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

Reader mode
I'll be honest. I don't want to leash Filthy. Velvet has made morally questionable decisions in the past, but they've almost always been rooted in some desire to do good. Leashing him here feels wrong, not just morally, like it's wrong for Velvet. There's no immediate need to Leash him. There's no immediate, necessary benefit. We're Leashing him because we... just want his action?

The reason I voted for Lightseeker V2 is not because I want to Leash him, it's because I basically agree with almost every other part of the plan. I want to send the Detectives after the Changelings. I want to finish off Copper's Cult. I want to focus on just Spoiled Rich instead of her and Filthy Rich (I don't want Mareinette to have influence over a child's parents). I like the idea of a Lantern Influence. I like Jade researching the Memory of Light as well as sending Selene to spy on Windy.

But I don't like Leashing Filthy, and I think if I don't at least try to push for an alternative, I'd regret it. So, even though this is likely too late to sway the vote, here is my proposal.

[X] Plan Lightcatcher No Leash
-[X] (Detectives) Follow Up: Changelings
-[X] (Constables) Follow Up: The Gardeners
-[X] (Commissioner) Midday Dew
-[X] (Grail-Leash) No
-[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] (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

Unfortunately, to "pay" for that loss in AP (15 down from 16), Selene can no longer spy on Windy as that feels like it's the least important action being taken (even though Windy is my current biggest worry). Still, I have to try for this alternate plan, as futile as it is.

If I hadn't been sick for the first half of this week, I might have tried to do this sooner. Alas, that history was not meant to be.

(And here's my vote for Lightcatcher V2 just so it doesn't lose its lead. If you decide to vote for my futile plan, I highly recommend voting for Lightcatcher V2 as well to not split the vote.)
[] Plan Lightcatcher V2

EDIT:
[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished
 
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LieutenantSpirit said:
Unfortunately, to "pay" for that loss in AP (15 down from 16), Selene can no longer spy on Windy as that feels like it's the least important action being taken (even though Windy is my current biggest worry). Still, I have to try for this alternate plan, as futile as it is.
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Small nitpick: why not just swap out Rarity's commission instead? But other than that, I'll edit my earlier vote for this.
 
AuthorTransient

Unfortunately Plans, We Can Be More with Tall Tale Scenario and Stacking up Influences and Raiding with SH influence are unlikely to win.

Have you considered approval voting for Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished so we can get an SH Influence?
 
Anjaxis spiderhellian

Saddly Plan We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison) doesn't look like it's going to win.

In the hopes of getting an SH influence for DoA's Sacrament/befriending have you considered approval voting for Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished.
 
Shaper47 said:
Anjaxis spiderhellian

Saddly Plan We Can Be More + Edge (no Prison) doesn't look like it's going to win.

In the hopes of getting an SH influence for DoA's Sacrament/befriending have you considered approval voting for Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished.
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I'm torn. I'm tooooooooorn.

I might just abstain. I want the influence, but I'm less confident about it than I used to be. I do like setting up for Moth sacrament next turn too… I want to Leash.

Ugh! This is hard! :V

Maybe if I write more apocrypha, I'll figure it out…
 
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Depends entirely on if Windy is succeeding at Wolfing, crashing and burning at Wolfing, fanboying over Neighnia setting up shop in his neighborhood, or just decided life was good with his girlfriend and focused on that.
 
spiderhellian said:
I want the influence, but I'm less confident about it than I used to be.
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I'm pretty confident SH is good for finding the Frangiclave.

And probably more besides that.

Though really it's mainly that I strongly feel that we won't be using a Lantern influence that makes me prefer not have have a Lantern influence.

3 AP DoA's Sacrament
2 FO's
1 Forge's Redemption

The Lantern influence probably going be used on like one AP, maybe two at best.

And I just feel like that's a massive waste.

spiderhellian said:
I do like setting up for Moth sacrament next turn too…
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We've got plenty of time till it's needed.

spiderhellian said:
I want to Leash.
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Mood kindred my friend.

spiderhellian said:
Maybe if I write more apocrypha, I'll figure it out…
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That's always a good idea I love what you last wrote. Though that didn't count as apocrypha.

I should go do the same.
 
DelightedOne said:
I think they are more like "potions"
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that's basically what I said. a potion would likely behave as a one-use artifact.



[X] Plan Lightcatcher No Leash

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2

if no-leash catches up I'll probably remove V2. and hey, after this turn Luna will be even more ready for night-spying thanks to finishing her training...
 
Pittauro said:
that's basically what I said. a potion would likely behave as a one-use artifact.
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I do hope that the Forge Name is in the Summit/Malleary. A Forge Influence from them would not only give us the needed scraps to start on our personal Forge Sacrament, but also supercharge the subsequent Sacrament action(s) themselves.
 
Portec said:
[X] Plan Wrap-Up

I most certainly missed it by why leashing Rich? And what is the plan/goal for his wife?
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Hi, sadly plan Wrap-Up is probably not going to make it. Have you considered approval voting for Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished. It's a close match.

Leashing Rich is for another follower AP mainly to be spent on covering bases. Not especially needed due to the blackmailed servants we've got. The leash is not used in plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished.

I'm pretty sure Moth Sacrament is the goal for his wife.
 
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Being a wimp, and not pushing for genuinely good results is how Velvet allowed herself to be powerless before the master.

We need names on side and to improve our lore levels.

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2
 
Earth-Destroyer said:
Being a wimp, and not pushing for genuinely good results is how Velvet allowed herself to be powerless before the master.

We need names on side and to improve our lore levels.

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2
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That's one reason the plan 'Spreading Ourselves Thin Gets us Punished' chooses SH. It has a far higher likelihood of helping us complete the DOA Sacrament earlier than 3 turns compared to Lantern which has a very slim chance of being useful by comparison. It also sets us up to take an SH Sacrament roll with a higher chance of success if we DO finish early.

Which will leave us 1 SH Sacrament action away from completing it, setting us up for an SH Sacrament completion next turn alongside heavy Lantern influence for massive studying to boost our Lore scrap levels. After all, Lantern is better used to aid in studying, which we'd only be doing one action of this turn- as opposed to numerous actions studying next turn.

It makes more efficient sense to take Lantern next turn as opposed to this turn. Since DOA's sacrament is an expedition, it's almost certain to use SH, and has only a very slight chance of using Lantern, making SH the safer and more sensible choice anyways.

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

This is pushing for genuinely good results and buffing our Lore levels like you asked for. Then it sets us up for a great study turn next time, which further boosts our Lore levels.
 
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How exciting. It's close.

I'll put my thumb on the scales.

You all want the Secret History influence? Really? You want to just lose that free Secret History Scrap? Far be it from me to stop you, but that seems a waste in my eyes.
 
Talon Tiger Dino said:
[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished
-[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] [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] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
-[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)
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I'm now considering it.

A couple questions

1) we're not leashing Filthy Rich. Is the action assumed to be made up for by the Risen immediately?

2)I imagine the Risen won't be suspicious to the Bureau guards?

3)who do we expect will use their actions to go and take the body?

4)actually, just to be sure, WHO is using their actions for Cover Your Bases?

I assume Fluttercomet, House Servants, Risen... And Selene? Or would Selene get the risen and then the Risen would cover our bases?

...uh. actually Selene is really suited to get the body


Not getting to study the artifacts and books (no point without the Lantern influence) annoys me a bit, but then again there's a non-zero chance we might finish the SH Sacrament this turn, IF we somehow manage to finish the DoA sacrament in 2 actions...

...or, by virtue of also having a grail influence active, we could instead take an extra social action (FO Uncle Steppes?) if for example we had two actions but no extra reroll to risk the other SH roll......


Eh, why not.

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

Main difference is Selene non spying on Windy (and next turn she'll have finished her training and be better prepared) and getting us a body to replace Rich Leash, and preparing for SH Sacrament instead of study actions, right?
 
Maer said:
That's one reason the plan 'Spreading Ourselves Thin Gets us Punished' chooses SH. It has a far higher likelihood of helping us complete the DOA Sacrament earlier than 3 turns compared to Lantern which has a very slim chance of being useful by comparison. It also sets us up to take an SH Sacrament roll with a higher chance of success if we DO finish early.

Which will leave us 1 SH Sacrament action away from completing it, setting us up for an SH Sacrament completion next turn alongside heavy Lantern influence for massive studying to boost our Lore scrap levels. After all, Lantern is better used to aid in studying, which we'd only be doing one action of this turn- as opposed to numerous actions studying next turn.

It makes more efficient sense to take Lantern next turn as opposed to this turn. Since DOA's sacrament is an expedition, it's almost certain to use SH, and has only a very slight chance of using Lantern, making SH the safer and more sensible choice anyways.

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

This is pushing for genuinely good results and buffing our Lore levels like you asked for. Then it sets us up for a great study turn next time, which further boosts our Lore levels.
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What lore will be useful is unknown, and uncertain, they only one it cannot be is Forge, as the Key would destroy any barriers around it by existing. And frankly my issue is not using the leash we need to push for positive improvements, not let useful chances to improve our situation pass us by. The travesty that was not inviting the names to the wedding, is a mistake we are still paying for.
 
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Earth-Destroyer said:
What lore will be useful is unknown, and uncertain, they only one it cannot be is Forge, as the Key would destroy any barriers around it by existing. And frankly my issue is not using the leash we need to push for positive improvements, not let useful chances to improve our situation pass us by. The travesty that was not inviting the names to the wedding, is a mistake we are still paying for.
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There could be OTHER uses for Forge before reaching the Frangiclave. All things considered we just don't know.

We're only MOSTLY been reassured we shouldn't need more Knock, and even that is not a 100% guarantee
DelightedOne said:
Filthy's place in cover your bases will be taken either by one of Selene's actions, Rarity or Biedde.

I believe the Risen is for next turn.
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Uh. You just reminded me WHy I didn't like the plan.

No rarity commission

But usually we get to use a summon's action the turn we summon it, so it SHOULD be viable to use the risen now.

@OurLadyOfWires would the risen immediately be usable for Cover Your Bases? In that case we could edit a Rarity Commission for basically no loss...
 
spiderhellian said:
I'm torn. I'm tooooooooorn.

I might just abstain. I want the influence, but I'm less confident about it than I used to be. I do like setting up for Moth sacrament next turn too… I want to Leash.

Ugh! This is hard! :V

Maybe if I write more apocrypha, I'll figure it out…
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I will point out that there is no need to do the Moth Sacrament immediately next turn; we could go for Edge or SH instead while doing what studying is needed for Moth while Marinette does her Mareinetteing. Edge in particular is easy to prep the turn you want to try it, as all that is needed is Biedde to slap an Influence on us and then 2-3 AotLs, at least according to one of the quester's calculations.

Or in other words, the Sacrament Train has no brakes now regardless of whether or not Moth is unlocked.


Earth-Destroyer said:
Being a wimp, and not pushing for genuinely good results is how Velvet allowed herself to be powerless before the master.

We need names on side and to improve our lore levels.

[X] Plan Lightcatcher V2
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Earth-Destroyer said:
What lore will be useful is unknown, and uncertain, they only one it cannot be is Forge, as the Key would destroy any barriers around it by existing. And frankly my issue is not using the leash we need to push for positive improvements, not let useful chances to improve our situation pass us by. The travesty that was not inviting the names to the wedding, is a mistake we are still paying for.
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But Leashing Filthy doesn't affect getting Names on-side.

As for usefulness of things, we are searching for an item whose location we are unsure of. That's SH. SH is for searching. It has been used for every single search we have ever done. Because again, our scrying gave Baldomare nothing but allegory and symbolism. All we know is that wherever DoA is sending us, we can get access to it. But that still requires finding it first. And that Key is key to befriending the DoA.

Oh, and if one's argument is that we don't know what lores might be needed, then logically one should go for the plan where we pack more Eldritch Influences into our frame. I have 2 Influences to Lightcatcher's 1. Specifically Grail, since people are planning on a lot of talking this turn.
 
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Pittauro said:
I'm now considering it.

A couple questions

1) we're not leashing Filthy Rich. Is the action assumed to be made up for by the Risen immediately?

2)I imagine the Risen won't be suspicious to the Bureau guards?

3)who do we expect will use their actions to go and take the body?

4)actually, just to be sure, WHO is using their actions for Cover Your Bases?

I assume Fluttercomet, House Servants, Risen... And Selene? Or would Selene get the risen and then the Risen would cover our bases?

...uh. actually Selene is really suited to get the body


Not getting to study the artifacts and books (no point without the Lantern influence) annoys me a bit, but then again there's a non-zero chance we might finish the SH Sacrament this turn, IF we somehow manage to finish the DoA sacrament in 2 actions...

...or, by virtue of also having a grail influence active, we could instead take an extra social action (FO Uncle Steppes?) if for example we had two actions but no extra reroll to risk the other SH roll......


Eh, why not.

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished

Main difference is Selene non spying on Windy (and next turn she'll have finished her training and be better prepared) and getting us a body to replace Rich Leash, and preparing for SH Sacrament instead of study actions, right?
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1. Granted that last time we made a Risen it got to immediately contribute, I did assume the pattern holds.

2. Guard suspicion is explicitly only aroused by things that happen to us, not things done by us. BirdofWires has been very clear he'll handle spinning the narrative of what that looks like. Which I'm quite curious as to how that will look in this case.

3. The entire point of the Follower phase is to not worry about such things and let Wires pick the best. So I guess either Biedde or Selene will do it as our Moth 3 Ponies. I'm personally betting Biedde because he gives negative fucks about this sort of thing.

4. Fluttercomet, House Servants, Risen, and then yeah, either Rarity or Selene. And then whoever isn't covering goes and tries to get us a Heart Book in anticipation of the study times (curse you Ruined Church you scrap-draining bastard of a building).

5. Though I will admit that given our already existing backlog, dropping Book Search for a Commission is tempting for those sweet sweet bits. Feels like giving up on All-4 though, which then reignites my feelings of anger at the Ruined Church, and then things cycle back to needing a Heart Source.

6. Eh, screw it. I'm being a little irrational about the Heart thing. I'll go for the money like a reasonable person. It's liquid and immediately useful in a way a possible Heart Book is not.
 
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