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

[angelsadvocate666]

It's always good to have a reminder of just why velvet terrifies the everloving fuck out of anybody with even a vague sense of the Lores. Getting four Names summoned at once is no easy task. keeping them… well.

 

[spiderhellian]

Okay, I know I didn't want Selene on the attack, and if we don't find the Outsider I will be sad...

But WOW WHAT A SCENE. It was worth it for this alone.

I really do love those moments we're reminded of just what the Names are, and the scale of their power. I'm not sure we've ever been reminded of what it means for all power to be shackled by Velvet, though. That was awesome.

EDIT: And man, the way this all dovetails with her studying her Winter realization...

 

[Shaper47]

The information she gained will be sued by your imminent assault expedition

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@OurLadyOfWires I think you mean "used" not "sued".

However, you are even more surprised by the fact that-

"I will do it, mother."

-that you not only agree with her, but that you also want to do this.

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That's our daughter!

And some people were against having her kill ponies for us.

How does your mother live with these things inside of her?

They are hot and they are cold and they are silent and they are screeching obscenities and temptations at the top of their incorporeal lungs.

One was painful. Two was too much. But four?

Click to shrink...

In truth, she was neither trained nor prepared to bear this burden. But somepony has to, and her nature as an alicorn was barely enough to make the cut.

Click to shrink...

I'm guessing having such hight and breadth in the lores has advantages.

 

[Alan975]

Now now, this really feels like something that we should have known about before.

Should we trust Selenes interpretation of this? That Velvet is simply to almost dead to make the Names do their job?
Dstance can't be the reason, since Biedde went all the way to Steppes with no problem.
Was starting to think of how Rarity would handle this on the Grave run, but Axe could go on an expedition on her own so...

It's probably not a peak at a future mechanic?

Then from a narrative perspective, I'm split on regretting sending Selene -especially since she wanted to go and we had no clue that that alone would hurt her- and cheering for how this could shape the immortal ruler's views.

 

[Sintonir]

Love the update.
Interesting how we never got this binding description from Velvet.
Is it because Selene is an Outsider?
Or maybe because while Velvet may not be much stronger in Lores than Selene (I'm not sure she was stronger at all when she summoned Baldomare for the first time), she has at least some knowledge of all of them, not only four?

 

[Venerable Ro]

In which we are reminded that Velvet is just that good. Selene is level three in all of her Lores and has an alicorn's fortitude atop that and could barely deal.

Dangum, we are very good!

Or perhaps there's a stark difference in instinctual Lore skills taught second-hand and abilities lernt under the light of Glory directly. Luna has strong affinities but she is as of yet uninitiated, she doesn't even know the Mansus exists.

 

[Sveta08]

In which we are reminded that Velvet is just that good. Selene is level three in all of her Lores and has an alicorn's fortitude atop that and could barely deal.

Dangum, we are very good!

Or perhaps there's a stark difference in instinctual Lore skills taught second-hand and abilities lernt under the light of Glory directly. Luna has strong affinities but she is as of yet uninitiated, she doesn't even know the Mansus exists.

Click to shrink...

I don't know if it is that Velvet is that Good, and more that Velvet enacted those bindings.
Velvet knows the rituals to bind the Names, and Mareinette, but Selene does not. Velvet has the understanding of how, and why, and has gone through the process of creating it each time. Selene was handed the end result.

Like the difference between writing a scientific report, and being handed one. There's something to be said about going through the process.

Also... this lot has given me a tickling in the back of my brain. Something I'm going to write when I can more easily articulate it.

 

[Solace2117]

Now now, this really feels like something that we should have known about before.

Should we trust Selenes interpretation of this? That Velvet is simply to almost dead to make the Names do their job?
Dstance can't be the reason, since Biedde went all the way to Steppes with no problem.
Was starting to think of how Rarity would handle this on the Grave run, but Axe could go on an expedition on her own so...

It's probably not a peak at a future mechanic?

Then from a narrative perspective, I'm split on regretting sending Selene -especially since she wanted to go and we had no clue that that alone would hurt her- and cheering for how this could shape the immortal ruler's views.

Click to shrink...

Probably shouldn't fully trust Luna's interpretation, but I imagine there's some truth to it. We've seen the Names will follow the letter of orders if not always the spirit. They are not yet Velvet's friends and she can't be there to guide them. There's also the fact the if Copper did have a way to contest the bindings, Velvet is currently too weak to stop it.

Excited to see how this all plays out. Sad about how it came to be, but interested to see how everything goes with Velvet having to take a backseat to all the action.

 

[Shaper47]

That Velvet is simply to almost dead to make the Names do their job?

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More Velvet has her lore non existent due to using it to keep her from dying. Holding the bindings with no lore, or lacking lore means weak bindings. Like with Flower Serenade.

However she's more then just a regular pony.

So it's more if Velvet gets attacked again while the assault is ongoing.

 

[Pittauro]

It is a very simple dream. You are standing on a grassy plain, under the shade of a large tree. And everywhere you look there are flowers blooming, swaying with the wind and filling the air with perfume.

This is the picture of a calm and peaceful place. A dream that, in truth, you are intentionally making as serene as possible. Because the dreamer herself is in no condition to be exposed to anything else.

This is your mother's dream. And you can do nothing but watch as, even in this incorporeal place, she looks at you with a tired smile. You can tell that she is happy, of course. You can tell that she is happy to be here with you.

But still, you can't push away the pain you feel inside your chest, as you realize how sorry she looks even inside her own dream.

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damn. Even in a Luna-made-dream she STILL is not fine...

Then again, she DID get a brain injury...

"I… part of me doesn't want to tell you this, Selene. Part of me wants to stop here and now," she continues, after maybe a full minute. Her voice full of hesitation and doubt. "Because I… there is a favor I want to ask you, Selene. There is something that just needs to be done. And for all that I wish I could do it myself, I just can't."

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Yeah... Ideally Velvet would be going, and that would allow her to add her all-4, basically a +20 to EVERYTHING AND REROLLS FOR EVERYTHING (except heart).

still, the names and Selene will be enough.

She has, effectively, "stopped" using the other methods that were keeping her alive. And now, she can heal under her own power without getting addicted or dependent on those methods.

Click to shrink...

Probably reference to Dancing With Death... though maybe it's also referring to Mareinette's "help"?

Technically speaking doesn't this mean she should have recovered her other lores though? We won't get to use them mechanically, sure, but narratively she should have them back... unless I suppose she needs to heal more for that.

She trails off, and you can feel the light tug of something, poking at the edge of her dream. For a moment, you feel the pressure of memories, filled with anger and fear, trying to creep into this dream. You feel the weight of your mother's emotions pressing down on the scenery around you, trying to cover the sun and turn the breeze into a chilling wind.

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her past trauma, or, seeing as there's a mention of chilling wind, maybe the End Is Beautiful that nearly killed her?

"… however, I also know she is not above doing whatever it takes to get to me. I know she is willing to hurt one of you, instead. In fact, I think she might be considering that alternative right now, given how she must know that her attempt failed."

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killing our family wouldn't help her, but a kidnapping might. A hostage to stop Velvet from acting...

"Her name is Copper Secateur, Selene. And I need you to kill her."



There is something uniquely chilling about hearing those words coming out of your mother's mouth. Your whole life, ever since you woke up as Selene, you have heard nothing but kind and soothing words from her. Of course, she can be harsh and demanding at times. And like any other foal, you have already been scolded and reprimanded by her. But no matter what happened, you could always feel in her undertone that she still loved and cared about you.

So, there is something somber about hearing this gentle and loving mare asking you to… kill somepony.

However, you are even more surprised by the fact that-

"I will do it, mother."

-that you not only agree with her, but that you also want to do this.

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it's a sad bonding moment, all things considered.

[You have received the bindings of Baldomare, the Name of Lantern]

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...oh.

we're giving her the bindings to ALL of our Names!

That makes a LOT of sense. Velvet fully trusts Selene, and OF COURSE she'd want her to be able to control the Names, just in case. ESPECIALLY Mareinette...

side note, she's also the Name of Secret History. Weird it's not mentioned

The pain is sharp. It is sharp, and it is BRIGHT. Like a headache you can feel on your entire body. Like a parade of bad memories and regrets given physical form, and that somehow became capable of eating you from inside your own body. The pain is horrible, but you…. You push back the shout that is forming in your throat, you quite literally grit your teeth, and you force yourself to endure it.

Click to shrink...

I'm actually surprised that the process of receiving the bindings is explicitly painful.

"Baldomare knows her. And she will find her for you."

Click to shrink...

One Name to find her...

[You have received the bindings of the Daughter-of-Axes, the Name of Knock]



"Axe knows of her. She can take you to her, once Baldomare finds her."

Click to shrink...

no door, no gate, no defense will bar entrance to Axe.

They are not ponies. Not in the usual sense of the word. They are creatures, old and large and dangerous, that are somehow connected to those deep dreams that your mother has. The ones that don't allow you to open her dream-door, when she is asleep.

You know they are not ponies. You know they are like colors, or like lenses, that are filtering some vast light.

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oh, so Velvet's Dream Door can't be opened when she's in the Mansus.

Interesting.


and yeah, Names as a filter for Light's Glory... that works better as a description for the Hours I think, but with no Hours left for the most part...

[You have received the bindings of Biedde, the Name of Edge]

[You have received the bindings of Mareinette, the monster of Grail]

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"monster". not Name.

...also of Heart, but I suppose Lantern and Grail are most relevant right now than SH and Heart.

And right now, you have four of the most terrifyingly powerful creatures in Equestria at your disposal. As well as a single order, to seek retribution against the pony who nearly killed your mother.

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uh. I wonder if she'll start to consider how THEY can help with Celestia's problem.

Selene has taken control of the assault team that will be sent after Copper Secateur.

Like the good daughter that she is, she will return to you all the bindings as soon as your health improves.

But for now, there are only two things on her mind. The first is the stunned wonder that she is feeling, thanks to the powers you have allowed her to experience. In truth, she was neither trained nor prepared to bear this burden. But somepony has to, and her nature as an alicorn was barely enough to make the cut. And the second is the fact that this power, she knows, was given to her for a single purpose.

And she has no intention of failing you.

More to follow.

Click to shrink...

Again, this is the first time it's been shown how bearing the burden of multiple Name bindings is NOT supposed to be effortless.

Admittedly we HAVE seen Velvet having... problems, so to say, when interacting with the Names. But it seemed like it wasn't the bindings themselves, and more a problem of when they were not suppressing their presence...

It's always good to have a reminder of just why velvet terrifies the everloving fuck out of anybody with even a vague sense of the Lores. Getting four Names summoned at once is no easy task. keeping them… well.

Click to shrink...

It will start to become problematic for us soon enough.

Biedde takes, for optimal action gain, 60 bits per turn after the first three turns (beginning of turn 22)

Baldomare will require a new lvl 5 book OR MORE in three turns (beginning of turn 24). Admittedly we HAVE one, so it's not THAT big of a problem, but ideally we want a lvl 7 book next time...

Axe... we'll probably TRY to get the Frangiclave next turn, but it's not a sure-thing. and if we fail, then we'll have to resummon her on turn 25, and even if the Key lowers the cost that's still at least 50 bits and a Key, and possibly more for a second reagent.

and Mareinette... well, we COULD afford the bits she's asking, but the problem are the implications of her requests. Maybe we'll give her an artifact next time?

That's our daughter!

And some people were against having her kill ponies for us.

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well, I agree with Velvet this is a "sad" moment... but it had to be done.

 

[Alan975]

side note, she's also the Name of Secret History. Weird it's not mentioned

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It was, just not here >: )

 

[Zxzx24]

There is certainly a world where Soft Sweeps also wishes to slay these creatures. That is for certain.

@OurLadyOfWires baldomare wouldn't happen to be reading ahead would she?

 

[Steady Gaze]

Spoiler: Copyedits for Turn 20 - Results, part 1

@OurLadyOfWires Copyedits for Turn 20 - Results, part 1:

And that is because, just a few days ago, your mother's health took a turn to the worse.

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turn for the worse. While "turn to the worse" might make sense, since everyone always writes "turn for the worse", this ends up looking like a mistake.

And now, she can heal under her own power without getting addicted or dependent on those methods.

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addicted to or dependent on. When you have a preposition coming after some verbs, it has to either be the same one after all the verbs, or you need to list every preposition separately. So "(addicted or dependent) on" expands to "addicted on or dependent on" which doesn't work.

Of course that, whatever this favor is, she would need somepony else to do it for her.

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Of course

You have the distinct impression that there is a line of droll falling out of your mouth, but you don't care.

Click to shrink...

drool (droll vs. drool)

Somepony needs to hold the reins. Somepony needs to make sure that these ponies… that these assets that she has are not lost, or that they do not slip away at a critical moment.

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Hm. Were we not to send Selene, I'm not sure this would come up. I mean, we have sent Axe out on the Canterlot expedition alone and it wasn't an issue. But I can see this is saying Selene will be able to assert her will to override what would otherwise be the Name's best judgement of our wishes. I.e. she is our (actually able to walk) representative on the expedition. Add this to the narrative vs. mechanical considerations pile. Also, I hope we can trust her judgement, and she doesn't do anything too crazy on her own initiative.

The reason why your mother not only accepts these creatures, but relishes their presence, is…

Power.

Click to shrink...

We like to start them (1000+ years) young.

 

[Sveta08]

So, this is a thing, or an idea rather, that's been sitting in my brain as I've read back over some of the chapters. And given this is both the start of a turn, so one of the more impactful moments, but after actions can be readily made, it would be a good time for it.

And, given that for the first time, Selene called Velvet Mother, it refused to leave me. Rattling the cage of my mind, demanding it make itself heard. Mom and Mother are not used interchangeably in this quest. So, have this thought, and a realization I've had reading through



In which a teacher thinks of Mothers and Mares

---

In every good teachers' life, there comes a moment. Well, many moments really.

Moments that sift those who are willing to do their duty, and those who go above and beyond. When the student you are working with needs an extra push, or a touch of encouragement. Or when they might need be pulled aside and spoken to privately. Honestly, with how things have been going you are thankful that some of those seem to have passed you by with this class.

Moments too that would tug at your heart. Reaffirm your belief. Seeing the frustration on somepony's brow melt away into understanding. Seeing somepony looking up and realizing they are following you, honestly and earnestly listening to you. Moments of excitement and elation, sharing in on the joy as a little foal finally attains their cutie mark and finds part of their place in the world. And a lucky few who when they look to you and thank you, you see the truth of it in their eyes. In their youthful directness.

Plenty of moments. Good and bad.



You are Cheerilee. And you are doing your best to pretend one of those moments didn't happen.
But, your students are certainly making that difficult for you.

"Snaaaaails! Why'd you have to say that?!"
"... Wha'dja mean?"
"Oh, you know what I mean!"
"... no? I was just thanking Miss Cheerilee."

You are at least thankful your students can't see you roll your eyes when looking at the blackboard. Snips whisper would be more at home on a stage than in the middle of fractions. Though, given his cutie mark, maybe he comes by it honest? Could certainly see about that come this fall's theater production. Miss Rarity has been too busy dealing with her own business to help you out with costuming after all. All the more pity.

Refraining from shaking your head, the next few minutes will be a careful game of a teacher's selective hearing and corralling fillies and colts to pay attention to math. A few more numbers hashed out on the board, a firm tap of your hindhoof when Tiara's giggling grew too loud. Some blissful ignorance as Snips chides his friend. But, to you, it is simply another day.

After all, it's not the first time one of your students has called you Mom. With any hope, when you hand out the worksheets, it will be all forgotten by everyone.
Save you, of course.



It's no wonder, really.
With how many hours they spend with you here. With how young they are, and how rarely they tend to see other adult mares treat them like little ponies. It just slips out before they even realize it. Maybe in Snails's case, if they do at all.

But really, it's a mark of honor you think. A badge you wear, silently, proudly. That your little ponies feel safe here. At home under your guidance. Willing and able and ready to learn and grow from you. That they feel... comforted? No, maybe that's the wrong word.
But that they feel that way, here? With you?
It's a mark that they don't even realize they give. One that says to you, they feel at ease here. That they will listen. Because...
Because that's not always the case. Not just with you.

There are many moments in a teacher's career that stick with them.
Yes, the good to be certain. The looks of realization, the moments of wonder, the questionsns with earnest curiosity, the joy of finding ones' destiny, yes. And you do well to hold onto them. To remember them.
Because those are not the only moments that stick with you.



... You remember the one time Diamond Tiara called you mom. Not only because it was any different than any other. Goodness, how much you wish it could have been during a class teaching history of the far east or during a lesson about the pegasais' role in the cycle of seasons. Maybe during long division, or a lesson on geography and it would have been forgotten. Just another memento of your good stewardship of them, held onto and forgotten over the months to follow.

But you do remember what day it was. The day teachers fear more than the parents involved. And that students of all walks dread.
Parent Teacher Confrence.

If it had been any other time, you are certain Silver Spoon would have giggled. Snips would shoot some sort of joke back. It would fall flat and Tiara would retort. Apple Bloom would try to mend the difference, and life would move on.
You wouldn't have had to see the soft look on Filthy Richs' face as he closed his eyes. Bracing. Or had to see little look in Tiara's eyes as she realized just what she said.
Or had to see the glassy sharp smile Spoiled Rich gave.
You wouldn't have had to continue on like nothing had changed. Wouldn't have had to pretend to miss the tension that ran through all of them.

You can still hear her. Hadn't even closed the door for long enough to let out your breath when she spoke. The words were bad enough, but the tone...
'That mare is not your family. I am. I am your mother.'
More words were shared. And for a blessed mercy, you did not hear them. But Diamond...

Well. It was the one, and only time Diamond Tiara called you mom.



Maybe if you paid attention, you would see how you stopped writting mother on your letters home. If you had reason to, maybe you would look and see the divide between the two words that had spawned because of it. One of comfort and trust. One of responsibility and obligation. Certainly if you put your time into it, you could say why in words that were clear and sharp and clever ways to hide the simple truth of it.

But... you never noticed it. Too busy with the rest of the facts of life.
Lessons needed to be planned. Children needed to be cared for. Rivalries needed to be headed off. Competition needed to be encouraged.
And above all else... even as the rest of Equestria seems beset by monsters and the unknown...

As long as this little schoolhouse is your schoolhouse?
It will be safe for them. Even when nowhere else will be.


Hopefully...
Hopefully.

 

[Venerable Ro]

In which a teacher thinks of Mothers and Mares...

Click to shrink...

How marvelous, marvelous and melancholy.

Though we may marvel at that which inspires melancholy, if the melancholy itself is not what leads us to marvel. Marvels don't have to be good or beautiful things after all...
.
.
.
You wrote Cheerilee very well, she has such a great heart for every single one of her charges. Irrepressible love and duty, for the learning in truth goes on forever.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

A wonderful writing about Cheerilee, I say.

 

[AuthorTransient]

Again, this is the first time it's been shown how bearing the burden of multiple Name bindings is NOT supposed to be effortless.

Admittedly we HAVE seen Velvet having... problems, so to say, when interacting with the Names. But it seemed like it wasn't the bindings themselves, and more a problem of when they were not suppressing their presence...

Click to shrink...

Well, if I had thought about it before, I might have considered such a possibility. When you hold the reins to, let's say a pony (for maximum ironic effect), and the pony tries to canter away from you, don't you have to exert force to pull it back? Rope burns like angry red veins burning on your hand afterwards.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (except in Copper's scenario, we're not giving an equal reaction).

 

[Greymere]

But for now, there are only two things on her mind. The first is the stunned wonder that she is feeling, thanks to the powers you have allowed her to experience. In truth, she was neither trained nor prepared to bear this burden. But somepony has to, and her nature as an alicorn was barely enough to make the cut. And the second is the fact that this power, she knows, was given to her for a single purpose.

Click to shrink...

Huh.

It's interesting that the Name-bindings apparently actually take a physical toll, considering Velvet hasn't seemed to notice anything like what Selene's experiencing here. Because she's not actually fully initiated into the Lores yet, I'd guess?

Now now, this really feels like something that we should have known about before.

Should we trust Selenes interpretation of this? That Velvet is simply to almost dead to make the Names do their job?
Dstance can't be the reason, since Biedde went all the way to Steppes with no problem.
Was starting to think of how Rarity would handle this on the Grave run, but Axe could go on an expedition on her own so...

It's probably not a peak at a future mechanic?

Then from a narrative perspective, I'm split on regretting sending Selene -especially since she wanted to go and we had no clue that that alone would hurt her- and cheering for how this could shape the immortal ruler's views.

Click to shrink...

Tbf, sending DoA to go clear out a cavern for goodies, where we don't really care about the how so much as just that it gets done is a bit different from a planned assault.

I assume Velvet's thinking is that it's better for Selene to hold the reigns if she's going to be there anyway since that way if a Situation arises (unexpected or otherwise) the one person who is actually in our side can make the call.

Axe... we'll probably TRY to get the Frangiclave next turn, but it's not a sure-thing. and if we fail, then we'll have to resummon her on turn 25, and even if the Key lowers the cost that's still at least 50 bits and a Key, and possibly more for a second reagent.

Click to shrink...

At least if we do have to resummon DoA, Selene should be fully trained by then? +30 General bonus and Level 4 in all relevant Lores is very good. We probably wouldn't even need an extra reagent. Bigger concern is where to do the ritual (hint hint maybe we should scry for one next turn?).

Rolls would be...

Knock (DC 120): X + 30 (General) + 40 (Knock) + 30 (Wrong Key) -> X + 100 w/ reroll (~96%)

Edge (DC 60) X + 30 (General) + 40 (Edge) -> X + 70 (autosuccess)

Winter (DC 60) X + 30 (General) + 40 (Winter) -> X + 70 (autosuccess)

So Selene would be rolling at a 96% success chance at baseline. 20 bits for a Level 2 reagent brings it up to 100%, or a measly 5 bits for 99% chance.

I'd say those are some decent odds

(also the resummoning would be on T23, not T25, just FYI)

 

[Pittauro]

You can still hear her. Hadn't even closed the door for long enough to let out your breath when she spoke. The words were bad enough, but the tone...
'That mare is not your family. I am. I am your mother.'
More words were shared. And for a blessed mercy, you did not hear them. But Diamond...

Well. It was the one, and only time Diamond Tiara called you mom.

Click to shrink...

well, If you want to make me feel better about using the Sacrament with her, I'd say you're succeeding!

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (except in Copper's scenario, we're not giving an equal reaction).

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well, her action was "putting Velvet AND her family in danger".

I'd say we're giving an extremely well measured reaction!

Tbf, sending DoA to go clear out a cavern for goodies, where we don't really care about the how so much as just that it gets done is a bit different from a planned assault.

I assume Velvet's thinking is that it's better for Selene to hold the reigns if she's going to be there anyway since that way if a Situation arises (unexpected or otherwise) the one person who is actually in our side can make the call.

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also you know, Velvet still doesn't trust Mareinette, and reasonably so.

If she's leaving her in her daughter's presence, well, better to give her a way to assert dominance. And make sure that Selene can make any final call, stopping Mareinette or Biedde or Axe from their worst excesses.

At least if we do have to resummon DoA, Selene should be fully trained by then? +30 General bonus and Level 4 in all relevant Lores is very good. We probably wouldn't even need an extra reagent. Bigger concern is where to do the ritual (hint hint maybe we should scry for one next turn?).

Rolls would be...

Knock (DC 120): X + 30 (General) + 40 (Knock) + 30 (Wrong Key) -> X + 100 w/ reroll (~96%)

Edge (DC 60) X + 30 (General) + 40 (Edge) -> X + 70 (autosuccess)

Winter (DC 60) X + 30 (General) + 40 (Winter) -> X + 70 (autosuccess)

So Selene would be rolling at a 96% success chance at baseline. 20 bits for a Level 2 reagent brings it up to 100%, or a measly 5 bits for 99% chance.

I'd say those are some decent odds

(also the resummoning would be on T23, not T25, just FYI)

Click to shrink...

yeah, the resummon would be fairly easy, and if we don't need a reagent on something else we can easily afford the 5 bits or 29 bits on it.

All in all our Names are fairly sustainable, yeah.

except Mareinette.

That said, even with her I don't think we need to worry too much? We can probably buy some time with Velvet personal actions (I imagine the cost will go up to 2 actions next time?), with artifacts (lvl 2 the first time, probably lvl 3 or 4 the second time?)... We can probably renew the bindings for another 6, maybe even 9 turns depending on escalation. After that... we'll see. Worst case we'll have to pick one of the morally worse options, but that's probably 12 turns away, that's only likely to be relevant IF the game continues after Glory, as I can't imagine us taking THAT long to go through the Tricuspid.

 

[DelightedOne]

It's interesting that the Name-bindings apparently actually take a physical toll, considering Velvet hasn't seemed to notice anything like what Selene's experiencing here. Because she's not actually fully initiated into the Lores yet, I'd guess?

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You just reminded me that we can do that(get her to All-4) next turn. I presume "a confident certainty" would count as properly introducing Selene to the occult.

At this point waiting for Heart 4 to teach the whole family takes too much time so it's better to get Seeker Selene first.

 

[Greymere]

You just reminded me that we can do that(get her to All-4) next turn. I presume "a confident certainty" would count as properly introducing Selene to the occult.

At this point waiting for Heart 4 to teach the whole family takes too much time so it's better to get Seeker Selene first.

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I'd assume so, yeah.

Next turn is going to be busy, but when are they not?

...I wonder if Bird will let us train up Selene w/ our free social, since that would free up an AP for DoA Sacrament speedrun. Unless we're resigning ourselves to wait until after she's resummoned, in which case we really only need 1 AP put toward it (so we at least know what we're actually doing).

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

of Mothers and Mares

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This isnt just regular canon. This is "will-become-storyline-threadmark" canon.

No idea when ill be able to catch up to thread, but i wanted to jump in to say this. Ill fit this threadmark somewhere around Cheerile's social and Mareinette's "visit" to the Rich family.

So thank you for writing this!

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Congrats @Sveta08 !

 

[Pittauro]

This isnt just regular canon. This is "will-become-storyline-threadmark" canon.

No idea when ill be able to catch up to thread, but i wanted to jump in to say this. Ill fit this threadmark somewhere around Cheerile's social and Mareinette's "visit" to the Rich family.

So thank you for writing this!

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well, thank you for making us feel less guilty about eventually using Spoiled Rich for the Moth Sacrament then!

 

[Greymere]

Btw @OurLadyOfWires, can we know what Lore (besides SH) is used to navigate the Ashen Wastes now? Is it still Moth?

 

[Paintmaster]

Okay, I know I didn't want Selene on the attack, and if we don't find the Outsider I will be sad...

But WOW WHAT A SCENE. It was worth it for this alone.

I really do love those moments we're reminded of just what the Names are, and the scale of their power. I'm not sure we've ever been reminded of what it means for all power to be shackled by Velvet, though. That was awesome.

EDIT: And man, the way this all dovetails with her studying her Winter realization...

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And yet the worse relationship/binding Velvet has is the one that she didn't/can't give to Selene. She can't pass on her title as mother of wolves or her relationship with said wolves, because it doesn't work the same way as the others do.

Like more than anything I get the sense that Velvets pain tolerance to Mansus/Lore stuff is largely a result of surviving that ill fated meeting.

 

[DelightedOne]

...I wonder if Bird will let us train up Selene w/ our free social, since that would free up an AP for DoA Sacrament speedrun. Unless we're resigning ourselves to wait until after she's resummoned, in which case we really only need 1 AP put toward it (so we at least know what we're actually doing)

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I honestly forgot we could teach as a free social, I guess that solves the AP cost issue with Selene's training.

That speedrun will prove if Velvet's luck went away for good or if it will return.

That basically locks Axe's action as a lesson though, nothing wrong with it I just don't like using Name actions for teaching, feels like a waste. How many actions are we willing to invest again? Because if we are really desperate we can trade some(or all)Follower actions for Velvet actions.

 

[Sveta08]

Oh. Shit.
Uh, Thanks! Goodness.

 

[BritBiscuit]

well, thank you for making us feel less guilty about eventually using Spoiled Rich for the Moth Sacrament then!

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Well there would still be guilt, it would just be the guilt of willingly making Velvet put up with even 1 interaction with Spoiled Rich after all just because Spoiled Rich deserves the betrayal, Velvet doesn't deserve to be forced into the presence of such an insult to motherhood.

 

[Greymere]

How many actions are we willing to invest again? Because if we are really desperate we can trade some(or all)Follower actions for Velvet actions.

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It depends on people's priorities, I guess? If we're trying to speedrun though, I'd want to go for 3 Sacrament actions and converting 5 follower AP to 2 Velvet AP to leave room for FR and the inevitable family and Cadance FOs.

We could technically convert 9F to 3V instead to squeeze in one more Velvet action, but at that point we're eating a bunch of Name and/or Selene AP, which are very valuable actually.