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

[Shaper47]

And she doesn't appear to be romantically interested in you at all.

The mentions of Cadance thinking about you in a peculiar color are relevant, for sure. But the descriptions you use seem to cross several lines that just haven't been crossed in this story (yet?).

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Because jokes aside, your prose (at least to me) seems to imply that Velvet and Cadance are lovers. It might not be your intention, and it definitely could just be a problem with how I am reading it. But still, that is the impression I get.

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That's just my writing.

By love I'm referring more to Philia and Storge then Eros or Ludus.

Cadance is written like a mare in love and she is but the love is platonic. Well, mostly anyways. Associations of emotional sensory abilities with physical closeness isn't really meant to be sexual.

-something like this is said

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I mean in story we've had them, two mares staying up late together drinking heavily. And Velvet visits Cadence at night for their talks so, just guessing she stays the night on the couch sometimes.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

That's just my writing.

By love I'm referring more to Philia and Storge then Eros or Ludus.

Cadance is written like a mare in love and she is but the love is platonic. Well, mostly anyways. Associations of emotional sensory abilities with physical closeness isn't really meant to be sexual.



I mean in story we've had them, two mare staying up late together drinking heavily. And Velvet visits Cadence at night for their talks so, just guessing she stays the night on the couch sometimes.

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I mean, in previous Cadance Quest entries you wrote you had Cadance mentally going and I quote, "ara ara," in regards to Velvet. That kind of shapes how people are going to see your later entries.

 

[Zxzx24]

Yknow, I don't bring up a lot of stuff. For several reasons.

One of those reasons is because, to put it simply, bringing certain things up would just be rubbing salt into the wound. Because seriously, nothing good would come of me talking about Twilight or Starry. Nothing would be gained of me exploring what happened, is happening, or will happen to them. So, I just don't.

This might surprise some of you, but I actually don't go out of my way to make you guys feel bad. I have no desire to do so.

Another reason is because I write the story, and me saying something would be given too much attention or focus. Because no matter how many times I say "this isn't necessarily canon", there is always the idea that "word of god" applies whenever I say something.

But still, let me just say that-

-this description actually hits VERY hard.

I tried brushing into this topic, when I wrote what Velvet was thinking right after she got hurt. I tried to shed some light into some of the thoughts that she has inside of her head, especially the ones she buries and ignores. But ultimately, there is no need to make an unnecessary detour down a guilt trip if it won't be good for the story.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say.



Writing is being written, and hopefully will finish writing today.

I hope you are all doing well.

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I am doing quite well today, and I hope you are as well bird.

Dinner tonight was excellent. And I do love being hit hard in the feels!

So thank you Talon, and Shaper.

And that's the last thing; Velvet and the thread seems to shatter things, pick the favorite pieces from the former whole, and glue those pieces together with Velvet. Granted, if we had our way we'd grab complete sets of things if we could, but between the dice and the world such things never seem to happen.

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Mm is this a scathing indictment of her character, a statement of fact, or an act of heartfelt kindness?

I mean in story we've had them, two mare staying up late together drinking heavily. And Velvet visits Cadence at night for their talks so, just guessing she stays the night on the couch sometimes.

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Bird absolutely cannot throw stones in this regard

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Mm is this a scathing indictment of her character, a statement of fact, or an act of heartfelt kindness?

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It's not a scathing indictment of her character, because most of the shatterings were out of her control. It's not like she could have foreseen the Master's info-gathering attempt being so calamitous. She didn't intend to shatter Twilight, though that was undoubtedly her fault. And the Cult... well at that point it needed breaking. Needs further breaking still, to be honest.

No, it's more a statement of fact. The dice dunked on Luna, and they absolutely despised Twilight. Not even Velvet's interactions with Twilight, mind; it was the pony herself they had it out for. Instant Fascination upon being dropped a tiny bit of Lore homework. Immediate bonzai charge on Celestia the instant she was told that she wasn't abandoned by Sun-Horse. Spike getting eaten. The dice gave her all of her mind and just about none of her hope, just to luxuriate in her suffering. It's morbidly hilarious when I think back upon it. And well, we usually don't set out to shatter and wreck and ruin. It's just what happens, unforeseen consequences and twists of circumstance. And then we try to set it right. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. But as a result of that, when people see this Mare striving her utmost to correct wrongs that half the time aren't even really her fault, they admire that. They're drawn in by that. They see Velvet struggling to set right a world torn out of sorts by various forces she by no rights should be able to contend with, and go, "damn, that's so noble of her," and they go to support her. Because realistically, she has been in waaaaaaaaaaaaay over head in everything. And has still tried to do the right thing.

TL;DR: The cult Velvet had joined was like a hammer to Equestria, and in response Velvet decided to make herself the repair work's mortar.

 

[Zxzx24]

Honestly that's part of why I viewed us nearly dying with... not relief exactly but with a kind of... "maybe we will take it a bit easy please?"

 

[Venerable Ro]

It's not a scathing indictment of her character, because most of the shatterings were out of her control. It's not like she could have foreseen the Master's info-gathering attempt being so calamitous.

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It's worth remembering, the Master ducked out of there like halfway through that peyote fever-dream, even she didn't intend on that adventure being more than a moderately unsettling dream that Luna would brush off in the morning, maybe there'd be some Dread that Celestia and Cadance would have been able to dispel.

But instead Moon Pony just could not get out of that death spiral even with like four or five layers of cumulative bonuses to "by seven storms and thunders wake up you fool!", and then to really put the boot in she hit one of the quest's few perfect crits to evade her sister in a blind panic and just frigging vanish.

I really wish we could have gotten the Master's reaction to seeing the results of that clusterfuck without the Moth-mask of "just as planned!"

 

[Shaper47]

I mean, in previous Cadance Quest entries you wrote you had Cadance mentally going and I quote, "ara ara," in regards to Velvet. That kind of shapes how people are going to see your later entries.

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...

Fair.

Wasn't mean to show interest so much as character but fair point.

And I do love being hit hard in the feels!

So thank you Talon, and Shaper.

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Your welcome!

I'll try to hit hard with the puppy but I don't think I'll be able to top crying Caddy.

Honestly that's part of why I viewed us nearly dying with... not relief exactly but with a kind of... "maybe we will take it a bit easy please?"

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Hmm, I'm kinda want to have Velvet go "Right no more hesitation!" and get 3 sacraments, heal her scar and get one AP away from finishing another sacrament.

Kick it up a notch for a bit.

I really wish we could have gotten the Master's reaction to seeing the results of that clusterfuck without the Moth-mask of "just as planned!"

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I always found it kinda sad that the Master had literally no clue what was going on most of the time.

 

[Venerable Ro]

I always found it kinda sad that the Master had literally no clue what was going on most of the time.

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Thus my musing on Pinocchio and all.

Now I'm not saying that The Master is what you'd get if you gave Megumin an intimidating black cloak and a mask that let her auto-succeed bluff attempts, but she probably wasn't that far off from it either.

 

[Sveta08]

Mm is this a scathing indictment of her character, a statement of fact, or an act of heartfelt kindness?

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It is.... well, just that.
It is

Pardon. I've been sitting on thoughts for a minute, trying to figure out how to make them something that people can see and work with. And, while this most certainly could use a lot of refinement, it's the simplest way I know how to express it. Giving a short summary of why and how things would, have, and tend to work with some six hundred thousand words for reference is no small task. So, have a parallel.


This was always going to happen. Or maybe, nearly always. The Manus itself defines and demands it. I have no Color for the other times. It hasn't been shown.
I don't say this as an abdication of guilt and responsibility, but rather as a recognition. The rule of the Manus is, that power is given the higher you climb, because the higher you climb the more power that is gathered. To culminate before Glory. That very... structure, creates the paths that people walk, always offering a way forward, but always holding fast those rules. And because of that... people react to it. Have from the very start.

Why is Velvet the Loremaster? Because, that is closest to Glory. That is the option we had to make her the furthest up. That would cast aside suspicion when she reaches up, ever higher. That is, one of the reasons, the Master favored her. Why was she the Loremaster? Because the structures that people construct in relation to the Manus follow it's path. There is the head, the highest. There are those who serve purpose. And there are those who climb. For us, for the reader... we are The Reader. We want more to read. To see. To know. To ensure that, to guarantee that... we climb ever higher. That requires power. Because to climb, is to gain power.

As you climb, there is power. And there is the awareness of power. How long did Velvet continue to strive to consider herself a player at the grandest of games? She still feels she is not there. She is, in very few ways, but she is aware of it in many more. Aware how precarious her position is. Because we are aware of it. And so, we widen the base. We fortify our people. We deepen our knowledge and climb ever higher to ensure.... that place. That success. That guarantee. Even though it is not guaranteed.

To climb is to gather power. To gather power is to climb. To rise, is to be seen rising. To rise, is to invite a fall.



.... I want to say something here about The Master. About how the Names that survived are contradictions. How The Master's longing for the past led them to act, despite the tenants of Moth. About how it was that that led them to develop the cult as they did. Why they sought the Moon, and not Glory. Why he attacked, to reenact the past. To savor it again. Why the cult was arraigned with such sole aspected focused ponies. Why.... Why so many things.
But now is not the time.



Now... I promised a parallel.

Velvet is who Celestia once was, even if her sun is a different sort of light.
She seeks to touch her hooves where she can. To right every wrong that is under her domain, so far as she decides it wrong. She claims her family as first, and is absolute. And to her...
There is no reach too far. No path too dangerous. No secret too forbidden and too lost. And she lies.
Every act. Every word. Every step and every promise a lie. A vow spoken and desire made, because there is one thing and one thing only that matters to her. Everything else... everything else simply is. And that is not enough. The world would burn for her beloved, and she would hold fast the torch. Only for promises, and vows to them and them alone does she keep fast.

Celestia realized that, and cast aside all she may to seek her family. But not... everything. Because that's not what her family would want. But it is tempting. And alluring. And oh so close.
Do you not think Velvet would do the same?



Velvet.... WE shatter that which we come across. Because we see it in three lights.
That which can help us.
That which can hinder us.
That which is not yet important.

That which hinders is broken if it is weak. It is controlled if it is strong. It is subverted to us to become that which is helpful. Thus power is gathered. So went the HintChasers. So went Rarity. So went Jade. So went the hunt for Luna. So went Selene herself. So went the Bureau. So became the Wolf.
It fails too. Twilight. Stary. Windy. Few and far between yes, but it fails. And every instant is held as a wound. Because when it fails, it shatters. Our twists too much, our hunt too far, our desires outstripping our grasp.
And then, that which is not yet important is ignored. Long and far and fast as it can be. Too focused ahead, too blinded by Glory. How long did Twilight dwell with light burning her eyes? How long did Windy hear the whispers of the wolf before we spoke with him? Who even was Stary? And... pray tell. Why only now, now that we want something, that we need something, do we seek Filthy Rich and his family?

Velvet gathers... all unto herself because she needs every hand, every touch, every bit, every piece she can. We Want, so she wants.
Celestia.... divorces herself from these all. Because she Wants, and the world has been found Wanting.

.... I am certain Velvet Hills would be proud, should he feel capable of such things.



It's...
It is.

 

[Rafuki22]

The mentions of Cadance thinking about you in a peculiar color are relevant, for sure.

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Not surprised, love can be more than romantic after all.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Velvet gathers... all unto herself because she needs every hand, every touch, every bit, every piece she can. We Want, so she wants.

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View: https://youtu.be/QxTBtHsh408

Isn't it nice when you find a song that perfectly encapsulates an entire idea? Isn't it even sweeter when you already knew the song in question?

Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things
That can come from some terrible nights

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We're the Moth, worrying about consequences of all things was never going to be in the cards, it's not in our nature. This is not to say that we are bereft of conscience, or that we don't care what happens to those around us, but in the moment we will Act.

The Moth's answer is yes,

we pursue our desires,

we do not relent,

we remember the cost,

we do not hesitate,

we change the world,

we know what we seek,

into the fire we fly.
​

If that course is to be diverted then someone will have to present A Way Out.

But dear Velvet is still running, no? Running from something she can't even remember, but terrifies her nonetheless with visions of abandonment and wretched desperate atrocities. Fear and flight is something none of the Lores care to claim, certainly not the Moth, who is fearless. This then is the root I think, that colors so many of Velvet's actions and beliefs.

It is a root of fear in our Velvet's foundation, and we must have it out.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan They Have A Winter Name
-[X][BUREAU] You will assault Copper BEFORE the Bureau picks her trail.
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
--[X] Who is going? (WRITE IN which followers will go)
---[X] Biedde (as planner). Daughter of Axes, Mareinette, Baldomare, Selene
--[X] What are they taking? (WRITE IN what artifacts, if any, to take)
---[X] Edge 3 artifact, SH 3 artifact, Heart 3 artifact, Winter 1 artifact, 1 Wrong Key (due to expire at end of turn)
--[X] What is their objective? (WRITE IN what your followers must do, in order of PRIORITY)
---[X] Neutralize Copper.
---[X] Neutralize Neighnia.
---[X] Remove any evidence tying us to the cult.
---[X] Loot their library, artifacts, bits, and so forth, should time allow.
--[X] Anything else? (WRITE IN any other orders or specifications you have)
---[X] Minimize non-Cult casualties.
---[X] Leave as little trace or tracks as possible.
--[X] Who is going? (WRITE IN which followers will go)
---[X] Rarity (as planner)
---[X] Daughter of Axes
--[X] What are they taking? (WRITE IN what artifacts, if any, to take)
---[X] Heart 3 artifact
---[X] SH 3 artifact
---[X] Winter 1 artifact
-[X] You are wounded! (You currently have 2 wounds. You must pick one of each option.)
--[X] Take a few breaks, every now and then. (Costs 1 action. Rolls TWO dice. 0/-15)
--[X] There is no holy grail for healing magic, no miraculous wound-closing spell. But vigor-enhancing spells, and other small boosts, are a thing. The crystals where they are stored for sale are expensive, though… (Costs 60 bits. Two dice will auto-succeed)
-[X][STEPPES] There is no guarantee he will be able to help you, but you will write him about…
--[X] How Silky has been shaken up by the attempt on your life, and how she might be comforted by her beloved uncle's presence.
-[X][SOCIAL] You don't have it in you to teach anypony of the Lores. But you can make a social call to… (WRITE IN) (IF CHOSEN, will give you a -15 to your healing roll, free action)
--[X] Mayor Mare
--[X] Cheerilee
--[X] Applejack

[X] Plan Time's Up - Rarity Searching
-[X] (Detectives) Investigate the Commissioner's attackers
-[X] (Constables) Guard the Commissioner
-[X] (Selene) Winter Realization
-[X] (Selene) Guard us and our home
-[X] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Filthy Rich and Spoiled Rich
-[X] (DoA) Wrong Keys
-[X] (Fluttershy) Ask Comet to lead an expedition: A Grave on a Hill
-[X] (Baldomare-Free) Give her the Level 6 book if the expedition is successful, otherwise give her the Knock 5 book
-[X] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] Target: Copper and her cult. Their location, their resources, their defenses, anything and everything about them
--[X] To be performed on an inconspicuous place, located by Baldomare
-[X] Assault an opponent (Copper Secateur)
-[X] Search Canterlot for the Outsider (x 3)

[X] A tighter security detail, at all times.

You are Selene.

And right now, you are in your little sister's room.

"Promise you will come back?" she asks.

You can tell from her voice that she is still scared. You can tell that, even now, she is still hoping you will change your mind, and that you will just cancel the "trip" you told her you need to go on.

And then, of course, there is her choice of words. Silky Stream herself is probably too young to realize what she said. But the way she asked that question… it doesn't feel like she is asking if you will be back soon. It feels like she is asking if you will be back at all.

But of course, there is only one answer to that question.

"I'll be back before you know it," you say, giving her one last hug.

She doesn't really have her heart on it, as she hugs you back. And that does cause yet another pang of guilt to flare inside your chest. But there is nothing you can do but add it to the pile, as you tell her to sleep well.

And before you let go of her, you light up your horn. Moments later, the weak hug of the filly becomes entirely limp, and she is deep in her sleep as you cover her with her blankets.

"I promise," you whisper to her, before you turn to leave her room.

And by the time you close the door behind you, you are not Selene anymore.



- - -



You are not Selene anymore.

Your name doesn't really matter. If anypony asks, you will call yourself Midnight Breeze, or something along those lines.

But there is no reason for anypony to approach you. There is no reason for anypony to even look at you. After all, you are just a unicorn mare, with a short mane and dull-grey coat the color of cement. You look like a perfectly ordinary and boring pony, and you have a perfectly ordinary and boring cutie mark on your flank.

There is no reason for anypony to talk to you. There is no reason for anypony to look at you for more than a few seconds. You don't have the "formal" training to make other ponies' gazes pass right over you, but you have more than enough skill (and a healthy understanding of how ponies think) to know how to hide in plain sight like this.

However, the most important change, you dare say, is the one that took place inside your mind. More than just the mere illusion you have around your body, you have done something far more impactful to prepare yourself for this. And that thing is…

That you are not Selene anymore.

Is this a true and deep change? Is this just a mask? Could it be that this is just a state of focus and concentration, that you talked yourself into believing is more complicated than it really is? You don't know.

But it doesn't really matter.

All that matters is that, right now, you are not the adopted filly who was taken into a loving home.

And you are not that ancient Princess who fell while defending her ponies.

You are something else. A bit of both, and a bit of neither. Because Selene, the filly, would be too young and innocent to want to do this. And Luna, the Princess, would have the requisite self-control to hold these thoughts back.

But you are neither of those two ponies.

You are mature enough to know… to want to do this, and you have the discipline to see it through.

You are going to answer violence with violence.

And you are going to kill a pony who gained not only your enmity, but also your contempt.



"Ah, quite the curious expression you have on your face."



Those are the first words you hear, the moment you arrive at Ponyville's train station.

The place is nearly empty. And the midnight train that will take you to Canterlot, and then to your final destination, has not yet arrived at the platform. But still, to nopony's surprise, there is somepony waiting for you there.

It is, of course, one of the "guests" of your house.

It is Biedde, the old-looking stallion who, for some mind-boggling reason, looks completely harmless.

"From that expression alone, one would think that you have already done something like this before," he says, tipping his cap to you as you make your way towards him.

And his words finally make you realize that, this whole time, you had a scowl on your face.

Still, the old stallion continues to speak, as if his previous comment had just been an idle thought.

"Well, our train should be arriving shortly. This town is still too small to have a direct line to anywhere other than the capital, but making a detour through a central hub is barely an inconvenience," he says, taking a pair of train tickets and passing one of them to you. "And the other preparations are already complete."

You accept the train ticket with a short nod.

Under normal circumstances, you would have asked him several more questions. After all, his words just now were at best vague, and at worst misleading. Furthermore, you have not heard anything about your other… well, you will call them "companions" for now. So, of course you would like to know where they are, and when they will be joining you.

But for some reason, the old stallion's words are more than enough for you.

Biedde told you the preparations are complete, so they can only be complete. And you will not need to worry about anything until the time comes for you to make a decision.

"Thank you," you say, more out of habit than anything else. Because for all that the old stallion gives you a grateful nod, you know that he…

Well, you thank him anyways.

And minutes later, you hear the whistle of an approaching train coming from the distance.



- - -



[Expedition: Assault an opponent – Copper Secateur]

[Day 1]



It has been a few days since your mother did… something, that gave you authority over the "guests" of your house.

Of course, you know the words. You know what you should really call this. For some reason, the explanation for this mystery comes as naturally to you as breathing. As if the information had been fed to your mind, through whatever actions your mother did.

So, you know what really happened. You know that you were given the "bindings" of these four pony-like creatures. You know that, the same way you learned several other things besides, such as the fact that they are not ponies to begin with.

However, you are still resisting the idea of taking this knowledge as an absolute truth. Or rather, you are being very careful not to fall into the trap of believing these ideas in your mind are everything there is to know about this.

After all, you don't rightly know where this knowledge came from. Which means you don't know if the knowledge you have is complete, or if there are crucial details you were not given.

Still, it has been a few days since you gained these "bindings". You only departed to your mission last night, but you have spent the last few days trying your best to understand your newfound… connection, with these four pony-like creatures.

Because that is what you have with them now. A connection. A link. One that is made of magic, but not the kind of magic that resonates with your horn. A thread that runs through a dream that, maddeningly, you have no access to or authority over.

You can't wait for your mother to finally sit down with you and give you a proper lesson about these things. But you understand that isn't possible right now, and that it won't be for the foreseeable future. So, you only have your observations to go from.

And the things you have learned are… very interesting, to say the least.



"A bit of a waste to climb all the way up this mountain. But given how this is the beating heart of your country, I suppose it is inevitable."



Biedde says that as the train finally leaves the Canterlot central station. The two of you are sharing a cabin, and the old stallion has been voicing some idle remarks every now and then throughout this trip.

However, the two of you did not really have a full conversation this entire time. Ever since you left Ponyville and took the train to Canterlot at midnight, up until now as the sun begins to rise while your train departs to Manehattan, you have not truly spoken to the stallion. And that is because…

… well, there is no other way to say it.

The more time you spend with the old stallion, the more cautious you feel about him.

The "bindings" that you have over Biedde are… well, they are all unique in their own way, but his seem to be the coldest. Or maybe the hardest? The most solid? It is hard to describe that ethereal feeling with words.

But still, the best way you can describe your "grip" over Biedde is to call it a chain. Having him bound to you feels like having a chain tied to one of your legs. It is something that you are acutely aware of, at all times, and it is also something that you feel will make you trip and fall if you are not careful about it.

Because sure, on one hoof you realize that they are bound to you. And that if you pull on the bindings, they will either follow or be forced to leave.

However, despite that, you can't shake the feeling that his relationship with you is different. It is a subtle thing. One that is based more on instinct than anything else. But still, you can't stop thinking that, if you are not very careful, the day might come when this chain tied to your leg will simply stop moving. And you will realize too late that you are now bound to him.

You know he looks old, and mindful, and even harmless. You know he might be willing to play the part of the "employee", as he calls himself.

But the same way nopony can bring themselves to be rude to him… the same way you realize that you won't really be able to force him to obey you, if he refuses to follow one of your orders… you also realize that…

… you also realize that this old stallion is very, very dangerous.

But he isn't dangerous just because he is deadly.

He is dangerous because, despite all this, you don't know what he is hiding. You don't know why he is doing any of this.

Your mother told you, warned you, that he is a very deliberate and methodical stallion. So, the fact that you don't even know what kind of game he is playing means you are already behind.

"Why… are you traveling with me?" you finally ask, not being able to keep your questions inside your head anymore.

You ask that as the train gathers speed, leveraging gravity and the downward spiral of Mount Canterlot to race towards Manehattan.

And in response, the stallion just looks towards you, the faintest smile appearing on his lips as he stares as you.

You can't really see his eyes, given how thick his eyebrows are.

And as the train rushes into one of the tunnels of the mountain, blocking off the sun and plunging your cabin into darkness, you aren't even sure if he is still there.

"For what other reason would I be here?" he asks. His voice piercing through the darkness of the cabin, cutting through the surrounding noise of the moving train with ease. "I am here to keep my employer safe."

He says that.

And you immediately know he is lying.

He did not keep your mother safe. He could have, but he did not.

What he just told you is a lie. You are sure of it.

However, the most worrying part is that…

"You aren't even trying to hide it," you say out loud, towards the darkness of the train cabin.

You say it, because you are sure of it. He is lying. You know he is lying. And he knows that you know he is lying.

This old stallion who lives in the dark probably would have been able to fool you, if he really wanted to. The same way he somehow manages to appear harmless, you know he could have told you a believable lie, if he really wanted to.

But he didn't. More than just that, he chose to answer your question with a blatant, direct lie.

You still don't know what game he is playing, but his latest move was to confirm to you that he is indeed hiding something.

But why?

Why?

The darkness of the cabin is so thick that you almost can't breathe. Because you know for a fact that this darkness is not entirely real, and that the old stallion who was sitting opposite to you a moment ago is not looking at you from the shadows with the kindly eyes of a grandfather. And for a moment, the atmosphere around you is so oppressive that you can't even hear the train moving around you.

However, even that only lasts for a moment. And on the next second, the lights of the cabin flicker into life, and you find yourself sitting in that same cabin, sharing the room with the same old stallion who is looking at you with a small smile.

"It is the thing that you don't know that kills you," he says.

You don't speak to him anymore, until the two of you reach Manehattan.



…



You have never been to Manehattan before. And when your train arrived at the terminal, you were almost shocked by what you saw out through the window.

The large, square towers are almost oppressive in their brutalism. The entire city, even, has all of the intimidating factors of Canterlot's architecture, but with none of its virtues. This is not a city built to celebrate the grandiose things ponies can build, when they put their minds to it. Instead, it is a gigantic jungle of stony trees and artificial shadows.

Of course, you know why this city is like this. Your recent education as a filly has made you well adjusted to the realities of these modern times. However, the clash that your older memories felt when you first looked at this place was so strong that you couldn't help but take notice.

Still, you came to this city for a purpose, not to sightsee.

So, you followed Biedde as he took you to a particularly mundane neighborhood of the city, where he had booked a room in a place where the innkeeper did not bother to look up when you entered.

And when you entered said room, a small crowd was already waiting for you.



"Took ye fuckin' long enoof."



Those were the first words you heard, as soon as you opened the door.

But ironically, that was the only (and consequently, the warmest) greeting you had received that day.

You spent the rest of the day going over all the information you had received, and planning what steps you should take next.



At your mother's behest, Jade Whistle performed a ritual to scry the mare who attacked your family. She reduced the information she learned into writing, in the form of a letter she gave you a few hours before you departed.

Spoiler: Jade Whistle

[Reflection of the Tapestry]


[Secret Histories, CD 60]

[Roll: 43 + 14 (Jade Whistle) + 30 (Artifact) = 87]

[Success]


[Lantern, CD variable]

[Jade Whistle will invoke a re-roll]

[Roll: 94 32 + 14 (Jade Whistle) + 40 (Lantern 3) – 10 (Wards) = 138]


[6 success thresholds reached]


Information acquired:
1 – Copper Secateur's location has been confirmed to be in Manehattan. (Scouting the city for whereabouts of her presence is no longer necessary)
2 – Copper Secateur's precise location has been discovered. (Searching the city for her location is no longer necessary)
3 – The precise location of her moveable assets has been discovered. (Searching her stronghold for said assets, during the assault, is no longer necessary)
4 – The general layout of her defenses has been scouted. (General information acquired)
5 – The finer details of her defenses have been scouted. (Useful information acquired, plus situational bonuses)
6 – The precise location of an important item (Velvet Covers' original Manuscripts) has been discovered. (Additional options available during the assault)
7 onwards – [THRESHOLD NOT REACHED]

[This being an assault, the entirety of the first day has been used for transportation and preliminary planning]

[Rolling enemy detection – results unknown]



- - -



[Day 2]



These four creatures are frighteningly competent.

At first, you thought they were behaving as a normal pony would. However, as the hours went by and you tempered the anger you have in you, you realized that is not the case. You realized you thought they were acting normally because they were cutting to the chase, and not beating around any bushes.

However, now that you think about it, they… well, it wasn't just that.

Yesterday, when you all first gathered in this cramped inn room, you discussed what you should do next.

Your own plan was to spend some time double-checking the report you were given. Because sure, your mother trusts Jade Whistle, but it was still a good idea to ensure the results of the ritual were accurate. After all, if a pony's eyes can be deceived, then a magic ritual ought to be even less reliable. Jade Whistle's report could be a first step, sure, but you were of the mind to build upon that step, rather than blindly trust it.

However, the other four immediately disagreed with you. In their own way. And ultimately, Aunt B… Baldomare, that is, told you "that is not how it works". And that the weakest link in that report would have been Jade's ability, or perhaps her loyalty, to report everything she saw accurately.

Following that, you asked for suggestions, and they… well, they delivered.

They gave their suggestions, and that was the moment you realized they absolutely did not think like normal ponies.

Biedde asked you to confirm what your priorities were. And once you told him that, he very succinctly explained to you how you could all carry out a… an assassination.

Baldomare pointed out what you didn't know, and how the creatures that Copper has under her control are still unaccounted for.

Axe herself, to your surprise, seemed to have focused her foul temper into purpose. And despite her scowl, she still dissected the maps that Jade gave you like a doctor would have dissected a body.

And Mareinette… well, she also chimed in.

Although you rather not think about it.

In the end, you did not say much. Nopony really said much. Their words carried so much authority that there was nothing to be added. And compared to them, you were so out of depth that you could only agree with them.

In the end, they only asked for your approval. And you very quickly gave it to them.

And earlier today, you all set out to fulfill your given objectives.



[Due to the nature and competency of your team, you have decided to "multitask", and attempt several preparatory actions at the same time]



Your relationship with Axe is… well, you don't really know how to describe it.

Back when you were only a filly, things were tense between the two of you for a while. You were wary of her, she was wary of everypony, and her actions had already put your sister and your friends in real danger at least once.

However, you could never really bring yourself to hate her. Maybe it was because you were just a filly, and you don't think you could really hate anypony like that. There is something about being young that just makes you more innocent and forgiving. Or perhaps, it was because Silky warmed up to the mare for some reason, and shockingly (but not surprisingly) managed to make the mare warm up to her in return.

And more recently, the mare even helped you. She helped you back when you were just a filly, and she helped you recently when you were still trying to figure out this new body of yours. Of course, she also confirmed the suspicions you had this whole time. Especially given how you now understand her true nature a little more.

So, again, you are not really sure where the two of you stand.

Which means you are more than a little surprised by how much the two of you have talked, throughout this day.

"Eet's full o' holes," the mare, or rather the snakemare, says. "Full o' ponies as well, aye. Bu' we can get in well enof. No promises on gettin' out tho."

Axe says that as the two of you study the map you received from Jade Whistle. The gloomy mare had given you a rough sketch of where Copper Secateur appears to be staying. A tall building that is still under construction, on one of the corners of the city, where Jade's letter assured you the mare has been spending most of her time.

Which means, naturally, that was the place you, Axe and Biedde spent the entire day studying.



[Cut-off party: Selene, Axe, Biedde]

[Preparatory scouting, breakpoints 50/80/100/120]

[Roll: 77 + 50 (Axe, leader) + 30 (Moth total 6) = 157]

[Final threshold reached]



From what you gathered, the tall building is a "skyscraper". A watered down and less fancy version of a castle, that can be built for a fraction of the cost for public use. However, even that fraction of the cost is still quite expensive, and it seems the construction of this particular building has been on hold for months now.

You cannot say for sure if Copper herself had a hoof on pausing the construction efforts. However, the fact remains that she got herself quite the conveniently placed stronghold.

The building is tall, it is sufficiently built to be entirely walled and mostly habitable, and it is located on a well-developed part of the city. And thanks to its nature as a skyscraper-under-construction, it is not at all out of place in that part of the city, and everypony seems to take its presence as part of the scenery.

Furthermore, nobody suspects a thing when they see groups of ponies coming in and out of the place, dragging carts full of boxes. And why would they? After all, the ponies themselves are dressed like construction workers, and the crates are unassuming enough to look like regular building supplies.

The perfect coverup for a cult. The ideal way to hide in plain sight, and to have a warehouse-slash-headquarters in a place that is far more convenient than the outskirts of the city.

However, and much more importantly, there are several ways to get in without drawing attention.

"The guards seemed to know what they were doing, and they all know each other's faces," you say, "I don't think we should do something fancy like trying to smuggle ourselves in through a crate."

The three of you spent the entire day observing that building. Taking turns as you stealthily counted how many ponies went in and out, what methods they used to identify each other, and basically get used to the surrounding streets of that place.

You saw no signs of Copper Secateur herself. Although you can't be entirely sure, since you only know what her cutie mark looks like. But still, and more importantly, you all confirmed that everypony in that building seemed to know each other's faces. So, you would either have to prepare a very convincing lie, or you would have to enter that place entirely unnoticed.

And as you said, you are leaning towards the second option.

"Aye. Eet's still a bit weird tha' they were moving more stuff out than' in. Bu' ae figure our bes' chacne ees stil tha' place we found."

Axe says that as she pulls in another map. A larger and official map of Manehattan that, much like Jade's sketch, is now completely covered with your own notes and scribbles.

Because earlier this afternoon, while Biedde was keeping an eye on the building, you and Axe left to look for another approach.

And sure enough, the two of you eventually discovered…

"Yeah. The sewers are the farthest thing from a dignified entrance."

You say, as you look at the map of the city. Gazing at the long red line that starts on a sewer hole several blocks away and leads, through twists and turns, all the way to the structure itself.

"And I wasn't able to fit through some of those… pipes," you say, a particularly unpleasant and recent memory coming to your mind. "But you could, and you did confirm you reached the underside of the structure, so…"

You trail off, thinking of what other alternatives you have. Focusing on the maps and sketches that are on the room's sole table while Axe mumbles to herself.

After all, like you told them yesterday, your priorities are very clear. They are so clear that you still feel that same wave of anger inside your chest, whenever you run through them. You are here first and foremost to kill Copper Secateur. So, whether you accomplish that by breaking down the front door, or by sneaking in through the literal guts of the city, makes little difference.

Well, it only makes a difference to the extent that you meet more or less resistance, and leave more or less evidence of your actions. Your mother did ask you to keep that in mind, and you will do your best not to fail her.

But still… if there is another way for you to do this, then you have to consider it and…

"-ye fokken ignorin' me?"

Axe's voice snaps you out of your thoughts, as the snakemare follows her words by banging a hoof on the table.

"Oh, sorry, what?" you ask, looking up to see a particularly angry Axe looking at you.

Damn, did you mess something up? She has been so unusually… well, not amicable, but no-unpleasant today, that you would rather not accidentally set her off.

Although, judging by her expression, you might already have done that.

"Ae asked ye a question," she says, letting out a huff of air through her nose as she does.

And you…

"I… didn't quite catch that," you say. "And I am sorry. But could you repeat that?"

The snakemare rolls her eyes at her words, and she seems to mull over her thoughts for a few more seconds, as if weighting her options.

But eventually, she does speak again.

"Ae asked…" she says, but her next words are so low they are barely a grunted mumble. "Asked how yer sisser is doing an' such…"

She says that and you can't help but feel stunned for a few seconds.

Because now that you think about it, now that you are really looking at the mare, her usual grumpiness actually looks like… frustration?

And the fact she is asking about Silky of all things, also, catches you completely by surprise.

To the point that the words, and the truth, come out of your mouth before you can even think about them.

"She's… not doing well. It has been rough for her," you say, although putting that into words is a bit painful to you as well. "But she will get better. Mom will get better, Silky will get better, and hopefully she won't think about this at all a few weeks from now."

You watch as the mare purses her lips. She is looking down towards the maps, but you can tell from her unfocused eyes that she isn't really paying attention to them. Instead, she seems to be deep in thought.

And what is more, you also feel that…

The bindings, or maybe the link, that you have with Axe are quite curious. They are all unique, in their own way. But while Biedde's bindings make you feel cautious and nervous (to the point you have avoided even speaking to him at all), Axe's bindings feel different.

They feel like snakes coiling around your lungs, or maybe around something else you have inside of you. But not in a threatening way. Instead, it feels like she is holding onto you, as if afraid she might get pulled away at any second.

Which doesn't make any sense. Because Axe, you know, is very old. She is old, and she is large, and she isn't even a pony to begin with. She is a dangerous creature, that could easily take you on in a fight, even though fighting is not her specialty to begin with.

So why is it that, every now and then, she almost looks… afraid? How could she ever be afraid of anything? What could she ever be afraid of?

As you think about all of that, and look at her conflicted expression, you think you finally understand something. You think you finally understand what your sister saw in her, and why she goes to so much effort to be friendly with the snakemare.

And you can't help but try to take a page off Silky's book, as you continue to talk to her.

"If you are worried about her… maybe you should talk to her as well?" you say, trying to sound as conciliatory as possible. "Silky likes you, you know. So why don't you try to cheer her up yours-?"

"Fakoff," but the mare interrupts you almost instantly. And whatever you saw in her expression disappears just as quickly, as if she had pulled a hood over her head.

Her answer leaves you just as confused. And before you can say anything, the mare shakes her head and just storms out of the room, grumbling complaints as she does.

Leaving you alone.

Biedde isn't here. The old stallion, thankfully, agreed to stay behind and continue to observe Copper's building into the evening.

Baldomare and the other one are still out on their own errands.

But Axe? You have actually been thankful for Axe's company today. And you had hoped the mare at least shared the sentiment.

However, as she slams the door behind her as she leaves, you are once again reminded that you have no idea where the two of you stand.



…



Eventually, the five of you reconvene in the cramped inn room.

The sun has already set, and it is late at night. You have eaten a light meal, so you know the weight you feel in your stomach is being caused by something else.

And the four other creatures who are in the room with you… well, you are pretty sure they don't need to eat. Just like how they don't need to sleep, and the single-bed room that Biedde rented has been used exclusively by yourself.

Still, the four other creatures who are in the room with you are currently sharing what they learned, as you all make your final decisions on how to proceed.

Currently, you are all listening to Baldomare as she reports on her own efforts.

"I looked around the city and…"



[They have a Winter Name?, breakpoints 100/150]

[Roll: 21 9 + 50 (Baldomare, leader) + 30 (Secret Histories total 6) = 101]

[First threshold reached]



"… and I can confirm the Winter creature, that we suspect is under our enemy's control, is not in this city."

You consider asking her for more details. Because how can she be so sure? After all, this is a very large city, and you haven't heard anything about this monster that Copper controls other than that she is incredibly dangerous. As dangerous as the four pony-creatures sharing the room with you, at least.

But other than that, you don't really know anything? Your mother told you it visited her in her dreams once, in the form of an old mare who was carrying a painting or something. But still, you have your own concerns.

However, you know better now than to question Baldomare. And the three other creatures, also, take her word as a certainty. So, if Baldomare says the mysterious monster is not in Manehattan, you will believe her.

If nothing else, this is something for you to be thankful for. Even if the unknown location of this monster becomes a concern for the future.

"Other than that," Baldomare continues, "I couldn't find any of her other pet monsters. I am pretty sure she still has at least three windigoes on her hoofs. But I have no idea if they are inside this central building, or if she has them stashed somewhere else."

You feel another pang of concern inside your chest, as she says that.

But more than that, it strikes you how you seem to be the only pony in this room who is feeling any trepidation over these matters.

You suppose it makes sense, given their nature. Especially Baldomare's. After all, the link you have with her feels more like the distant light of a lighthouse, that is vaguely interested in aiming its light at you. But still, you would do well to remember that they are not…

"[Lantern]!"

The large, intimidating, and maddeningly normal mare who is standing on the corner of the room speaks up. And you all listen as…



[Context, breakpoints 50/80/100/120]

[Roll: 56 87 + 60 (Mareinette, leader) + 30 (Grail total 6) = 177]

[Last threshold reached]



… as she explains to you what she learned about Copper's cult.

She tells you all that the cult had been succeeding in entrenching itself in this city, over the last few months. First doing petty crimes, then offering seedy services. Until finally, for some reason, they started working on a few more legitimate avenues. Such as the art gallery they started funding, for some reason, as well as efforts to enter the maintenance industry, mostly for the city itself.

But more importantly, she tells you that the cult is scrambling right now. Tensions have been high for several weeks, following some "burning" incident that you didn't quite understand, given the strange words Mareinette used. And not long ago, right after their attack against your mother failed, Copper herself basically ordered the cult to go to ground. And for several days now they have been packing, moving, and erasing every trace of their existence that they can, in their efforts to vanish into the shadows.

Another month or two, you think, and Copper's cult would have completely disappeared. Together with the mare herself, no doubt. But thankfully, your retribution is coming so early that Mareinette's source didn't even know where they were going, or what their plans were after they vanished.

And, just like always, the link you share with her feels like tongues. And you will not think about that for a second more.



[You have confirmed that the "Name" your mother suspects to be in Copper's service is not in this city. You will alter your plans accordingly.]

[You have discovered more contextual information about the cult's activities. More options will be available to you once you begin your assault.]



You listen to all of that, and ultimately you decide to…

"Every day we spend preparing is another day we risk being discovered. Or worse, it's another day we risk that mare disappearing," you say to the room at large. And after you take one final, deep breath, you declare that "we strike tonight."

And the four pony-creatures, the four Names, nod back at you with varying degrees of amusement.



[You have decided not to make any more preparations, and stage the assault as soon as possible]

[Rolling enemy detection – results unknown]



- - -



[Day 3]



[You have decided to stage your assault]

[Item distribution]

Spoiler: Item distribution

Selene: SH 3, Heart 3, 1 Wrong Key.

Baldomare: Edge 3.

Daughter-of-Axes: Winter 1.

No other items left to be distributed.

The five of you finish what little preparations need to be made. The items your mother gifted you are distributed among everypony, and you all stalk out into the night.

Although the nights in this city are not as quiet and dark as those in Ponyville. Instead, tall poles of metal shine light down on the streets. And a crowd of ponies accustomed to the nightlife, almost completely different of the ones you saw during the day, fill the streets instead.

But you pay them little attention. Instead, you just stick closer to the shadow, you make a point of avoiding anypony's gaze, and you make your way to the building where your enemy lies.



[Infiltrating the outer sanctum, CD --]

[Auto-success, due to thorough scouting]



Or rather, you make your way to a sewer hole a few streets down the building. You and Biedde ensure no prying eyes are upon you as the three other mares file into the hole, before you follow and the old stallion closes it behind himself.

At first, you thought somepony would complain about this path. But Baldomare seems to be entirely untouched by the things, and the smells, that you find down in that place. And Mareinette, somehow, seems to fold into herself, traversing the tight holes and pipes like a spider out of a nightmare.

It is an undignified place, but your anger easily trumps your disgust. And soon enough, you are, according to Baldomare's own certainty, right underneath the building.

Axe asks you to stop using your horn for light, and you comply. And a few moments later, the very air around you seems to LURCH.

It happens without any sound, and you don't rightly understand what she did. But soon enough, you begin to feel a breeze of fresh (if stale) air coming from above you. And when you relight your horn, you see a perfectly circular hole leading up.

You allow yourself to reveal your wings for a few moments, just so you can climb your way up more easily.

And just like that…

… your heart is beating loudly inside your chest…

… your throat is dry…

… and even the farthest corners of your mind finally accept that this really is happening…

… but just like that, you are in.



[Infiltrating the inner sanctum, CD 120]

[Roll: 28 + 50 (Axe, leader) + 30 (Moth total 6) + 20 (Jade's scrying - fifth threshold) = 128]

[Success]

[No alarms will happen on time, no additional guard reinforcements for Copper]



The five of you sneak your way through the many levels of the building. The structure itself is largely finished, and it looks more than just the skeletal husk of a tower under construction. However, most of its rooms and corridors are, and its interior in general, is not yet polished. Walls and floors are made out of exposed concrete, rough on your horseshoes. Windows lie without any glass or shutters on them, allowing the night breeze in.

But still, you find more than enough evidence that this place is constantly being used for unreputable activities. More than just that, you find evidence that some ponies live here.

Jade's ritual, and Baldomare's educated guesses, point to your foe being at the very top of the building. Fitting, you suppose, especially if she has a pegasus to carry her away if she ever gets cornered. So, given how the exterior of the building is guarded and watched, you have no option but to take the long stairways that lead up.

You avoid the large and continuous stairs that snake through the side of the building, the one that is probably meant for an emergency of sorts, because you all agreed that it is either guarded, booby trapped, or both. Instead, you go up on a floor-by-floor basis, sneaking through that level of the building until you find a staircase connecting it to the next level, or making a path when the building blueprints did not order the connection of those floors.

The place is quiet, although not completely so. You do not hear loud noises or music, given the lengths they go to pretend this place is abandoned and still under construction. However, you do hear the voice of ponies every now and then.

More than once you pass by a passage that, uncharacteristically, is blocked by a wooden door. And the briefest investigation would reveal an entirely furnished and finished room behind it, probably serving as a dormitory or the likes for the cult.

More than once you pass by a passage that is blocked by a metal door, bolted to the wall and locked with thick chains. And without fail, Axe would let out a light scoff, muttering something about "amateur adept work", before you walked away.

And precisely once, you pass by something that sounds like a patrol. A trio of ponies, carrying flashlights, who were having a bored conversation as they walked down a corridor. But you were ready for something like that, thanks to Jade's report, and you retreat to a more inconspicuous part of the building until you are all satisfied the patrol had moved on to another floor.

Until finally, you reach the second-to-last floor. You climb up through an Axe-made hole into an empty room, but you immediately realize that the floor is carpeted and the walls are painted. This floor, you realize, was finished to the point that it was pleasant.

This, you know, is your enemy's nest.

The tugs of the bindings inside of you are now a familiar sensation, and they all shake with agreement as you order everypony to their agreed-upon duties.

No going back now.



[Inner sanctum reached]

[As per your previous plan, Mareinette and Baldomare have separated from you, to perform other functions]



Yourself, Axe and Biedde make your way out of the room. Walking through the long corridor, and scanning every door you pass by for something. Be it a sign that your foe is behind it, or the unwelcome face of a surprised guard.

But none of you are worried about being too quiet. You are all still being subtle and silent, but this is no longer the time to be careful.

Because no matter how many guards you avoid, or how silently you creep into a place. Inevitably, there always comes a point when you will have to get your hoofs dirty. The idea of a perfect assault, where you reach your opponent while he is still asleep and defenseless, is one that is almost impossible to achieve. And there will always be at least one guard by the door, or one surprised gasp to raise some sort of alarm.

So, the three of you make your way forward boldly, keeping your hoofsteps quiet enough just to make a listener question what they are hearing for a few more seconds.

After all, at this stage, a few seconds is more than enough to separate life from death.



[Ambush?]

[Attacker's roll: 31 + 50 (Biedde, combat-related leader) + 60 (Edge total 12) = 141]

[Defender's roll: 26 + 12 (Guard, leader) + 10 (Edge total 2) = 48]

[Attackers win, Defenders will receive a slowly-degrading "Surprised!" -10 malus during combat]



You carefully peek in through a half-open door, finding what looks like a kitchen mixed with a dining area. The number of chairs around a table makes you think this is meant for whatever followers your enemy trusts to be in this floor of the building.

A few paces to your side, Axe peeks into the keyhole of a wooden door. A forked tongue flickers out of her closed mouth, as if she is sniffing the air, and she quickly moves on to the next. This entire building, you think, was either going to be an apartment or an office building. But still, the fact remains that these long corridors have rows upon rows of doors for you three to work through. And any one of them could either have the stairs that lead to the final level, or maybe even the entrance to your target's living quarters.

At the far end of the corridor, Biedde is pressing his body against the wall, inching his face towards the corner as he spies what awaits after the curve. And suddenly, with a fluid motion, he sends you and Axe the signal that makes you both freeze for a second.

The old stallion raises his hoof, indicating that he sees somepony, and then he taps his flank a few times.



[Rolling for minimum number of guards: "1d4 – 1"]

[Roll: 3 – 1 = 2]



Two taps. Two ponies. Two guards.

…

A small part of you almost feels bad for what is about to happen next.

Almost.

But then, you remember your nearly-dead mother, your crying sister, your grieving father, and everything else that happened back at your home. And that feeling very quickly disappears.

You and Axe stalk towards Biedde, standing right behind the corner at the end of the corridor.

And then, you nod for the old stallion to proceed.



[Biedde has engaged a guard in combat]

[The Daughter-of-Axes has engaged a guard in combat]

Spoiler: Biedde combat rolls

[Biedde's health: 5/5]

[Guard-1 current health: 4/4]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Biedde – 0, Guard-1 – 0]

[?????: Biedde rolls twice, on the first of every two dice]



[Biedde: 21 64 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 144]

[Guard-1: 73 + 17 (total combat bonus) – 10 (Surprised!) = 80]



[Overflow: Biedde – 64, Guard-1 – 0]

[Guard-1 suffers one wound (-50 to Biedde's overflow)]



[Biedde: 62 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 142]

[Guard-1: 97 + 17 (total combat bonus) – 10 (Surprised!) = 104]



[Overflow: Biedde – 52, Guard-1 – 0]

[Guard-1 suffers one wound (-50 to Biedde's overflow)]



[Guard-1 is unable to attempt to escape due to the suddenness of the attack]

[Combat will continue as normal]

Spoiler: Axe combat rolls

[Axe's health: 5/5]

[Guard-2 current health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Axe – 0, Guard-2 – 0]



[Axe: 19 + 45 (total combat bonus) = 64]

[Guard-2: 11 + 16 (total combat bonus) – 10 (Surprised!) = 17]



[Overflow: Axe – 47, Guard-2 – 0]



[Axe: 27 + 45 (total combat bonus) = 72]

[Guard-1: 67 + 16 (total combat bonus) – 10 (Surprised!) = 73]



[Overflow: Axe – 47, Guard-2 – 1]



[Guard-2 is unable to attempt to escape due to the suddenness of the attack]

[Combat will continue as normal]

The three of you turn around the corner, with you following after the two Name-ponies. And sure enough, down the long and carpeted corridor you spot a pair of ponies sitting in front of a particularly fancy door.

The two ponies, bulky and strong-looking, seem to be entirely focused on a game of cards they are playing.

Or at least, you think they are holding cards on their hoofs. One of them has his back turned to you three, and the other seems to be looking intently at something that is on the ground between the two of them.

But you don't pay attention to any of those little details. In fact, you can't pay attention to anything else.

The only thing you can look at is the white in the eyes of one of the ponies, as he finally realizes the three of you are almost trotting towards them.

The three of you might as well have been ghosts, making your way as quickly and quietly as possible towards the two ponies. Like a violent breeze, or a silent nightmare on the corner of the eye.

However, the moment one of them looks at you, his eyes going wide in surprise-



"What the FU-?!"



-all Tartarus breaks loose.

There are still twenty paces between you and the two ponies. But the moment he realizes this is no longer the time for subtlety, Biedde leaps. The carpet under his hoofs tear wide open, as his hindlegs simply kick him into a horizontal jump.

He is right behind the larger pony, the one who is sitting with his back to you three, before your next heartbeat.

!!!

And with a loud, hammer-like kick of his foreleg, he slams the large stallion towards the wall.

You hear something break, and you don't think it was just the wall of the corridor. Followed by the dry gasp of a stallion who is in pain.

But that all happens so quickly you can barely process what is going on.

Axe, on the other hoof, is five paces behind Biedde. And the moment Biedde's target hits the wall, Axe is charging through the space where the large stallion was sitting.

You hear a hiss, and maybe a cry of fear from the other pony. But before you can blink, Axe has barreled into the second guard. A pile of cards is thrown into the air, and you swear the snakemare is now having her jaws held open by a terrified stallion.

However, you don't stop for neither of them. You don't spare the two ponies, or the two pony-like creatures, another second of your time.

There are two guards, for the three of you. You could help one of them, probably Axe, and this scuffle will be over in less than a minute.

But you are not here for the guards. And you will not reward your enemy for the mistake of placing so few of them by giving her more time.

Oh no, you are here to avenge your family. And you know exactly what that means.

You kick down the door that the two ponies were guarding, just as their surprised cries grow louder, and the sound of panic quickly transforms into the sound of fighting. But still, you kick down the door, and you leave that fight behind.

You fight lies ahead.



[No combatants available to block you. You will proceed to your target.]



[Ambush?]

[Selene's roll: 52 + 20 (Selene) + 15 (Edge total 3) = 87]

[Copper Secateur's roll: 98 + 10 (Martial) + 10 (Edge total 2) = 118]

[Defender wins, Copper Secateur will not receive any malus, or be subjected to any special restrictions]



You have less than a second to process what you are looking at.

A few seconds ago, you had thought that this might have been an important storage room. Because who knows, this is the second-to-last floor of the building, so maybe your target was one floor above you.

If that thought was still in your mind, you would probably be pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Because for a split second, you are greeted by the sight of a fully furbished apartment. You spot a nice, crimson-colored sofa, a few bookshelves with scrolls and books, and nearby table with crystal glasses. All of that lit by faint candles, carrying a pleasant scent.

If that thought was still in your mind, you would probably be happy that, instead, you found the right place.

But that thought is no longer in your mind. In fact, there is nothing in your mind right now.

The only thing you can think about is the adrenaline rushing through your veins.

"I KNEW THAT BITCH WOULD SEND SOMEPONY!"

And the fact that there is an earth pony mare, with nothing but rage in her eyes, rushing towards you.



[Copper Secateur has engaged you in combat]

Spoiler: Combat rolls

[Selene's health: 6/6]

[Copper's current health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Selene – 0, Copper – 0]



[Selene: 78 + 35 (total combat bonus) = 113]

[Copper: 47 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 67]



[Overflow: Selene – 46, Copper – 0]



[Selene: 33 + 35 (total combat bonus) = 68]

[Copper: 82 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 102]



[Overflow: Selene – 46, Copper – 34]



[Copper Secateur attempts to escape]

[Copper's roll: 43 + 10 (Martial) = 53]

[Selene's roll: 17 + 20 {Selene) = 37]

[Success, Copper has successfully disengaged, Selene will give chase]

One moment, your hoofs were kicking down a door. And on the next, there in a mare lunging at you.

But you don't react with shock. Perhaps your mind, or your logical side, freezes. But your body, or your instincts, still take over.

And you lunge back at her.

Because did she just call your mother a bitch?!

You jump at the mare and, inevitably, your bodies slam against each other. There is no finesse, no elegance, and no skill involved in this. Because for a moment, all that happens is that a rage-filled earth pony mare is grappling you with her forelegs, trying to grab hold of you at the same time she tries to kick you away, and you are doing the same.

You manage to land a blow on her chest. She backhoofs you on the face, and for a moment you see stars.

But a fraction of a second later, when you regain your senses, you turn to her and…

… and you realize she is making a break for the door!

"I will not let you-!" you yell after her, kicking your legs under her just as you see her tail disappear from sight.



[Giving chase]

[Copper's roll: 14 + 10 (Martial) = 24]

[Selene's roll: 15 + 20 (Selene) = 35]

[You have re-engaged Copper in combat]

[Biedde's and Axe's combat rolls omitted]



You gallop after her, running so quickly the side of your body clips against the open door. But your body barely registers the pain.

The rush out of the living space, being greeted by the sight of Axe constricting herself around one of the guards, with a knife lodged on the side of her somehow-elongated body. And you hear Biedde calmly saying something as he walks after a trail of blood, which has a large stallion lying at its end.

But you care for neither of those. Your mind is in such a frenzy you can't even register how strongly your heart is beating. And you are so focused that your vision is almost tunneled.

You only care about one thing.

Your eyes lock in on the flank of a fleeing mare, the sign on her side a replica of the one your mother drew to you.

You give chase.

And you think you yell something as you once again barrel towards her, before she ever has the chance to reach the corner of the corridor.

Spoiler: Combat rolls

[Selene's health: 6/6]

[Copper's current health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Selene – 46, Copper – 34]



[Selene: 95 + 35 (total combat bonus) = 130]

[Copper: 54 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 74]



[Overflow: Selene – 102, Copper – 34]

[Copper suffers two wounds (-100 to Selene's overflow)]



[Selene: 92 + 35 (total combat bonus) = 127]

[Copper: 13 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 33]



[Overflow: Selene – 96, Copper – 34]

[Copper Secateur has been defeated]

You don't gallop down the corridor as much as you throw yourself towards the mare.

You don't think, you don't stop, you just act.

When you are ten paces from her, you forget almost everything. You don't even remember the sorry state your family is in, just the anger you associated to all of that. To your failure to protect then, and how this is a chance to right that wrong.

When you are five paces from her, your mind is so focused that you don't even register the expression she has on her face is fear.

When your hoofs are a hairs breadth away from touching her coat, you don't even realize that you are seeing red.

If she had been a little quicker, or if she had just been able to dodge you, you might as well have made a hole in the wall.

But you do not hit the wall. Instead, you hit Copper Secateur. You hit Copper Secateur on the chest, with the two hoofs of your forelegs, together with all the momentum you could muster.

You hit Copper Secateur, and she hits the wall. In the fraction of a second, the other side of her chest hits the wall, and the momentum of your body just keeps pushing her. Pitting the strength of her thorax against that of the walls of the building itself.

Needless to say that solid cement is a little harder than a pony's bones.

And her ribs crack, break and crumble like a twig.



"-ack!"



…

And it takes you… several… several seconds… to realize that you are heaving.

Your mind… it actually takes more than just a few moments for you to reorient yourself.

But the first thing you notice is the smell of blood.

"H-ow… w-he-re did she…?"

You shake your head. Once. Twice. You shake your head, and the metallic smell of blood helps you come back to your senses.

You are currently standing over a mare, or the broken corpse of a mare, as she struggles to keep breathing.

There is blood on your hoofs. A lot of blood. And you think you can see the mark of your hoofs on the mare's coat, where the strength of your blows dug into her skin, surrounded by the white-painted-red signs of exposed bones.

You stare down at the ruined form of Copper Secateur, as she looks up to you in horror.

"Wh-ere did she… find a thing l-ike you?!"

She is looking up to you in horror, yes, but you can also see anger in her eyes.

And you… for a split second, you don't know what to do. The rational side of your mind, which had been buried under a river of adrenaline, finally dragged itself out of its stupor. But there are so many things going on right now that you can barely think straight.

Because you finally realized how tired you are. And you are beginning to feel the several little pains that are spread all over your body. And your face hurts where she hit you. And the smell coming from the mare is so bad.

There are so many thoughts in your mind right now, that you… well, you decide to ignore all of them.

Behind you, you can feel Biedde and Axe looking at you. The former with the curious glint of judgment in his eyes, and the latter waiting for something to happen You have no doubt they have already finished their own opponents, and that they are…

"Go take care of any evidence," you say to the two of them.

You say that more out of rote than anything else. Because doing that, covering your traces, was a part of your original plan. And following a plan means you don't have to do something as complicated as making a decision right now.

You say that, and Axe moves to obey. She hesitates for a moment, but a few seconds later she finally gives you a half-nod before going away.

Biedde, on the other hoof… stays.

"S-he is going to use you. She a-lready is," the mare croaks through her broken ribs.

And despite all the pain she is feeling, you can also hear the conviction behind her words.

"Shut up," you say, as you try your best to just think.

Because why are you hesitating? What is the problem with you?!

You won. You won! It is as simple as that. Just do it. Finish the job, and you can go back home.

It doesn't matter that you haven't killed her yet, your hoofs are already covered in blood! The deed is already done! There is no difference between doing it now, and just leaving her to bleed to her death.

This mare attacked your family. This mare almost killed your mother. You didn't come here to talk to her. You didn't receive instructions to capture here. You are here to kill her.

So why… are you… hesitating?!

"Sh-e is going to use y-ou like she use-d me. L-ike she u-sed EVERYPONY. Just look int-o her eye-s and you wi-ll see," she coughs for a few moments, and several lines of blood fall down her mouth. "All that matters to her is the climb. She is blinded by Glory, and the bitch w-"

"I said SHUT UP!" you snap back at her. Something inside of you breaking as she once again insults your mother.

The mare lets out another pained gasp, and it takes you a moment to realize you have a hoof pressing against the broken remains of her chest.

But you don't care. Your anger is winning out once again, and you just don't care.

You feel her struggle under your hoof, trying to form words that she can't really push out of her mouth. But you already know what she is going to say, and you won't have any more of that.

"My mother is not like that," you say, almost hissing the words as you do. "And you will become a lesson to anypony else who tries to hurt my family."

You say that, and then you light up your horn.

And the mare's eyes go wide as she watches the light at the tip of your horn spread through the rest of your body. Copper Secateur's expression twists into something, when she finally realizes that…

… when she finally realizes there is an alicorn, a Princess, stepping down on her ruined body.

However, to your absolute surprise, the thing on her face is not fear. Instead…

"-ah, -ah, -ah…"

… instead, the mare is… laughing?

"… y-ou sai-d mo-ther…?"

Yes, you are sure of it. The mare has an insane smile on her face. This is not an expression that any pony should have on their faces, ever. But Copper Secateur is looking at you with an almost psychotic smile.

As if the final piece of a great puzzle had just clicked.

As if she had just realized the punchline of a joke.

And she is laughing, now. Even if the image on the puzzle is that of her death, and even if she just realized she is the butt of the joke.

She takes one last, pained breath, and her lips begin to move. She tries to say something, about how she knew it all along, or how this all makes sense, or how your mother is somehow manipulating you or some other nonsense.

She tries to do something like that.

But her expression is just so insane, so unnaturally unnerving that-



[Evidence coverup: Selene]

[Roll: 64 + 20 (Selene) + 30 (Selene: no holds barred) + 15 (Selene's Edge, level 3) + 30 (Expedition's Moth total 6) = 159]

[The CD to investigate the aftermath of this assault has been set to "159"]



-you light up your horn.

More.

And more.

And more.

Until the glare of the moon itself is shining out of the center of your forehead.

The last thing Copper Secateur sees is a blinding flash of moonlight.

And the mare herself, the nearby walls, and all the top floors of that building are completely vaporized from the ensuing explosion.



[Main objective completed]

Spoiler: Additional objectives

[Additional objectives: Baldomare]

[As per your plan, Baldomare separated from your main group to locate and destroy critical evidence]



[Finding critical evidence]

[Auto-success due to Jade's scrying - sixth threshold]

[Destroying critical evidence, cd 60]

[Roll: 26 + 30 (Baldomare) + 0 (Forge total 0) = 56]

[Failure]



[Additional objectives: Mareinette]

[As per your plan, Mareinette separated from your main group to find and loot as many items as possible]



[Finding moveable assets]

[Auto-success due to Jade's scrying - third threshold]

[From chaos, opportunities, breakpoints 60/80/100/120/150]

[Roll: 85 75 + 40 (Old and Terrible) + 30 (Grail total 6) + 20 ("Context" final breakpoint) = 175]

[Last breakpoint reached]

Maybe you shouldn't have done that.

Maybe you didn't think straight, or you just didn't think at all.

But if you are ever going to regret doing this, then this regret will have to hit you later, because you certainly can't feel it right now.

Still, you only realize what you have done after the deed is done, and after there is nothing between you and the night sky. The top of the building is gone, although you don't think you damaged any fo the neighboring structures. The top of the building is gone, the mare's corpse is obviously gone, and you hear Biedde letting out a faint chuckle from right behind you.

That is, until you realize it is impossible for Biedde to be right behind you. Because there is no floor under your hoofs, and you are currently flying.

The Name is gone, because of course it is. They are all gone. And as per your plan, you are all supposed to meet back in Ponyville now.

So, you quickly hide on the smoldering ruins of the skyscraper, before anypony realizes there is an alicorn flying above it. And you quietly escape during the ensuing chaos.

There were more than just a few cultists in that building, but none of them realize they don't know you as they all rush to escape.

And you reach the ground floor of the building, and rush into the gathering crowd, before the first firefighter or constable even hears about what just happened.



[You have completed your main objective, and decided to retreat without pursuing any other opportunities]

[Expedition completed]





- - -

- - -

- - -





Much, much later, you would report your success to your tired mother.

You would tell her that you killed a pony with your own bare hoofs, and that your family is safer for it. You hold back the question, of whether you should feel proud or regretful, because you realize you shouldn't burden her with that.

And what is more, the relieved sigh you hear from her is all the answer you need.

You report to her that Baldomare located the manuscripts she talked about, but that they were locked inside a safe. The Name-mare could not crack the safe open before the chaos began, and you had no time to look for it after the building began to crumble. So, for all that you know Copper had them, you have no idea about their current fate.

You also report to her that Mareinette… performed well. You do not like that creature, and you do not want to be thankful for her. But still, according to the monster, she "rallied" the panicked cultists and "organized" them into collecting several of the cult's precious items before fleeing, so they could be "evacuated". The mare-thing then hauled the cart back here herself, and stored it in the cellar she calls her home. You are conflicted about the idea of storing stolen or ill-gained goods, but your mother said she will take stock of that later.

You are sure she will make the right decision, whatever that is.

And finally, you tell her that…



[You had the opportunity to PLANT EVIDENCE, during this expedition, for your investigators to discover]



Note that:
-You cannot predict what evidence your investigators will find out about the cult itself. They might be able to piece together several things about the cult, Lore related or mundane, or nothing at all.
-You CAN guarantee that whatever evidence you "plant" will be discovered by your investigators.
-However, for every evidence you plant, there is the chance your investigators will be able to trace things back to your faction. Or, in the alternative, there is a chance they will realize the evidence was planted to begin with.



What evidence did you plant, before escaping the cult's headquarters?

(You may assume whatever you pick was prepared ahead of time, for the purpose they are intended for)
(You may assume none of these options have any "glaring flaws" that might link back to you, such as hoofwriting or other things. However, there is no guarantee your investigators won't link them to your faction)



[] Nothing. (You did not plant any evidence. Better safe than sorry.)

-[] You planted a cache of false information, meant to throw your investigations off any trails they might pick up. (Attempt to make the investigator's job more difficult, on all fronts)

-[] A "journal" explaining that some members of this cult acted in Ponyville, before moving to Manehattan. (Attempt to point your investigators towards Ponyville, although this might be a bad idea)

-[] A "letter" sent from Windy Flakes. (Attempt to tell your investigators about Windy Flakes as a pony of interest)

-[] A very vague treatise about the Mansus, and the Lores. (This will have no inherent "Lore level", but attempt to point your investigation towards the existence of the Lores)

-[] A detailed treatise about one of the Lores. One, or several of them. (You will leave pre-prepared copies of Lore manuscripts. WRITE IN how many Lore levels, capped at your own Library levels)

-[] WRITE IN

(If writing-in, suggest the "effect" that you want rather than the narrative description behind it. You may suggest anything, pending QM approval, as long as it is something that can be left behind in the form of a letter, a scroll, or a very small item)





Out of nowhere, the bustling city of Manehattan was deafened by a roaring explosion. A sudden, but thankfully "small", disaster rocking the night sky of the metropolis without warning. The midnight-clad investigators of the Lunar Bureau had the entire city block sealed off before midday of the following day. Their swift (and almost providentially quick) response managing to offset the panic that could have spread due to such a gruesome accident.

The newspapers will have quite a lot to write about, for the next few days.

In more important news, you have successfully completed an expedition.

No ponies in your assault team were wounded. No items were lost. The "haul" Mareinette returned with will be revealed and counted later.

For now, decide what Selene left behind for the investigators to find, if she left anything at all. For the sake of interpretation, assume you had instructed her to leave any evidence you vote on before she departed, and that this was part of the expedition plan all along.

Vote in PLANS, in case you want to leave more than one thing. And simply vote for "Nothing" if you don't want to leave anything. Whatever you decide to plant will be found by your investigators, for good or ill.

Twelve hours moratorium.

Copper Secateur, the mare who, in truth, helped you climb out of the rut that was your life several years ago, has been killed. She died, laughing, as she realized the depth of your betrayal to her.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Man, Copper quest must be pissed.

 

[AuthorTransient]

Copper Secateur, the mare who, in truth, helped you climb out of the rut that was your life several years ago, has been killed. She died, laughing, as she realized the depth of your betrayal to her.

Click to shrink...

But you betrayed us first.

...

Moving past that - critical evidence was not destroyed. What do? I absolutely cannot think of a way to turn that around right now.

EDIT: Can you imagine? Mundane investigators cracking open a safe that a Name couldn't open. Hilarious. OTOH, there's a chance someone else took it as they escaped, but I very much doubt so.

EDIT 2: If we're dropping a Lore manuscript here, do we want to use Moth or do we want Forge or Knock, as the latter two subverts Lantern?

 

[Venerable Ro]

So that went pretty well, except for the whole "Baldomare couldn't get a DC60 safe open" part, but other than that, great success!

Hmm, you know what we need, we need a manuscript that will resonate with one or more of our investigators, that we can use as a dovetail justification to begin our own pantomime of Dreaming.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

I'll note, before people start panicking, that 150 is the breakpoint that is supposed to be, under normal circumstances, impossible for a mortal to achieve.

Granted, nat100s exist, but still.

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

Thank you for the great update, Bird. To say my nerves were high while reading would be an understatement. I was absolutely enthralled, and I appreciate every little detail you included.

So that went pretty well, except for the whole "Baldomare couldn't get a DC60 safe open" part, but other than that, great success!

Click to shrink...

I can't blame her for failing a Forge check. It's pretty obvious that destruction would be Forge, looking back on it. (Hindsight is 20/20).

Since our manuscripts weren't destroyed, is it worth planting other manuscripts as evidence? Specifically, manuscripts that mimic others' hand hoofwriting to make it seem like the unknown author was trying to disguise their own. Although, I suppose that idea would just be a mix of the false evidence and the vague treatise options.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Alright, so here's what I'm thinking. We've got Lores we want to doctor, we've also got a perspective we want to push. So what if we left that old journal that gave us the map to the second level of the Canterlot Expedition, translation notes for the journal, and another book in the same style as said journal that describes the Lores of our choosing. That'd give us historical context for the stuff and establish it as "valid", and it'd also give us a justification to dig into the topic under the aegis of national security.

Basically setting up the narrative that Copper's cult uncovered something old and dangerous, which subsequently got away from them, and thus caused the magical detonation. Therefore the Lunar Bureau must do what it can to pursue an understanding of these lost mysteries before the enemies of Equestria bring them against us.

 

[Shaper47]

Your name doesn't really matter. If anypony asks, you will call yourself Midnight Breeze, or something along those lines.

Click to shrink...

She calls herself Aloma Steele.

Well, our train should be arriving shortly

Click to shrink...

I knew they just thought trains were cool.

He says that.

And you immediately know he is lying.

Click to shrink...

What could this be?

-ah, -ah, -ah…"

… instead, the mare is… laughing?

"… y-ou sai-d mo-ther…?"

Click to shrink...

Copper Secateur, the mare who, in truth, helped you climb out of the rut that was your life several years ago, has been killed. She dies, laughing, as she realized the depth of your betrayal to her.

Click to shrink...

We backstabed her hard.

 

[AuthorTransient]

Alright, so here's what I'm thinking. We've got Lores we want to doctor, we've also got a perspective we want to push. So what if we left that old journal that gave us the map to the second level of the Canterlot Expedition, translation notes for the journal, and another book in the same style as said journal that describes the Lores of our choosing. That'd give us historical context for the stuff and establish it as "valid", and it'd also give us a justification to dig into the topic under the aegis of national security.

Basically setting up the narrative that Copper's cult uncovered something old and dangerous, which subsequently got away from them, and thus caused the magical detonation. Therefore the Lunar Bureau must do what it can to pursue an understanding of these lost mysteries before the enemies of Equestria bring them against us.

Click to shrink...

Do we also want to drop something like 'we coerced / blackmailed Velvet Covers to help us', or would that be too overboard? Something like in the finances there's mention of Velvet Covers and the 'costs' of using her. Something like that.

 

[Xoden]

A curious mix of high and low rolls.

 

[Shaper47]

So what if we left that old journal that gave us the map to the second level of the Canterlot Expedition, translation notes for the journal, and another book in the same style as said journal that describes the Lores of our choosing.

Click to shrink...

No because that would ruin that expedition.

-[] You planted a cache of false information, meant to throw your investigations off any trails they might pick up. (Attempt to make the investigator's job more difficult, on all fronts)

Click to shrink...

Sounds solid.

-[] A very vague treatise about the Mansus, and the Lores. (This will have no inherent "Lore level", but attempt to point your investigation towards the existence of the Lores)

Click to shrink...

Exactly what we want.

Going too specific would just have Eclipse steal it but general lets us get a good foundation.

-[] WRITE IN

(If writing-in, suggest the "effect" that you want rather than the narrative description behind it. You may suggest anything, pending QM approval

Click to shrink...

@OurLadyOfWires

Maybe something regarding fighting the Changelings? The cult did ice the Changelings primary hive and break their Queens lies enslaving Celestia.

Or something regarding the cults search for Luna and how they found out she's alive because her dream door is still around. With a literal ton of warnings about the Worms in the dreamlands?

Are these effects ok?

 

[Venerable Ro]

No because that would ruin that expedition.

Click to shrink...

Would it? We just got quite the haul of treasure, that's our immediate monetary issues sorted, probably got some nifty artifacts too. Anything else in that expedition is either random books which we can study anyway in our position as Commissioner, or that pipe-dream tier three ritual space which I'm honestly happy to relegate (if it even turns out to be a thing) to the Bureau's official use for tinkering with outside of Eclipse's purview.

Going too specific would just have Eclipse steal it but general lets us get a good foundation.

Click to shrink...

Nah, see, we know from the very beginning that while the Lores are internally consistent they are not externally consistent. That is, they're very unintuitive until you're actually brought into the Know. Therefore, so long as we don't just Lore-dump Lantern it won't be immediately recognizable to Midday's lot as Lore, or at least it won't be a part of the paradigm they're working under.

In all honesty, Eclipse's secrecy is to our benefit, without knowing what they're doing there's no reason for us to bring a purported R&D division in on dusty old historical records.

 

[spiderhellian]

Pittauro-posting:

"It is the thing that you don't know that kills you," he says.

Click to shrink...

This a scary line to start things off with. What is he doing?

Roll: 94 32 + 14 (Jade Whistle) + 40 (Lantern 3) – 10 (Wards) = 138]

Click to shrink...

WOW Jade! Clutched it.

Ae asked…" she says, but her next words are so low they are barely a grunted mumble. "Asked how yer sisser is doing an' such…"

Click to shrink...

Oh Axe…

I hope we can help her next turn. I don't want her to be alone again.

[Infiltrating the inner sanctum, CD 120]

[Roll: 28 + 50 (Axe, leader) + 30 (Moth total 6) + 20 (Jade's scrying - fifth threshold) = 128]

[Success]

[No alarms will happen on time, no additional guard reinforcements for Copper]

Click to shrink...

Jade comes through!

The only thing you can think about is the adrenaline rushing through your veins

Click to shrink...

I feel the same way reading this. My heart is pounding.

[Selene: 95 + 35 (total combat bonus) = 130]

[Copper: 54 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 74]



[Overflow: Selene – 102, Copper – 34]

[Copper suffers two wounds (-100 to Selene's overflow)]



[Selene: 92 + 35 (total combat bonus) = 127]

[Copper: 13 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 33]



[Overflow: Selene – 96, Copper – 34]

[Copper Secateur has been defeated]

Click to shrink...

Holy crap those roles. Selene is not playing games here. Luna is ending this.

"Sh-e is going to use y-ou like she use-d me. L-ike she u-sed EVERYPONY. Just look int-o her eye-s and you wi-ll see," she coughs for a few moments, and several lines of blood fall down her mouth. "All that matters to her is the climb. She is blinded by Glory, and the bitch w-"

Click to shrink...

Normally the thread is Velvet's subconscious, so it's eerie how well the recent conversation dovetails with Copper's thoughts here.

Destroying critical evidence, cd 60]

[Roll: 26 + 30 (Baldomare) + 0 (Forge total 0) = 56]

[Failure]

Click to shrink...

LOL of course there are loose ends! Of course!

Oh well.

---

Holy shit. Well that just happened. I've got some quick thoughts below, but mostly I'm just going to need to recover and reread. That was intense.

Will have to think about the evidence. Maybe Windy, it gives our investigators a useful target next turn? Maybe intro to lores, so we can get that going?

Also — is it just me or is Mareinette absolutely hard-carrying this turn. What an amazing friend. We gotta start putting the honoured in Honoured Guest!

EDIT: Also this may have been the longest update ever? It's the longest thread mark at least, though that doesn't count spoilered text so maybe it's beaten by the PtN or the Nat100 book search.

 

[jelloloaf]

Copper Secateur, the mare who, in truth, helped you climb out of the rut that was your life several years ago, has been killed. She died, laughing, as she realized the depth of your betrayal to her.

Click to shrink...

Rest in peace, Copper.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Do we also want to drop something like 'we coerced / blackmailed Velvet Covers to help us', or would that be too overboard? Something like in the finances there's mention of Velvet Covers and the 'costs' of using her. Something like that.

Click to shrink...

Eh, that sounds like too much, it's raise the automatic question of why we, one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria were willing to suffer blackmail or declined to mention it once we attained this position.

 

[Shaper47]

Anything else in that expedition is either random books which we can study anyway in our position as Commissioner, or that pipe-dream tier three ritual space which I'm honestly happy to relegate (if it even turns out to be a thing) to the Bureau's official use for tinkering with outside of Eclipse's purview.

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We got two level 5 books and a Lantern 4 artifact from part 2.

With the very large hint that all the good stuff is in part 3.

Therefore, so long as we don't just Lore-dump Lantern it won't be immediately recognizable to Midday's lot as Lore, or at least it won't be a part of the paradigm they're working under.

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If they weren't mainlining Lantern that might be the case.

But Lantern is revealing.

Also — is it just me or is Mareinette absolutely hard-carrying this turn. What an amazing friend. We gotta start putting the honoured in Honoured Guest!

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Yeah she just great.

Totally should become her friend.

 

[jelloloaf]

Eh, that sounds like too much, it's raise the automatic question of why we, one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria were willing to suffer blackmail or declined to mention it once we attained this position.

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I agree; linking back to ourselves too directly feels like a risky move with few potential benefits. What do we gain by calling our credibility into question in exchange for implicating someone who's already dead?

What an amazing friend. We gotta start putting the honoured in Honoured Guest!

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Even with all that she has done for us, and all that we have done for her, we still refuse her true friendship. Truly, we are a wretched fool, divided at the heart; a heart that will one day beat us to death.

 

[Greymere]

[Lantern, CD variable]

[Jade Whistle will invoke a re-roll]

[Roll: 94 32 + 14 (Jade Whistle) + 40 (Lantern 3) – 10 (Wards) = 138]


[6 success thresholds reached]


Information acquired:
1 – Copper Secateur's location has been confirmed to be in Manehattan. (Scouting the city for whereabouts of her presence is no longer necessary)
2 – Copper Secateur's precise location has been discovered. (Searching the city for her location is no longer necessary)
3 – The precise location of her moveable assets has been discovered. (Searching her stronghold for said assets, during the assault, is no longer necessary)
4 – The general layout of her defenses has been scouted. (General information acquired)
5 – The finer details of her defenses have been scouted. (Useful information acquired, plus situational bonuses)
6 – The precise location of an important item (Velvet Covers' original Manuscripts) has been discovered. (Additional options available during the assault)
7 onwards – [THRESHOLD NOT REACHED]

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Hah! Go Jade! Rerolls are great.

Copper: 47 + 20 (total combat bonus) = 67

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Copper's roll: 43 + 10 (Martial) = 53

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Huh. Looks like Copper has some Edge in her. Presumably Edge 2 based on the +10 difference.

[The CD to investigate the aftermath of this assault has been set to "159"]

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Well, that's probably not getting successfully figured out by Loreless Bureau members any time soon

What evidence did you plant, before escaping the cult's headquarters?

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I don't think we should leave anything. Either the cult's remnants will be enough to find the Lores, or it won't and we should find another way. This assault was in part to clean up after ourselves, lets not leave more loose threads to be pulled on.

But you betrayed us first.
Moving past that - critical evidence was not destroyed. What do? I absolutely cannot think of a way to turn that around right now.

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Send a follow-up next turn? It's not exactly going anywhere.

And re: our betrayal, I think it's more referring to the whole "we were hiding Luna from the cult this whole time" thing. Which yes, is technically a betrayal, but in our defense we didn't actually intend it as one!

Edit:
That being said, I wonder where Neighnia is and what she's up to, if she's not in Manehattan? Preparing the new cult location? Expedition?

 

[Shaper47]

Instead, it feels like she is holding onto you, as if afraid she might get pulled away at any second.

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So why is it that, every now and then, she almost looks… afraid? How could she ever be afraid of anything? What could she ever be afraid of?

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Don't worry little hatching soon you'll be out of those chains and with your new mother.

Of course daughters belong to their mothers.

[They have a Winter Name?, breakpoints 100/150]

[Roll: 21 9 + 50 (Baldomare, leader) + 30 (Secret Histories total 6) = 101]

[First threshold reached]

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Baldomare's really letting us down.

I was all pumped for Lantern mind rape shenanigans and SH hax.

Is she even trying?

She can't even scry past Moldywarp's stone for Glory's sake.

Hope she does better tracking next turn.

[Context, breakpoints 50/80/100/120]

[Roll: 56 87 + 60 (Mareinette, leader) + 30 (Grail total 6) = 177]

[Last threshold reached]

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Now this is a horse-leech that knows how to get things done.

And for several days now they have been packing, moving, and erasing every trace of their existence that they can, in their efforts to vanish into the shadows.

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Interesting, I wonder what our minion will find.

[Biedde's health: 5/5]

[Guard-2 current health: 3/3]

[Current overflow (damage occurs on 50): Axe – 0, Guard-2 – 0]



[Axe: 19 + 45 (total combat bonus) = 64]

[Guard-2: 11 + 16 (total combat bonus) – 10 (Surprised!) = 17]

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@OurLadyOfWires Pretty sure you mean "Axe's" not "Biedde's" here.