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

[Rafuki22]

Nice!

It makes me wish we had the free time to make a level 4 Grail reagrent, drain one wound worth of blood and spend a social action drinking with our friend.

Click to shrink...

Why do that when we can have dinner with her?

 

[des-pair-2]

It makes me wish we had the free time to make a level 4 Grail reagrent, drain one wound worth of blood and spend a social action drinking with our friend.

Click to shrink...

...Perhaps that is something we could do. Whether we will do it on our own initiative, or do it as a price of rebinding (reagent/wound/action), it is a scene I would like to see.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Why do that when we can have dinner with her?

Click to shrink...

Well for starters, Velvet's blood has all of the Nine Tastes, and so is more delicious than whatever pony is served up for dinner. It is also far less morally objectionable to donate blood than to eat people.

 

[Rafuki22]

Well for starters, Velvet's blood has all of the Nine Tastes, and so is more delicious than whatever pony is served up for dinner. It is also far less morally objectionable to donate blood than to eat people.

Click to shrink...

We can add Velvet blood to the dinner for increased seasoning/flavor, but fair enough.

 

[Greymere]

Would paying Mareinette's renewal price in blood (i.e. Wounds) actually be a feasible option @OurLadyOfWires?

I mean, even if it is it'd really only be an actual viable option for her next renewal bcuz the third one would probably be three Wounds and put us straight into Dancing With Death, but still! I'm curious

 

[spiderhellian]

Well for starters, Velvet's blood has all of the Nine Tastes, and so is more delicious than whatever pony is served up for dinner

Click to shrink...

My dear Mareinette, I know there's a meal you've been craving for at least an era. But wouldn't you love to sample one you had a few months ago instead?

I'm sure it's so much more delicious! No, I haven't tried either of them. But who are you to question my judgment— oh, the Name of Grail? Well, that can't mean much in terms of knowing your desires!

 

[Alan975]

... How big of a scar could we fix? would the ritual work on a leg? cuz that I think would be a great gift

 

[Venerable Ro]

Christmas is in little over a week and here I'm thinking of Mari Lwyd as a nicer Mareinette that is an alcoholic instead of a cannibal.

Click to shrink...

View: https://youtu.be/D67mJy5BdeQ?feature=shared

My dear Mareinette, I know there's a meal you've been craving for at least an era. But wouldn't you love to sample one you had a few months ago instead?

I'm sure it's so much more delicious! No, I haven't tried either of them. But who are you to question my judgment— oh, the Name of Grail? Well, that can't mean much in terms of knowing your desires!

Click to shrink...

View: https://youtu.be/rUCV9R_Wp0k?feature=shared

The Sodden Moods of Mareinette, the Name of just wanting a damn drink. Though it is funny to imagine her following through with the whole of the Mari Lwyd mythos, heck the Heart side of her interests might even lead to actual singing instead of just [GRAIL!]-ing a performance.

 

[DelightedOne]

I think it's pretty clear that what Mareinette wants with An invitation to dinner is not to eat a pony(she can do that anytime) but have Velvet accept her invitation.

She tells you she knows how to be a gracious guest, and that she will await you outside.

She tells you she was also a mother, when she was still alive, and that she understands what you are thinking.

And cryptically, almost with a smile on her face, she also says that… she looks forward to teaching you.

Because a daughter, she says, belongs first to her mother.

Click to shrink...

We know that she is set in her ways and will not change unless she stops enjoying being herself(unlikely, as Grail would have made her what she wanted the most no matter what).

We know that she thinks Velvet should be the one to eat Silky.

We know she is waiting for Velvet to call on her.

We know what she wants.


I also think there has been a certain forgetfulness when it comes to the reaction of the Daughter-of-Axes to Velvet Covers taking Mareinette's(an Alukite, a monster, a Criminal) Sacrament.

Remember what was the last look we had on how she sees Velvet?

There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.

That is what the servants have been saying, in hushed whispers and worried tones.

But Velvet Axe knows better.

Because as she thinks of her summoner on the same breath she thinks about that creature, she realizes that… it isn't just one monster.

It is two.

Click to shrink...

There was a hidden bullet with Selene's awakening that we managed to dodge and this really seems like another one of those.

 

[Venerable Ro]

There was a hidden bullet with Selene's awakening that we managed to dodge and this really seems like another one of those.

Click to shrink...

The Horned Axe is the Hour that guards the Way, an equal to the Colonel in a way, as he watches above at the Museum so does she below at the gates of the Mansus. She also keeps grudges and does not forget, even the Red Grail felt compelled to sue for peace rather than war with her.

The Daughter of Axes is a Name of her Hour sure enough, unapologetic and uncompromising. She's clearly marked her boundaries and any hoof that crosses over that line will be cut off without further warning.

 

[spiderhellian]

There was a hidden bullet with Selene's awakening that we managed to dodge

Click to shrink...

What do you mean by this?

 

[Venerable Ro]

What do you mean by this?

Click to shrink...

Axe-the-Daughter takes after Axe-the-Hour in temperament, and The Horned Axe is a Winter Hour, not an Edge Hour. She does not suffer or indulge conflict, she ends it. Likewise Axe-the-Younger would not do a Copper, she'd simply kill us if she thought we'd transgressed.

Axe cares about our daughters far more than she cares about us, that's her line, graven in stone not drawn in sand.

 

[DelightedOne]

What do you mean by this?

Click to shrink...

This:

"Yes?" you say, but you repeat yourself as soon as you realize how dangerous your doubtful tone is in this situation. "I mean, yes. We have met before. I know who you are."

The mare continues to glare at you for a few more moments, before doing some strange noise you can't identify.

"If ye sae so… Secon'. If ye sae we met befor', then how much do ye remember o' that time?"

Click to shrink...

DoA interrogating Selene pretty much stating just before it she was in doubt if she was just a freak or a monster and that if she failed to answer her questions she would kill Selene.

"Yer asking if aem' threatenin' ye? Well, tha' depends entirely on how ye answers me next few questions."

Click to shrink...

So something related to one character(Selene's method of awakening) ended up affecting another character's decision. That is what I meant.

Because if Selene did not remember the deal she made with the Daughter-of-Axes she might not have survived that encounter and even if she had won DoA could have refused all of our future summons as per her [Unique] trait.

I feel like choosing Mareinette's Sacrament will serve as "Evidence" that Velvet is a monster and make DoA oppose her due to Velvet deciding to befriend(and taint her Grail) with an Alukite.

I hope I managed to express my thoughts properly but I'm a bit sick at the moment so I might not have managed to say everything the way I wanted to.

 

[Shaper47]

That's ridiculous!

The Daughter of Velvet, our newest daughter won't leave her new mother and sisters over our new eating habits. A daughter like her belongs to her mother.

Besides she already thinks Velvet Covers is a monster. Covers eating ponies won't change her view of us.

 

[DelightedOne]

Besides she already thinks Velvet Covers is a monster. Covers eating ponies won't change her view of us.

Click to shrink...

But Velvet Covers not eating ponies will change her view of us.

She does think we summoned Mareinette to follow her way of life so if we refuse to do it, she might think Velvet is just a freak instead of a monster like Selene.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

That's ridiculous!

The Daughter of Velvet, our newest daughter won't leave her new mother and sisters over our new eating habits. A daughter like her belongs to her mother.

Besides she already thinks Velvet Covers is a monster. Covers eating ponies won't change her view of us.

Click to shrink...

She's not Velvet's daughter yet. And there are degrees to monsters.

 

[Greymere]

I also think there has been a certain forgetfulness when it comes to the reaction of the Daughter-of-Axes to Velvet Covers taking Mareinette's(an Alukite, a monster, a Criminal) Sacrament.

Remember what was the last look we had on how she sees Velvet?

There was a hidden bullet with Selene's awakening that we managed to dodge and this really seems like another one of those.

Click to shrink...

Tbh, this is probably the single biggest roadblock for me in taking Mareinette's Sacrament.

The Daughter-of-Axes rightfully considers her a monster of monsters, Selene is unnerved and discomforted by her, and Silky iirc was just flat out terrified. These are all characters who I care much more about having a good relationship with than Mareinette.

Playing Velvet as someone who would accept Mareinette's invitation, knowing that, feels like we'd narratively be prioritizing our relationship with Mareinette over our family and ending any chance of a true friendship with DoA, rather than her only sticking around to make sure we don't decide to follow in Mareinette's footsteps and devour our daughters.

 

[DelightedOne]

Playing Velvet as someone who would accept Mareinette's invitation, knowing that, feels like we'd narratively be prioritizing our relationship with Mareinette over our family and ending any chance of a true friendship with DoA, rather than her only sticking around to make sure we don't decide to follow in Mareinette's footsteps and devour our daughters.

Click to shrink...

And don't forget the fact Velvet won't rationalize it like we do(keeping the monster on our side) and might actually, honestly and truly want Mareinette to be her friend if we push her to do do that.

Like, she might get close with and let Mareinette be close to her or worse trust the monster that wants to turn her into another monster.

 

[Venerable Ro]

My thought on the matter is this. Mareinette is like Baldomare in that she's a Name of two principles. We've seen that Baldomare Of Lantern is subtly different from Baldomare Of The Secret Histories.

Edit: dagnabbit, bloody phone...

Likewise, it's not impossible that Grail-Drenched Mareinette might be subtly but vitally different from Unceasing Mareinette. I don't think we've ever really seen her fully inhabit her Heart mantle, even when she does things related to Heart she seems to do it to a lesser degree while remaining shrouded in her sanguinary veil. Like Biedde practicing Moth.

I think if and when we pursued her Heart Sacrament we might see a different angle on her, you can't half-ass a Sacrament so she'd have to actually set aside her Grail for the occasion.

 

[Shaper47]

and Silky iirc was just flat out terrified

Click to shrink...

???

I'm pretty sure your making this up.

Silky Stream has not even met her.

 

[Flaregamer82253]

Selene is unnerved and discomforted by her, and Silky iirc was just flat out terrified.

Click to shrink...

???

I'm pretty sure your making this up.

Silky Stream has not even met her.

Click to shrink...

Silky hasn't met Marinette, Soft Sweeps did during our summoning of Marinette.

Regardless, I'm of the opinion that we should make friends with Marinette at some point. I think she's too useful to let go. Beyond that, Marinette knows what she wants, and I don't think she'll touch what Velvet really cares about as long as we don't act treacherous.

 

[Greymere]

Silky hasn't met Marinette, Soft Sweeps did during our summoning of Marinette.

Click to shrink...

Wrong daughter, still a daughter. My point stands regardless, that Mareinette is someone that Velvet's children are not comfortable around.

That is not someone I want Velvet to befriend, useful or not. Especially not when befriending her requires us to become more like the foal-eating monster. I do not want Velvet to become comfortable with Mareinette.

Mareinette is an insatiable monster who actively wants to and enjoys devouring children, and I want Velvet to remember that. To remember the nature of what exactly is on the other end of those bindings. To remember exactly why Mareinette is not allowed to set a hoof within the house.

 

[Shaper47]

You do remember how much of a monster Teresa is right?

Because it's pretty hypocritical to be befriending her when she's just as much as a monster as Mareinette.

 

[jelloloaf]

Because it's pretty hypocritical to be befriending her when she's just as much as a monster as Mareinette.

Click to shrink...

What did she do? I don't recall.

 

[Greymere]

You do remember how much of a monster Teresa is right?

Because it's pretty hypocritical to be befriending her when she's just as much as a monster as Mareinette.

Click to shrink...

Not really.

Baldomare for one, wouldn't be going around gleefully ripping out and drinking from people's souls if she were suddenly left off the leash. Unlike with a certain Grail Name and the eating of foals.

 

[Greymere]

What did she do? I don't recall.

Click to shrink...

We don't know anything specifically regarding Theresa, but standard Lantern Long ascension under the Watchman (*in canon CS) essentially entails consuming the 'light' of people (basically eating their souls), and the only Lantern Name ascension we see entails luring dreaming minds to stand before the Tricuspid and get their brains melted by Glory-exposure. 'course, whether or not there is such thing as a standard Lantern Name ascension is debatable; I doubt every ascendant Forge Name is going around exploding magic nukes in cracks in the world, for instance.

Also whatever she did to retain speech beyond the White/Blank Door, but literally nothing is known about that or how it stacks up against other bog standard Cultist Things.

 

[Shaper47]

Not really.

Baldomare for one, wouldn't be going around gleefully ripping out and drinking from people's souls if she were suddenly left off the leash. Unlike with a certain Grail Name and the eating of foals.

Click to shrink...

It's a pretty big stretch to say she wouldn't be devouring ponies souls if she was off the leash.

Given how the whole wound reveal had Velvet go that she needed to feed Baldomare more blood. Well, the implication in that is pretty clear.

Now I'm not saying her Sacrament cost is definitely her going Third Mode on a few hundred children but like, I wouldn't be especially surprised if it was.

 

[Limabot]

It's a pretty big stretch to say she wouldn't be devouring ponies souls if she was off the leash.

Given how the whole wound reveal had Velvet go that she needed to feed Baldomare more blood. Well, the implication in that is pretty clear.

Now I'm not saying her Sacrament cost is definitely her going Third Mode on a few hundred children but like, I wouldn't be especially surprised if it was.

Click to shrink...

I thought that was more about feeding Baldomare more knowledge, with that being functionally synonymous to blood to a being made out of knowledge. The cost of befriending her (and seemingly to begin fixing her wound) is a level 7 book, with no mention anywhere of needing Pony sacrifice for it.

Personally, while Baldomare probably did pretty shady stuff in her past, I don't think she's particularly more monstrous than any of the other Names (save for the metaphysically criminal Mareinette).

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Now I'm not saying her Sacrament cost is definitely her going Third Mode on a few hundred children but like, I wouldn't be especially surprised if it was.

Click to shrink...

I don't think a few hundred children would do anything for her even if she was inclined to schlorp up their minds. They don't even count as Lore 0, and she needs a minimum of Lore 5 to justify extending her stay in the Wake.

 

[Alan975]

Now I'm not saying her Sacrament cost is definitely her going Third Mode on a few hundred children but like, I wouldn't be especially surprised if it was.

Click to shrink...

Eh, I very much would.


So it seems that we've come back to the whole kill or kiss the lady debate again.

I'd like it if we started to prep the guillotine, but I'd be content to see all the fancy dramatics of walking in her hoofprints.

There is no middle ground, either we befriend the fully present demigod, or we kill 'em before we need to gallop to Glory.

Edit: or I suppose that we could try harmonize her/ make an appeal to her HEART, that would be fun too.
If extremely unlikely.