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

[Greymere]

I don't think we can get a victim this turn regardless, not unless we already had a prison.

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Nah we can still grab one. Normally it would just mean more effort to keep them secured and a higher chance of them escaping...

No.

For now, if you have a prisoner, and no prisoner to hold them, you will have to keep them in a "makeshift prison". Maintaining said makeshift prison will require two actions per turn, from minion-level followers or summons (Velvet will not be allowed to take this action), and will carry a chance that the prisoner will escape.

The narrative for that will be that your prisoner is LITERALLY tied to a tree in some distant place, and that you need a pony 24/7 to keep them alive and make sure they don't escape.

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...but if we build a prison on the same turn and the prisoner is getting eaten between turns anyway, I don't think it will matter much.

 

[Shaper47]

...but if we build a prison on the same turn and the prisoner is getting eaten between turns anyway, I don't think it will matter much.

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Just have an unpaid Biedde work on the prison beforehand.

It shows our good intentions to Mareinette anyways.

 

[Sveta08]

I don't think we can get a victim this turn regardless, not unless we already had a prison.

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Not sure!
If memory serves, we could capture people before, we just essentially had to always have someone watching and guarding them, preventing their escape. A prison just does that automatically at a set DC I think it was.

 

[Shaper47]

Not sure!
If memory serves, we could capture people before, we just essentially had to always have someone watching and guarding them, preventing their escape. A prison just does that automatically at a set DC I think it was.

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It's

For now, if you have a prisoner, and no prisoner to hold them, you will have to keep them in a "makeshift prison". Maintaining said makeshift prison will require two actions per turn, from minion-level followers or summons (Velvet will not be allowed to take this action), and will carry a chance that the prisoner will escape.

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So there's a chance to escape if we don't build a prison and it requires two actions per turn from minion-level followers.

 

[ses]

Well, he didn't exactly 'get away'. He separated from the cult back when the Trigger Event happened, so he wasn't affiliated with Copper's cult (The Gardeners) at all, as far as we're aware. We don't know where he is or what he's up to, currently. Probably something Wolfish.

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He probably inherited Neighnias bindings as well as whatever goods the gardeners evacuated after they started going to ground before our assault hit. Windy probably started a cult cell in Las Pegasus or something associated with the Gardeners in the same way the Gardeners were a cult cell associated with the Wildhoof before Wildhoof blew up.

 

[DelightedOne]

He probably inherited Neighnias bindings as well as whatever goods the gardeners evacuated after they started going to ground before our assault hit. Windy probably started a cult cell in Las Pegasus or something associated with the Gardeners in the same way the Gardeners were a cult cell associated with the Wildhoof before Wildhoof blew up.

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He literally abandoned the Cult at the same time Velvet did so I doubt he kept contact with Copper, especially enough to know she had Neighnia and to get the bindings.

He might have built a cult for himself, but not one associated with the Gardeners.

 

[Pittauro]

I just don't think the Grail Influence would be nearly as impactful, and I'd really rather we spend Velvet's personal social actions on people we actually intend to keep around.

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If you're talking narrative, I can't argue about that.

If we're talking pure mechanical bonuses, Mareinette rolls +90 while Velvet would roll 13 (diplo) +20 (grail 4) +40 (grail influence) = +73.


BUT of course Velvet would get to use that +40 from grail in Mansus, Tall Tale, and any other diplo challenge she might go through during the turn, and Mareinette MIGHT in theory make decisions we dislike when she's supposed to "guess" what we'd want to do.

...also also I kinda feel bad about Diamond Tiara, Mareinette might have traumatized her

We can have her sell low level artifacts. Allow her to gaslight people as much as needed so they are convinced that they are ancient relicts or something, but overall it is not too amorally I think. Or maybe Cadance will buy them.

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oh, that's not a bad idea. @OurLadyOfWires would having Mareinette sell our unused (or unstudied) artifacts allowed?

and in general, how would selling artifacts work? Do we get to auction them, roll for payoff, is it a fixed price, can we do it in the first place?

I may be missing something, but weren't we going to do one of the SH Sacraments this turn?

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the short of it is that we're thinking of prioritizing study while having Baldomare's Lantern influence to help instead.

Moth 5 book makes us ready for Moth Sacrament and without an influence it would be MUCH harder to research due to maluses, Lantern 4 artifact (combined with the SH 3 one we already have) allows us to turn MANY of our confidants and Names into decent scryers and Selene in particular into a superlative Mare-in-the-Light summoner, the Manehattan book will probably unlock a good expedition...

As Baldomare's action would be used for Lantern Influence, we couldn't do her sacrament (requires her action for an expedition. also it costs bits and we're kinda short on those) or get the SH Influence for our personal instead.

We can still do the Edge Sacrament though, so we're still doing more expeditions. I imagine next turn we'd do the Baldomare Sacrament, and the one after our personal one (benefiting from SH 5 giving us another +10 to the sacrament actions).

Oh. I guess I didn't see that.

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yeah.

I think the idea is

Turn 22: Biedde Edge Sacrament, with edge influence and 3 AotL for best odds (and pray to the dice gods).

Turn 23: Baldomare SH (cost: 1 velvet AP, 1 Baldomare AP, 50 bits) AND Moth Sacrament (we should reach moth cap with the moth book, and Spoiled Rich should be brought to Good Friend leashed into Confidant on turn 22).

turn 24: Potentially personal SH (2 velvet actions, 1 baldomare action for SH influence)

Depending on how things go, we MIGHT be ready for Baldomare Lantern and Forge (personal or new name) on turn 23 or 24 too, we basically need an extra lantern scrap beside those from influence and artifact, AND one more forge scrap (which maybe we'll be lucky and get from the summoning itself?) in addition to the Forge Influence from the new name (giving 2 scraps).

Yeah Biedde's invitation is looking really good since Baldomare wont be befriended next turn anyway... which means that we're only doing a pleasant hike and not our personal SH sacrament next turn. So we can risk wounds more easily this turn. And frankly despite how it worked out last time I'd not be too worried about attending Tall Tale in person even at 1 wounds, especially since Velvet can just provide Lantern and let the constables handle the combat if so. I wouldn't vote to abort if we failed Edge Sacrament.

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with +69 combat, I'm willing to take a risk on Tall Tale... but really, I'd do THAT one first BEFORE Biedde preferably.

Rarity

Find a 3circle Site

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why Rarity? have Axe or Selene do it, they have far higher rolls due to general bonus +30.

Also... should we try to scry for Neighnia?

I prefer Mareinette Influence and free social on Spoiled too, as that gives us potential bonuses for tall tale and mansus.

Proposal turn 22 plan, because thankfully the QM assigns actions according to who would do them best we don't need to ping him to ask whether Axe or Rarity would do better at Finding a 3circle Site, since it'll get autoassigned. Current placement of generic actions are just placeholders/assumptions.

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oh, that's true. that said our Names (and Selene) have higher general bonuses than mortals, so they'll near certainly be better than Rarity or Filthy... unless there's narrative considerations, I suppose. Like Filthy maybe having a free warehouse or Selene knowing about the Castle in the Everfree.

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To be very clear, about the Moods of Mareinette.

Keeping her close is an indication you ARE interested in a relationship with her. And sending her to Cadance is an indication you are not AS INTERESTED as Mareinette first assumed.

That is to say, keeping her close will not make her your BABFF instantly. And sending her away will not make her feel instantly slighted and uninterested in maintaining contact with you. But both are steps on those respective directions. They are small, first steps, but still that's where those roads lead.

There was a mention about "what each option could mean", and whether player intent/discussion would play into it. So let me be very clear that yes player intent is always important for me, but actions speak louder.

Mareinette is playing the guest game. Which, make no mistake, means she is playing and that she sees this as a game. It is up to you to either play along or not.

Like you said to Reproach, "yes, this is a joke, because the alternative is that this is serious".

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good to know.

I'm starting to get more interested in her (and her sacrament)... which I kinda find worrying. she's getting to me through the 4th wall!

So for now, I do not know. And we are a bit too close to the end of the quest for me to think the effort that this will involve will be worth it.

More on that later, really. It is not a huge problem, or a great loss. Just a mechanical issue I haven't made a decision on yet.

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@OurLadyOfWires

interesting wording

"too close to the end of the quest for the effort to be worth it"

" I haven't decided yet, more on that later".

It seems to be implying "the end of the quest" is NOT "the end of the story"

 

[ses]

why Rarity? have Axe or Selene do it, they have far higher rolls due to general bonus +30

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My assumption was that real estate can be rolled with Grail, but it doesn't really matter since QM would autoassign between followers regardless.

BUT of course Velvet would get to use that +40 from grail in Mansus, Tall Tale, and any other diplo challenge she might go through during the turn, and Mareinette MIGHT in theory make decisions we dislike when she's supposed to "guess" what we'd want to do.

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We dont need Grail influence this turn anyway.

But yeah in terms of 3circle site the actual best way right to get one is to social Applejack. Sweet Apple Acres doesn't have servants or workers the way ours does so her barn is a 3circle site.

Honestly if you want to commit to only doing good friend plus Leash we should Honored Guest Applejack for her barn and social AP spoiled. But tbh I kinda think there's value in mareinette turning spoiled into a natural confidant in one AP so that we can leash into a minion for Grail sacrament if we really need to emergency take the dinner option for the 2nd rebinding

 

[Shaper47]

[X] Plan Friendship and taking thing seriously
-[X] (ALL IN) You will NOT attempt the "All In" expedition.
-[X] (BIEDDE) Pursue religious goals.
-[X] (MAREINETTE) You introduced her to Cadance, yes, but you are still very interested in her endeavors.
-[X] (FORGE NAME) You will attempt the "Rite of Joyous (Re)Forging"
-[X] (SACRIFICES) 450 bits, Wrong Key,

 

[DelightedOne]

[X] Plan Knives and Names
-[X] (ALL IN) You will NOT attempt the "All In" expedition.
-[X] (BIEDDE) Fund a short monster-hunting expedition (Costs 60 bits)
-[X] (MAREINETTE) Mareinette is her own mare, and Cadance could use some company. Don't do anything, and see how things turn out.
-[X] (FORGE NAME) You will attempt the "Rite of Joyous (Re)Forging" (Sacrifice 1 Wrong Key, 480 Bits)

 

[ses]

[X] Plan Exact Spending
-[X] (ALL IN) You will NOT attempt the "All In" expedition.
-[X] (BIEDDE) Fund a short monster-hunting expedition (Costs 60 bits)
-[X] (MAREINETTE) You introduced her to Cadance, yes, but you are still very interested in her endeavors.
-[X] (FORGE NAME) You will attempt the "Rite of Joyous (Re)Forging"
-[X] (SACRIFICES) 438 bits, Wrong Key, Forge 2

Extra 2 bits while not going below a multiple of ten and not over or under investing when we're very bit constrained. Leaves us exactly 105 bits. 0.49% failure chance, requires 7 or below on both rolls.

 

[Alan975]

[X] Plan Friendship and taking thing seriously

 

[Nevermort]

[X] Plan Knives and Names

Sending Mareinette to Cadance is just safer overall. People are unable to commit to one route and already pivot from previous decision to introduce Mareinette to Cadance. No one could be sure that plan with prisoner wins when there are already several promising alternatives proposed , so better to go with option that could work with any plan.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

With the Bureau loyal I don't see a reason to not attack the changelings this turn. Deal with them, and get prisoners for the Lateran Sacrament, send along Biedde to back them up to be sure.

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Changelings cannot be used for the Lantern Sacrament, I'm afraid.
If they have a strong enough fighter they can be used for Edge though!

Reminder it not really an option to social both Spoiled and Filthy. And we really need Spoiled finished this turn, and she has needs to go up 2 stages minimum plus another from the Leash to be used for the Sacraments.

My opinion is we should just use the Leash on Filthy, to start bringing him online, have Velvet spend an action getting closer to Cheerilee. While Mareinnete turbos thous Spoiled in a single turn.

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Why would we need Spoiled finished this very turn?

That's ... a lot of assumptions made fairly quickly into a fairly standard slippery slope problem.

Listen. If you have qualms with the Grail Sacrament, that's okay! I don't blame you, it looks like cannibalism. We don't know how that will change Velvet on the far end. Well, beyond the fact that there are things she is willing to do. It's a change in mindset such as body. Soul, or something like that.

But the Knock Sacrament did not make her slither like a snake nor drip poison nor grow fangs. It will be a change. I don't think catsstrophising it over what might yet be will get us anywhere.

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The DoA is not an Alukite noted for gluttony. And well, just look at the Leash for how the thread changes in attitude regarding terrible Grail stuff. "Oh, we'll never use this," became, "we'll only use it in an emergency," became, "we'll use it just to be safe," became, "we'll use it for our friends's own good in their relationship," and is now becoming in the discussion, "we'll use it to enable cannibalism and hasten Filthy being useful." I have little confidence that this trend will not repeat with the Grail Sacrament.