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

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Screw the Grail Church, every time we go there it slurps up some of our Scraps, and replacing those takes way too much effort.

 

[DelightedOne]

Ruined Church is like... not even top 5 reasons we lost Twilight.

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It may not be top 5, but it was the last nail in the coffin.

You have met Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires.

Regardless of your decision, your Influence has degraded from "An Incarnadescence" (+40) to "An Urgency of Appetite" (+20).

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We met Mareinette there and she took half of our influence, making our +40 to Grail turn into +20.

[Grieving, neglected, angry. Breakpoints, 50/70/100/120/150]

[Roll: 24 + 14 (Diplomacy, Grail doubled) + 30 (GRAIL bonus, doubled) + 20 ("An Urgency of Appetite") = 88]

[Second threshold reached]

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Consequently we did not reach the third threshold, something that would have been possible, since 24 + 14 (Diplomacy, Grail doubled) + 30 (GRAIL bonus, doubled) + 20 ("An Urgency of Appetite") +20(Other half of the Influence) = 108.

<50: Disastrously bad.

50: You "only" made things worse.

70: She came, and then she spoke, and that was it.

100: An impossible suggestion.

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So yeah, we lost Twilight because we met Mareinette, because if we hadn't then we would have a full An Incarnadescense, which would have allowed Velvet to suggest the Forge's Redemption to fix her horn(and Shining's eventually since I doubt she would let her brother with a broken horn), consequently, she would not have been locked as an acquaintance and we would not have to worry about the Wolf taking her.

 

[ses]

Yeah I know. You didn't have to explain it. I'm saying that calling that "The ruined church was responsible" is absolutely delusional. There were literally dozens of factors and dierolls and decisions that went into what happened. Heck, we rescued Twilight literally as soon as possible, Spike dying was probably a roll that went poorly for him to die on his first turn captured. Notice how the title of that roll is "Grieving, neglected, angry"? If Spike hadn't died, the DCs would have been different. If we hadn't Leashed shining armor and made him neglect her, the DCs might have been different (Or Shining might have been convinced we were a criminal, who knows.) If Twilight had been a Confidant instead of a Close Friend before she got captured we could have Leashed her and the whole problem would have gone away. If we hadn't chosen stupidly to reveal ourselves to Twilight and leave her alone with her thoughts she would have had -1 to the SAN roll but would have eventually recovered due to not hating us and therefore we could have used IotH and FR on her. If if if.

Hence "Not even in the top 5 reasons". Saying that things would have been different if we hadn't done Ruined Church that turn ignores that there's literally a dozen of better and smaller nudges that would have changed the outcome.

None of that is relevant to the fact that we have access to actual numbers.

Anyway, changing the subject.

We might actually make Manuscripts next turn? We dont have any Name summons to spend our Reagent craft on. We could spend 5 bits to make a Lantern 1 Reagent for MITL summoning so that it autopasses except on nat1s, but that's only 8% of 55 bits plus 8% of a Selene AP for 5 bits and the reagent craft. 5 bit cost for 4.4 bits saved on ritual costs in expectation and the 8% of a Selene action is probably only taking the expected net value of the reagent craft to a total of +3 bits give or take. Better than not using the reagent craft at all but we might consider instead making a Forge 1 reagent and spending Velvet AP on two manuscripts. Unless Velvet wants to commit to personally doing one of the major expeditions I'm not sure what we want to spend our Velvet AP on next turn anyway after the triple-Sacraments. Social actions on Mayor Mare, the Contact Somepony FO, and Cheerilee come to mind.

Or we could spend AP on Mansus exploration to fully explore a Shattered Stairways zone. I kind of think we take zero Cover Your Bases AP next turn so that the Risen can do a Manehattan expedition and the Servants do an expedition search. Risen and Servants make it very tempting to always do +1 Velvet AP but Manehattan calls and Expedition Searches are still a good use of Servant AP rather than Bases.

Yes I'm aware it's literally irl months too early to do this planning but the madness is creeping in waiting for Tall Tale.

 

[DelightedOne]

Sorry, I just have this mental illness that makes me believe that when I show correct data and valid arguments people would believe them.

 

[Solace2117]

I don't know if next turn will be the best time to do the Ruined Church expedition considering all the sacraments we'll probably be doing, but considering it's more than likely where we can grab a heirloom we'll want to do it at some point in the few turns.

 

[Pittauro]

It's not what I originally had in mind when I was writing, and I do think that there are more interesting ways to solve the puzzle, but I consider it to be a valid solution and I'll leave it available in the future.


The 4 - 5 jump is probably the hardest in terms of knowing arcane thread lore. As a hint: "1871"

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I can give you a hint how I found page 4:

Spoiler

Matthew 7:8

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even after reaching page 5 of 6, I STILL don't know what those two hints meant

Well, I don't know what the SECOND one meant. In hindsight Jelloloaf had BASICALLY given me the answer there, but I just... didn't really use the hint as I should have, even after guessing what it meant. I was too hasty.

As I mentioned before, I took a different approach to finding page 4 (I only found the piece of paper "conventionally", though I suppose I was at least close-ish / in the general area), and finally page 5 clicked with me after that last hint from the Wise Wolf, who lived up to the title.

now page 6 left...

---

We met Mareinette there and she took half of our influence, making our +40 to Grail turn into +20.

Consequently we did not reach the third threshold, something that would have been possible, since 24 + 14 (Diplomacy, Grail doubled) + 30 (GRAIL bonus, doubled) + 20 ("An Urgency of Appetite") +20(Other half of the Influence) = 108.

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eh, butterfly effect, Bird would have rolled at a different time and we'd have gotten a different dice result

But yeah, losing that +20 was certainly a problem.

Yeah I know. You didn't have to explain it. I'm saying that calling that "The ruined church was responsible" is absolutely delusional. There were literally dozens of factors and dierolls and decisions that went into what happened. Heck, we rescued Twilight literally as soon as possible, Spike dying was probably a roll that went poorly for him to die on his first turn captured. Notice how the title of that roll is "Grieving, neglected, angry"? If Spike hadn't died, the DCs would have been different. If we hadn't Leashed shining armor and made him neglect her, the DCs might have been different (Or Shining might have been convinced we were a criminal, who knows.) If Twilight had been a Confidant instead of a Close Friend before she got captured we could have Leashed her and the whole problem would have gone away. If we hadn't chosen stupidly to reveal ourselves to Twilight and leave her alone with her thoughts she would have had -1 to the SAN roll but would have eventually recovered due to not hating us and therefore we could have used IotH and FR on her. If if if.

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Yeah, and the truth is that all of us have different opinions on WHICH parts should have been done differently.

For example, I believe we shouldn't have revealed ourselves to Twilight in the urn.

And of course there's also the "We could have broken her trust in Celestia instead of accidentally push her to go and deliver herself to Chrysalis".

I'm still wondering if it was a bad roll, or a deterministic result. As in, was encouraging her ALWAYS going to result in her being captured, or did we fail a hidden roll?

...Sadly Bird never told us.

Also it could have gone even WORSE for Twilight in theory. Imagine if we ALSO had her brother die in the Canterlot burning... and of course, other things we could have done better, like the already mentioned "paint her as a possible cult recruit so they'd treat her better".

Potentially if we had given Selene to the Cult things would have gone much different there too, though of course probably worse in MANY other ways.

We might actually make Manuscripts next turn? We dont have any Name summons to spend our Reagent craft on. We could spend 5 bits to make a Lantern 1 Reagent for MITL summoning so that it autopasses except on nat1s, but that's only 8% of 55 bits plus 8% of a Selene AP for 5 bits and the reagent craft. 5 bit cost for 4.4 bits saved on ritual costs in expectation and the 8% of a Selene action is probably only taking the expected net value of the reagent craft to a total of +3 bits give or take. Better than not using the reagent craft at all but we might consider instead making a Forge 1 reagent and spending Velvet AP on two manuscripts. Unless Velvet wants to commit to personally doing one of the major expeditions I'm not sure what we want to spend our Velvet AP on next turn anyway after the triple-Sacraments. Social actions on Mayor Mare, the Contact Somepony FO, and Cheerilee come to mind.

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We could always craft a reagent for a future turn action. For example, a tier 3 or 4 reagent for a Call of Influence ritual. An influence that would last two turns and won't consume Name APs.

and we can always find more stuff to use Velvet APs on.

We could study our remaining Moth 3 and Knock 2 artifacts, which we can then use or sell for money as needed (assuming we don't get better ones this turn).

We could work on other sacraments.

We could summon more minions.

We could just explore more of the Mansus. really, I'd like to explore it all before we go for All In if possible, it wouldn't even take THAT much.

We have left... I think 1 Stairways Location (2-3 points?), Ruined Church (1 point), 1 beyond Tribal Door location (again 2-3 points), Soon we'll be able to access the Tower (1 point, need SH Sacrament), and maybe the Resting Place of the Sun-in-Rags (1 point, but we need the Winter Sacrament).

...was that it? I thought there was more.

Or we could spend AP on Mansus exploration to fully explore a Shattered Stairways zone. I kind of think we take zero Cover Your Bases AP next turn so that the Risen can do a Manehattan expedition and the Servants do an expedition search. Risen and Servants make it very tempting to always do +1 Velvet AP but Manehattan calls and Expedition Searches are still a good use of Servant AP rather than Bases.

Yes I'm aware it's literally irl months too early to do this planning but the madness is creeping in waiting for Tall Tale.

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aand of course you also mentioned the mansus, I should have finished reading before writing

 

[ses]

We could always craft a reagent for a future turn action. For example, a tier 3 or 4 reagent for a Call of Influence ritual. An influence that would last two turns and won't consume Name APs.

and we can always find more stuff to use Velvet APs on.

We could study our remaining Moth 3 and Knock 2 artifacts, which we can then use or sell for money as needed (assuming we don't get better ones this turn).

We could work on other sacraments.

We could summon more minions.

We could just explore more of the Mansus. really, I'd like to explore it all before we go for All In if possible, it wouldn't even take THAT much.

We have left... I think 1 Stairways Location (2-3 points?), Ruined Church (1 point), 1 beyond Tribal Door location (again 2-3 points), Soon we'll be able to access the Tower (1 point, need SH Sacrament), and maybe the Resting Place of the Sun-in-Rags (1 point, but we need the Winter Sacrament).

...was that it? I thought there was more.

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We're too bits limited to spend making a high level reagent we dont need right away instead of more expedition tickets.

Studying the lower level artifacts is kind of a waste of AP compared to letting Jade do a study action every turn for the rest of the game, but I suppose we can fit in a Knock 2/Moth 3 study action and have Jade study a level 1 artifact... considering we'll probably get more artifacts from expeditions soon Jade will never run out.

There are no other sacraments we could really be working on: Our only options are Personal SH, Personal Forge, or Personal Winter. I'm opposed to personal winter in general, plus it costs bits we wont have. Personal Forge costs bits and we don't have the 2/4 Forge scraps we'd need unless we spent Forge Name AP that we'd rather spend miniaturizing for expeditions, and the thread has been averse to finishing our Personal SH without a SH influence due to danger.

Selene covers all the AP we could possibly have the bits to spend on summoning Mares. There's no way we can afford more than 2 summons at most optimistic and they'd both be done by Selene.

-At the end of all that, you did enough for Twilight Sparkle to become a confidant. However, you diverted her back into remaining faithful to Princess Celestia;

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Directly from the story recap thread, lmao. Talk about making it explicit.

 

[Pittauro]

Studying the lower level artifacts is kind of a waste of AP compared to letting Jade do a study action every turn for the rest of the game, but I suppose we can fit in a Knock 2/Moth 3 study action and have Jade study a level 1 artifact... considering we'll probably get more artifacts from expeditions soon Jade will never run out.

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I though Jade is NOT allowed to study artifacts for us yet? If this changed, I forgot.

I'm opposed to personal winter in general, plus it costs bits we wont have.

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ignoring the subjective (but totally fair) opinion on winter sacrament (it IS definitely immoral after all), the 30 bits it asks per AP are not quite negligible, but something we could probably afford.

 

[Arrkhon]

Bits this, bits that
Just borrow fat stacks of bits from Spoiled Rich while stressing the importance of secrecy and use her for dual sacrament right after, I bet it won't even cost us a single AP extra

 

[ses]

I though Jade is NOT allowed to study artifacts for us yet? If this changed, I forgot.

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Jade has her researcher trait formalized already. But I've been convinced that 1x Study Artifacts could be worthwhile since Jade will never run out of low level artifacts.

ignoring the subjective (but totally fair) opinion on winter sacrament (it IS definitely immoral after all), the 30 bits it asks per AP are not quite negligible, but something we could probably afford.

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We really can't afford Personal Winter costs next turn without directly giving up an expedition ticket or MITL summon, both of which are far more immediately relevant.

105 bits current, minus the 60 on scries we haven't paid for yet, plus 160 salary, plus ~40 for Rarity career, plus ~100 Commission, plus 200 for selling the Edge 3 artifact, leaves us with ~550 bits next turn give or take.

That pays for:
Biedde
Book Hunt
Iotic Essence
Beyond the Map's Edge
Manehattan expeditions
MITL summons

We can't know exactly how much because we dont know if the 2 Name Befriending expeditions are Long or Short, but it'd be very hard to fit a Personal Winter ritual into that budget without skimping on an expedition ticket or MITL summon (or having Biedde pursue religious goals. Though honestly I'm not necessarily against it, considering that probably translates to "Biedde spends time giving Steppes Edge training as his first inner circle cultist"). It's unclear on if we can even afford the two MITL summons to go Soothe/MITL/MITL with Selene's AP. We certainly can't afford a level 3+ reagent we dont absolutely need.

 

[Pittauro]

hey @OurLadyOfWires out of curiosity... did YOU find all 6 pages? Was it easy or hard for you?

Right now I've reached page 5, though it took me a hint for page 5.

...technically a hint to start too, but that's mostly because I did not initially understand it was an ARG. I thought there was just a link hidden in the first post or image

 

[ses]

hey @OurLadyOfWires out of curiosity... did YOU find all 6 pages? Was it easy or hard for you?

Right now I've reached page 5, though it took me a hint for page 5.

...technically a hint to start too, but that's mostly because I did not initially understand it was an ARG. I thought there was just a link hidden in the first post or image

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I'm pretty sure QM was the first person to do so: Jelloloaf told me that I was 2nd to his knowledge (I doubt I was actually 2nd) and I only found it because QM posted a hint that trivialized it.

 

[Greymere]

Hmm. If we reach the end of this turn unwounded do we want to consider doing Ruined Church 2 again next turn? An Imminence gets us past the first hurdle with 80% odds after all, and every non-Heart lore will have rerolls and such. Plus we'd get 2 Heart scraps from the Influence. We'd have level 5 in Knock, Moth, SH, and Edge in that scenario plus a Name influence in Heart. We'd also possibly have Level 6 Forge assuming that we miniaturize Forge Name and are allowed to bring him into the Mansus as a normal artifact at the end of the turn when we do the Mansus Expedition after he goes on the great book hunt for free. That leaves our only "weaknesses" as Winter, Lantern, and Grail, all of which would still be level 4 with re-rolls available.

(Plus having +40 Heart might be useful in Beyond the Map's Edge.)

The Grail Heirloom is almost certainly at the end of the expedition, and likely 2 scraps if it's the same scrap rewards as Ruined Church 1.

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I think it's very unlikely that Mareinette's AP will be free to get an Imminence from her next turn. There's two expeditions and Mayor Mare that would be competing for that spot, and both "Name friendship" and "don't let the mayor die because we didn't tell Soft she was in a cult" take priority over poking the Mansus mystery box for me.

 

[dcoconeo]

Skip everything and get the answers off someone else

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Could you please tell me how to get the rest of the pages, then?

 

[DelightedOne]

Heey, kinda random but has there been any comments or discussion about what will happen to Stormchaser if Velvet reaches Glory?

Asking to see if there will be angst for the Mother even in her unopposed Glory.

 

[Shaper47]

Heey, kinda random but has there been any comments or discussion about what will happen to Stormchaser if Velvet reaches Glory?

Asking to see if there will be angst for the Mother even in her unopposed Glory.

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Keeping hold of a mortals soul probably isn't that hard for an Hour.

Hell even Velvet now can make Stommy immortal.

 

[DelightedOne]

The thing is that I'm worried about what would happen right before she turns into an Hour.

The House is no place for lovers, after all. The lore heavily implies that if you want to ascend you can't have a lover and the only thing that distracts Velvet from Glory now that she is so close to it is her family.

Just seems like a good setup for a final choice that removes a malus permanently.

And the immortal thing brings other issues that Mareinette would love to enlighten Velvet about.

 

[Shaper47]

The House is no place for lovers, after all. The lore heavily implies that if you want to ascend you can't have a lover and the only thing that distracts Velvet from Glory now that she is so close to it is her family

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In cannon you can bring your lover with you.

Turn them into a Risen and you get a special ending for bringing them along for your ascension.

 

[des-pair-2]

Turn them into a Risen and you get a special ending for bringing them along for your ascension.

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I can confidently say, that we are not going to turn Stormchaser into an undead just so he can follow us to Glory. You know, Silky is going to need to have at least her father with her after we ascend and start dealing with Worms.

 

[dcoconeo]

Heey, kinda random but has there been any comments or discussion about what will happen to Stormchaser if Velvet reaches Glory?

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Don't know, but unfortunately Glory is more important on the grand scheme of things.
In any case, being the only Hour around means you probably can fudge the rules set by the previous batch so I wouldn't worry too much about this.

 

[DelightedOne]

In any case, being the only Hour around means you probably can fudge the rules set by the previous batch

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Canon answer on that is "only if you manage to remove every last scrap of their influence left in the Wake" which I guess works if Velvet becomes aware of it instantly as she ascends or is told by befriended Baldomare.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Hello there.

I hope you are all doing well! And again, pardon for my delay. The end of the year has been more work than expected!

But alas, all good things (waiting for an update) must end (an update is ready.

I just have a few more things to mention before that.


First.
I have not seen any of the pings. Too busy right now, and I want to get this done so I can go and do other things. So, kindly let me know if there are any questions I left unanswered. (To put it simply, I did not have the time to "catch up" to the thread).

Seconds, @jelloloaf your wonderful story was changed to another part of the canon quest. Kindly make any changes you see fit to make it more "digestible" to a reader who (as you will see) just came out of a soul-wrenching and Woods-burning experience.
Also, I put a "[1/6]" on its title to make it even clearer that this is the beginning of something. But please let me know if you would like that removed from the title. I'll respect your desire to make your path more elusive, if that is the case.

Third,

In Which Winter Thaws

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This was delightful! I did miss your poetical manner, and I enjoyed this very much.

A part of me even wants to say that "I see this for what it is, and it is beautiful". While another, more "arrogant" part of me even tried to locate the exact part where you had previously stopped, and then continued with renewed (and realigned) vigot.

Still, thank you kindly for sharing this with us!



Now, without further ado, let us continue.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

At some point, a thought crosses your mind.

It is a curious thing, to be under these… these weights, these blessings, these influences.

Because now more than ever you realize how aptly named they are.

And for all that this might be obvious in hindsight, you don't think you ever really noticed this. You don't think it would have been possible for you to notice it, even. But now? Now that you are under not one, but two of these insidiously and all-consuming things?

Now, perhaps for the first time, you are acutely aware of what they are.

Even if that thought only lasts for a moment.

At times they feel like shackles around your hoofs. Constricting your movement. Prohibiting certain actions. Dragging you a certain way.

Other times they feel like lenses. Something that lets you see the way a little better, and nothing else.

However, just like the stupor of alcohol, their sway is so easy to ignore. More than just that, it is so easy to think that these thoughts and ideas are yours to begin with.

But now that you are under not one, but two of them, you can see them for what they are.

Because in the rare moments where they disagree, in the rare moments that these pressures clash against each other, you become acutely aware of their presence. The same way you would notice a breeze if it suddenly shifted in the opposite direction.

You wanted to say that they are like voices inside your head. Giving you suggestions, or even pushes, in this or that direction.

But they are not inside your head. These influences, these presences, are not inside of you.

Not exactly, at least.

Still, now that this veil has been lifted from your eyes… now that you realize that you cannot use these tools without being used yourself in return… you cannot help but ask yourself.

Which of these thoughts are yours?

And which of these thoughts come from something else?

"Which of these words are mine?"

"And which of them are not?"

That thought, those questions, they come to your mind one moment.

But on the next moment, they are gone.

And your inquisitiveness is ushered away, and forgotten, the same way a filly would be comforted if she had entered a room and found her two parents bickering for a moment.

After all…

You have better things to do.

And you do not have time for these questions.

And you don't even realize how small you are, compared to those presences, when you quietly agree with them.

As if you had any choice in the matter.



- - -



…

You are Velvet Covers.

And you do not have time for any of this.

You are currently at the Bureau camp, near the base of the mountains of Tall Tale. But no matter how you think about this, this feels like a waste of time.

Not because you are here.

But because everypony else is here.

Right now, you are inside a command tent near the center of the camp. You arrived here a few hours ago, and you spent the entire night going over the plans for the assault with your subordinates.

And now, as the time of the attack draws near, there is nothing to do but wait.

Or rather, there is nothing you can do but wait, and smell the whirlwind of activity all around you, right outside the thick canvas walls of the tent.

You sense the dozens upon dozens of constables and guards readying themselves, you taste the rushed orders being passed around from mouth to mouth, and you feel the weight of equipment and armors and armaments being strapped to backs and legs and bodies of strong ponies.

But with each second that goes by, you cannot help but feel more and more…

… disappointed.

Because no matter how you look at it, no matter how you try to frame it.

They are too slow.

And they are too soft.

And they simply are not enough.

A large and oppressive part of you tells you that they are not enough to be deemed the protectors of these lands.

And a smaller, quieter part of you agrees, thinking that they are also not enough to be a worthy band of followers for your daughter.

Because for all that you are focused and you are sharp and you are wearing your contempt as easily as you would wear a dress, you still remember your priorities well enough to remember why you are doing all of this.

Edge-sharp or not, you still know that you are doing all of this to keep your family safe.

Just as you think that a small presence enters the tent. It is Salt Rope, you know, the pony in charge of the disorganized haggle that is going on outside.

If you were prone to distractions right now, you would certainly muse on how timely his entry was, given what you were thinking about just now.

But you do not have any time for distractions right now, either.

"Commissioner, we are ready for you," the stallion says.

A soft "tsk" of disappointment comes from you, at the fact that you can sense the stallion's hesitation when he addresses you. But you suppress your other reaction to how he flinched at that.

This is all a waste of time. You did not need anypony else to be here. Or maybe, you shouldn't have come at all. Still, the fact remains that both you and the Bureau being here at the same time is redundant at best, and wasteful at worst.

But let it never be said that Velvet Covers did not make the best out of a bad situation. And there is one thing you can still do, today, to make up for all of this.

You will sharpen this blade for your daughter.

Without a word, you get up from your seat, and you make your way out of the tent. Salt Rope silently follows after you.

As soon as you step hoof outside of the tent, you are greeted by… by the ponies you should be calling your troops, you suppose.

The command tent is right in front of a mustering field, the true center of the Bureau encampment.

To your right, you can see the city of Tall Tale itself, its skyline being graced by the morning sun as it rises from the horizon.

To your left are the mountains of Tall Tale, crowned by the storm clouds that have battered them for the last several days.

And in front of you is the full armed might of the Lunar Bureau. Neatly arrayed in teams and squadrons, organized by specialization and purpose. Close to a hundred ponies, all of them armored in the midnight purple of the Lunar Bureau, are standing in attention in front of you.

You jump onto the makeshift platform that was prepared for you, a stack of equipment crates arranged into a temporary dais, and you look down towards the gathered ponies.

…

Under normal circumstances, you assume you would have said something inspiring.

If this was any other situation, a small part of your mind tells you, you think you would have tried your best to encourage them. You would have told them that today is the day you strike back against the monsters that bled Ponykind, and that today the purpose of the Lunar Bureau will at last begin to be realized.

But as your piercing gaze looks down at them, you feel your frown crumble into a glare. And that strict and oppressing part of your mind smothers down any other thought you might have.

You find them unworthy.

But for your daughter, you will make them worthy.

With those two tentatively aligned thoughts in your mind, you begin to speak.

"We are gathered here as the greatest fighting force of Ponykind. More agile than the unwieldy Guard, more numerous than the heroes of our past. You, all of you, are the most dedicated and skilled fighters of our generation."

You do not smile. You do not say that with pride.

You do not sound contemptuous either, but you do not bother to hide the honesty in your voice.

Especially as you say your next words.

"But never forget that each and every one of you has already failed."

You say that, and the meaning behind your words is obvious.

Your words strike them like a hammer. But deep down, you don't think anypony here thinks differently.

"There are no excuses for that. No circumstances or explanations will ever justify this disgrace you all carry. For your entire lives, you thought of yourselves as protectors. Constables and guards, fighters and protectors. And yet, despite your beliefs, Canterlot burned, and countless ponies dies."

Knowledge is never kind.

And truth hurts.

But you silently dare anypony to raise their voice and speak against your words.

The silence is deafening.

"There are no excuses, but there may yet be forgiveness."

You say that, and you are content at how heated up this blade is.

It is now time to sharpen it.

"You thought yourselves to be fighters and protectors. But I have no need for those anymore. From now on, I need soldiers and killers."

You raise your left foreleg, the movement quick and sharp. You raise your left foreleg, and you point your hoof towards the waiting mountains of Tall Tale.

"Up there is a gathering of monsters. They are the monsters against whom you already failed. They are the monsters who killed more ponies than we will ever be able to mourn. They are the monsters that broke Love's heart, defaced the Moon and enraged the Sun. And above all else, they are the enemies of Ponykind."

You lower your foreleg.

And for all that you do not feel any joy, a part of you is satisfied at how the contempt on your face is now mirrored on the ponies who are looking up towards you.

Which means you have done enough. For now, at least.

There will be more work to do, later, on however many ponies survive this day.

"That mountain belongs to the Princesses," you say. "Kill anything in it that isn't a pony."

And then you hop down from the makeshift platform, turning towards the mountain and beginning the long trek up.

A multitude of wrathful hoofsteps is following after you, before you reach the limits of the mustering camp.



- - -



Because Velvet Covers will be "running against the clock" to outpace the Bureau, and because the proto-hive will be assaulted while she is in there, special rules will apply. Velvet Covers will only have one chance to locate and secure anything that could be to her benefit, and will have to move on deeper into the hive if she fails that first attempt.



[Quasi-expedition: The Proto-hive of Tall Tale]



The mountains of Tall Tale are, in truth, a complex of very tall hills that surround a hooffull of "true" mountains. And thankfully, only one such mountain is truly infested with changelings.

Naturally, mountains are hazardous places to begin with. It is hard for non-fliers to access them, and their caves are filled with monsters as often as their depths are packed with precious minerals. So, you have no doubt that the changelings infesting this one mountain had to fight their way in, and that they either chased off or killed whatever territorial beast used to call it home.

But that is the crux of it. The fact that only one of the mountains of Tall Tale are currently infested (the others, your agents checked, are still filled with its aggressive fauna) tells you that the changelings had enough number to take one mountain, but that they are not numerous or aggressive enough to take over the others.

And this entire operation was planned with that in mind.

…

Time to turn that plan into a reality.



- - -



The trek up the mountain is long, but not exactly punishing. There are several trails that lead to the mountain in question, and they were all scouted to exhaustion during the several weeks that led to this day.

Naturally, the trails become less friendly the closer you get to the mountain. Paved trails that lead to the adjoining hills turn into cobblestone as you reach higher. And once you reach the mountain itself, you have to negotiate your way through the trees and vegetation to find the beaten path.

This same story, you know, is being repeated by every other constable and guard of the Bureau at this very moment.

For operations of this scale, the fighting force of the Bureau is divided into four branches.

The Red Team, which is a single team of your seven best ponies, is currently making its way to the top of the mountain. They have Steady Step, your fledgling Forge specialist, with them, and they will quite literally blow their way into the mountain through an unexpected angle as soon as the assault begins. Their mission, naturally, will be to reach as deep into the hive as they can, as quickly as they can, to secure any high-priority targets they find.

Although, after your instructions, you hope they understand their mission is to "assassinate" whatever high-value changeling is running this hive. Not just "secure" it.

The Blue Team is composed by runner-ups. Ponies who are impressive enough fighters to be trusted with the front lines, but not good enough to reach the peak of Red Team. At this point you have close to five full squadrons of ponies that make up Blue. They will be the face of the Bureau's horseshoes as it kicks into the hive. The moment everypony is in place and Salt Rope gives the signal, they will assault the hive through its largest caves and known entrances.

The Green Team is by far more numerous than Blue, and is composed by almost everypony in the Constable branch of the Bureau who can be trusted to fight. They will be right behind Blue during the assault, but their objective will be to secure and "shore up" any advances that Blue makes, as well as to be there to either reinforce them, or help them retreat if needed.

Finally, the ad-hoc "Support" team is everypony else. Constables who are not up to the Bureau's fighting standards, members of the Royal Guard that were brought from Canterlot to assist, and everypony in between. They will be the runners delivering messages, the patrols cordoning the mountain, and the critical reserve forces for anything Salt Rope needs during this operation.

And you…

Well, you considered leading Red, or being close enough to Blue so they could at least help you if things turned sour.

But after more careful consideration, you decided on something else.



[Infiltrating the proto-hive, CD 60]

[Roll: 46 + 12 (Intrigue) + 20 (Moth level 4) = 78]



You know Red Team will take a while longer to reach their ingress point, far away from the entrance for the assault to be a proper distraction. And you know Green and the support ponies will need time to properly surround the mountain.

But here is the thing about timing. Until any changeling spotters realize what is happening and raise the alarm, their hive is still as defended (or undefended) as it had been for the last several weeks, while they were battered by storms and covered by thunderclouds.

So, you just… slip in, through the front door. You crawl into the largest cave, the same one that Blue Team will rushing through in less than an hour. Passing by a pair of shivering changelings without a sound or a whisper.

And moments later you are once again gone, already making your way deeper into the hive.



You have gained ingress into the proto-hive.



- - -



[Velvet Covers has not joined the Bureau. Bureau rolls omitted.]



- - -



[Velvet Covers is immune to cold, challenge ignored]

[Velvet Covers is immune to darkness, challenge ignored]



You are now alone.

It has been less than a few minutes since you entered the cave, or rather the cavern complex. And now, you can say for certain that you are alone.

Realistically, the assault will not begin for at least half an hour. There is no reason for the Bureau to rush its hoof and waste its preparations. That is a practical reality that you were acutely aware of when you made this decision. So, you know that you are on your own here.

But that also gives you a modicum of time to do things your way.

The first thing that you realize is that this place is… cold. It is miserably cold. It is cold, and it is damp, and you have already seen sheets of ice here and there covering the walls.

The constant storm-battering the Bureau subjected this mountain to must have worked too well. You don't know yet if any of the lower caves were flooded, but you can already tell that whatever moss and lichen existed here is long dead and frozen.

And more importantly, the newest denizens of this place are suffering for it.



[Avoiding detection – outskirts, CD 60]

[Roll: 87 + 12 (Intrigue) + 20 (Moth level 4) = 119]



There are no patrols of changelings to speak of. In fact, you have seen very little activity so far. But you do find pairs of changelings, sometimes huddled with each other, posted on certain places.

Ironically, you begin to use them as guideposts to make your way deeper into the tunnels. And given how you can see them shiver, you are not surprised by how easily you can make your way past them.

But of course, you won't make the mistake of blindly trusting these sparse sentries when it comes to exploring this place. And more than once you follow your instincts to take a detour here and there, even if it bites into how much time you have before the Bureau catches up to you.



[Something interesting? – outskirts, cd 75]

[Roll: 48 + 12 (Intrigue) + 20 (Secret Histories level 4) = 80]



And eventually, your efforts pay off. Because you find something… very, very interesting.

You find it in one of the side-paths, close enough to the entrance for it to be on the outskirts of this "hive" rather than within it. And you know for a fact that the Bureau would have found it if you didn't.

But you did find it. You found it before the Bureau, and here is a plain chance for your to do something about it, if you so desire.

You make your decision, and then you move on.



You have located "Exploration efforts?" It will be available for you to make a decision at the end of your foray.



- - -



[Velvet Covers has not joined the Bureau. Bureau rolls omitted.]



- - -



At some point, you step on something that is no longer stone. Instead, it is a black thing you can only describe as "chitinous."

It reminds you eerily of the hard coat the changelings have, although it is not exactly the same.

You wonder if they intentionally cover the surfaces of their lairs with this. You wonder if, instead, this just slouches off their bodies over time.

You do not know. The Bureau has performed autopsies on them and raided the archives for whatever information you had on the changelings. But the fact remains that you still know too little about them. Despite the several months since the Catastrophe, this terrible enemy of Ponykind is still an unknown. And in many ways, this first assault against one of their hives will be a crucial first step into understanding them better.

But those larger considerations aren't really important right now.

All that matters to you, right now, is staying alive. Alive and undetected.



[Avoiding detection, and also… – depths, breakpoints 80/110]

[Roll: 37 71 + 12 (Intrigue) + 20 (Moth level 4) = 103]

[Moth re-roll invoked, first breakpoint reached]



Still, you can say you entered the "hive" itself, now.

Not only because of the hard and black stuff that is coating the ground, here and there, but also because you finally found some changelings that don't seem to be just on guard duty.

It makes sense, you suppose. The changelings must have either killed or expelled the other creatures that lived in this mountain. But your previous investigations suggested that there still weren't enough changelings to occupy the entire mountain. So, it makes sense for the hive itself to be in the depths of the cavern system.

And the Bureau did acquire whatever maps they had of the mountain itself. Most of those maps were terribly outdated, being charted by overly-adventurous ponies several years ago. And more often than not those maps were abruptly interrupted by a note reading "here be basilisks" or something similar. But still, you are somewhat satisfied to see that your advisors correctly guessed that the core of the changeling gathering would be in these darker depths.

None the matter. You continue to stalk your way deeper into the hive, and-



"!!!!!"



-and you press your body against the nearest wall, until you are so close to the darkness you can almost taste it.

Because suddenly, the cold and miserable interior of the hive is interrupted by the chittering equivalent of a shout.

It is a shout, it is panicked, and even though you can't speak their monstrous language you immediately understand it to be an alarm. You stay where you are deathly still against a wall of the large cavern you are in, as you watch a startled changeling rush in through one of the adjoining passages.

And in response, dozens of other changelings, some that you didn't even notice before, raise their heads in chittering concern.



"!!!"

"!!!!!"

"!!!!!!!!!!"



Moments later, the deathly cold of the cavern turns into a buzz of activity. Several changelings begin to rush here and there, in buzzing frenzy that somehow feels organized, true to their hive-like nature. And soon enough, at least a dozen changelings rush through the entrance from which the alarm-raiser came from. With another dozen following suit less than a minute later.

This means, you are absolutely certain, that the assault has begun. The assault has begun, and the frightened changeling currently chittering on the center of this cavernous hall must be the runner who is raising the alarm.

But there is nothing you can do right now, but remain hidden and wait for the commotion to… not to die down, but to stabilize into something you can navigate.

So, you are forced to watch, helpless, as the alarm-raiser rushes deeper into the hive.



[Second breakpoint not reached, you were unable to ambush the alarm-raiser]



A few long, tense minutes later, the cavernous hall where you are hiding is entirely empty.

It is empty right now, but it is not devoid of activity. Because every now and then a group of changelings rushes through it, no doubt going towards the entrance. And more rarely, you spot a lone changeling flying the other way. You assume that to be a runner, carrying news or asking for orders, but you can't know for sure. And at this point, it is not worth it to try to ambush them.

You have more important things to do.



[Something interesting? – depths, cd 80]

[Roll: 44 51 + 14 (Learning) + 20 (Secret Histories level 4) = 85]

[Re-roll invoked]



[Break or Enter?, cd 100]

[Roll: 89 + 13 (Magic) + 25 (Knock level 5) = 127]



Deep in the mountains, a trio of large, cavernous halls. Shaped by time and nature and perhaps the claws of large beasts.

One of them connects to the darker depths, and housed the fighters that were roused.

The second had signs of activity. Perhaps too much idle, unfocused, activity. Which pointed to the theory that this was a sleeping nest of sorts, although you do not find any eggs or verminous younglings to confirm this was a hatchery.

The third one was eerily empty. But there, hidden to the side, was another passage.

And the fact this tunnel was barred by the sickly green sap the changelings have been known to produce told you that this was a place worth exploring.

Behind that entrance you find…



[The prisoners, and their belongings, breakpoints 50/120]

[Roll: 52 + 12 (Intrigue) + 20 (Lantern level 4) + 40 ("A Splendour") = 124]

[Final breakpoint reached]



… you find ponies, yes. Some dead, most alive, all unconscious.

Some of them have pockets with personal effects. Some of them have objects of dubious value still clutched in their forelegs.

But one of them, to your absolute surprise, carries something… within his mind. Something you can… interact with, even.

You make your decision, and then you move on.



You have located "A victim, or an experiment?" It will be available for you to make a decision at the end of your foray.



- - -



[Velvet Covers has not joined the Bureau. Bureau rolls omitted.]



- - -



You never felt the ceiling shudder, or anything like that, telling you that Red had infiltrated the mountain. But you take that as a good sign. The one thing you tried to teach Steady Step, during what little time you had, was how to quickly make an entrance without disturbing its surroundings. So, you assume Red Team is in here with you, somewhere.

And judging by the frenzied activity you can hear coming from all directions, you are certain Blue Team is making steady progress.

Still, it bears noting that this place is now a chaos of movement. The depths of the mountain are still cold, and you still have to lock your muscles to prevent them from spasming against your will. But the quiet tension of this hive, that must have been accumulating over the last several weeks they have been surrounded, has finally exploded into an animalistic vengeance.

Small as this hive may be, you can still feel that it is a living thing. And its changeling-shaped legs are currently kicking in rage against your Bureau.

Good, you think to yourself. You are glad this place is alive. You are glad that, more than a mere gathering, their hive has an identity to it.

It will only make it easier to kill.

But to do that, you will need to go deeper. Towards the place where the runners come and go, bearing their chittering words, and where the Bureau will most likely meet its fiercest resistance.



[Avoiding detection, and infiltrating – depths, breakpoints 50/100/150]

[Roll: 97 + 12 (Intrigue) + 20 (Moth level 4) = 129]

[Second breakpoint reached, unable to infiltrate final chamber, but surprise will be possible]



Stalking deeper into the cavern-complex-turned-hive, you expected it to be harder to navigate. You expected to find claustrophobic tunnels, or foal-sized entrances that the bug-like monsters had to squeeze through. But instead, you find eerily wide passages and hollow rooms.

In the distance, towards the darker passages and away from the chittering panic, you hear the sound of rushing water. So, perhaps you are walking in the bed of an underground river which has since burrowed deeper underground.

Or maybe a long-forgotten kin of the Daughter-of-Axes once called this place home. Who knows?

It does not matter. What matters is that you are close.

You took your time to carefully reach into this deepest part of the hive undetected. As you stalked your way in, one tunnel at a time, you watched as most of the changelings committed themselves to the main assault. And after that, you watched as a panicked bug called for help from an unexpected direction, and what little reserves they had began a frantic climb towards the upper reaches of the hive. Which you assume is the doing of Red Team.

Which means that unless something goes very badly, the Bureau will eventually reach the end of this small hive.

But they are not here now, you are.

And before you, you see…



[Rolling for changelings]

[5d4: 1 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 3 = 11]



This is it. This is the last corridor, of the last hall, of the deepest point of this hive.

You will have a true bearing of how large this hive truly was, and of how many changelings it hosted, after the Bureau finishes its task.

But you can tell, from the animalistic logic that the changelings operated, that his is the place they are trying to stop the invaders from reaching.

You are currently in a long, downward-facing corridor that ends in what appears to be a small hall.

In the distance, you can see… one, two, five… several changelings, chittering to each other in their monstrous language. You can tell from their urgency that they are thinking about orders, or alternatives, or whatever else passes for organization in their society.

Which is… curious. Because given the bug-like nature of the changelings, you expected to find one large specimen in charge, and not a…

… well, not a panicked and terrified group of bugs, trying to reach a consensus on what they should do next.

But more than that, you can sense something else, beyond this group of changelings-in-charge.

And since this tunnel is too narrow to sneak through, and the group's panic is not great enough for you to take advantage of, you will have to go through them in the only way that really matters.



[Ambush?]

[Attacker's roll: 25 + 9 (Martial) + 20 (Edge level 4) + 40 ("A Resolution") = 94]

[Defender's roll: 66 + 12 (Changeling, leader) + 10 (Alert, under invastion) = 88]

[Attacker wins. Defenders will be caught by surprise, and "one" new defender will join combat per turn]



You make your decision.

There is no longer a need for this. For any of this.

You disrobe from the shadows that were clinging to your coat. You dash out of the silence that was misted around your hoofs.

And as you rush towards the changelings, you only have one thing in your mind. As if an old soldier is whispering it in your ear.

This mountain belongs to the Princesses, and you will kill anything in it that isn't a pony.



[Velvet Covers has initiated combat]

[The changelings have been surprised. Only "one" of the gathered changelings will reinforce their leader per combat turn]

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Changeling leader health: 4/4]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Velvet Covers – 0, Changeling leader – 0]

[A Confident Certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[Bureau preparatory roll successful: All changelings have a "-5, cold and miserable" debuff to combat, already applied]



[Velvet: 52 81 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 150]

[Changeling leader: 61 + 12 (total combat bonus) = 73]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 77, Changeling leader – 0]

[Changeling leader suffers one wound (-50 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]



[Velvet: 72 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 141]

[Changeling leader: 2 + 12 (total combat bonus) = 14]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 154, Changeling leader – 0]

[Changeling leader suffers three wounds (-150 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]

[Changeling leader has been killed]

[All currently-engaged changelings killed, present combat ended, Edge re-roll reset]

[Due to the nature of this, "ambush" bonus is retained, and changelings will have to roll to not break and run]

You rush towards the gathered changelings, galloping down the sloped corridor without any more care for secrecy.

But for every hoofstep you take, every kick of your legs against the ground, your plans change.

At first, you plan on singling out the closest changeling who reacts to you, and barreling towards him horn-first. You are not afraid, but you also realize how much of a disorganized melee this will quickly become. So, trying to single one, or a few of them, at a time will be key for your survival.

But as you reach halfway through the corridor, you realize they have not yet noticed you. So instead, you single out the smallest changeling as your target. Kill him first, make the fight that much easier. You are sure they will turn towards you any second now, but you should be able to take out the runt of the litter before they can react. That is your plan.

Or rather, that was your plan until you reach the end of the corridor, and you see they have not yet turned to face you. They are still too engrossed in their own panic, even as the narrow corridor gives way to the larger cavern-room.

Their bestial complacency disgusts you, but you don't have time to waste either.

They haven't noticed you yet.

You single out the largest changeling instead.

They haven't noticed you yet.

You kick your hindlegs against the ground, jumping over the group as you make a vaulting beeline towards your target.

They haven't noticed you yet.

You are right on top of your target, time slowing down to a halt as your hoof dashes towards the back of its exposed neck.

They haven't noticed you yet.

!!!!!​

They finally notice you, as the decapitated head of the largest among them crashes against the ground.

You are not carrying a blade. Not a physical one, at least. But the cut on the changeling's neck was as clean as that of a guillotine, and its body stays standing for a few more seconds, arterial blood gushing like a fountain, before it finally crumbles on the ground.

And finally, finally, their monstrous eyes begin to go wide open.

But you would be a fool to give them time to react.



[Velvet Covers re-engages in combat]

[Rolling for routing changelings…]

[Three changelings have disengaged and run away]

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Seven changelings remain]

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Changeling-1 health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Velvet Covers – 0, Changeling-1 – 0]

[A Confident Certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[Bureau preparatory roll successful: All changelings have a "-5, cold and miserable" debuff to combat, already applied]



[Velvet: 86 73 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 155]

[Changeling-1: 38 + 11 (total combat bonus) = 49]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 106, Changeling-1 – 0]

[Changeling-1 suffers two wounds (-100 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]



[Velvet: 85 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 154]

[Changeling-1: 43 + 11 (total combat bonus) = 54]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 106, Changeling-1 – 0]

[Changeling-1 suffers two wounds (-100 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]

[Changeling-1 has been killed]

[All currently-engaged changelings killed, present combat ended, Edge re-roll reset]

[Due to the nature of this, "ambush" bonus is retained, and changelings will have to roll to not break and run]

As your hoofs touch the ground, behind the decapitated changeling, a recent memory comes to you.

It was a command, and perhaps an advice, from a monster who acts like a pony.

"This is something that can still make me bleed. I recommend you get used to wielding it by the time I return."​

You think you understand those words better, now, as a whiff of your foreleg on the monster's neck was enough to see its head flying. And as your hoofs hit the ground with a hissing, cutting noise as if you were skating on ice.

But just like your hoofs, your mind is too sharp to care about such trifling details.

Instead, you turn back towards the mass of chittering, gasping, panicked monsters that are still gathered in something that approaches a conversational semi-circle.

By the time their faces are still twisting in surprise, you rush towards another one. The one that is closest to you.

Your movements feel fluid. Practiced. Satisfying. Like a technical answer being presented to a tricky question.

That question being how can you bring your hoof towards that monster as quickly as possible?

And the answer, satisfying in its elegance, is to skip towards it, plant your forelegs on the ground, twist, and hind-kick it on the side of its body.

One of your hind-hoofs hit it on the chest, and it stops exactly after you finish crushing its heart. Your other hind-hoof, more out of certainty than anything else, digs into the bone of its hip, and it keeps pushing until you have shattered the base of its spine.

After that, you turn towards the next one.



[Velvet Covers re-engages in combat]

[Rolling for routing changelings…]

[Four changelings have disengaged and run away]

And for all that your eyes tell you that you have killed two out of the eleven that were gathered, your senses tell you that nine of them are no longer a threat.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Two changelings killed, seven routed]

[Two changelings remain]

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Changeling-2 health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Velvet Covers – 0, Changeling-2 – 0]

[A Confident Certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[Bureau preparatory roll successful: All changelings have a "-5, cold and miserable" debuff to combat, already applied]



[Velvet: 49 17 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 118]

[Changeling-2: 53 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 63]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 55, Changeling-2 – 0]

[Changeling-2 suffers one wound (-50 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]



[Velvet: 74 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 116]

[Changeling-2: 13 + 11 (total combat bonus) = 24]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 97, Changeling-2 – 0]

[Changeling-2 suffers one wound (-50 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]

[One changeling reinforces combat]

[No parties attempt to flee, combat will continue]

The time it takes you to lunge towards the closest living monster is enough for them to finally spring into action.

Your senses tell you enough, even though you can see it clearly through your closed eyes. Several of the cowardly monsters flap their wings, jumping back and away from you. But rather than try to surround you, you can see them rushing towards the nearest exit.

But as soon as the fastest monster reaches a nearby exit, your hoofs are already crunching through the hard chitin of your selected target.

A tsk escapes your lips as you realize your blow isn't fatal. The half-moment it takes you to wrench your hoof out of the crater you made on the changeling's side causes even more of its sickly blood to rush out, but the thing jumps back in pain rather than fall down on the ground.

And as time finally resumes moving at a normal pace, rather than the focused slow-motion you have been walking through so far, you realize you have a small brawl on your hoofs. Because sure enough, the only other changeling that did not fly away is hissing at you.

You cannot tell from its alien eyes if it is acting out of feral panic, or if there is some semblance of thought within its skull.

That is a question you will leave to the Bureau's morticians.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[All remaining changelings currently engaged]

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Changeling-2 health: 1/3]

[Changeling-3 health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Velvet Covers – 47, Changeling-2 – 0]

[A Confident Certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[Bureau preparatory roll successful: All changelings have a "-5, cold and miserable" debuff to combat, already applied]



[Velvet: 33 + 69 (total combat bonus) – 5 (outnumbered) = 97]

[Changeling-2: 88 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 98]

[Changeling-3: 45 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 55]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 47, Changeling-2 – 1]



[Velvet: 34 + 69 (total combat bonus) – 5 (outnumbered) = 103]

[Changeling-2: 9 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 19]

[Changeling-3: 10 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 20]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 131, Changeling-2 – 1]

[Changeling-2 suffers two wounds (-100 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]

[Changeling-2 has been killed]

[No changeling left to reinforce combat]

[No parties attempt to flee, combat will continue]

There is no thought behind their actions. There is no conscience.

Only feral, animalistic, monstrous aggressivity.

And monsters deserve to be killed.

The second changeling lunges at you. Forelegs outstretched and fangs bare as it tries it best to get within biting range.

But you roll under it, even as you continue to chase your retreating quarry.

And the target you have on your sights, the changeling that currently has a bleeding hole on its side that has the shape of your hoof, also reacts with wild fervor.

You gallop towards your target, and you have your forelegs around its neck with barely any time for the beast to react.

You feel a hint of a fang barely scratch against your side-


-SNAP-


-but you clamp your forelegs around its neck before the beast can bite any deeper, its face facing the wrong direction as its body this the ground.

And then, you turn towards the last monster standing.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Changeling-3 health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Velvet Covers – 0, Changeling-3 – 1]

[A Confident Certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[Bureau preparatory roll successful: All changelings have a "-5, cold and miserable" debuff to combat, already applied]



[Velvet: 61 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 130]

[Changeling-3: 11 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 21]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 109, Changeling-2 – 1]

[Changeling-3 suffers two wounds (-100 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]



[Velvet: 3 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 72]

[Changeling-3: 77 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 87]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 9, Changeling-2 – 16]

[No parties attempt to flee, combat will continue]

You once heard somewhere, perhaps from the mouth of one of your farmers, or perhaps from an echo in the sharper places of the Mansus, that a cornered creature will fight the hardest.

That is what comes to your mind, as the beastly changelings charges at you. Fluids leaking out of its outstretched mouth, and its wide-open eyes, and from who knows where else.

An inkling of hesitation surges from somewhere inside of you, and for a moment you don't move at all. And that gives the changeling enough time for its fangs to almost close around your neck.

But a disappointed tsk coming from somewhere nearby compels you into action once again.

Your neck disappears from the closing jaws of the beast. And a hasty punch towards its chest, badly angled due to how close the beast suddenly is, finds purchase on the base of its left foreleg.

But the beast does not stop its momentum, and neither does your punch. So, the scuffle ends with the two of you rolling on the floor on a mad melee, although the monster now has one less foreleg to work with.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Changeling-3 health: 1/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Velvet Covers – 9, Changeling-3 – 16]

[A Confident Certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[Bureau preparatory roll successful: All changelings have a "-5, cold and miserable" debuff to combat, already applied]



[Velvet: 75 + 69 (total combat bonus) = 144]

[Changeling-3: 69 + 10 (total combat bonus) = 79]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 74, Changeling-2 – 16]

[Changeling-3 suffers one wound (-50 to Velvet Covers' overflow)]



[Changeling-3 has been killed]

[Combat ended]

The two of you roll through the ground, entangled with each other.

But since the monster lost one of its forelegs just a moment ago, it is trivial to escape from its weak embrace.

You push yourself away from it, and you are already standing up even as the beast finishes sliding on the hard floor.

It tries to stand up, once, twice. And by the time it dawns on the creature that it is missing one of its legs, you are already standing over it.

"!!!!!"

It hisses something, a tone that could almost be described as pony-like panic coating the noise as you raise a foreleg.

But you don't even bother looking at its expression as you bring your hoof down on its neck.

…

After that, you make your way to a side room, where the beasts' attention seemed to have been focused even as some of them fled.

And to your surprise, you find…



[What in Equestria is this?, breakpoints 50/100/120]

[Roll: 51 + 14 (Learning) + 20 (Lantern level 4) + 40 ("A Splendour") = 125]

[Final breakpoint reached]



… you find something that, to your disgust, seems to be tapping into the principles of the Lores.



You have located "The diseased Thing" It will be available for you to make a decision at the end of your foray.



- - -

- - -

- - -



The assault on the Proto-hive of Tall Tale was a success.

On the pony side, several constables were wounded, with a single lethal casualty in Blue Team being reported. Furthermore, "dozens" of prisoners were rescued, with a precise count (pending changeling verification) still underway. So far, only ponies from Tall Tale have been recognized, with the Bureau concluding that these ponies were being used as a food source for the proto-hive.

On the changeling side, the body count has already reached over a hundred.

No living changelings were removed from the proto-hive.

The Commissioner herself was located at the deepest part of the proto-hive. Members of Red Team reported that a last wave of changelings was confronted on the wake of the Commissioner's trail, and reports curiously used terms like "terrorized" when describing the ensuing combat. But the Commissioner herself was found unharmed, although the armorers reported some tear on the armor she was given.

However, following the permission of forensic and support teams to enter the proto-hive, the Commissioner immediately gathered Red, Blue and Green to head towards the city itself.

Bureau activities would only end close to sunset of that day.



- - -



[Sorting the prisoners, CD 20/40/60/80/100]

[Roll: 5 12 + 15 (Bureau) + 30 (Lantern 6 total) + 40 (Velvet Covers "A Splendour") = 97]

[Velvet Covers invoked a re-roll]



Debriefing Report

By: Salt Rope, Operations, Officer-in-charge

Subject: Processing of captured and detained subjects.

…

The Commissioner had made her priorities clear: It is more important to locate the changelings than to release the prisoners.

At first, the implications of those orders were… sobering.

During the operation itself, those orders made sense. We do not yet have reliable ways to unmask the shapeshifters. So, even if it might be wasteful at times, we have decided on the protocols that anypony who is cut-off from other operatives must be detained.

Our ponies were drilled to comply with that. And the logic behind it is sound. We just can't risk somepony who was out of sight and later "rescued" be one of them.

Thankfully, the Commissioner also cleared Lucky Brush to determine if somepony is a changeling or not. Although having to haul operatives back to the camp for his analysis was a burden on our support teams.

But the real problems appeared after the proto-hive was cleared, and the civilian prisoners were carted down. The thought of having to haul innocent ponies to Canterlot, and subject them to that infamous "freak-check" of Eclipse, was unpleasant, to say the least.

But after the dust settled, the Commissioner herself joined in the processing of the capture ponies.

A few changelings were found amidst the prisoners, pretending to be good ponies. But more importantly, the Commissioner herself signed off on the identity of the Bureau guards that Lucky Brush hadn't cleared. And more importantly, she authorized the release of the civilians who did not need medical attention.

It is impossible to be sure, with these monsters. But at least… well, harsh as the Commissioner may be at times, she isn't a monster herself.

See attached a recommended list of requests for Eclipse, as well as….

…



[Fourth breakpoint of success reached, no popular backlash from Tall Tale, no morale backlash from Bureau operatives]



- - -



[Locating the doppelgangers, CD 25/50/75/100/125/150]

[Roll: 61 + 15 (Bureau) + 20 (Secret Histories 4 total) = 96]



Debriefing Report

By: Shining Armor, Deputy

Subject: Lockdown of Tall Tale.

…

All things considered, the lockdown lasted less than twenty-four hours. So thankfully, the confusion of the citizens never had the chance to coalesce into resistance. A few guards patrolling the streets, and a few criers warning them about the enforced curfew, was all that was needed. Most of our ponies could be kept around the town ensuring nopony tried to breach the lockdown.

Once the proto-hive was cleared we also received a list of cutie marks. Those were the cutie marks of the civilians that had been imprisoned by the changelings… dead or alive.

The governor and the local constable were then tapped to locate the address of those cutie marks, and several changelings who were impersonating them were located.

The ones who resisted were taken dead, as per the Commissioner's orders.

See attached the lists of addresses of…

...



[Third breakpoint reached, some changeling infiltrators in Tall Tale were located, but not to a conclusive extent]



- - -



Debriefing Report

By: Office of the Commissioner, R.I. writing

Subject: General Orders

…

Finally, the Commissioner congratulates each and every one of you for your brave service.

Time-off periods have been ordered (see the table below), and additional time-off requests will be approved upon request (after submission to your ranking officers).

Furthermore, by order of Commissioner Velvet Covers, all constables must report for psychological screening. This being the first large-scale operation ever conducted against monsters, newer standards will be introduced to ensure the mental health of our ponies.

Please see below for instructions on…

…



You have introduced the Lore of Winter to the Lunar Bureau, with the requisite "Institutional Knowledge" being produced.



- - -



[The Proto-hive of Tall tale, quasi-expedition completed successfully]



But during your foray into the hive, you found no shortage of interesting things.

What will you do with them?

Spoiler: Exploration efforts?

This room, or perhaps this cavern, was close to the entrance of the mountains. In hindsight, once you knew how far it was from the hive itself deeper into the mountain, you realized it was a staging room of sorts.

Of course, changelings are not ponies. They do not use tools, and are no better than animals.

But in this room, you found what were signs of… signs of organization.

Things that could pass for supplies. Objects that could pass for carving tools.

And on the corner of the room, a map.

It is crucial to remember that the Catastrophe was as sudden as it was unexplained. Princess Celestia has been deathly silent about her thoughts. And the Bureau has been left to scramble to not only stop the changelings, but also understand what happened, and why.

And here, in this room, you found evidence that perhaps the changelings are also as lost as you are.

This map, crude as it is, seems to be an attempt for them to map their surroundings. They weren't building a hive in Tall Tale, they were gathering in Tall Tale because they were lost.

And in that room you found a map of the surrounding area, yes, with clear indication that they were sending out scouting parties.

But the thing they were truly looking for was… their own home.

And this map, crude as it is, has hints of what they were looking for. The landmarks they were familiar with, the characteristics of the place they were spawned.

This stone carving, crude as it may be, is the first clue you ever discovered of the whereabouts of the true changeling hive.

You have found a map, or an attempt of a map, that the changelings were carving. Surrounding tips make it clear that they were looking for a way back home.

What will you do with this map?


-[] (MAP) Destroy it.
-You have no interest in pursuing this loose end.

-[] (MAP) Take it for yourself.
-You will gain the Non-Lore book "The Way Home (Fragment)," which has a "-20 (Confusing)" malus for study, and a "0/300" progression bar to it. Finding other Fragments (if they exist) would greatly help you study this book.
-The Lunar Bureau will not suspect, or know, about you taking this item. It is portable enough for you to take it without any issues.

-[] (MAP) Let the Bureau have it.
-The Lunar Bureau will gain a lead on locating the original Changeling Hive.
-You will still have the option to study it with your Bureau-related actions, but you will have to share your discoveries with the Lunar Bureau (and potentially other parties, such as Eclipse and Princess Celestia herself).

Spoiler: A victim, or an experiment?

You found them, the changeling prisoners. Or rather, the ponies that were prisoners of the changelings.

One glance confirmed to you that they were all ponies, and you had precious little time to free them from their prisons of ichor anyways. You were ready to let the Bureau find them by themselves.

That is, until you found somepony… different.

Among the prisoners, you found an unconscious pony. He was unconscious, but not bound by the same ichor as the others.

His body was malnourished, his gaze was blank.

But so was his mind.

Maybe the changelings, emotion-feeders as you suspect them to be, feed too deeply on this one? Maybe they were experimenting with him, with suggestions or magics or something else that can affect the mind?

You do not know, but nor does it matter.

This one, you can tell, is suggestible. This one, you can tell, can be shaped.

You only need to fill his empty mind with something, and then make sure he will know to search for you once he is free.

You have found a particularly… affected pony, who was imprisoned by the changelings.

If you Leash him, here and now, he will know to serve you. And then, you will be able to paint on the blank canvas that is his mind.

What will you do with this pony?


-[] (PRISONER) Take him.
-You will Leash this pony, and come next turn he will present himself to you as a Minion.
-Given his curious state, you will have the opportunity to learn more about him. But more importantly, you will be able to influence (vote and decide) on certain characteristics about him.
-Your family and workers will not suspect this, and your friends will not find it strange. You will take precautions to ensure that. But you simply don't know enough about this pony to predict anything else.

-[] (PRISONER) Leave him.
-He was a victim and a prisoner. You will leave him here, and after the Bureau rescues him he will be free.



You also found some personal effects on the prison. Bits and baubles, jewels and personal effects you can smuggle out.

Will you?

-[] (LOOT) I will steal from the poor, innocent pony prisoners.
-You will gain [rolling…] 53 bits.
-Nopony who can punish you will ever learn about this.

-[] (LOOT) I will do the right thing, and not steal.
-You will not gain any bits.

Spoiler: The diseased Thing

After you killed the last pocket of changeling resistance, the hesitant leaders who had banded together to give orders, you find what they were guarding.

And it disgusted you.

You had suspected that a larger specimen of their kind would be in charge. And you were right, at least partially.

On the farthest room of the hall, you find… a large changeling. But it is too large. Too large, and too wrong, and clearly not right even by the abhorrent standards of their kind.

Thins large changeling, this former "husk", looks like… it looks like a diseased flower, or a mockery of an alien fungus. The chitin of its body has mostly slouched off, but instead of its innards you see what appears to be large petals.

Its head, also, is on the wrong spot. As if you had caught this creature in the middle of a long metamorphosis, and for all that its limbs had begun to shift around tis twisting body, it had not yet reached whatever final configuration it was supposed to. Its head was on the wrong spot, its legs were twisting and sprouting, into roots or glowing leaves, and its wings were nowhere to be seen.

But worst of all, this abomination is rank with the power of the Lores. You sense Grail and Knock in it, but you can also taste other things that you cannot identify in what little time you have.

Still, you must decide what to do with it. Time is passing, and the sound of fighting draws ever closer. If you had come here by yourself or with your followers, perhaps, you would have had more options.

But as it stands, you must decide what to do with it.

What of the "diseased" husk?

-[] (THING) Kill it, and burn its corpse.
-You will kill this thing with your own hooves, and you will dispose of the evidence before any of your constables arrive.
-No other faction will learn about the existence of this creature, or will suspect that others like it may exist (if they do).

-[] (THING) Kill it.
-You will kill this thing, but the Lunar Bureau will bring its body back for study.
-There is a chance that Eclipse will learn of it, and "confiscate" it for Princess Celestia. Alternatively, you can offer them the body yourself. Or Eclipse might not learn about it, and you will have a chance to study its body.
-The Lunar Bureau will learn of this creature's existence, and will be aware of this kind of thing during future changeling operations (if others like it exist).

-[] (THING) Capture it.
-It can barely move under its own power, and the Bureau has the means to move it. Have the Lunar Bureau take this thing into its custody.
-There is a great chance that Eclipse will learn of it, rank as it is with the Lores. And you are sure Princess Celestia would confiscate it if she ever learned of it.
-You cannot predict how quickly things would move, or where the chips will fall, if you decide to let the Bureau capture this thing alive.

-[] Kidnap it (OPTION NOT AVAILABLE)
-The cordon around the mountains is too tight, you designed it yourself. You will not be able to smuggle this thing for your own use or study without being seen.





Vote in plans. Twelve hours moratorium.

Every plan must have one option of each, "Map," "Prisoner," "Loot," and "Thing."

Kindly let me know if I missed anything. And I hope you are all doing well.

Re-rolls used: Moth, Secret Histories, Lantern