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

Reader mode
Thank you so much! That actually helps immensely! I asked what setting my friends wanted, and they chose Harry Potter. With all the magic involved from literally everyone, the bonuses for specialties got a bit complex, so I used higher Base stats instead of endless unique bonuses to have an easier time keeping track, but that threw all the other balancing from here out the window.

Seeing this actually helps me process the purpose and meaning behind the break points, and that is SO much more useful than almost anything else could have been. Thank you!!!

I also see your RA point. I hour to clarify that I very much doubted you'd choose something like that, I was mostly just stating how much I'd be willing to accept from that choice. ^w^'
 
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Leaning towards either the 2 actions to spend time with her or her request. Probably her request because of AP hell, but not fully decided.

Pittauro said:
also something something "I'm not 100% convinced that reaching Glory = Quest End". I'm always reminded of how in CS there's a second run necessary to reach the MAJOR victory...
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You've mentioned this possibility a couple times and while I'm not counting it out and it could be fun because there's so much left to explore, I think it's probably the actual ending, at least for Velvet. Being the first to reach Glory since the Manse's collapse feels like a capital E ending to Velvet's journey. Really most of the possible endings do.
On the other hand, with all the loose ends I could see a sequel quest where we take the role of one of her family or friends who have to try and fix what's left, follow her up a restored Manse, and/or fix whatever complications arise from her going through the last gate. As long as this has been going, probably not likely, but I also doubt there's a huge amount left for Velvet beyond the locked gate.
 
... I need a long suffering sigh emote here.
Not because "Gosh, how could you not see this" kind of thing, but much more in a "Well. Now I have to put money where my mouth is."


[] You promise to let her help you.


That's the option. That 's the plan. That's the thing that's going to happen. And I'll tell you why I am confident about it.

For the action oriented. This is the option that uses the least AP. It interferes with existing plans the least, and lets Velvet progress the most.
For the family oriented. This is the option that gives Soft what she wants, and in a way that Velvet can actually give.
For the Wolf oriented. This is the option that could empower or give agency to a voice of Wolf.
And for me... This is the option that shows Velvet is learning. That she isn't just acting on her own, and is beginning to accept help from others. Work together.. This chapter quite literally went over that very thing with Selene. And Velvet...
Let her not be a hypocrite.

Let Soft Help
 
Maer said:
Huh… I can't recall the last time me, delighted, and Shaper all agreed on something from the get-go. Wild.
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Sveta08 said:
... I need a long suffering sigh emote here.
Not because "Gosh, how could you not see this" kind of thing, but much more in a "Well. Now I have to put money where my mouth is."


[] You promise to let her help you.


That's the option. That 's the plan. That's the thing that's going to happen. And I'll tell you why I am confident about it.

For the action oriented. This is the option that uses the least AP. It interferes with existing plans the least, and lets Velvet progress the most.
For the family oriented. This is the option that gives Soft what she wants, and in a way that Velvet can actually give.
For the Wolf oriented. This is the option that could empower or give agency to a voice of Wolf.
And for me... This is the option that shows Velvet is learning. That she isn't just acting on her own, and is beginning to accept help from others. Work together.. This chapter quite literally went over that very thing with Selene. And Velvet...
Let her not be a hypocrite.

Let Soft Help
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Truly, Soft Sweeps is our Christmas Cultist Miracle, making us all agree to a ceasefire like this.
 
Silky said she still needs Velvet to take care of her.
If we aren't accepting all the help we can get for that...

That's unacceptable.


Pardon. I want to say more. To gush on this chapter or the story or just... something. But it's just enough that I can't.
Beautiful stuff.
 
OurLadyOfWires said:
"Just on the day we are understaffed. Where's Pinkie when you need her?" she says towards the back, and you think you hear a stallion's voice answering her. "Well, it is what it is. Come on in everypony! And what will you be having today?"

And the rest of your early afternoon is entirely peaceful.
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The Ponk disapproves of us neglecting our poor Uncle Steppes.

Solace2117 said:
On the other hand, with all the loose ends I could see a sequel quest where we take the role of one of her family or friends who have to try and fix what's left, follow her up a restored Manse, and/or fix whatever complications arise from her going through the last gate. As long as this has been going, probably not likely, but I also doubt there's a huge amount left for Velvet beyond the locked gate.
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You say that like Velvet won't come right back again Hour or no Hour. Considering how easily distracted she is by matters of friends and family Glory is clearly not the most important thing on Velvet's mind.
 
OurLadyOfWires said:
Finally, I just wanted to point out that Soft's request won't be a RA.

At first I wanted to start this with a "jesus effing christ, where is that coming from?" but I get that Paranoia is a very good boi who does a very good job, even through the fourth wall.

So, to be clear, she won't ask you for anything like that.

I mean, the stuff I had in mind for her requests were "buy me a cute dress" or "teach me how to summon Windigos" or "half-siblings or not, please approve of my marriage with Evil" :V
But not something that would cause THAT much damage.
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Bird, you're contradicting yourself here!

I'll helpfully underline the contradiction for you. 😇

OurLadyOfWires said:
And in case you guys are wondering (although no one asked :V ) a compromise would have been something big and prohibitive, and possibly permanent. Something like "Velvet agrees to never go on an Expedition again (Except for "All In")". An agreement with your husband, and everypony else by extension, for your safety.
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EDIT: forgot to comment on this, I'm just VERY glad we didn't have to make such a big sacrifice... though to be fair Velvet is barely going on expeditions as is...

and what they DON'T know about Mansus expeditions will surely harm them 😇
Maer said:
Thank you so much! That actually helps immensely! I asked what setting my friends wanted, and they chose Harry Potter. With all the magic involved from literally everyone, the bonuses for specialties got a bit complex, so I used higher Base stats instead of endless unique bonuses to have an easier time keeping track, but that threw all the other balancing from here out the window.

Seeing this actually helps me process the purpose and meaning behind the break points, and that is SO much more useful than almost anything else could have been. Thank you!!!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
to build up a bit on what Bird said, his 120 DC is effectively at the higher end of what a Mortal can accomplish, and even the very best mortal has basically a 1 in a 100 chance of accomplishing a DC 130.

Keep in mind, max stat is 20, and it's quite literally the best of the best of the best. And you can maybe get something between a +10 and a +20 from combined traits.

But the odds of a single person having a 20 in a stat AND traits applying to the same roll adding up to another +20... we're talking of a LITERAL one in 100 millions. We're talking EINSTEIN, and maybe not even him! We're talking fictional Sherlock Holmes and L from Death Note.

so, even the very best, maybe never-happened mortal, with the best suitable traits and stats, might MAYBE make a 140 DC.

150 is LITERALLY impossible though. We're talking "make the Iron Man Suit in a cave like Tony Stark did" level of impossible. The "Convince Twilight Sparkle to betray Celestia in a single conversation" level of impossible. The "build a cold fusion nuclear reactor in your garage" level of impossible, even.

or, more mundanely, as Bird said, the "pickpocket a rusty lock that won't budge"

Basically even with the lores it's extremely hard, and even with an influence, quite literally the laws of the universe aligning in your favour, it's only AT BEST more likely than not.

and to put an influence into perspective...

Take a random person, that knows LITERALLY nothing of the thing they're rolling for.

a tier 4 influence makes them the equivalent of the best mortal to ever live. It can turn a paraplegic into the equivalent of Myke Tyson, an uneducated farmer into Einstein, a kid into Lupin and so on.

the +40 an influence can grant is quite literally the difference between the most untalented person in a field, and the best mortal practitioner of it.

Solace2117 said:
You've mentioned this possibility a couple times and while I'm not counting it out and it could be fun because there's so much left to explore, I think it's probably the actual ending, at least for Velvet. Being the first to reach Glory since the Manse's collapse feels like a capital E ending to Velvet's journey. Really most of the possible endings do.
On the other hand, with all the loose ends I could see a sequel quest where we take the role of one of her family or friends who have to try and fix what's left, follow her up a restored Manse, and/or fix whatever complications arise from her going through the last gate. As long as this has been going, probably not likely, but I also doubt there's a huge amount left for Velvet beyond the locked gate.
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I like to mention it repeatedly, and it DOES feel weird that we'd end the quest with so much stuff left unexplored (the heirlooms, the other villains from MLP that should come in the future, the nature of Harmony...), but I recognize I have no proof beside feelings and hopes.

Though I'll point out one thing: Let's say we had achieved the Harmony ending first. Velvet reaches Harmony and something-something the world is now safe from the Worms.

...what exactly is stopping her from continuing the Climb for Glory?
 
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[X] You promised to spend more time with her.

[X] You promise to let her help you.
 
[X] You promise to let her help you.

Venerable Ro said:
You say that like Velvet won't come right back again Hour or no Hour. Considering how easily distracted she is by matters of friends and family Glory is clearly not the most important thing on Velvet's mind.
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Eh, in the hypothetical it would be more along the lines that she couldn't for whatever reason. I was more just noting that I doubt there's too much more once Velvet passes the final gate. At some point stories end. I suppose it could go on indefinitely , but I doubt it. If it's going to continue in some form, it would probably be with another character.

Pittauro said:
Though I'll point out one thing: Let's say we had achieved the Harmony ending first. Velvet reaches Harmony and something-something the world is now safe from the Worms.

...what exactly is stopping her from continuing the Climb for Glory?
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Potentially Harmony itself or the nature of the ending keeping the gate locked.
 
Others have made the arguments well by now. The Wolf's growing influence makes me nervous. Nevertheless… how bad could some mother-daughter bonding be? :V

[X] You promise to let her help you.
 
[X] You promised to spend more time with her.

[X] You promise to let her help you.

I prefer helping us, but I'm happy with both.

Also, The Vagabond was an Hour who wandered the earth, if I remember correctly. Why wouldn't Velvet be able to choose to stay with or visit her family? An Hour with Moth alignment would never be caught by Celestia no matter how high her Lantern reached. Even a Long or Name with Moth focus would be impossible, given their power is so much greater than a Mortal Adept can normally reach.

I don't know if the Quest would continue, but it certainly isn't impossible for Velvet to visit or stay in the world of the Wake. I am nervous about Combat, though. Velvet isn't a fighter, and we don't really have an Edge focused being coming with us. I worry about what that would mean… hmm…
 
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