Baldomare) Channel a SH Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich + Filthy Rich
-[X] (DoA) Knock lesson
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Selene) Scout Windy's dreams
-[X] AotL: Edge
-[X] (Biedde) Ask him to channel an influence of Edge for us.
-[X] Cover your bases (-9 Follower AP, +3 Velvet AP)
-[X] (Other) Lend Comet the Heart 3 artifact for the turn, if he's willing

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

If you are going to Leash Filthy, why bother using Mareinette on him? Would rather have a Grail Influence in case we have to talk to something on the other side of the mirror.

 

[spiderhellian]

If you are going to Leash Filthy, why bother using Mareinette on him? Would rather have a Grail Influence in case we have to talk to something on the other side of the mirror.

Click to shrink...

We don't get any unique confidant benefits (e.g. bits!?!?) until he's a "real" confidant. Right now he's just a Good Friend, and leashed he's a good friend who likes us a little more so will help us out.

 

[Limabot]

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

[X] Plan Wrap-Up

 

[Maer]

Uh, for whoever made WCBM + Edge (No Prison)...

What's the Edge Influence for?

Like I get why the SH Influence, it's been discussed to death, but maybe I missed part of the discussion or something?

Click to shrink...

I was just copying what 'We can be more' had in its listing when it was a suggestion instead of a properly posted plan, and then made slight alterations for the +Edge(No Prison). I believe it was meant to soothe the worries people had about DoV's Sacrament being possibly dangerous on the other side- despite Axe's insistence that it would not cost blood, merely time- as well as their belief that it was a waste to use Beidde to dig a hole instead of using a proper Name-worthy action.

I'm not planning on personally voting for it now that better alternatives are around, though.


[X] Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence

[X] Plan Wrap-Up

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

 

[des-pair-2]

Okay, time to throw my votes into the ring.

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2
[X] Plan We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison)
[X] Plan Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence
[X] Plan We Can Be More
[X] Plan Wrap-Up
[X] Plan Lightcatcher but with Grail Influence
[X] Plan We Can Be More with Tall Tale Scenario
[X] Plan We Can Be More + Edge (AotL)

I'm near-certain at least one of them will win.