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

[Iustus Vitea]

Why would she need to spend AP when Baldomare, and apparently Marinette, can just divine it via mere exposure? Why wouldn't she discover something funky was going on when Jade took one look at Selen and found us out?

And I don't know about you but adopting one of the cults objectives is definitely betrayl that goes beyond normal cultist intrigue.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Because the Master delighted in a Cultist actually having the ambition and will to perform a betrayal. It was the proper cultist thing to do, something to encourage rather than condemn in this belighted age.

Or it's because Baldomare and Mareinette live with us and have the master-summon bond providing more of a connection. Master we saw what, twice a month tops?

 

[Pittauro]

From what I remember, the Master basically outright tell us he knew we were disloyal in our last meeting.

"But still, you remain so blind… Can you not see that you have already found me? Can you not see that, this whole time, I was all around you? Ah… a lesson, then. Better yet, a question. Have you found the answer already, little Velvet, to those questions I asked you so long ago? Tell me, little Velvet, do you know… what loyalty tastes like?"

"No answer? Well, I thought that would be the case. Still, you are not to blame… not to blame… After all, you have never truly known loyalty, have you? Oh, I know you have not. Not to me, at least. You did not owe me, like Comet did. You were not fascinated by me, like Starry is. You did not yearn for my attention like Copper, and you never feared me like Jade… But that was why I knew you had it in you, little Velvet."

"After all, ambition is oh so important to climb… None the matter. The second question, then… Little, little Velvet. Have you finally figure it out? Do you know… what I am?"

"You already know the answer, don't you? Or perhaps, you knew it all along? Perhaps you realized it the first time you visited me, but chose to forget? Just like you and your kind forget so many things, as you stroll alongside me?"

"Tell me, little Velvet, do you know… what is about to happen?"​

Click to shrink...

Here's the relevant part.

Master knew we were not loyal. He didn't pry more than that, but they certainly made some assumption.

Maybe they thought we were not loyal because we wanted to be the boss. Maybe he thought our morals shackled us.

He KNEW we were not loyal. That does not mean she knew what we'd done behind her back.

Moth is the lore of chaos and yearnings, of understanding everything through understanding nothing at all.

Why would they spoil their own fun by just peeking at the answer? It's not like we were a REAL threat, we were just a mortal, if an incredibly skilled one.

and to be fair, if not for the Wolf, there was NOTHING we could have done that would have stopped them permanently. Their worst case was not dead. THeir worst case was we betrayed them openly at some point, painted ourselves a target, and at worst pushed their plans back a little.

 

[Sveta08]

The Master wanted a cultist with ambition and want. They knew that meant that the cultist would ultimately be looking out for themselves first.
That Velvet was particularly capable, that she found Luna might not have been known. That she met The Wolf might have been known. But in the end...
The Master was consumed. Burnt. And lost.

I imagine that The Master knew by smell that there were things Velvet was hiding. And I imagine that delighted her to no end.

 

[Pittauro]

I imagine that The Master knew by smell that there were things Velvet was hiding. And I imagine that delighted her to no end.

Click to shrink...

until it didn't

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Why would she need to spend AP when Baldomare, and apparently Marinette, can just divine it via mere exposure? Why wouldn't she discover something funky wsd going on when Jade took one look at Selen and found us out?

And I don't know about you but adopting one of the cults objectives is definitely betrayl that goes beyond normal cultist intrigue.

Click to shrink...

The thing is, that's not a Name thing, it's just the thing of specific Lores. Baldomare is Lantern. Knowing everything is just its thing. Meanwhile, note the way Bird worded Marinette's question. She would, in this theoretical situation understand that Velvet wants her dead, but not necessarily why, or what preparations we would have made in the background except perhaps by sensing the same murderous intent from the others.

Meanwhile, the Master always made it obvious that they knew that Velvet was keeping secrets and lying, because those are Mothy things and thus in his purview, and could often sense her confusion, uncertainty, and disloyalty. but just knowing that someone has a secret doesn't tell you what that secret is, nor is Moth inclined to go figuring those secrets out unless it's an active and clear detriment to their plans. Even disloyalty fed into their desire for Chaos and confusion.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

The thing is, that's not a Name thing, it's just the thing of specific Lores. Baldomare is Lantern. Knowing everything is just its thing. Meanwhile, note the way Bird worded Marinette's question. She would, in this theoretical situation understand that Velvet wants her dead, but not necessarily why, or what preparations we would have made in the background except perhaps by sensing the same murderous intent from the others.

Click to shrink...

I know it's not a Name thing I was just asking why the Master didn't find out when it was a Moth thing to do so.

 

[Void_510]

We should ask Marinette to teach us Heart. We know we don't want her understanding of Grail, we can see if there is anything we can meet her halfway on.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

I know it's not a Name thing I was just asking why the Master didn't find out when it was a Moth thing to do so.

Click to shrink...

Ah, then the simple answer is because it's not a Moth thing. Or rather, knowing something funky is going down is a Moth thing, but purposefully not figuring out what the funky thing is also counts as a Moth thing. People having secrets that they don't know is a good thing, in the Moth mindset. They wanted to be surprised.

 

[Greymere]

Tbh even if we don't end up seriously planning to kill Mareinette, we should still get some kind of anti-spirit artifact weapon considering Copper and her cult. Even if we kill Copper there's still the rest of the cult to splinter off and get up to their own shenanigans. And whatever Windy is getting up to.

 

[Pittauro]

Ah, then the simple answer is because it's not a Moth thing. Or rather, knowing something funky is going down is a Moth thing, but purposefully not figuring out what the funky thing is also counts as a Moth thing. People having secrets that they don't know is a good thing, in the Moth mindset. They wanted to be surprised.

Click to shrink...

and, again, it's not like Velvet was an actual threat to the Masters.

They were a demigod, and had potentially centuries of times to recover from any temporary loss from Velvet, as long as they didn't believe the Worms to be an imminent problem. And they still presumably know Velvet is anti-worms, so even a Velvet victory (in reaching Glory, Harmony or the House of the Moon, or even the wolf ending) are acceptable results for the Master.

They might not be their FAVOURITE results, but they're acceptable, even if Velvet goes about it while holding on to her morals and love and so on.

How could the Master expect to be killed, IN THE MANSUS, by a mere Adept, when THEY WERE THE WILL OF THE WOODS?

Destroying the whole woods was near-unthinkable. Velvet could ONLY do it because of very special circumstances, and even then we hesitated to proceed as we feared the consequences.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

You know...

There's another thing I've been wondering about; who would've been the kindest Master?

Of course none of them would be Pony kind or even modern Human kind but who would've been the easiest to work with? DoA maybe? I mean aside from the whole twice-born royalty thing she doesn't act very Namey. Baldomare is a no go, we could never hide anything from her and there is no mercy to be found in the Light, the Forge Name is unknown and Biede is the Colonel's Name hence wouldn't take kindly to any bucking of authority. Neighina...based off of CS she wouldn't be kind but she wouldn't be unkind either, fitting I suppose for a Name of the Elegiast. The Heart Name is either Marinette or unknown and Marinette is also a no go.

Like so much nope.

 

[Pittauro]

You know...

There's another thing I've been wondering about; who would've been the kindest Master?

Of course none of them would be Pony kind or even modern Human kind but who would've been the easiest to work with? DoA maybe? I mean aside from the whole twice-born royalty thing she doesn't act very Namey. Baldomare is a no go, we could never hide anything from her and there is no mercy to be found in the Light, the Forge Name is unknown and Biede is the Colonel's Name hence wouldn't take kindly to any bucking of authority. Neighina...based off of CS she wouldn't be kind but she wouldn't be unkind either, fitting I suppose for a Name of the Elegiast. The Heart Name is either Marinette or unknown and Marinette is also a no go.

Like so much nope.

Click to shrink...

well, Baldomare wouldnt' be kind, but she also wouldn't be senselessly cruel. and her SH focused self would likely be more willing to compromise than her Lantern focused self.

Biedde... yeah, that would be the most strictly hierarchical cult.

a Neighnia cult would definitely be interesting. No cruelty there, but also no holding back. Death is an ending, and not a bad one...

Honestly I would have LOVED to play a Mareinette Cult. Grail was my first pick (though damn, I think we would have gotten thrown out of SV much faster in that case).

Velvet would by far be Mareinette's favourite there too... but just imagine, all the temptations and whispers she'd have for us about eating Silky...

 

[DelightedOne]

You know...

There's another thing I've been wondering about; who would've been the kindest Master?

Of course none of them would be Pony kind or even modern Human kind but who would've been the easiest to work with? DoA maybe? I mean aside from the whole twice-born royalty thing she doesn't act very Namey. Baldomare is a no go, we could never hide anything from her and there is no mercy to be found in the Light, the Forge Name is unknown and Biede is the Colonel's Name hence wouldn't take kindly to any bucking of authority. Neighina...based off of CS she wouldn't be kind but she wouldn't be unkind either, fitting I suppose for a Name of the Elegiast. The Heart Name is either Marinette or unknown and Marinette is also a no go.

Like so much nope.

Click to shrink...

The kindest Master would probably be Baldomare in her SH aspect(I'm pretty sure that is what made her keep so much of her mortal mindset) or Neighnia.
I personally would have gone for Lantern(my main Lore) or Secret Histories(the most balanced in my opinion) so Baldomare would have been my choice either way.

The heart name is Mareinette, so yeah, not a good idea.

I just had a thought that if we choose the Biedde option we could have been able to betray him and side with his Dyad, that would have been pretty interesting.

 

[Limabot]

You know...

There's another thing I've been wondering about; who would've been the kindest Master?

Of course none of them would be Pony kind or even modern Human kind but who would've been the easiest to work with? DoA maybe? I mean aside from the whole twice-born royalty thing she doesn't act very Namey. Baldomare is a no go, we could never hide anything from her and there is no mercy to be found in the Light, the Forge Name is unknown and Biede is the Colonel's Name hence wouldn't take kindly to any bucking of authority. Neighina...based off of CS she wouldn't be kind but she wouldn't be unkind either, fitting I suppose for a Name of the Elegiast. The Heart Name is either Marinette or unknown and Marinette is also a no go.

Like so much nope.

Click to shrink...

To add on to this, while The Daughter of Axes is a fun character to have around, she would probably be one of the meaner Masters. Even now she is an abrasive jerk who is perfectly willing to kill ponies; imagine what she'd do if she actually cared about what was happening in the Wake.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

well, Baldomare wouldnt' be kind, but she also wouldn't be senselessly cruel. and her SH focused self would likely be more willing to compromise than her Lantern focused self.

Click to shrink...

I don't think Bird would make that much of a distinction, after all even as the Heart Master Marinette would still be Marinette. And yeah Baldomare wouldn't be cruel but I was more thinking that she would be the hardest to work around if we even made the attempt. Bird's Baldomare also doesn't regret what she did to get to her current position and while in this quest she's retired, or as retired as a Name gets, if she were the Master she wouldn't be and uhhhh...yeah.

a Neighnia cult would definitely be interesting. No cruelty there, but also no holding back. Death is an ending, and not a bad one...

Click to shrink...

I don't think it would get that bad with her, my reading of Neighina, based entirely off of her CS counterpart, is that she's the most human of the Names. Or I suppose the better way to put it would be that she is the Name that retains the most of her Humanity. She's probably the one we could most likely work with even if she wouldn't be the kindest.

If only the Heart Name was one of the Malachite's.

 

[DelightedOne]

Totally random but I was looking through the CS wiki because of the master talk and I stumbled upon Biedde's Blade.

That could be his friendship goal(the only other things that I think fit is finding his Dyad if they're lost or train someone to pass down the teachings of The Colonel). I guess that makes sense since all 3 Names we have(Doa, Baldomare and Mareinette) ask for stuff that matters to them(key that only opens, knowledge that she doesn't have yet and the satisfaction of a desire, respectively).

 

[Pittauro]

I don't think Bird would make that much of a distinction, after all even as the Heart Master Marinette would still be Marinette. And yeah Baldomare wouldn't be cruel but I was more thinking that she would be the hardest to work around if we even made the attempt. Bird's Baldomare also doesn't regret what she did to get to her current position and while in this quest she's retired, or as retired as a Name gets, if she were the Master she wouldn't be and uhhhh...yeah.

Click to shrink...

There's still differences.

Both Mareinettes are still the same person, but in one the cult and thus the... culture of it have different foci.

One is all about pleasure and passion and forbidden delights, the other is on enduring and living. There's overlaps, of course, and the same Master, but Mareinette would take a different approach.

On another note... we saw that the Master had Moth 7 EVERYTHING 5. Which makes me wonder... what would have justified the other Names getting to be THAT good in everything?

Baldomare, I suppose, could have digged deeper into her occult knowledge. Mareinette, more or less the same, and maybe she could have fed on, I don't know, the remains of the Grail. I'm not sure how it would have worked for the others. @OurLadyOfWires can you comment on the "meaning" of Master having all lores at 5, and how it would have worked for the other potential Masters? Is it just a measure of how invested he was compared to the other Names, or is it literally a way to express they were stronger than a normal Name, even if less than an Hour?

I don't think it would get that bad with her, my reading of Neighina, based entirely off of her CS counterpart, is that she's the most human of the Names. Or I suppose the better way to put it would be that she is the Name that retains the most of her Humanity. She's probably the one we could most likely work with even if she wouldn't be the kindest.

Click to shrink...

Keep in mind we have no proof Neighnia was ever a mortal.

Not all Names and Hours are ascended beings, after all. Some were born/created that way.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

On another note... we saw that the Master had Moth 7 EVERYTHING 5. Which makes me wonder... what would have justified the other Names getting to be THAT good in everything?

Click to shrink...

Don't mistake the tiny fraction of themselves the Names show when bound by a summoning are representative of their true capabilities. Each and every Name has founded and run dozens of cults, over the ages. Figure all of them have 5 everything just from ages, and ages of living. The only show the stuff they truly enjoy for summoning because it the stuff they personally like. Their a reason GM warned a unbound Name being in the wake is is a bad as an entire enemy faction popping up overnight. Copper's little faction, is nothing to what a Name can do, first turn, if they commit entering the stage.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Honestly, while Secret Histories would probably be my top pick, and Moth would have been my second anyways, I am really curious what a Heart Cult would have looked like. Forge too. I feel like those Lores probably don't get much representation, and it would have been pretty fun to see a high infrastructure group from Forge.

 

[Pittauro]

Don't mistake the tiny fraction of themselves the Names show when bound by a summoning are representative of their true capabilities. Each and every Name has founded and run dozens of cults, over the ages. Figure all of them have 5 everything just from ages, and ages of living. The only show the stuff they truly enjoy for summoning because it the stuff they personally like. Their a reason GM warned a unbound Name being in the wake is is a bad as an entire enemy faction popping up overnight. Copper's little faction, is nothing to what a Name can do, first turn, if they commit entering the stage.

Click to shrink...

which is another reason we want to be REALLY careful about what we do with Mareinette.

A Mareinette free of our bonds in the Wake is problematic, but she won't likely go on to be "destroy a nation" level of bad.

A Mareinette that's explicitly our enemy and survives our first attack is nearly as bad as the Master actually wanting us dead.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Biedde to his Cult: Okay so the Colonel and I are creatures of hierarchy and the preservation thereof. The current hierarchy of the world is that of Harmony, or more directly for our purposes, the twin princesses Celestia and Luna. However, it is known that Luna had fallen to some sort of enemy attack ages ago. This is unacceptable. The current guard is clearly inadequate, falling to all sorts of monsters in embarrassing numbers. So. I am going to teach all of you how to better stab things, and we shall march to Canterlot, and pledge our services as a superior alternative to the Royal Guard, which they will obviously accept since we will have beaten down said guard on our march to the Princesses. Any questions?

(Biedde would learn that no, it would not be obvious to creatures of Harmony to pick his cult over the Guard. He did not exactly have the highest of diplomacy scores as a Master, and was rather out of touch with the Wake. Similar efforts to cut down the Everfree Forest, collapse the caverns of the diamond dogs, and assassinate more troublesome dragons in their sleep have marked his faction as a proactive, if controversial, group in the lands of Equestria.)

 

[Iustus Vitea]

Keep in mind we have no proof Neighnia was ever a mortal.

Not all Names and Hours are ascended beings, after all. Some were born/created that way.

Click to shrink...

There is no outright stated proof sure but the ones that never were are pretty blatant about it in canon, plus she has dialogue that screams ex human to me. And regardless of all of that what is stated is that she is the gentlest of the Elegiast's Names.

Also, even the ones that once were human don't necessarily stay anything remotely similar, take the Thunderskin for example. And of those that weren't ever human they can still be very good at getting us like the Flowermaker.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Oh god, and Edge Cult would have been such a mess. We would probably already be in full war mode by now.

 

[Greymere]

I just had a thought that if we choose the Biedde option we could have been able to betray him and side with his Dyad, that would have been pretty interesting.

Click to shrink...

That would have been really cool actually. Could also have opened up the possibility of having full blown cult v. cult conflict. Kind of makes me wish that an Edge cult had been chosen

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Pittauro, but with our SH Sacrament.
-[X] [AotL] Grail, with Pride
-[X] [FORGE] Create a Knock 2 Edge 1 Reagent. (45 bits, Free Action)
-[X] [KNOCK] The Only Way Up
--[X] [KNOCK] Keep going up. You are so very close now. So. Very. Close.
-[X] [DETECTIVES] 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] It is less paperwork for you if they just help with the investigations. (NO ACTION from the Constables. GAIN a PERSONAL ACTION for Velvet Covers)
-[X] [COMMISSIONER] The Bureau is more than an institution, it is a gathering of dedicated ponies working towards a unified goal. Ingrain yourself with them. (Establish, increase, or salvage the loyalty of the Bureau towards you personally.)
-[X] [SOCIAL] [TEACH] Teach Rarity, and make her a Disciple. (Free Action)
-[X] A fleeting opportunity
--[X] Royal. Wedding! Royal. Wedding! Help. Plan. The Royal. Wedding! (Expand, and pick one more item from, the list of Royal Wedding opportunities)
--[x] "The Royal Wedding is a matter of national security, so of course the Commissioner must be involved. Yes, even on that time she went on a shopping spree with the Princess." (Free action. NEGLECT work at the Lunar Bureau. Expand, and pick one more item from, the list of Royal Wedding opportunities)
-[X] These are the skills that allow you to climb the Mansus
--[X] Attempt, even if foolishly, to untangle the webs of the Secret Histories
---[X] Investigate your current skills. To try to understand them, if nothing else. (Current progress 0/3)
--[X] Velvet Pride, your upstart younger brother, seems to be heartbroken. Or so the gossip goes. If you take the initiative to talk to him, you might be able to get closer to him.
-[X] [JADE] "You do you." Let her do whatever she wants for once. It might do her some good, both mentally and personally.
-[X] [FLUTTERSHY] Ask for a favor, from your... mutual friend.
--[X] [GUARD] Our home.
-[X] [RARITY] Focus on your work.
-[X] [STEPPES] There is no guarantee he will be able to help you, but you will write him about… (WRITE IN)
--[X] [STEPPES] Ask for advice about how to bond with your brother
-[X] Jade's house is now adequately clean. Or at least sufficiently presentable for ponies to work on it. You should…
--[X] [SERVANTS] You need a place where you can safely, and discreetly, store items. Use the upper level of her house for it.
-[X] [MAREINETTE] Incision of the Heart on Velvet: remove the Frightened Debuff (20 bits. failure only on nat1s)
-[X] [BALDOMARE] Find us a place where we can hold 3-circle rituals next turn (for Axe's summon). (rolls +80)
-[X] [SELENE] Go play, one last time. (Costs two actions. Goodbye, Selene.)

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers.

And right now, you are at work.

Much to your surprise, however, you are not actually working. Sure, you are physically at work, sitting inside your office and all that. But you are not currently dedicating any attention to the (several) stacks of files in front of you.

Not because those files don't matter, of course. Quite on the contrary. You have reports to go over, about the ongoing investigations. Several petitions from your subordinates asking for you to make small procedural changes here and there. An entire package about an "encounter" that went south, involving one of your detectives. And even a letter from Fair Trial that came in just this morning, that you have not yet opened.

You have a lot to do, and all of it is important. In fact, you don't think anything that reaches your table will ever not be important.

However, you also know that… well, there will always be more to do. So, you won't chastise yourself for taking a small breather.

"Still, not having our Deputy around certainly doesn't make thing any easier," you say to yourself.

Your Deputy, of course, being Shining Armor. The lucky stallion who is currently on his honeymoon with nopony other than the Princess of Love herself.

Not that you begrudge his absence, of course. Well, you don't welcome the extra work, but the couple certainly deserves their getaway. And…



And you finally realize that you are just rambling to yourself, and that you definitely aren't going to get anything else done for the rest of the day.



That thought, or maybe that realization, strikes you like a small nudge to the side of your head. In fact, you feel like you just woke up, or like you were snapped out of a dream or something. Still, the fact remains that whatever focus you had earlier today is well and truly gone now.

Which means that, as you look around your desk, and then your office, you also realize you really aren't interested in engaging with any of those matters right now.

So, you just get up from your chair. You get up from your chair, and you walk around your office, and before you realize it you are already going out through your door.

And perhaps for the first time since you accepted this job, you just stroll around the Lunar Bureau.



- - -



You walked around the Lunar Bureau for a while.

You didn't really go anywhere in particular, and you didn't make the long trek to the underground levels. But still, you went down to the ground floor, idling here and there around the main entrance and its adjacencies, and exchanged a few words with the ponies you crossed paths with.

However, all those conversations were… well, they were rather short. Or perhaps "tense" would be a better way to describe them.

That is, whenever you met ponies who had a background in the Guard, they would move along towards the wall, and silently salute you as you passed. And whenever you saw a pony with a more administrative background, they just seemed out of their depth when they talked to you. Or they were particularly eager to tell you how they had an urgent task they should get to.

Things like that happened several times. Whenever you met somepony as you walked here and there. And no matter how hard you think about it, you just can't figure out why they were all acting like that and…!

…



Oh, who are you kidding, you know very well you are the problem.



Well, saying that you are the "problem" seems rather harsh. But still, you would have to be delusional to think that you aren't the "reason" as to why those attempted conversations were all awkward and, well, so very short.

So, sooner rather than later, you decided to end your walk around the Bureau. And you made your way back to your office.

No, you did not have a sullen and defeated look on your face. Stop imagining things.

However, rather than going straight to your office, you did one last detour. Rather than secluding yourself in your own space, to try and tackle whatever issues you have for the day, you instead made your way to the opposite door.

And that is why you are here right now.



"Are you absolutely sure you don't want anything, Commissioner? Not even a glass of water or anything?"

"No, like I said, I'm fine. But thank you."



You are currently in the Secretariat. One of the two doors that flank the corridor that lead to Princess Luna's office, and the nerve center that connects the head of the Lunar Bureau to its several limbs.

The Secretariat itself is, in reality, a small office complex in its own right. A large room staffed by seven ponies, each with their own obligations and concerns. And for all that you can roughly tell what each of them is responsible for, you also realize that the struggles they face here are more complex than they appear to be at a glance.



"In that case… is anything the matter? Are there any issues you would like us to work on?"

"Not at all. No issues, no."



Over here, you can see a desk surrounded by open crates, filled with letters and packages. And you spot a trio of worn letter openers tucked inside a mug, standing proudly right next to a magical eyeglass meant for inspecting the validity of official seals.

That desk, you presume, is where all the incoming mail is gathered. And the several "out" boxes on the desk, destined to your office, other desks of the Secretariat, or even to other departments, are a testament to how much information passes through this place. Although the large trash bin, full of triturated letters, also speaks of just how much is filtered.



"So, should I… get something from your office, Commissioner? Do you have a package for us to send out? Or maybe a letter?"

"Oh, no. No letters. In fact, I haven't been able to get much done to begin with."



On the opposite side of the room, you see a pair of desks covered in scrolls, surrounding a pair of typewriters. And next to the typewriters you see a much more familiar sight, that of the neat and organized paper that arrives at your desk in the form of field reports. That desk, you think, is where all the chaos that is discovered by your agents is distilled into something resembling order, which is then taken to your attention.

Over there, you spot a large calendar fixed on the wall, behind yet another desk. That calendar, you immediately realize, is a more complex version of your own agenda. Filled with changes, errata, and the odd question mark on days you have not yet decided what you will be doing.

You see all of that, and a lot more, all around the room. Hundreds of small details that show this place has not yet seen a calm day. Closed doors that lead to storages and archives that are slowly being filled. A larger, and empty, desk from where Shining oversees the running of this place.

But more important than any of that, you are currently looking at…



"In… in that case, Commissioner… well… Is there any reason for you to be here?"



You are currently looking at the ponies who work here. The secretaries and administrators that truly compose the Secretariat of the Lunar Bureau.

And you can't help but notice that they are… well, they are not "nervously watching" you. But you can tell they are not at ease either.

You know all of these ponies, of course. You remember all their names, and all of them enter your room, every now and then, to deliver or recover one or another document.

However, now that you think about it, you don't really know these ponies.

And even though they aren't nervously fidgeting, stoically saluting you, or trying to evade you as politely as possible, you realize they also don't know you either.

Huh…

"Actually, there is one thing I would like to ask," you say. And the several ponies around you, each of them sitting behind his own desk, look at you with even more attention than before.

The mare in charge of your calendar, a smartly dressed white unicorn called Inkwell, gives you a short nod. Although you can tell that even she is slightly relieved that, well, you are about to make sense of your sudden visit here.

"Of course, Commissioner. Whatever it is you would like to know?"

But rather than asking them about something business-related, or about something that recently reached your desk, you surprise them with something else.

You ask them what they think about their job, and how they have been handling this oh-so-recent part of their lives as part of the Lunar Bureau.

You try to start a conversation.

And you think you succeeded. Even if it was only with these seven ponies, who work right across the corridor from you.





They used to know you from the sound of the magical bell you ring, to summon one of them. Or from one of the piercing yells you let out, whenever you call for the Deputy.

But now, they know you by your name. And you call them by theirs.

You have taken the first step towards knowing the Lunar Bureau better. And towards being better known by them in turn.





- - -

- - -

- - -





As the days rush by, and you recover the free time you had invested in Cadance's marriage, you finally find yourself able to focus on… a certain project of yours.

Have you been avoiding this project? You are not… entirely sure.

Are you afraid of this project? Yes, you definitely are. You won't beat around this particular bush.

In fact, you are glad that you are afraid of doing this. It means you still have some measure of common sense about you. Or maybe, if not common sense, that your survival instinct is still working.

However, the fact remains that today… well, today you will force yourself to push past those barriers. Today, you will ignore your fears, and your common sense, and even your survival instinct.

Today, you will try to take a better look at something that has been with you for a while now.

…

You remember when this… thing began to happen. You remember when you first… "acquired" it? When you were first "afflicted" by it? When you first "realized" it?

Now that you think about it, you don't even know how to call this thing. You don't even know what words to use.

Is this a phenomenon that is happening to you? Is this a skill that you have acquired?

Or perhaps, is this a sickness you have in your brain? Is this a symptom of some esoteric insanity?

You… you don't know. You have no idea.

You don't know what it is, and you have nopony you can ask about it. Your former Master is gone. Baldomare refused to answer your questions. You will be damned if you ask Axe for any help. And of course, you are still reluctant to… confide in Mareinette, despite her offers.

So, you are under no illusions that you are lost in the dark. You have no idea of what this is, you have no idea of what it can do, and you have no idea of what to do next. Or even if you should do something about it.

However, or perhaps because of your ignorance, you still feel this urge to… try something. To learn about it. To explore it, even if it could be dangerous.



You are speaking, of course, about your… visions. About those memories from the near-past that appear in your mind every now and then. Those glimpses that aren't quite yours, but aren't quite anypony else's.

Those strangely-reliable déjà vus, as if you had just glanced over the thing you were looking for, that always took you in the right direction.

Those unexplainable waking dreams, where realize you were talking to a pony a few moments before. Even though you were somewhere else when that conversation happened, and you had never seen that pony in your entire life.



Yes, that maddeningly strange pathway inside your mind, that smells like hawthorn and has a color that is so achingly familiar. That strange book you have inside your head, that every now and then somepony else will write a memory into.

Today you will do something you have been avoiding this entire time.

Today, rather than pushing those thoughts away when they come to you, you will try to look deeper.

Even if it feels like something else will look back at you, when you do it.



- - -



You are sitting on your bed, with your eyes closed.

You are sitting at the very center of your bed, keeping your eyes as closed as possible without reaching the point you can actually see through them.

Your room is dimly lit, and your breathing is as slow and calm as you can handle it.

In short, you are meditating.

Or rather, you are trying to meditate.

You once read a book about meditation. And its instructions said, among other things, to try it in a calm and silent place. And to try to minimize any external distractions that might reach you.

However, that book also had terms like "sitting cross-legged" and "keeping your spine vertical" towards the floor.

You don't think that was a very good book. It didn't even specify which legs to cross!

Still, you are trying your best to…

"… keep my mind… clear!"

You let out a loud groan, opening your eyes in the process. This is definitely not working. And you are pretty sure that using other means will just taint the process.

"But it doesn't make sense," you say to yourself. "This… these memories, these visions. I have them all the time. Why isn't it working now?"

You mumble to yourself as you shift on your bed, the soft mattress suddenly feeling uncomfortable under your hind.

Not wanting to fight against your growing frustration, you just stand up and jump off from the bed. Walking around the room as you continue grumbling.

"I mean, it always feels like I… like I just talked to somepony. Like somepony told me where that pen was, or what time the clock was saying when I last looked at it. But right now…"

You keep walking in circles around your room. Once, twice, five times. Wracking your brain for that maddeningly familiar pull that, for some reason, just isn't there.

"… but right now, it just feels like I'm talking to myself. Like there's nopony else in here but me!"

The words echo through your room for a moment, but after that you are once again alone with your thoughts.

That is, until your eyes fall upon the large, full-body mirror on the corner of the room. The one you placed by the door, so you could check your dress one last time before you leave to start the day.

And for some reason, you suddenly remember a few of the… glimpses you had, ever since this thing started to happen.

Of course, you have already seen all sorts of things. Hints of houses that looked like your estate, but with small differences here and there. Sights of cities you are sure do not exist in the Equestria you know.

But the strangest visions were always… the ones where you were looking at a mirror.

No, it wasn't that.

The strangest visions were always the ones where somepony else was looking in a mirror.

A pony that wasn't quite you, but wasn't quite somepony else either.

A different Velvet Covers, with a face that looked just like yours, if a pony was trying to paint you from memory alone. Right in a hundred ways, but slightly off in a thousand different ones.

You remember that strangeness. And before you realize it, you are already standing in front of the tall mirror.

You look at yourself… at your mane, and your dress, and your body. Until finally, you start looking into your eyes.

And slowly, you begin to edge closer to the mirror. As if you are trying to see something in your eyes that you can't quite name. You slowly walk towards the mirror until you realize the tip of your horn is now pressing against it.

But still, you keep looking at your own eyes. You focus on that, and nothing else.

Until you can see your own reflection, inside the mirrored version of your eyes.

Until you can see that eyes of that Velvet, the one that lives inside the eyes that are behind the mirror.

Deeper, and deeper, and deeper. Until you feel like you just placed a mirror in front of a mirror. Until you feel like you are looking into a long corridor, made out of the darkness of pupils and arched by rings of irises.

Until you feel like you are-



- - -



[ROLLING 1d9 FOR LORE]



- - -



-the first thing that hits you is how cold it is.

You wake up with a start, even though you know you were not asleep.

Still, the fact remains that you were lying on the ground, your legs sprawled around you. So, you get on your hoofs as quickly as you can.

Because the ground is hard. And more importantly, it is very, very cold. So cold that you can even feel it through your horseshoes.

"W-what… how… where am I?" you hear a voice coming from somewhere.

And it takes you a full second to realize that voice just came from your mouth. And that it sounds so much like yourself, except that it doesn't.

Your heart begins to race as you look around, desperately trying to regain your bearings.

You are currently in a… room of sorts. There is a bed right behind you, but you are definitely not in a bedroom. The walls are made out of stone, as is the floor, and everywhere you look there is a bookshelf full of tomes or a table covered with strange alchemical tools.

Not a bedroom, but definitely a workshop. A workshop where… well, judging by the unkept bed and scraps of food, a pony frequently sleeps in.

You look around you, taking in the details, until you finally notice the obvious.

You finally realize that, right in front of you, is a small mirror fixed on the wall.

And just like that, you remember what you were trying to do. Your chain of thoughts guiding you through what you remember, until you finally understand what must have happened.

It is obvious, now that you think about it.



You succeeded.



And as you look into the small mirror, you can finally see the fruit of your labors.

You are Velvet Covers.

And despite all the similarities, you almost can't recognize the mare in the mirror.

"What… heavens, what have you done exactly?" you say to yourself, although you feel more curious than worried.

Because as you look at yourself, at your own body, you can see that…

Well, your horn looks thinner for starters. But not in a natural way. Your horn looks thinner, and slightly sharper. Almost as if you grinded it until it took its current shape.

Your body as a whole also feels… strange. But in a good way, mind you. You are not wearing any clothes, but as you turn your body sideways, you realize your right hindleg is healed. You can't see a single blemish or scar on your flank, and your cutie mark is in full display.

A strange sense of vertigo runs through you, as you look at that. It's just that you haven't seen your right-side cutie mark in so long that…

You take a deep breath, shaking your head as you do.

And heavens, again, the air is so cold.

Where exactly are you? The way that the walls are carved rather than built make you think you are somewhere underground. But this room doesn't look like a cavern or anything like that.

Is this how this Velvet… is this how you live in this place… in this History?

This isn't Ponyville. This isn't anywhere near Canterlot or central Equestria. Just what on earth happened to your life for you to end up here?!

Those thoughts run through your head, one after the other, and your emotions try to keep up with them as they run.

Part of you feels curious, as if you were looking at somepony else's life or reading about a character from a book. Part of you feels sad, because this place feels… well, you wouldn't trade your family for this, and you can't imagine yourself forcing them to move here with you. And part of you even feels guilty for…

Wait, no… why do you feel guilty? These thoughts, these emotions, they are yours. But not all of them. Some of them are coming from your body, rather than your mind.

This guilt, for example, seems to be something that you… that this Velvet carries inside of her, even though her mind just escaped somewhere else.

But before you can even think about prying into it-



-a thought occurs to you. No, not a thought. A memory from just now.

You are looking at yourself. Examining a familiar dress, as you look into a mirror in a familiar room.

Velvet Covers is looking at your body, her expression as curious as your own. Examining the rich room, and then the vista of Canterlot outside the window, with the same amount of wonder.

That is, until she looks at her reflection in the mirror, and gives it a short bow.

That is, until she looks at you, and gives you a short bow.

And the agreement of a time, no more than one hour, is reached-



-you realize you don't have time for that. Or maybe that it would be rude to pry. Or perhaps both.

With that in mind, you make your way towards the door, confident to explore this place as much as you can, while causing as few problems as possible.

And you know that, somewhere else far away, another you is doing the same.



- - -



Your body feels… strange. It doesn't feel like your own body, and yet you can do anything you want without any problems. It feels like wearing a new dress, that somehow has already seen the contours of your wear and use.

For example, the moment you make your way towards the door, your horn lights up. And before you realize it, you are casting a spell from muscle memory that you… well, that you have no idea of its purpose.

But as you go along with the movements of the maddeningly familiar spell, you quickly realize you are levitating something inside a small cabinet. Unfortunately, paying this much attention to the spell means that you ruined the flow of your body's memory. However, after quickly investigating the cabinet, you discover a long scarf and a thick cloak.

You put them on, of course. And you are thankful for it moments later.

Because somehow, the air outside your small workshop-room is even colder than inside of it.

Still, exiting the room helps you confirm some of your suspicions. You are definitely under the ground. Everything around you, the walls, floor and ceiling, is carved from the same dark-grey stone. And you spot a few support columns here and there.

Still, this place is not nearly as expansive as the underground level of the Wildhoof Club, for example. And other than a second room, with a bed and some personal belongings, and a small storage full of strange ingredients, you don't find anything else other than a stairway that leads up.

You really wish you had more time to check everything you have found. Heavens, the ingredients, and the scrolls, and even the instruments that this other you seems to use have all piqued your curiosity. The Lore-related applications to everything you have found so far are clear, but unfortunately they are not so obvious that you could learn from them at a glance.

However, since you are more curious to… well, learn more about her than about her methods, you quickly tear your eyes away from her cabinet of ingredients, and make your way up the stairs.

And as you reach the top of the stairs, opening a wooden trapdoor that covered its top, you see…



"Back already, Master? Is there anything you need?"



As soon as you open the trapdoor, you are almost immediately greeted by a strange stallion. An earth pony, or perhaps a pegasus, wearing heavy winter clothes that cover almost his entire body. His face is uncovered, and you can see a hint of his tail behind him, but other than that there is precious little you can tell about him.

But more importantly, what… what did he just call you?

"Excuse me, what did you say?" you ask, but you only realize that even that question was a blunder far too late.

After all, well… you think it would be best if you didn't cause any suspicion at all. You certainly wouldn't want your other-self going around doing strange things. So what if… well, what if this stallion doesn't know anything about the Lores? What if you end up acting in a strange way that causes suspicion?

Ack, an unpleasant thought suddenly occurs to you, as you think about that. Because what if this strange stallion is in some sort of relationship with you? You certainly wouldn't want to indulge him if he tried to kiss you or anything.

No, too many variables. You know too little. You don't even know enough to understand what "unsuspicious" would be, in this History.

The best thing you can do is just-

"Sorry, Master. Cold must be making my throat dry again. I just asked you if you need anything," he asks.

And thankfully, he sounds respectful. Perhaps even slightly worried. Thank the heavens, at least this should mean he isn't your lover or anything.

You bite down the small sigh of relief that was building up inside of you, and you quickly walk out of the trapdoor and shut the thing behind you.

"No, no need for anything," you say, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Should you finish it with a "thank you"? You can't really tell. This stallion just called you "Master", but that really isn't enough for you to measure your relationship with him. Or rather, that isn't enough to know if you should treat him politely or not.

However, and once again thankfully, the stallion just gives you another nod, and turns your back to you once again. Acting as if nothing out of the ordinary just happened.

You bite down another relieved sigh, and focus on your surroundings.

You seem to be… inside a shop? Yes, this is definitely a shop. The temperature is almost freezing, and you can see hints of fog and icing on a window. One that seems to lead to a street of sorts. But more importantly, you can see several wares placed on wooden shelves. Foodstuff, supplies for the cold, and several items besides that you aren't really familiar with.

You can also see that this place is… well, you would best describe it as "run down". The entire shop seems to be made out of wood. But for all that it looks solid enough, at least to keep the roof over your head, everywhere you look you can see something in disrepair.

Plus, considering how cold you feel, there doesn't seem to be any insulation to speak of.

Still, you look around you very carefully… drinking in the details, trying to figure out more about whatever place this might be. Are you even in Equestria? Could it be you are somewhere out of the country, perhaps on the far north or distant south?

You still can't tell.

So, you carefully make your way through the run-down shop. The stallion, who you think is your "apprentice" is reading from a book as he sits behind the counter. And other than that…

You look out through the window, and you see nothing but a cobblestone street covered in snow. Other buildings, made out of wood and also in disrepair, seem to flank the street. But the window itself is too fogged for you to make out any details.

You try to sniff at the air, and you feel… you feel…

You can't feel anything. Nopony nearby, not your apprentice, not even yourself…

Fascinating. You try to close your eyes, but you don't see anything other than the darkness of your eyelids.

Could this mean that those skills you have learned are…

No, you don't have time to dwell on this either. You want to go out, to explore this strange place. To at least figure out where you are, and what could have possibly brought another-you here.

But before you leave, you take a small gamble. And you turn towards your "apprentice" to ask him a question.

"I will be leaving for a tiny bit. But tell me, did anything happen while I was downstairs?" you ask, hoping that you didn't trip on any small detail. Because who knows, maybe there are certain terms or words that should be familiar to you, and that you didn't use right now.

You hope your body's muscle memory would have picked up on that, if it happened.

"Hm? No, nothing out of the ordinary, Master," the stallion answers, looking up from his book as he speaks.

He sounds awfully respectful as he does, but you can't tell anything other than that.

"Well, actually, somepony did pass by here, Master," he says, but he shrugs as if he wasn't about to say anything new. "That junkie Amore passed by a few minutes ago, begging for another drop. But I shooed her away, no worries."

He says those words so casually.

But you practically feel your heart drop inside your chest, as soon as you hear that name. And your mind all but freezes as you repeat what he just said to you.

You exit the shop without another word less than a second later.



- - -



You don't really know where you are. Some of the roads have signs on them, and the signs are written in Equestrian. But none of those names are familiar.

The sky also seems to be entirely covered in snow clouds. So even though there is still enough sunlight for you to be able to see, everything around you seems to be covered in this perpetual gloom of sorts.

But you don't care about any of that. None of that matters.

You don't have the time to investigate any of that. Not if, according to your understanding, you have less than an hour before you leave this place.

All that matters to you is that name, the name that your "apprentice" so casually mentioned. The name that, apparently, belongs to a… what did he call her? A junkie? An addict? You aren't really sure.

You don't have enough time to dwell on the details either.

All that matters is that, somewhere in this snow-covered village, nestled between two mountains in Tartarus-knows-where, there is a pony you need to find.

Because you might be wrong about this. In fact, you hope you are wrong about this. But even though you are in an entirely different History, there is only one pony you have ever met who has the word Amore as part of her name.

And thankfully, this village is small enough that you find her before long.

…

Although, well, you aren't really relieved by what you see…



- - -



"I… I'll pay you back, I swear! I-I just haven't… n-need more time and..!"

"Cadance…"

"B-but I'll be able to pay you b-back sooner if I… p-please, it just helps me focus. J-just one more drop and I know I…!"

"Cadance…"

"N-no! Don't come any closer! I'll do anything, please just-"

"Cadance, I just want to talk to you… please."



It seems that you are… or rather, that the Velvet from this History is… an alchemist.

Furthermore, getting any reliable details is very difficult. But apparently, you… or rather, this Velvet, knows how to make a substance called Keyhole Glimpse. A substance, mind you, that seems to be highly addictive.

Or maybe, it is not addictive at all. Because from what you understand, the only thing that substance does is allow you to look at "another life" of yours.

But… but if your current life is miserable, and drinking from that potion allows you to see a life that is just perfect, how could that potion be anything but addictive to you?

That is what you slowly come to understand, as you speak to the mare you just met. That is the puzzle you piece together, as you speak to… Mi Amore Cadenza. Although, if it wasn't for her name, you don't think you would have been able to recognize her at all.

The pink of her fur is a dirty brown. Her wings are battered and bruised. Everywhere you look she seems to be thin and malnourished. And the place you found her was… well, the two of you are literally under a bridge, although you don't think a river has flown through this village in a very long time.

"I-it's just that… you don't understand, Merry. What I see is just… it's just so good…"

It took you a lot of effort, but you finally managed to get Cadance to speak normally… or at least not yell in fear as she looks at you. Still, so far she has only called you "Merry". You haven't bothered to correct her on that.

"I know, Cadance, I understand," you say, trying to… well, you are not really sure.

"No, you don't. Y-you really don't… I… Merry, I was beautiful. I… I saw it, I swear I saw it. I had a horn and… and my dress… and he loved me, Merry… He loved me more than anypony ever loved me in my entire life."

You are sitting on the cold, hard ground, under the shadow of the stone bridge, as you listen to her. But the poor mare just drones on and on. Talking about a party that she knew could never happen. Describing a stallion who she didn't even know the name of. Choking on tears as she remembered a joy she could barely describe.

And you… just…

You don't know what to do.

Part of you thinks this is another History, so none of this is your concern. So you shouldn't do anything about it.

And another part of you… well, another part of you knows you can't do anything about it. This Cadance seems to be terrified of you, due to some debt that you know nothing about. She is… well, addicted, sick and miserable. And most importantly, you are running out of time.

You wouldn't be able to help her even if you wanted to. And you do want to help her, but…

…

No, there has to be a way. You only have a few precious minutes left, but there has to be something you can do.

This might be a shot in the dark. This might be a risk, or maybe even a problem that the Velvet from this History will have to deal with later on.

But still, you… you are Cadance's friend. She trusts in you and you care about her.

So, even though the logic of the Mansus dictates this is just another History, and that its fate does not belong to you.

You… refuse to accept that logic.

Cadance is your friend. Not just in your History, but anywhere she is.

And you will be damned if you don't do something to help her in this life.

"Cadance, I need you to listen to me very carefully," you say.

More than just that, you stand up. You stand up and you make your way towards her.

The mare recoils in fear as you do so. And even though you don't know why she is so afraid of you, you also realize your body, and this Velvet, is deep in the Lores. So, you understand you could have become a fearsome mare if you wanted to.

Still, you march towards her, even as she presses her back against a column that holds the overhead bridge.

And then you place a soft hoof on her shoulder. Even though that makes her shake so very much.

"Cadance, what if I told you that… I know what you saw? What if I told you that I saw it too, that I saw your marriage and your happiness and… him?" you say that as you look into her eyes.

The mare tries to answer, words forming on her dry and bruised lips. But something, perhaps fear or perhaps the memories she saw from her other life, stops her.

Still, you can tell that she believes you. Fearsome, or perhaps cruel, as Velvet Covers might be here, this Cadance understands that you are not lying. That the magiks you sell her in the form of that addictive potion is just the tip of a much larger iceberg.

And once you know she believes in you, you tell her what really matters.

"And what if I told you that… I can tell you where you can find him. Here, in real life, rather than just in your visions from the bottom of a flask?"

You say that, and you watch as Cadance's eyes go wide in surprise. No, more than just that.

You see in Cadance's eyes something that she hasn't felt in several years now. You see in Cadance something that, just for an instant, flashes brighter than her fears, and her regrets, and even her sorrow and addiction.

You see in her eyes… a glimmer of hope.

"His name is Shining Armor, and you will find him in a city called Canterlot. He is just a bit younger than you, and you will probably find him with a purple unicorn called…"



You tell her everything you know.

You tell her everything you can.

And seconds before your time is up, you hear her promise you that no matter what it costs her, or how long it takes, that she will find him.



"Thank you, Merry Locksmith, I… I will never forget this."



And then you are back.



[SH Sacrament – First Step, cd 110]

[Roll: 61 + 14 (Learning) + 40 (Secret Histories Level 4) = 115]

[Success]



[But did you learn anything from it?, cd 100]

[Roll: 25 72 + 14 (Learning) + 40 (Knock Level 4) = 116]

[Knock re-roll used]

[Success]





You have advanced one step towards your Secret Histories Sacrament. The next step will be harder.

Gained one Knock scrap of Lore.

Knock-Velvet, the wandering potion-maker who had secluded herself in distant Yake Range, has made amicable contact with you, and perhaps learned a little bit from her foray into your History.

Servant-actions results to follow.

Spoiler: Author's Note

A while ago, back when you were still making your way into Cadance's life, I heard a song. And for some reason, that song made me think of... how are the Cadances of other Histories going?
After all the existence of alicorns are so covered in mystery. So what if the Cadances of other Histories never became alicorns? What if their lives turned into something totally different?

What if they never met Shining Armor?

And what if, given your own Secret Histories skills, one of those Cadances could peek into the life of the Princess of Love?

Well, that song made me think about all of that because I can only imagine that Cadance would also think "This day should be for me".



However, as time progressed and votes evolved, something else happened. You gave Cadance a perfect marriage.

And for all the harshness of the Lores that surround this setting, Cadance's happiness was a victory for Harmony. And that matters.

In every History.

So, take this as word of god that you helped this Cadance. Love won in your History, and that overflowed to the nearby threads. Even if it was just a drop of it.

And at least this Cadance will also find her Shining Armor, even if the path she must walk is hard.

Here is the song, for those who are curious:

Spoiler: Song

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Jtgj8j4tY

Mili - Skin-Deep Comedy ("魔法使いの約束" Part 2 theme song)

Thank you for reading this! And have a wonderful day.

 

[jelloloaf]

Slightly concerned about what alternate Velvet might have done in our world.

 

[Steady Gaze]

Wow… this one was another deep cut.

triturated

Click to shrink...

I would probably say "finely crushed" or "finely shredded" or "crushed into a powder" or "powderized" if you aren't attached to this word, as more people will understand it without looking it up. But if you like this word, then have at it!

The mare in charge of your calendar, a smartly dressed white unicorn called Inkwell, gives you a short nod.

Click to shrink...

YES! YES! YES! Raven Inkwell, one of my favorite ponies, has made her appearance! It seems she either got a promotion from working for Mayor Mare, or took the opportunity to find a safer environment after Celestia started going downhill psychologically. (Now, if Moondancer appears, I'd really go wild. )

You have taken the first step towards knowing the Lunar Bureau better. And towards being better known by them in turn.

Click to shrink...

Ugh. This was unexpectedly difficult. Like this implies, it feels like we haven't actually ingratiated ourselves yet, merely gotten ourselves an "in".

I read the Knock-Velvet part straight through, spellbound. The concept was really creative and managed to tug on my heartstrings very effectively, bravo!

The next step will be harder.

Click to shrink...

This step seems like it was already pretty tough based on the cd. Guess we'll need to pull out some tricks like influences or something else? Or just brute force it and be content with giving it more actions than just two more, but it was mentioned that this is a dangerous process.

Also, I didn't see any typos this time.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

I would assume either a +10 or +20 to the cd each time for the next two actions. Which is hooooly shit tier difficult already. But at least it does seem to actually use SH for the lore roll and not just Winter as mental defense.

The second Lore roll is also surprising, but not much we can really do there since it mostly just seems an extra goodie and random besides. Not like we can stack a max Influence on every Lore at once or something.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

We can't brute force it as this is a dangerous action, best we're done in 3. I suggest we go with an AotL for the next one and an AotL and an Influence for the last.