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

[Iustus Vitea]

Yeah, the Meniscate, the Madrugad, the Sun-in-Rags, and the Wolf-Divided. That's four.

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Right I just checked and the SiS has 3 kids while the Wolf is counted separately as his wound. The pilgrimage makes specific mention of the 4 Solar Hours being devoured by the 7 and the Wolf is not a Solar Hour. So the candidates were left with for the 4 are SiS' kids and the Watchman himself.

I suppose either the Flowermaker or the Colonel could sub in for the Watchman but they have no connection to SiS and have no mention in anything related to the Prophecy.

 

[Greymere]

Right I just checked and the SiS has 3 kids while the Wolf is counted separately as his wound. The pilgrimage makes specific mention of the 4 Solar Hours being devoured by the 7 and the Wolf is not a Solar Hour. So the candidates were left with for the 4 are SiS' kids and the Watchman himself.

I suppose either the Flowermaker or the Colonel could sub in for the Watchman but they have no connection to SiS and have no mention in anything related to the Prophecy.

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The Watchman's even less a child of the SiS than the Flowermaker, who's at least related to the Forge. The only direct connection I can think of btwn the Watchman and the SiS besides the pilgrimage itself is Sunset Celia, who's a former Name(?) of the SiS before changing employment to work for the Watchman.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

The Watchman's even less a child of the SiS than the Flowermaker, who's at least related to the Forge. The only direct connection I can think of btwn the Watchman and the SiS besides the pilgrimage itself is Sunset Celia, who's a former Name(?) of the SiS before changing employment to work for the Watchman.

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…I never said he was a child of SiS? I merely said the children are three and while the WD was produced in the Interclate he isn't counted as a child. As for the pilgrimage it makes mention not of SiS' 4 children but of 4 Solar Hours. The three are practically confirmed and only the 4th slot is in contention with that one most likely being the Watchman.

 

[Greymere]

…I never said he was a child of SiS? I merely said the children are three and while the WD was produced in the Interclate he isn't counted as a child. As for the pilgrimage it makes mention not of SiS' 4 children but of 4 Solar Hours. The three are practically confirmed and only the 4th slot is in contention with that one most likely being the Watchman.

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Nooo? The only mention is the four children of the SiS. Also the Watchman isn't a Solar Hour anyway because afaik, the defining trait of the Solar Hours is that they're products of the Intercalate.

Spoiler: studytimedivision

'The Sun will be divided that it might not sire children. Still its children shall be Four in number and its children shall be Seven in number and its children shall also be Numberless. The Numberless shall open the way for the Seven, and the Seven shall consume the Four...'

Edit: Though I will grant that considering the rest of the quote, "children" may pretty much be a meaningless term, since the pilgrims (the Seven) aren't the literal children of the Sun. In which case we're right back to ??? re: who's the Four.

 

[DelightedOne]

Nooo? The only mention is the four children of the SiS. Also the Watchman isn't a Solar Hour anyway because afaik, the defining trait of the Solar Hours is that they're products of the Intercalate.

Spoiler: studytimedivision

'The Sun will be divided that it might not sire children. Still its children shall be Four in number and its children shall be Seven in number and its children shall also be Numberless. The Numberless shall open the way for the Seven, and the Seven shall consume the Four...'

Edit: Though I will grant that considering the rest of the quote, "children" may pretty much be a meaningless term, since the pilgrims (the Seven) aren't the literal children of the Sun. In which case we're right back to ??? re: who's the Four.

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I always interpreted the children of the Sun as The Flowermaker, The Sun-in-Rags, The Meniscate and The Madrugad. The last three were confirmed as the Solar Hours and the first is the only one that fits since it is a god-from-Light.

I remember The Flowermaker was made by "the first Forbidden Acts" commited by the Forge of Days and that is associated with the Flint but the lore also states that he was an "unfullfiled ache" for a long time. So I think he only achieved proper Hourhood(and existence) after the Intercalate as a result of the Forge repeating those Forbidden acts(killing a fellow Hour) the alternative is him going through something similar to the Oficial Solar Hours(he existed but didn't become an Hour until the death of the Sun, so that could make him a Solar Hour).

 

[Iustus Vitea]

Ah I miss remembered the Hours from Light to be synonymous with the Solar Hours but regardless of that I really don't think this is going to involve WD. Beyond just the BoH endings, Wolf existing in some capacity as part of SiS' brand before the Interclate, Wolf's end being impossible outside of the whole, end of the world and it just being more thematically appropriate that it's the Solar Hours and the Watchman there is the fact that for SiS to come back via pilgrimage SiR has to be consumed so it can't be his body there. And while there is the option that our foundation is suspect and we're reaching with our conclusions and that SiS didn't come back because of the Pilgrimage but because of something the FoD did…

Well we have nothing to prove one way or another beyond maybe asking Baldomare.

…Actually, is that an action we can take? Ask Baldomare for a History lesson? Later I mean, when we aren't so pressed and have nothing for her to do.

 

[Greymere]

…Actually, is that an action we can take? Ask Baldomare for a History lesson? Later I mean, when we aren't so pressed and have nothing for her to do.

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Alas, Baldomare will not tell us things we don't already know

 

[Iustus Vitea]

Baldomare won't but there are other Names who would, Marinette for one and Neighina for another. The Master might have too but that's behind us now.

 

[Skitzyfrenic]

Time to re-read so I end up in the correct place.

 

[Solace2117]

I still would have preferred the Harmony option to get a better idea of its effects and because I think it would have been an overall positive. I am glad we avoided the potential for false positive Outsiders though. As interested as I am in exploring the rest of the setting, getting to the end of an Expedition only to have to start all over would have been incredibly frustrating. It potentially saves us a lot of steps, but all the options potentially gave us time saving opportunities. I think the thread angst at a surprise false positive would have been real high and I'm glad we avoided that.

 

[Alan975]

once we have everything needed to open the lock we could just stop for a while. Like for a few turns, do all that funky shit we wanted and then open the lock and walk through the Gate.

…That is assuming we haven't run out the clock on Marinette or some other big problem hasn't popped up and started to gun for Velvet.

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As much as I am for this so that we can mine Bird for even more content, the picture that it paints in universe is hilarious.

Like, imagine Jades or even Baldomares reactions if we're one step from glory and just go "actually, I have some errands to run, I'll get to this later".

 

[Zxzx24]

As much as I am for this so that we can mine Bird for even more content, the picture that it paints in universe is hilarious.

Like, imagine Jades or even Baldomares reactions if we're one step from glory and just go "actually, I have some errands to run, I'll get to this later".

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Oh god. I dearly hope not.

On the other hand that's a very... vodeogamey approach isn't it?

 

[Crystal Violet]

Mm, my take on the whole affair is that more detailed decisions are something that will have to wait for the next update. As much as we would like to, we can't exactly plan very well with so little information on what's about to happen, and I suppose anything else would basically be speculation.

On the other hand, I'm quite surprised that we do indeed get to roll for a search, though I probably shouldn't have been given it was mentioned that all the choices would be beneficial no matter which one we chose. I guess it seemed underwhelming at the time, but this was a pretty major decision in hindsight, given I assume any other choice would have provided much the same amount of help in any given direction.

Though, as has probably been restated multiple times, this is the path we chose, so all we can do is work with it. It'll probably be interesting regardless, and despite everything there is enough time remaining to get at some interesting worldbuilding data points as we strive for Glory.

I'm personally interested in seeing what will happen with Selene, but all in due time. ^-^

Hm, as I recall there's a certain time limit on the summoning of Names, or at least a limit in any case regarding beings in the Wake. Ultimately it'll depend on our time investment, but, again, detailed plans are limited by information, at least for now.

In regards to all the loose ends we have lying around, I assume we'll get to them at some point... as long as no more new things pop up. I think that's unlikely to happen, though. However, I do hope we'll have enough breathing room in a while to work some of the things we didn't get around to into our plans later on.

Not being familiar with Cult Simulator or any extensions myself, I can't say I have much to add on that topic, unfortunately. It certainly looks like a lot of interesting information being discussed, however.

...well, that's it for my thoughts.

 

[Lorrie]

Hm, as I recall there's a certain time limit on the summoning of Names, or at least a limit in any case regarding beings in the Wake. Ultimately it'll depend on our time investment, but, again, detailed plans are limited by information, at least for now.

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Oh fuck I just remembered Mareinette becomes unbound at the end of next turn. She'll offer a deal to remain bound but I'm very leery as to what it'll entail.

 

[DelightedOne]

Oh fuck I just remembered Mareinette becomes unbound at the end of next turn. She'll offer a deal to remain bound but I'm very leery as to what it'll entail.

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We were led to believe she will ask for something along the lines of "Let me live in your home".

 

[Pittauro]

Oh fuck I just remembered Mareinette becomes unbound at the end of next turn. She'll offer a deal to remain bound but I'm very leery as to what it'll entail.

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eh, we were told the first request will be easy to accept, the second more problematic, and we'll most likely not be willing to accept the 3rd.

I'm expecting something like pick 1 being "being allowed in the house".

 

[Greymere]

We were led to believe she will ask for something along the lines of "Let me live in your home".

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eh, we were told the first request will be easy to accept, the second more problematic, and we'll most likely not be willing to accept the 3rd.

I'm expecting something like pick 1 being "being allowed in the house".

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The conditions of her binding renewal are also a favor or a suitable gift, tbf. So we might just have to put effort into finding and acquiring suitable gifts like w/ Baldomare and her books if we don't want to have to do favors for Mareinette.

Edit: Or we become BFFs w/ Biedde and find a summon-murdering artifact and go ham on her before we reach that point

 

[Alan975]

Oh god. I dearly hope not.

On the other hand that's a very... vodeogamey approach isn't it?

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Or take it in the other direction, what kind of scenario would make Velvet pause.

What would have to happen for her priorities to change.

What in her life does she value more than reaching Glory?



And what kind of catastrophe will commence, when she is truly on the warpath

 

[Pittauro]

Edit: Or we become BFFs w/ Biedde and find a summon-murdering artifact and go ham on her before we reach that point

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just keep in mind it wouldn't be easy.

There's a very good chance that we could have Axe and Biedde together, and it wouldn't be enough. Ligeians are infamous for being difficult to kill, and she's an HEART Ligeian.

 

[DelightedOne]

Or we become BFFs w/ Biedde and find a summon-murdering artifact and go ham on her before we reach that point

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This one please. And don't forget to ask DoA to come murder the Alukite with us to clear up the whole "Velvet Covers is a monster" misunderstanding.

How would we go on killing Mareinette again? I thought it would be a good move to order her to stay still while we have a fuckton of summons(including all the other Names we can find) attack her, that would force her to break out of her bindings making her lose "a tremendous amount of health" according to her traits.

Edit: Baldomare could tell us her weaknesses or maybe use RotT on her(is that even possible) since she refuses to fight.

 

[Greymere]

How would we go on killing Mareinette again? I thought it would be a good move to order her to stay still while we have a fuckton of summons(including all the other Names we can find) attack her, that would force her to break out of her bindings making her lose "a tremendous amount of health" according to her traits.

Edit: Baldomare could tell us her weaknesses or maybe use RotT on her(is that even possible) since she refuses to fight.

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Yeah that was part of what I was thinking.

Step 1: Acquire Biedde
Step 2: Have Baldomare scry Mareinette's hidden traits
Step 3a: Find an artifact that would be very effective in combat vs. Mareinette (as identified by RotT)
Step 3b: Find a way to increase our effective health pool just in case (artifacts, healing scarred if possible by then, other methods we're unaware of) (also likely identified via RotT)
Step 4: Summon as many Windigos as we can safely maintain (we know four is safe, five or six might also be safe but is unknown)
Step 5: EDGE INFLUENCES
Step 6: Give Mareinette some kind of order that forces her to break the bonds as every combat capable Name that we have at that point (DoA, Biedde with the anti-Mareinette artifact, maybe Forge Name), hopefully Luna with A Resolution, and our Windigo herd all dogpile her at once.

Subject to change given new information and/or curveballs, of course

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Yeah that was part of what I was thinking.

Step 1: Acquire Biedde
Step 2: Have Baldomare scry Mareinette's hidden traits
Step 3a: Find an artifact that would be very effective in combat vs. Mareinette (as identified by RotT)
Step 3b: Find a way to increase our effective health pool just in case (artifacts, healing scarred if possible by then, other methods we're unaware of) (also likely identified via RotT)
Step 4: Summon as many Windigos as we can safely maintain (we know four is safe, five or six might also be safe but is unknown)
Step 5: EDGE INFLUENCES
Step 6: Give Mareinette some kind of order that forces her to break the bonds as every combat capable Name that we have at that point (DoA, Biedde with the anti-Mareinette artifact, maybe Forge Name), hopefully Luna with A Resolution, and our Windigo herd all dogpile her at once.

Subject to change given new information and/or curveballs, of course

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Meanwhile Mareinette, the highest existing authority of a Lore specialized in understanding desire:

"[GRAIL]?" (That's a lot of murderous intent aimed at me, dear associate. Everything alright?)

 

[Greymere]

Meanwhile Mareinette, the highest existing authority of a Lore specialized in understanding desire:

"[GRAIL]?" (That's a lot of murderous intent aimed at me, dear associate. Everything alright?)

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C'mon Bird, you can't introduce a child-eating monster who also wants to convince Velvet to eat her kids and not expect a bit of murderous intent here and there

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Or just befriend her so she not a problem.

 

[Greymere]

Or just befriend her so she not a problem.

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Yes, but you see, that requires Velvet to want to legitimately befriend someone that wants to convince her to eat her precious daughters. So unless Mareinette stops wanting to do that (among other things), I can't really see much true friendship occurring there.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

Meanwhile Mareinette, the highest existing authority of a Lore specialized in understanding desire:

"[GRAIL]?" (That's a lot of murderous intent aimed at me, dear associate. Everything alright?)

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I have a question, if both Baldomare and Marinette can pick up on our intentions then why couldn't the Master?

 

[Greymere]

I have a question, if both Baldomare and Marinette can both pick up on our intentions then why couldn't the Master?

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Tbf, Moth's whole thing is confusion, ignorance, and obfuscation. I would be 0% surprised if it turned out that the Master was both entirely capable of looking into our head at any time and refused to do so on principle (heh) because it would be too Lantern-y and go against their fundamental nature as a Moth Name.

 

[DelightedOne]

I'm pretty sure the Master knew about Velvet not buying his talk about saving the world, in "WHEN THE FORGE IS COLD AND THE GLORY IS DARK AND-" he made it very clear he was never fooled by Velvet but instead kept using her as long as she didn't outright rebel.

 

[Iustus Vitea]

I mean if he knew why didn't he grab Selene? Or walk into the incredibly obvious trap? Or any number of things, either they didn't know because they couldn't or wouldn't check. Or they knew and uunderestimated us or something equally stupid.

 

[Cochimetl]

The Master almost certainly knew something was up with Velvet. He flat-out says that he knows about Velvet having trouble with her morals, so his judgement wasn't completely off either.

The problem is, something was up with every single one of the Inner Circle. Starry Dancer is the only one that the Master knows automatically what's going on with, but for the other five, he needed to spend APs to figure out why exactly they're acting erratically. And maybe he decided to investigate others like Comet instead of Velvet (he knew his reason for acting strangely well enough to force him into helping his Shining plan).

Or maybe he did investigate Velvet and found nothing. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but I think Velvet's treason was for the most part in her head. Nothing that couldn't be explained as the Loremaster being too focused on the Glory to do her job, or doing some normal cultist intrigue.