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

Reader mode
Wise Wolf said:
9 votes: 5 Cadence AP, save Mayor Mare, get in touch with Neighnia
6 votes: 5 Cadence AP, save Mayor Mare, find more expeditions
5 votes: 6 Cadence AP, get in touch with Neighnia
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Are those the only actual differences? Because yeah, if we're searching for another complicated expedition then yeah, I'd rather try our hand with Neighnia.

There's a low but non-zero chance we could dedicate basically all of turn 25 to friendship and winter sacrament with her IF we get her AND the extra turn in time.

With turn 24 basically being mostly focused on SH, Baldomare, Cherenkolt and Smiles.

...damn, those are some REALLY rewarding turns when you think about it. We've grown in power fairly quickly during the whole quest, but NOW we're actually getting the good stuff.
 
Very busy week. Havent had the chance to check the plans but i trust you all.

So, two things to note.

I was warned that the vote tally may be a bit bugged, especially when it comes to tallying sub-options within a vote. So do keep that in mind.

And voting closes at the end of Thursday, since theres no chance ill be able to write before that.

Be well everyone!
 
[X] Plan: A Song of Bright Snow

[X] Plan: A Song of Bright Snow but Actually Caring about Cadance
 
Pittauro said:
Are those the only actual differences? Because yeah, if we're searching for another complicated expedition then yeah, I'd rather try our hand with Neighnia.

There's a low but non-zero chance we could dedicate basically all of turn 25 to friendship and winter sacrament with her IF we get her AND the extra turn in time.

With turn 24 basically being mostly focused on SH, Baldomare, Cherenkolt and Smiles.

...damn, those are some REALLY rewarding turns when you think about it. We've grown in power fairly quickly during the whole quest, but NOW we're actually getting the good stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yep, the plans have converged quite a lot.
 
Vote closed New
Vote closed

Adhoc vote count started by OurLadyOfWires on Jan 30, 2026 at 2:09 AM, finished with 169 posts and 19 votes.
  • [X] Plan: A Song of Bright Snow
    -[X] (Detectives) Investigate Neighnia
    -[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] Acquire a dead body
    -[X] Help Smiles (x2)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 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] Acquire a dead body
    -[X] Help Smiles (x2)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: A Song of Bright Snow but Actually Caring about Cadance
    -[X] (Detectives) Investigate Neighnia
    -[X] (Constables) Expedition: The Quarry of Yuxtabai
    -[X] (Commissioner) Get your hooves dirty
    -[X] (Director) Heart
    -[X] (Mareinette) [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Have her aid Cadance
    -[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] Acquire a dead body
    -[X] Help Smiles (x2)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)
    [X] Plan: Soothing and Befriending
    -[X] [DETECTIVES] The dangers in the dark come from outside of Ponykind as well. Listen to the rumors. Study the myths. Look for the threats from without. (Search for Expedition Sites for your later consideration. Additionally, keep an ear on the ground for other "foreign" threats)
    -[X] [CONSTABLES] Plan and execute a raid. Within Equestria, or anywhere else that is needed. (Quarry)
    -[X] [COMMISSIONER] Get your hoofs dirty. (Participate in the "Investigators" and "Constables" actions.)
    -[X] [DIRECTOR] Introduce another Lore to the Lunar Bureau. (Heart)
    -[X] [RARITY] Take a commission. (Gain at least 100 bits immediately, will "fail" her career roll)
    -[X] [JADE] Research an artifact (Moth 3)
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] Ask for a lesson on the Lores. (Lantern)
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Have her aid Cadance.
    -[X] [AXE] Consult to the Lunar Bureau
    -[X] [CHERENKOLT] "Recalibrating." (Grail)
    -[X] [SMILES] (TROUBLEMAKER) Tell him you need something broken. (Is It Free Real Estate?) (FREE ACTION)
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
    -[X] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light)
    --[X] To be performed... somewhere, where you hope nopony will catch wind of it.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light, sacrificing a Wrong Key)
    -[X] (NEW OPTION) Smiles needs help with something, please go do what he asks... within reason of course. (Aid Smiles' Progression Bar. QM will decide who is optimal, unless you write-in the characters)
    -[X] One extra Velvet action! (Costs 2 follower actions)
    [X] Plan: Soothing and Befriending and Investigating
    -[X] [DETECTIVES] Nudge them in the… "correct" direction. Put them on the trail of one of your Opponents. (Windy Flakes)
    -[X] [CONSTABLES] Plan and execute a raid. Within Equestria, or anywhere else that is needed. (Quarry)
    -[X] [COMMISSIONER] Get your hoofs dirty. (Participate in the "Investigators" and "Constables" actions.)
    -[X] [DIRECTOR] Introduce another Lore to the Lunar Bureau. (Heart)
    -[X] [RARITY] Take a commission. (Gain at least 100 bits immediately, will "fail" her career roll)
    -[X] [JADE] Research an artifact (Moth 3)
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] Ask for a lesson on the Lores. (Lantern)
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Have her aid Cadance.
    -[X] [AXE] Consult to the Lunar Bureau
    -[X] [CHERENKOLT] "Recalibrating." (Grail)
    -[X] [SMILES] (TROUBLEMAKER) Tell him you need something broken. (Is It Free Real Estate?) (FREE ACTION)
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
    -[X] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light)
    --[X] To be performed... somewhere, where you hope nopony will catch wind of it.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light, sacrificing a Wrong Key)
    -[X] (NEW OPTION) Smiles needs help with something, please go do what he asks... within reason of course. (Aid Smiles' Progression Bar. QM will decide who is optimal, unless you write-in the characters)
    -[X] One extra Velvet action! (Costs 2 follower actions)
    [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: Soothing and Befriending Neighnia
    -[X] [DETECTIVES] Investigate Neighnia
    -[X] [CONSTABLES] Plan and execute a raid. Within Equestria, or anywhere else that is needed. (Quarry)
    -[X] [COMMISSIONER] Get your hoofs dirty. (Participate in the "Investigators" and "Constables" actions.)
    -[X] [DIRECTOR] Introduce another Lore to the Lunar Bureau. (Heart)
    -[X] [JADE] Research an artifact (Moth 3)
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] Ask for a lesson on the Lores. (Lantern)
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] [FLEETING OPPORTUNITY] Have her aid Cadance.
    -[X] [AXE] Consult to the Lunar Bureau
    -[X] (CHERENKOLT) "Recalibrating." (Grail)
    -[X] (Cherenkolt) Consult with the Lunar Bureau
    -[X] [SMILES] (TROUBLEMAKER) Tell him you need something broken. (Is It Free Real Estate?) (FREE ACTION)
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
    -[X] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light)
    --[X] To be performed... somewhere, where you hope nopony will catch wind of it.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light, sacrificing a Wrong Key)
    -[X] (NEW OPTION) Smiles needs help with something, please go do what he asks... within reason of course. (Aid Smiles' Progression Bar. QM will decide who is optimal, unless you write-in the characters) 4x
    -[X] One extra Velvet action! (Costs 2 follower actions)
    [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: 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, Bureau Doing Its Job
    -[X] [DETECTIVES] Investigate Dodge City
    -[X] [CONSTABLES] Plan and execute a raid. Within Equestria, or anywhere else that is needed. (Quarry)
    -[X] [COMMISSIONER] Get your hoofs dirty. (Participate in the "Investigators" and "Constables" actions.)
    -[X] [DIRECTOR] Introduce another Lore to the Lunar Bureau. (Heart)
    -[X] [RARITY] Take a commission. (Gain at least 100 bits immediately, will "fail" her career roll)
    -[X] [JADE] Research an artifact (Moth 3)
    -[X] [BALDOMARE] Ask for a lesson on the Lores. (Lantern)
    -[X] [MAREINETTE] Honored Guest: Mayor Mare
    -[X] [AXE] Consult to the Lunar Bureau
    -[X] [CHERENKOLT] "Recalibrating." (Grail)
    -[X] [SMILES] (TROUBLEMAKER) Tell him you need something broken. (Is It Free Real Estate?) (FREE ACTION)
    -[X] [SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
    -[X] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light)
    --[X] To be performed... somewhere, where you hope nopony will catch wind of it.
    -[X] You need somepony to perform this ritual… (Summon a Mare-in-the-Light, sacrificing a Wrong Key)
    -[X] (NEW OPTION) Smiles needs help with something, please go do what he asks... within reason of course. (Aid Smiles' Progression Bar. QM will decide who is optimal, unless you write-in the characters)
    -[X] Cover your bases (-5 Follower AP, +2 Velvet AP)
    -[X] If summoning rituals or graverob fails, lose Smiles actions to compensate
Click to expand...


An unexpected twist, having interest in Neighnia this late, but very fair.

No writing tonight, but I'll try to get the Velvet Phase post up tomorrow.

I hope you are all doing well! It has certainly been hectic over here.
 
Solace2117 said:
Pretty sure most voted for it intending to toss 5 towards Cadence, 1 towards moth 1 towards making a level 6 regent.
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Click to shrink...

Reagent creation is free

5 Velvet AP and one free social.

We need one Velvet AP on Moth Sacrament and one Velvet AP on trying out Stalking/hide and seek.

So only 4 AP are free at most for Cadance.

If people actually wanted to put 5 on Cadance then they should have voted to put Mareinette on Cadance.
 
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dcoconeo said:
We have absolutely no reason to do Stalking, not even Windy (and if Neighnia goes south, Stalking won't help)?
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Click to shrink...

Stalking could be a source of renewable moth scraps similar to that source of renewable SH scraps.

The potential to do something like 3 AP for Moth Mastery is something we have every reason to investigate.
 
Shaper47 said:
Reagent creation is free

5 Velvet AP and one free social.

We need one Velvet AP on Moth Sacrament and one Velvet AP on trying out Stalking/hide and seek.

So only 4 AP are free at most for Cadance.

If people actually wanted to put 5 on Cadance then they should have voted to put Mareinette on Cadance.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

You may vote for stalking/ hide and seek, but you're the only one I've seen interested in that. Regent creation is free, but it costs an action to upgrade a level 4 to a level 6. The moth is another action. Velvet has 4 actions, plus 2 extra from cover your bases, and 1 social action. 7 total to play with.
So one moth, one to make a level 6 regent and 5 for Cadence.
 
Solace2117 said:
You may vote for stalking/ hide and seek, but you're the only one I've seen interested in that. Regent creation is free, but it costs an action to upgrade a level 4 to a level 6. The moth is another action. Velvet has 4 actions, plus 2 extra from cover your bases, and 1 social action. 7 total to play with.
So one moth, one to make a level 6 regent and 5 for Cadence.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Or, potentially, 4 cadence if we want to use one Velvet AP for something else, but that's unlikely
 
dcoconeo said:
Maybe we'll consider it if the Celestia Bomb doesn't blow up, which investigating now would actively hinder?
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Click to shrink...

If that was actually our priority then we definitely should have put Mareinette on it since she'd probably do a better job then Velvet.

If you didn't think 4 Velvet AP was enough for Cadance then you should have voted for 4 Velvet AP and one Mareinette AP.

Putting of investigation risks running out of time. The ability to get Moth Mastery during turn 24 delays the Celestia doomclock, the more the time the Celestia doomclock is delayed the greater the chance that Selene defuses it. Going for Moth Mastery Turn 25 is risky.
 
5 velvet APs is better than 4, that's a near certain thing.

Also the "renewable" source of moth scraps is just a guess, at least from how I understand it. I'm not convinced. Same for the SH one with the tower, really, the way I read it was that there's a simple SH scrap there that for some reason wasn't consumed when we visited due to being at the cap.

Though even if I was wrong, I'd find it more likely that's an exception due to our Brand and the importance of the location.
 
Pittauro said:
5 velvet APs is better than 4, that's a near certain thing.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

True, I suppose I'm just a bit frustrated here.

Investigation is very important, far more then the Mayor so if we didn't want to go with only 4 we already had that option.


Pittauro said:
Also the "renewable" source of moth scraps is just a guess, at least from how I understand it. I'm not convinced.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It's got more hints supporting it then Smooth the night did.

Keep in mind Ash is a loyal supporter of Velvet. He's on her side and befriended higher powers mechanically and narratively aid Velvet.

Pittauro said:
Same for the SH one with the tower, really, the way I read it was that there's a simple SH scrap there that for some reason wasn't consumed when we visited due to being at the cap.
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Click to shrink...

No, it was clearly a renewable sorce of SH scraps.

This was flat out stated.

Pittauro said:
Though even if I was wrong, I'd find it more likely that's an exception due to our Brand and the importance of the location.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Importance of the location yes though I doubt our brand had anything to do with it.
 
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OurLadyOfWires said:
An unexpected twist, having interest in Neighnia this late, but very fair.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Considering how much Names have been stated to be too dangerous to be left alone, it is not that surprising. The possibility of befriending if we get lucky with Selene's rolls just puts this even higher on the list.

Also, you gave us a daughter whose purpose(or at least part of it) is to befriend Names. Can't let her fail... again, but considering the alternative was not having Smiles with us at All-In I would say it was a strategic sacrifice.
 
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