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

Reader mode
spiderhellian said:
If we've got ~1 turn left, it's zero value, but so is everything else. Fine.

If we've got ~2 turns left, it's very marginally worse, because maybe we have an expedition worth doing. Feels absurdly doubtful, but fine.

If we've got ~3+ turns left, I'm not entirely sure we want to just totally ditch Dodge City? In that it has potential rewards (see Tall Tale, which was smaller than this) + feels off to utterly ditch the requirements of the Lunar Bureau?

I agree it's probably more likely than not we have less than 3 turns left. But I think when weighing benefits it's worth considering both value assuming we get that far and the chance we do get that far -- and that Dodge City probably wins out on that level.
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If we have more than 3 turns left it's because Selene fixed the Daybreaker issue and therefore there will likely no longer be an extermination order for the changelings. We have confirmation that they aren't planning an attack on ponies any time soon and are trying to evacuate the country. We can slow-walk the next step on changelings for the 3 turns it takes for Daybreaker to be solved. Therefore changelings are now zero value.

"Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across."
― Sun Tzu

It seems intuitively obvious to me that if the changelings are trying to retreat and aren't planning an attack, and we very obviously can go 2-3 turns going "It's on my desk" while putting no actual effort into changeling extermination other than making mouth noises about how hard we're working on it (we delayed Tall Tale for 2 turns and nothing came of it, and we just had a big win), then therefore we should not spend our resources getting into an existential war of survival with the changelings?

Honestly I'm half-tempted into having Selene try to establish a line of communication for Velvet and the changeling leadership to coordinate how they will keep their heads down and not draw any attention to themselves until the whole "Celestia wants to genocide you" thing blows over. It's better for Velvet, the changelings, Equestria's civilian population and future-Celestia herself after she's had her Snickers for the issue to not be forced right now and for the Bureau to spend its time looting crystal skulls from ancient temples instead.
 
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If Celestia pops in to ask what we are/have doing about the Changeling having Velvet's answer be not much is kinda dangerous.

I mean, she has reviewed the Bureau's actions before remember.
 
spiderhellian said:
Why do this over Investigating Windy (makes sense with us getting our hands dirty) or Dodge City follow-up? This seems a very low-value action, unless I'm missing something.
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Well sending Investigators after people is for people Velvet has a "personal problem with," and so anyone who hopes to approach him on friendlier terms will want to go about contacting him some other way.

As for the Changeling Colony by Dodge City, well, we personally know that the Changelings' grand plan is to fuck off with all possible haste, which combined with being too massive to handle leaves it less concerning and less convenient than looking for new places to loot problems coming in to take a swing at the Kingdom.
 
Talon Tiger Dino said:
As for the Changeling Colony by Dodge City, well, we personally know that the Changelings' grand plan is to fuck off with all possible haste,
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Look even if you don't consider the issue of failing Celestia's test during her next review.

OurLadyOfWires said:
"I also heard of your findings in Tall Tale. As well as the attempt against your life," she says.
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OurLadyOfWires said:
"… it seems you have quite a lot on your hoofs," she finishes.

And you are not sure if this means she just does not care, or if this is yet another test to see what you will do next.
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There's still the issue that the Changelings are going to "fuck off" with their harvest. In fact they'll probably stock up on supplies before leaving.

They'll probably also come back to Equestria to raid small defenseless villages for food.

The Bureau could have morale issues from just letting that happen.

I get the feeling that the thread would have moral issues with that.
 
spiderhellian said:
I can see the future unfolding, and in it we "can't target detectives at Windy because it will scare him" and so take the much gentler action of not doing anything related to Windy instead :V

Hmmm...

@OurLadyOfWires Can we target our detectives at Neighnea?
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Yuuuuuup. I'll post a windy and a non-windy plan when moratorium ends, so hopefully we can get the windy one off the ground without needing to take a low value detectives action instead.

I do think you're not giving expeditions enough credit though. We're probably going to have constables do an expedition every turn for the rest of the game and expeditions have given us oodles of loot each and every time.

@OurLadyOfWires not to spam you with pings, lol, but I just wanted to clear with you how you want to handle the Follower's phase vote if our plan involves summoning two MITLs via Name AP, and wanting to make sure our Cover Your Bases actions and Graverob action fall on our summoned/unintelligent followers so that Servants and Fluttershy can provide +2 Smiles each. Also do we need to be concerned about Suspicion if we volunteer our servants to Smiles?
 
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ses said:
I do think you're not giving expeditions enough credit though. We're probably going to have constables do an expedition every turn for the rest of the game and expeditions have given us oodles of loot each and every time.
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We've been told that Bureau expeditions will play out differently than conventional ones, and I think this is overly-confident when we haven't seen even one unfold.

...I will also be sad if the Bureau meets the same "Time to make us [resource] again, dear!" fate as Rarity, and don't really want to plan for them to play out that way.
 
I'd ultimately like to save Mayor Mare. I don't necessarily think it's essential, but it's one of those, not lines in the sand moments, but a bit of a character influencing decision and I'd rather not sacrifice her if we don't have to. I also think a town where the Mayor is working with the Cult is better then one without.

We mostly seem committed to 2 cover your bases actions. So 6 Velvet and 7 with the social. The only for sure actions are purifying the regent and the moth sacrament. If we're not using Mareinette for the expedition, which we don't really need to, she's available for that or Cadence. That means we could potentially toss 5 at Cadence and have one left over.

I guess we could toss one at Smiles or something else, but in the grand scheme of things I doubt it matters much unless if we have to go All in quickly. We're sacrificing one random pony for quick power, narratively I like the idea of going out of our way to save another just because.
 
spiderhellian said:
We've been told that Bureau expeditions will play out differently than conventional ones, and I think this is overly-confident when we haven't seen even one unfold.

...I will also be sad if the Bureau meets the same "Time to make us [resource] again, dear!" fate as Rarity, and don't really want to plan for them to play out that way.
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Tbf, the entire reason we might have it do expeditions every turn is that there are 2-3 turns left.
 
Solace2117 said:
We mostly seem committed to 2 cover your bases actions. So 6 Velvet and 7 with the social. The only for sure actions are purifying the regent and the moth sacrament. If we're not using Mareinette for the expedition, which we don't really need to, she's available for that or Cadence. That means we could potentially toss 5 at Cadence and have one left over.
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If we don't save Mayor Mare, we only take one cover your bases action. That lets Rarity make us bits, Fluttershy have fun times with Smiles, and Smiles summon a MITL for future turns. So the opportunity cost of saving Mayor Mare is 100 bits, sacrificing a Mare in the Light, and not getting to read Fluttershy helping Smiles proselytize troublemaking.

That last is a sacrifice I am not prepared to make. :V
 
Wise Wolf said:
If we don't save Mayor Mare, we only take one cover your bases action. That lets Rarity make us bits, Fluttershy have fun times with Smiles, and Smiles summon a MITL for future turns. So the opportunity cost of saving Mayor Mare is 100 bits, sacrificing a Mare in the Light, and not getting to read Fluttershy helping Smiles proselytize troublemaking.

That last is a sacrifice I am not prepared to make. :V
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Greymere has 2 tentative plans that allow us the save her and summon a Mare in Light. How many did you plan to summon. Sure we're not as worried about suspicion now, but it seems a little unwise to summon multiple this turn. The bits are good, but we are already saving money by having the Bureau foot the bill on one expedition.

Besides you're assuming Comet would let her help Smiles, you know he'll take charge there, especially if he knows/finds out she's pregnant.
 
Solace2117 said:
Greymere has 2 tentative plans that allow us the save her and summon a Mare in Light. How many did you plan to summon. Sure we're not as worried about suspicion now, but it seems a little unwise to summon multiple this turn. The bits are good, but we are already saving money by having the Bureau foot the bill on one expedition.

Besides you're assuming Comet would let her help Smiles, you know he'll take charge there, especially if he knows/finds out she's pregnant.
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I'm highly anchored to 2 MITL summons this turn. One from Smiles saccing a Wrong Key and one from Axe. That gets us

Servants: CYB
Risen: CYB
Risen: CYB
MITL: CYB
MITL: CYB
Comet: Graverob
Rarity: Commission
Jade: Research Moth 3

I suppose we just lose a Selene +3 smiles AP if one of the summonings fails?

This is by far our best available use of their Name AP. It's not even close. There's nothing else Smiles can do this turn that's better than this, and Axe's only competition is Wrong Key crafting which we dont need to do this turn.
 
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ses said:
I'm highly anchored to 2 MITL summons this turn. One from Smiles saccing a Wrong Key and one from Axe. That gets us

Servants: CYB
Risen: CYB
Risen: CYB
MITL: CYB
MITL: CYB
Comet: Graverob
Rarity: Commission
Jade: Research Moth 3

I suppose we just lose a Selene +3 smiles AP if one of the summonings fails?

This is by far our best available use of their Name AP. It's not even close. There's nothing else Smiles can do this turn that's better than this, and Axe's only competition is Wrong Key crafting which we dont need to do this turn.
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Fair enough, I'm not thrilled about it, I'd rather see how one goes and summon multiple next turn if there's no issue. The risk may be gone with us running the Bureau, but we don't know that for sure or really what the consequences will be. I'm not willing to fight that hard on it though. I care more about putting 5 actions towards Cadence and saving Mayor Mare.
 
[X] Plan: Moth Mastery

[X] Plan: Befriending Smiles

[X] Plan: Betraying Our Friend Windy

[X] Plan: Befriending Smiles and sending Selene to Dodge City colony



[X] Plan: Moth Mastery
-[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
-[X] (Detectives) Analyse your options regarding the Changeling Colony
-[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
-[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
-[X] (Director) Moth
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
-[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[X] (Smiles) Consult
-[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[X] Recalibrate: Grail
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] Scry Moth 5 Book (x 3)
-[X] Grab a corpse for a Risen
-[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)


[X] Plan: Befriending Smiles
-[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
-[X] (Detectives) Analyse your options regarding the Changeling Colony
-[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
-[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
-[X] (Director) Moth
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
-[X] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
-[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[X] (Selene) The Quarry of Yuxtabai (2 AP)
-[X] (Smiles) Consult
-[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[X] Recalibrate: Grail
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] Grab a corpse for a Risen
-[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)


[X] Plan: Betraying Our Friend Windy
-[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
-[X] (Detectives) Analyse your options regarding the Changeling Colony
-[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
-[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
-[X] (Director) Moth
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
-[X] Scry Windy
-[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[X] (Selene) The Quarry of Yuxtabai (2 AP)
-[X] (Smiles) Consult
-[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an assault: Windy
-[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[X] Recalibrate: Grail
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] Grab a corpse for a Risen
-[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)


[X] Plan: Befriending Smiles and sending Selene to Dodge City colony
-[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
-[X] (Detectives) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them.
-[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
-[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
-[X] (Director) Moth
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
-[X] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
-[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[X] (Selene) The Quarry of Yuxtabai (2 AP)
-[X] (Smiles) Edge Influence on Selene
-[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Dodge City colony
--[X] Selene joins
-[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[X] Recalibrate: Grail
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
 
Wise Wolf said:
It does seem to me that your choice is not moving us toward victory. It is playing defense, not offense. Having 100 more bits, a summon, and closer to befriending Smiles are all things that help us win. Keeping Mayor Mare alive and limiting the Daughter's influence (insofar as we can) are playing to not lose. They don't increase our power. They don't help us All-In. They don't help us in Malleary.

Do you see it differently?
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Tracking down the Master also would have been playing defense, and not offense.

It was still something that we really should have done. And unlike with Windy, we can't really take any other steps to potentially counter their influence besides making sure that Mayor Mare is a) the one in charge, and b) on our side. Which, if we want to do that, we kind of have to do now. We can't put it off to the side until we know whether Daybreaker will be defused in time or not.

spiderhellian said:
Why do this over Investigating Windy (makes sense with us getting our hands dirty) or Dodge City follow-up? This seems a very low-value action, unless I'm missing something.
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Unless Selene defuses Daybreaker, I don't think there's any realistic way that we're going to have the time or desire to do... whatever with him, across this and next turn. Searching for new expeditions at least has some potential to pay out before we go for All In, if our deadline gets extended to T25 at the end of this turn. Or rather, we will have the time if we're willing to make time for it, but I don't think we'll want to.

Wise Wolf said:
If we don't save Mayor Mare, we only take one cover your bases action. That lets Rarity make us bits, Fluttershy have fun times with Smiles, and Smiles summon a MITL for future turns. So the opportunity cost of saving Mayor Mare is 100 bits, sacrificing a Mare in the Light, and not getting to read Fluttershy helping Smiles proselytize troublemaking.

That last is a sacrifice I am not prepared to make. :V
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We can very comfortably summon a MitL and save Mayor Mare and still have 5 AP on helping Cadance and make +6 progress on Smiles. The only real opportunity cost is the 100 bits which is... eh? We're probably going to end up doing commission next turn anyway, if we don't do it this turn.

ses said:
Now, we could technically afford to do 5 Cadance AP and save Mayor Mare if we went all in on Cover Your Bases +2, and that's at least more defensible. But it's still irresponsible. We're going to be very hard pressed to Befriend Smiles next turn if we do that and don't highroll Soothe the Sun, as we'll have less MITL/Risen AP on turn 24 to CYB with and less progress on Smiles from this turn leaving us with very little wiggle room on reaching 40 points via Velvet AP. We'd have no margin whatsoever to accomplish anything besides bumrushing Smiles. That means no studying any studyables we find outside the main level 7 book, no AP to deal with curveballs the QM throws, probably can't even fit in a Redemption of the Forge to get back up to 3 HP before All In.
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Even at +6 progress this turn, we're not nearly as hard pressed as you think. We'll have two Mareinette AP next turn, which is +10 right there. Another +6 from Selene. And we'll have 5 - 6 mortal follower AP (+2 each) to throw at it, depending on the Leash situation at the end of this turn. And the +2 from passive progress.

Or, in other words, if we end this turn on +7 progress (+6 from Selene, +1 from passive), then the most that Velvet needs to add is her Social Action and 1 AP. Which is... fine? That still leaves enough AP for SH Sacrament, making the Blue Gold, a Forge's Redemption, and a flex slot. Two flex slots, if we put our Constables on Paperwork that turn (which, if we're racing for All In at the end of Turn 24, why wouldn't we?). Assuming we'd want to hold on to Rarity and Jade's actions anyway. If we get can get another AP with the Leash, then we can preserve one of the two and still only need to spend our Social Action.

We'd be at 7/40 progress at the end of this turn if Selene helps twice. +6 from Selene, +1 from passive gain.

Next turn:
  • Mareinette, x2 (7 -> 17/40)
  • Selene, x2 (17 -> 23/40)
  • Fluttercomet (23 -> 25/40)
  • Filthy Rich (25 -> 27/40)
  • Servants (27 -> 29/40)
Branch 1 (Leash AP available, discard Rarity or Jade OR discard both Rarity and Jade):
  • DoA, x1 (29 -> 30/40)
  • Leash | Jade OR Rarity (30 -> 32/40)
  • Jade OR Rarity (32 -> 34/40)
  • Velvet Social (34 -> 39/40)
  • +1 Passive (39 -> 40)
Branch 2 (Leash AP not available OR preserve both Jade and Rarity AP):
  • Velvet Social (29 -> 34/40)
  • Velvet AP (34 -> 39/40)
  • +1 Passive (39 -> 40/40)
"But Greymere!" You may say. "Isn't it a complete waste of DoA's AP to have her help Smiles instead of doing literally anything else?"

Yes, technically. However. Consider the situation where this sort of crunch would be happening. Namely, that Selene does not extend our timer with the T23 Soothe the Night. Under such a circumstance, we must assume that our deadline is at the end of T24... and thus there would be no point in sending DoA out on an expedition, as we wouldn't get the chance to use or study whatever goodies came of them anyway. And if we're lucky and the Daybreaker clock is extended or defused on T23 Soothe the Night, then how well we can crunch Smiles progress on T24 doesn't matter anyway since we'll be able to spread it over 2 - 3 turns instead of piling it all onto one.

Also if we can have a MitL go gravedigging this turn after being summoned then we could replace DoA's Smiles AP with the Mare anyway, with Risen + Smiles on Cover Your Bases instead of Smiles + MitL (sorry Smiles, but you can't actively help with your own friendship quest).
 
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Greymere said:
Tracking down the Master also would have been playing defense, and not offense.

It was still something that we really should have done. And unlike with Windy, we can't really take any other steps to potentially counter their influence besides making sure that Mayor Mare is a) the one in charge, and b) on our side.
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The Master was one of the biggest threats to us in the setting; a Name with agency, who was operating in the Wake, and who we had betrayed.

It's not that we should literally never play defense. We're going to Soothe the Night and spend a lot of actions on Helping Cadance this turn, and that's all defense. But that's defense against Daybreaker, a lethal threat to us.

Compared to the Master and Daybreaker, Softy's wolf cult is simply not a threat to us at all. We do not need to defend ourselves against them. We should focus on winning.
Greymere said:
We can very comfortably summon a MitL and save Mayor Mare and still have 5 AP on helping Cadance and make +6 progress on Smiles. The only real opportunity cost is the 100 bits which is... eh? We're probably going to end up doing commission next turn anyway, if we don't do it this turn.
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We are sacrificing three Follower AP. If you don't want to spend them on bits and an extra MITL and a Smiles assist, that's fine; but your opportunity cost still needs to be whatever you assign Fluttershy/Comet, Rarity and Smiles to do. And Smiles is a Name; his AP is pretty valuable even if you don't think a full extra MITL is the best use.
 
Personally, I reject the playing to win/playing to not lose paradigm Baldomare set before us. That's just the mercilessness of her Lantern talking. Heart will have you know that playing to never lose is in fact a winning strategy of its own!
 
Talon Tiger Dino said:
Personally, I reject the playing to win/playing to not lose paradigm Baldomare set before us. That's just the mercilessness of her Lantern talking. Heart will have you know that playing to never lose is in fact a winning strategy of its own!
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In all likelihood, we are either going to win or lose in the next three turns. We don't need Baldomare to tell us that we should still defend against threats relevant in that timescale (Daybreaker), and otherwise prepare to win. It's basic strategy.

(And simply playing not to lose is absolutely a losing strategy now in all histories where Selene doesn't roll especially well against Celestia.)
 
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Wise Wolf said:
We are sacrificing three Follower AP. If you don't want to spend them on bits and an extra MITL and a Smiles assist, that's fine; but your opportunity cost still needs to be whatever you assign Fluttershy/Comet, Rarity and Smiles to do. And Smiles is a Name; his AP is pretty valuable even if you don't think a full extra MITL is the best use.
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I don't really consider not doing commission this turn to be an opportunity cost, because either a) we don't end up needing the bits at all for All In and thus it was unneccesary in the first place, or b) if we do need the bits for whatever reason, then we'll just do it next turn.

Sure we could technically do Commission twice in a row I guess, if we do it this and next turn. But. Like. Why? Getting more bits is only useful if we're actually going to use them on something meaningful before All In. As it stands, we could summon three MitLs, do Baldomare's SH Sacrament, a Calling of Influence, the Forge's Redemption with a Level 4 Forge Reagent, and a couple of short expeditions with Smiles's free action, and still have at least 100 bits left over for All In, and that's without using a Commission either this or next turn.

I am also entirely unconcerned with if we can hit Smiles's deadline in time to prioritize Fluttercomet helping Smiles over Mayor Mare. Since, as I mathed out above, we absolutely can and with not that much investment from Velvet needed at that. Hence why I favor Selene helping Smiles twice.

Re: the MitLs, I had a thought, so let's put a pause on that for a moment. @OurLadyOfWires if we summon something, we get access to its AP on the same turn it is summoned, yes? Can we 'backfill' Cover Your Bases with a MitL, if we successfully summon at least one, and drop e.g. Jade's action if we don't, like what we did before with the Risen?
 
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I am too tired and my eyes are too full of things right now. It is difficult to focus, so I think I will write.
Get thoughts out of my brain before it creaks and makes a hole so I can think. Terrible apologies I haven't said more



All Maps point Home


There are fields outside.

It was the first thing you noticed you noticed. The fields. Because it's so easy to notice that it becomes hard to remember. It becomes so hard to forget that it's impossible to see. Of course there are fields outside. Where else would they be?

But there are fields outside and they are fields.
Today at least.
This time at least.


One of the rare moments you don't have. Where the clock is not ticking and time is not waiting and there is nothing to do but to remain. Where you can simply take a sip of tea, float the cup back to the saucer and watch. Listen.
Remember.


Silky is laughing in the garden. It is right to hear that.


There is music in the fields. Or, music in a different way. Even though the fields are gardens. But aren't just gardens. They are the family fields. The farms overseen by the Velvet estate. Though, not handled by you, it's still handled by your house. It's hard to remember that. It's hard to forget that.

But it's a nice sound.

Foals laughter outside. The sound of them playing and running and jumping and flying. Dancing in the fields. Thundering of hooves. Children laughing and screaming and talking and playing out in the fields.

And there is a rasp like honey. A word like sweet poison. And laughter becomes brighter and sharper and shrill.

A lady.
A monster.
A friend.

Playing tag with your daughter.


It was easier to see if you didn't look. Because it was right even though you rose to your hooves. As you ran down the stairs and went to join and speak and more, eyes you don't have saw. Memory that was yours even if it wasn't yours. It saw and heard

That there were fields outside. And that there were children that played outside. Laughing and playing and dancing unknowing. Learning, but unknowing of where they were. If the world they were in. And there were monsters in the fields. Beasts that ran and laughed and hounded the ignorant and blind. They played and played with long teeth and sharp claws, but they merely played.

Maybe it was the tea that let you see it.
Maybe it was simply something you already knew.
Maybe it was something you forgot.


But as you left the house a thought struck you. Hooves still beat the ground, but it struck all the same as you left to speak to a child and a monster.

What if the fields were fields, because they were outside the house?
Why did they call it seeing the world through the eyes of a child?


There are enemies outside the fields.

Not the monsters within. Within the fields were beasts that played and maimed and danced the same, but outside there were enemies.

Here at your home away from home, looking upon yet another report, the thought struck you. Monsters are here and can be dealt with, but enemies are outside. Monsters are mitigated and managed and fought. Enemies must be countered at each measure,cor else they would destroy everything.

That was, of course, what the report on the Changelings was.

Enemies that infiltrated. That wore the skin of their foes and threatened to swallow all whole. They fed on love and joy and wouldn't kill you. Not if they could help it. The story of the captors that had been rescued would be a new ghost story to tell around the campfire. Only, more real. More grim.

Maybe that was the point of the first campfire stories. To tell not just of monsters but of enemies. To capture the imagination and fill it with terrors so they might know them. That they might see the distinction.



Still, Iron Button needs a missive. What to tell and what steps to take. In the light and in the dark.



Such is the crimes you will commit to the enemies of Equestria. Of your home. To walk in light and dark. To teach ways older than old and stronger than strong to a new age. To a new era.
To take up arms against a foe for whom they are evil.


Who among them then?
Who among them have you made murderers of?
Have you exposed them to horrors true but otherwise unknown?

How could any stand against your actions now? Knowing the enemy at stake?

Another report passing by your hooves. Dissection records of a monster you yourself killed. A creature made by them, built from them, and somehow more. Steeped in powers they should not have, creeping here into this world. Invasive. Subversive. Unknown.

How much more you wanted to know. How much more you didn't want to. But had to. For the sake of others.

To become aware, to fight an existential threat. Enemies... Known or unknown.
Such was the strength granted and assisted by most recent an Ally. To destroy and grow by it. But. To have an enemy.

Maybe that's what enemies were. Threats that could upend it all. Should they not be dealt with. Maybe not immediately. Maybe not soon. Maybe not in your lifetime. But they are a threat, and if not dealt with...

But they are a distraction.
You do not succeed by killing your enemies. You do not improve Equestria by stopping their plans. You cannot improve in a perpetual state of violence. Even your newest Ally can see that. Stopping them only stops their harm, only mends the damage. It does not... Improve. It doesn't better. It is simply... conflict.

Enemies are a distraction.
Enemies must be dealt with.
Enemies are outside the fields, and threaten them.


The second floor was the right place for a bedroom.

It was far harder to place that idea than the others. And even in doing so it was too distant from a useful answer. Too far from the point it was meant to be to make much sense. And honestly, it hardly did.

A bedroom on the second floor was habit more than anything. Interior design following patterns and aesthetics from long generations past. As long as the home didn't open into the bedroom, what did it matter, so long as there was separation?

But that was just it.

So long as there was separation. All from long generations past recounting.
There was something hidden there. Some reason long forgotten. Some purpose to it. Or perhaps, purpose was the wrong way to think of it?

After all, you weren't going to be so young forever. A bedroom where you didn't have to climb the stairs wasn't wrong per day, but it felt...
Acquiescence.

Because it wasn't about the bedroom was it? Sometimes it wasn't a bedroom.



Sometimes it was the infinite hallways of The Royal Castle in which you ran.



Missives sent by pony to the one, running every length of those halls. Some flying, most running, but never too fast. It was disrespectful to run in the halls of the Princesses. So they hastened. The breadth and the depths of twisting halls and turning corridors and more flights of stairs than should have been to go where they need be.

Every path led somewhere important after all. It wouldn't have been built if that wasn't the case.

Kitchen and Garrison and Private Quarters. To Record Rooms and Pantry and Library. Study and Lab. Garden and Workshop.

The guest rooms of course. Dignitaries, and Counsilers and Emissary. Those who were truly important in a way the laypony simply wasn't. When they were withing the chambers of the Princesses, the ways to them were here.

And of course, the path to the Audience of the Princess herself. Rare used in these times, least not quite by Celestia.

A most important path that was. None of the others would mean anything if that wasn't there. A chamber, or master bedroom. The...

The place? Was it that?

Ax was certain to know, but prying answers from her was more difficult by far. Even if Silky was so sweet as to help, this was too... vague. Esoteric. How do you even ask about the domain of such a snake?

... No. The chambers weren't her domain. It was the space between them. The halls and paths and -

Leave the idle thoughts later.
You arrived.


You were not supposed to be here.
Cadence was not supposed to be here.
Frankly, no one was supposed to be here.

But you were. And she was. And you had to be.

Up
Up
Up beyond the throne.
Up past the quiet secret paths of the castle.
Up hidden away in the most obvious parapet.
Was the chambers of Celestia herself.

You were not meant to be here. The air frank rippled with power. With heat. With pressure.
Stones buckled and warped and cracked. Flesh burned, fur scorched, magic withered.
All was beholden. For here...



Here was power.



Here was the ruler of Equestria.
Not merely the seat of power. But her home.
A place you were not meant to be. No mortal was.


You did not have time to consider it then.
Not when there was far more important things at stake. Not when an errant thought could lead to a fall like death. Not when there was more important work to be done.

You did not consider it on the carriage ride home either.


Not as you left your troubles of work outside.
Not as you walked through your gardens.
Not as you walked into your home.
Not as you climbed your stairs.
Not as you slipped into room.
And certainly not when you nestled up against Stormy.



For you are Velvet Covers
And on your flank is a book of all history
And for as long as it is
It's incredibly short




Glory shines
And all basks in its splendor
Palest reflections
 
Greymere said:
[] Plan: A Song of Light
-[] (Detectives) Search for foreign threats
-[] (Constables) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[] (Commissioner) Get your hooves dirty
-[] (Director) Heart
-[] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Mayor Mare
-[] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
-[] (DoA) Consult
-[] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[] Recalibrate: Grail
-[] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
-[] Summon a Mare-in-the-Light
--[] In a barn on our estate
-[] Help Smiles (x2)
-[] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)

[] Plan: A Song of Even More Light
-[] (Detectives) Search for foreign threats
-[] (Constables) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[] (Commissioner) Get your hooves dirty
-[] (Director) Heart
-[] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Mayor Mare
-[] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
-[] (DoA) Consult
-[] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[] Recalibrate: Grail
-[] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
-[] Summon a Mare-in-the-Light (x2)
-[] Help Smiles
-[] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)

Both of these assume that the following will be use for Cover Your Bases: Risen, Servants, Rarity, Fluttershy, Smiles. The primary difference is that "A Song of Light" spends 1 DoA AP on summoning a MitL and 2 Selene AP on helping Smiles, while "Even More Light" spends 1 DoA and 1 Selene AP on summoning and 1 Selene AP on helping.

Alternatively, for those who don't wish to risk doing 3-circle summons in the barn:

[] Plan: Expeditions 'Hoy!
-[] (Detectives) Search for foreign threats
-[] (Constables) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[] (Commissioner) Get your hooves dirty
-[] (Director) Heart
-[] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Mayor Mare
-[] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
-[] (DoA) Consult
-[] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Visiting a Competitor
-[] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[] Recalibrate: Grail
-[] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
-[] Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[] Help Smiles (x2)
-[] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)

As "A Song of Light", but with DoA on an expedition instead of summoning.

All three of these provide us with enough AP that we can spend 5 AP helping Cadance, or 4 AP helping and 1 doing something else if it swings that way. All three also assume that we are making the Forge reagent ourselves.
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Just wanted to point out that you are missing the Leash vote in all of these plans. Which leads me to a question.

@OurLadyOfWires , can we have Mareinette use Honored Guest to raise Spoiled to Confidante for our Moth Sacrament this Turn, or does it have to be the Leash? So far it looks like she just autosucceeds at the befriending process, but I could be wrong.

If she can, I would humbly advocate changing the Light Plans to Leashing Mayor Mare to save her (keeping in line with Velvet's previous usage of the Leash), having Mareinette finish making a friend. Such would neatly avoid the Word-of-QM incredibly cruel Leash into Moth Sacrament combo.
 
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Talon Tiger Dino said:
Just wanted to point out that you are missing the Leash vote in all of these plans. Which leads me to a question.

@OurLadyOfWires , can we have Mareinette use Honored Guest to raise Spoiled to Confidante for our Moth Sacrament this Turn, or does it have to be the Leash? So far it looks like she just autosucceeds at the befriending process, but I could be wrong.

If she can, I would humbly advocate changing the Light Plans to Leashing Mayor Mare to save her (keeping in line with Velvet's previous usage of the Leash), having Mareinette finish making a friend. Such would neatly avoid the Word-of-QM incredibly cruel Leash into Moth Sacrament combo.
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It's not missing. I figured it just made more sense to do it in the Velvet phase because... well, it's not like Leashing Spoiled Rich actually gives us any AP, so there's nothing to account for in the Follower Phase.

Leashing Mayor Mare alone isn't enough. She needs to be a Close Friend by the end of this turn, and she's currently only an Acquaintance.
 
Greymere said:
It's not missing. I figured it just made more sense to do it in the Velvet phase because... well, it's not like Leashing Spoiled Rich actually gives us any AP, so there's nothing to account for in the Follower Phase.
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And also because if the Leash isn't free to use on Spoiled for the Moth Sacrament and Selene doesn't roll at least 70 in one of her rolls Velvet dies. :V

So uh, the Leash should be free or used on Spoiled if we don't want to play with sunfire.
Sveta08 said:
All Maps point Home
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I can totally see this happening. Quite entertaining scenes.

Sveta08 said:
For you are Velvet Covers
And on your flank is a book of all history
And for as long as it is
It's incredibly short




Glory shines
And all basks in its splendor
Palest reflections
Click to expand...
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This part took my attention the most.
 
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DelightedOne said:
And also because if the Leash isn't free to use on Spoiled for the Moth Sacrament and Selene doesn't roll at least 70 in one of her rolls Velvet dies. :V
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Well that is why I asked the QM if Mareinette would be an auto-success for Confidanting Spoiled or not. It is a decision of mine contingent on the QM.

Not that it matters now, given we apparently need to get the Mayor to Close Friend not Friend, so the Leash is not sufficient.
 
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[X] Plan: A Song of Light
-[X] (Detectives) Search for foreign threats
-[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
-[X] (Commissioner) Get your hooves dirty
-[X] (Director) Heart
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Mayor Mare
-[X] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
-[X] (DoA) Consult
-[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
-[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
--[X] Recalibrate: Grail
-[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[X] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
-[X] Summon a Mare-in-the-Light
--[X] In a barn on our estate
-[X] Help Smiles (x2)
-[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)

@Greymere is this the plan where you calced that we won't be too rushed helping Smiles? Because that's the one I want to go for, but if both escape the crunch then I will switch to the double summon plan.
 
Talon Tiger Dino said:
@Greymere is this the plan where you calced that we won't be too rushed helping Smiles? Because that's the one I want to go for, but if both escape the crunch then I will switch to the double summon plan.
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Yeah. Though worth noting, if Bird says we can backfill Cover Your Bases, I'll likely add in a Smiles-summon with the DoA-summon, since at least one of those should succeed in summoning a MitL which can take Smiles's spot to maintain +2 Velvet AP and still keep the x2 Selene helping.
 
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Proper Tally
Adhoc vote count started by Earth-Destroyer on Jan 23, 2026 at 6:10 PM, finished with 277 posts and 21 votes.
  • [X] (ALL IN) You will NOT attempt the "All In" expedition.
    [X] (BOOK) What did you read again? The Way Home
    [X] (MAREINETTE) Accept her "Invitation to Dinner"
    [X] (SCRY) You do not wish to scry for any expeditions at this point.
    [X] (MAREINETTE) Accept her "Invitation to Dinner" (Prisoner)
    [X] (MOOD) Mareinette was oh so interested in the Bureau, after your introductions.
    [X] (BOOK) Knock 5
    [X] (SCRY) What are you looking at? (Choked City, Selene)
    [X] (BOOK) Knock 2
    [X] (MAREINETTE) Resources
    [X] Plan: Moth Mastery
    -[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
    -[X] (Detectives) Analyse your options regarding the Changeling Colony
    -[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
    -[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
    -[X] (Director) Moth
    -[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
    -[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
    -[X] (Smiles) Consult
    -[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
    -[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
    --[X] Recalibrate: Grail
    -[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
    -[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] Scry Moth 5 Book (x 3)
    -[X] Grab a corpse for a Risen
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Befriending Smiles
    -[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
    -[X] (Detectives) Analyse your options regarding the Changeling Colony
    -[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
    -[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
    -[X] (Director) Moth
    -[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
    -[X] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
    -[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
    -[X] (Selene) The Quarry of Yuxtabai (2 AP)
    -[X] (Smiles) Consult
    -[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
    -[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
    --[X] Recalibrate: Grail
    -[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] Grab a corpse for a Risen
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Betraying Our Friend Windy
    -[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
    -[X] (Detectives) Analyse your options regarding the Changeling Colony
    -[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
    -[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
    -[X] (Director) Moth
    -[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
    -[X] Scry Windy
    -[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
    -[X] (Selene) The Quarry of Yuxtabai (2 AP)
    -[X] (Smiles) Consult
    -[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an assault: Windy
    -[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
    --[X] Recalibrate: Grail
    -[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] Grab a corpse for a Risen
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Befriending Smiles and sending Selene to Dodge City colony
    -[X] Leash Spoiled Milk
    -[X] (Detectives) There are still changelings out there. Hunt them. Look for them, and for the ponies who colluded with them.
    -[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Choked City
    -[X] (Commissioner) Cadance
    -[X] (Director) Moth
    -[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Cadance
    -[X] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
    -[X] (DoA) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
    -[X] (Selene) The Quarry of Yuxtabai (2 AP)
    -[X] (Smiles) Edge Influence on Selene
    -[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Dodge City colony
    --[X] Selene joins
    -[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
    --[X] Recalibrate: Grail
    -[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
    -[X] Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
    -[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: A Song of Light
    -[X] (Detectives) Search for foreign threats
    -[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
    -[X] (Commissioner) Get your hooves dirty
    -[X] (Director) Heart
    -[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Mayor Mare
    -[X] (Baldomare) Lantern lesson
    -[X] (DoA) Consult
    -[X] (Smiles-Free) Lead an expedition: Is It Free Real Estate?
    -[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult
    --[X] Recalibrate: Grail
    -[X] (Selene) Soothe the night
    -[X] (Jade) Study Moth 3 artifact
    -[X] Summon a Mare-in-the-Light
    --[X] In a barn on our estate
    -[X] Help Smiles (x2)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)
Click to expand...
 
DelightedOne said:
This part took my attention the most
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Glad you liked it. It's occupied too much of my thoughts .
I can't see for you. And as the most recent thread mentions, seeing something isn't the same as knowing something.
But I hope it's clear what I'm seeing there. Least enough to see patterns.
 
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