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

[Greymere]

Velvet Covers will come to understand the effects of Regrettable Actions on the world, as if she had performed a fourth Regrettable Action and crossed the "midway point".

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Huh.

Interesting.

Hey Bird, are you including this because you want to talk about the Wolf more but you think trying to get us to do another RA to gain the understanding would be like pulling teeth?

(Except for apostle, thy name is Shaper, of course)

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

To be honest, I am glad we aren't in the voting period for that omake, because boy oh boy the accusations of me "trying to tilt the scales" would be flying

But here's the thing. The "Inspiration" option is the option for "I want to learn more about the Wolf". The vote is focused on Soft, yes, but "Inspiration" is quite literally "knowledge on the Wolf".

You will not get the benefits of a Stain, but you also will not get the malefice of "having spent a Stain slot". You just learn more.

So, since this is more focused on how Soft will help you, she will start acting as if she was Stain 4 without any of the... practical changes of actually being Stain 4.

However, it also makes sense for Velvet to gain knowledge herself. So, I had the mind to also explain the Wolf rules for you all as well, if that option was picked. I was only very unfortunately for having forgotten that when I first posted it.



Does this make the Inspiration option a tiny bit more tempting? Yes, I realize it does. But this vote isn't for a true Regrettable Action, so I won't beat myself for giving the option of learning more about something interesting.

And if the vote decides that you guys are not interested in it, then at least you will know that you decided not to learn about it

Back to writing. I gotta leave to do some chores soon, so I want to make some more progress while the engine is running.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

No
No progressing Softy's Stains either narratively or behaviorally. She deserves less Agony, not more. If we really want to learn more about this stuff just talk to Ash, he's always around in the Wastes.

 

[Greymere]

But here's the thing. The "Inspiration" option is the option for "I want to learn more about the Wolf". The vote is focused on Soft, yes, but "Inspiration" is quite literally "knowledge on the Wolf".

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So, more or less, stripped of the spooky language, our options are:

• Wolf insight (otherwise unattainable unless we do a 4th RA)
• Ritual support
• Ponyville influence
• Our own pet cult, separate from the Bureau
• YOU WILL REGRET THIS

 

[DelightedOne]

-Velvet Covers will come to understand the effects of Regrettable Actions on the world, as if she had performed a fourth Regrettable Action and crossed the "midway point".

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Ugh, you really know how to make a Lantern Major want something.

Twilight is the only reason why I won't vote for this.

 

[Greymere]

No
No progressing Softy's Stains either narratively or behaviorally. She deserves less Agony, not more. If we really want to learn more about this stuff just talk to Ash, he's always around in the Wastes.

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"Just talk to Ash" isn't really a solid argument when we're talking about something ordinarily linked to Stain progression.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

So, more or less, stripped of the spooky language, our options are:

• Wolf insight (otherwise unattainable unless we do a 4th RA)
• Ritual support
• Ponyville influence
• Our own pet cult, separate from the Bureau
• YOU WILL REGRET THIS

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This is a good way to put things, but (if you don't mind) I also urge you to think of the options as having a second half.

You correctly described how I would see "what the Wolf Cult receives" for each option. But I would also look at each option as having a second half of "what the Wolf Cult does with it".

This mostly affects the second and third options, to be honest. The fourth option will have you directing the Wolf Cult, and no comment on the first option because the language is intentionally vague.

Still, just food for thought.

Aigh, time to leave. I hope to have the next chapter up by the end of the day, but no promises.

Have a nice day everyone!

 

[Greymere]

You correctly described how I would see "what the Wolf Cult receives" for each option. But I would also look at each option as having a second half of "what the Wolf Cult does with it".

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The answer is always "what we'd really rather them not"

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Fool proof Plan to dispose of Wolf Cult

1. Take control
2. Invite Mareinette
3. Offer buffet to Mareinette

This will surely have no negative repercussions on us and ours

 

[ses]

The actual way to deal with the Wolf Cult is reach Glory. I'm perfectly down for letting the Wolf Cult have influence in Ponyville for the 4-5 months it'll take for us to reach Glory.

I'm also not nearly as concerned that the Wolf Cult will go "hurr summon windigos randomly". We've had this conversation so many times about so many different people and factions and it never works out like that. The Master didn't randomly commit mass slaughters like posters predicted. Windy hasn't blown up any cities yet despite operating solo for months.

I'm sure that when we find out what Windy's been up to it'll be appropriately horrifying but everyone in this thread keeps predicting "mass casualties indiscriminate attacks with Windigos" and it hasn't happened the last THREE times it was predicted. Ponies are still people who have motivations even if they're wolf-touched. See the posters in the aftermath of the omake thinking that "Whacky Amor isn't really fully wolf touched yet because she's scared of Velvet" as if a Wolf Cultist can't possibly by frightened of facing a powerful eldritch being in-person.

Having the Wolf Cult able to support us with MITLs and other ritual work is objectively useful. I'm sure they'll do horrifying things offscreen but I am positive that they're not going to do pointless random slaughter.

Taking control of the cult is tempting to be honest. 1 Velvet AP per turn is expensive, but I'm pretty sure that the cult will pay that investment back. I'm pretty sure that having full control of a cult is going to be a lot more than a single Hintseeker action was. Overall I'm pretty torn, leaning for Ponyville influence. But I'm optimistic that the wolf cult will provide us with useful ritual support if we pick Tools. I'm assuming that options 2 and 3 are the equivalent of how an Inner Circle position comes with the ability to delegate entire categories of cult operation to that inner circle position in normal cult operation.

 

[Rafuki22]

This will surely have no negative repercussions on us and ours

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I'm sure that Softy will be fine with that. /s

Tbh, i'm leaning towards the second gift.

Overall I'm pretty torn, leaning for Ponyville influence.

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I do think that that Influence would be less valuable than Tools.

One seems to be more tangible and inmediate than the other at least.

 

[ses]

I'm sure that Softy will be fine with that. /s

Tbh, i'm leaning towards the second gift.

I do think that that Influence would be less valuable than Tools.

One seems to be more tangible and inmediate than the other at least.

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It's not quite explicit how much they'll use the gift on Velvet's behalf though. If we pick Tools I dont expect we'll be gifted with fully bound MITLs each turn, but I imagine that would be a genuine option if we took full control. There's a real chance that full control translates into "1 Velvet AP per turn in exchange for a graverob each turn AND a ritual AP AND a political influence action each turn" for 1 Velvet AP = 3 minion actions sort of trade.

I do think that the Wolf Cult will actually hew to "she will understand that you trust her and that this is a test" and use the rituals mostly in our best interest. Like our genuine best interest not a poorly adjudicated sort of halping where commenters come up with example predictions that don't even resemble being helpful in order to dismiss the possibility.

What are their options if so? Mostly summoning Mares are the thing they'd be interested in doing, because Windigos are a cruise missile that actually requires a target and they dont really have any targets for them. Though I expect they'd make a few jars for a rainy day. Windigos and Ash Ghouls kind of both require you already have a target in mind in order to be worth summoning. And the Wolf Cult is comprised of ponies who are very traumatized by changelings.

I really dont think they're going to go on a campaign of attacking random targets to make Velvet happy.

Wait, no, actually. They'd probably summon multiple Torn Risen a turn as gifts. That's actually kind of likely since they have manpower to spend AP graverobbing and lack good targets for cruise missile'ing. We'd totally appreciate that as a gift too! Torn Risen are fucking great at giving Velvet AotL's, which only get more valuable the higher Velvet's Lores go. Tools could VERY easily translate to "+2 torn risen actions per turn"

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Velvet takes the Cult
> First Turn she has a big meeting with a presentation titled: "Why Evil, Paranoia, and Ash are Punk-Ass Kids You Should Resist" by Their Mom
>> Evil bit his mother
>> Evil fights his sister
>> Evil and Paranoia fight everyone
>> They all make the world worse on purpose
>> They are less than a year old
>>> Why Ash is a Little Bit Less of a Punk
>>>> He has a job
>>>> He actually says hello to his Mother
>>>> He plays a vital role in keeping the Mansus up
>>>> Still an ass though

 

[ses]

This is a good way to put things, but (if you don't mind) I also urge you to think of the options as having a second half.

You correctly described how I would see "what the Wolf Cult receives" for each option. But I would also look at each option as having a second half of "what the Wolf Cult does with it".

This mostly affects the second and third options, to be honest. The fourth option will have you directing the Wolf Cult, and no comment on the first option because the language is intentionally vague.

Still, just food for thought.

Aigh, time to leave. I hope to have the next chapter up by the end of the day, but no promises.

Have a nice day everyone!

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I'm confused here. You say this accurately describes what the Wolf Cult receives, but not what Velvet receives? Because that list was intended to be a list of "What does Velvet get out of the choices with the spooky language stripped out and only considering hard mechanical benefits, the way that the Tribal Door could be described as "+4 scraps and skipping the Tribal Door trial" when considering only game mechanics and not the wider narrative consequences.

I understand that we get no guarantee of the Wolf Cult using Tools or Influence on velvet's behalf unless we take over completely with the sacrifice of AP, but how much benefit should we feel is in the general range to be reasonable to expect to come to Velvet personally? Cause the original option given when Soft asked us to make a promise was "You promised to let her help you" if I recall correctly, so I assume that whatever we give the Cult will be used to benefit us alongside the nasty things they use it for outside of our view. At least a little.

Honestly we all know that the Wolf Cult will be killing ponies and being scary no matter what we pick, so we're trying to figure out which option at least benefits us personally most because, like, there's not much difference on the cost side of the equation between Tools or Influence.

Honestly i'm leaning to just paying the 1 AP per turn and assuming the investment pays itself back.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

I'm confused here. You say this accurately describes what the Wolf Cult receives, but not what Velvet receives? Because that list was intended to be a list of "What does Velvet get out of the choices with the spooky language stripped out and only considering hard mechanical benefits, the way that the Tribal Door could be described as "+4 scraps and skipping the Tribal Door trial" when considering only game mechanics and not the wider narrative consequences.

I understand that we get no guarantee of the Wolf Cult using Tools or Influence on velvet's behalf unless we take over completely with the sacrifice of AP, but how much benefit should we feel is in the general range to be reasonable to expect to come to Velvet personally? Cause the original option given when Soft asked us to make a promise was "You promised to let her help you" if I recall correctly, so I assume that whatever we give the Cult will be used to benefit us alongside the nasty things they use it for outside of our view. At least a little.

Honestly we all know that the Wolf Cult will be killing ponies and being scary no matter what we pick, so we're trying to figure out which option at least benefits us personally most because, like, there's not much difference on the cost side of the equation between Tools or Influence.

Honestly i'm leaning to just paying the 1 AP per turn and assuming the investment pays itself back.

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Oh! I understand now. My apologies, this is probably because of the long pause we just returned from.

You are not doing Softy's action for your benefit. I didnt make these votes with a "reward for Velvet Covers" in mind.

You are making up for not being able to reach Softy's breakpoint.

So don't fall into the fallacy of thinking this is a "choose your gift" kind of vote.
I wouldnt call this a "pick your poison" vote. But you DID vote to resolve this with one action point (make a promise) instead of two (hang out with Softy).

 

[ses]

Oh! I understand now. My apologies, this is probably because of the long pause we just returned from.

You are not doing Softy's action for your benefit. I didnt make these votes with a "reward for Velvet Covers" in mind.

You are making up for not being able to reach Softy's breakpoint.

So don't fall into the fallacy of thinking this is a "choose your gift" kind of vote.
I wouldnt call this a "pick your poison" vote. But you DID vote to resolve this with one action point (make a promise) instead of two (hang out with Softy).

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Alright fair enough, apologies if it sounded entitled. I had gotten hung up on the wording of the choice being "[] You promise to let her help you." in that it seemed like it would benefit Velvet (at the implicit cost of empowering the Wolf Cult)

 

[DelightedOne]

So don't fall into the fallacy of thinking this is a "choose your gift" kind of vote.
I wouldnt call this a "pick your poison" vote. But you DID vote to resolve this with one action point (make a promise) instead of two (hang out with Softy).

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*Marge Simpson's trademarked noise*

The urge to destroy this timeline grew by quite a bit after reading this. And yes, it is because we should have paid 2 free socials for it.

 

[Arrkhon]

Honestly guys, it's quite obvious that inspiration is the correct choice

-She will understand exactly what it is that you want. And you will be so proud of her.

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We want her to be safe, happy and have a good relationship with her family
We also wish to ascend, protect the world and to relieve the burdens on our AP
This will obviously help with all of these!

More seriously though I have a felling that her becoming aware of what's going and leading that cult will be the main change from this, after all

-"There is a reason why "Caput" is the first word in His invocation."

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