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

[spiderhellian]

Bah. And again, Bah I say!

What is there to learn from reading a blank book?
What is there to taste from gnawing the bones of another's meal?
What is there to hide from a face who never knew?

By strict definitions these may apply, but what an unsatisfying resolution they would bring.

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This really reminds me of the time we "tricked" the Master, sacrificing iirc a Risen and delaying our first sacrifice of a living thing...

What is there to gnaw on in an unearthed corpse? What is there to learn in breaking what you made? What are you hiding, little Velvet...

Which is to say, disappointing Eldritch Beings by way of following the letter, but not the spirit, of the rules is quintessential Velvet behaviour.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

I am adamantly against using the prisoner for our Moth Sacrament because that would ruin the arc we have set up for Spoiled to realize that Mareinette was her actual friend all along.

 

[Sveta08]

This really reminds me of the time we "tricked" the Master, sacrificing iirc a Risen and delaying our first sacrifice of a living thing...

What is there to gnaw on in an unearthed corpse? What is there to learn in breaking what you made? What are you hiding, little Velvet...

Which is to say, disappointing Eldritch Beings by way of following the letter, but not the spirit, of the rules is quintessential Velvet behaviour.

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Of all the things to be consistent about.

Let's not be consistently disappointing. : p

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Whew! This update fought me for a while. Doubly so given how little time and energy I had until today.

Anyways, pings. One thing at a time.



In general:

Also hilarious at the QM potshots at the redeemed changeling character designs. I laughed.

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I am actually quite happy with how the changeling lore turned out for the canon of this quest. And even if you don't have enough time to get to the bottom of it before reaching Glory, I am excited to give as many glimpses as you earn

@OurLadyOfWires Just checking, neither Sorting the Prisoners or Screening for Doppelgängers would qualify as a project involving the effort of several ponies? Administering the processing of lots or people, cross-referencing sources from Tall Tale, coordinating capture and/or restitution..?

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I also thought about that (i usually re-read Velvet's character sheet before mechanic-heavy turns like that).

But Mare Administrator is more for "long term, sitting in an office and organizing several disparate limbs that could otherwise not be pulling in the same direction."

Here, you are overseeing a few hours of "put the prisoners in a line and let me look at them one at a time," and then "get these cutie marks, and have former police officers do a well-oiled break-and-enter-and-apprehend".

Not the kind of thing I envision triggering it, and not the span of time it would need either.

To put it in perspective, if Cadance handed you the throne for a turn for her to unwind and you had to roll a "Run Equestria" dice. Or if running the Bureau was COMPLETELY boiled down to a single "run the Bureau" roll (rather than a complex multitude of votes and micromanaging) it would definitely trigger Queen Princess Mare Administrator.

But not this. Sorry.

I wonder if distracting Celestia with other lores to level up would work?

@OurLadyOfWires ?

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A bit of "maybe, it is legitimately possible," and a bit of "you just don't know".

It's not enough of a certain "no" for me to say "Velvet doesn't think so, so don't bother." But neither I nor Velvet can guarantee that "Voting to give it to Eclipse = gain 1 more turn for Doom Clock." Which, in truth, would be the best case scenario.

So, unknown. But not impossible.



Regarding the prisoner.

@OurLadyOfWires if we Leash the prisoner, could we commit to using him for Mareinette's sacrament and reassign DoA's (and maybe Cherenkolt's) AP, since they only reason they're doing what they're doing is because we needed a sacrifice? I assume needing to Leash him wouldn't interfere with the Moth Sacrament, since we could just switch the Leash target mid-turn after doing Grail?

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mh... I kinda wonder... @OurLadyOfWires if we had somehow achieved Velvet's Grail Sacrament before meeting Mareinette, would friendship with her have become impossible? Or would we have needed to do the dinner with no other benefit from it?

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So.

Mr. Prisoner is not a walking, brain-dead, "philosophical zombie" thing. He is a living, breathing pony with a life of his own. I am saying this clearly to make sure you all know that "morality-free sacrifice" will not apply to him.

So, to put it very simply, I will give you three perspectives to consider when you think about him.

From a NARRATIVE perspective:
-He is a living pony who was kidnapped by the changelings, and had [something] done to him.
-You will have the option to look into that [something], if it interests you, but it's not really essential to your Glory-climbing.
-He also has a past, and that can also be good (or bad) depending on where you take things.

From a MECHANICAL perspective:
-If you pick him, you will quite literally be given a list of options to vote from.
-I can guarantee you will AT LEAST be allowed to vote for one of his Lore affinities. But depending on interest and availability, I will certainly make things more entertaining than just that.
-Among other things, he is meant to be an interesting "build-a-minion" option. Something that could have happened more often if you went on a "wider" recruitment-heavy build, or if you had your own cult. But since you never did that, and this chance presented itself, I decided to offer this here.

From a TIMING perspective:
-Mr. Prisoner, if leashed, will come to you around (approximately) the MIDDLE of next turn.
-He will NOT be available for any Sacrament attempts next turn (but will be available for the following turn, since he is a sacrificable minion).
-The idea is that you choose him now. "Build" him and get introduced to him next turn, and he is completely available starting Turn 24 as a regular minion.
-In practice, this means he would have to keep the Leash until AT LEAST the beginning of Turn 24 (and on Turn 24, you will be able to sacrifice him, or do whatever else that involves the Leash coming off and you switching it around).



That seems to be it, but I could have missed something.

Kindly let me know if you have any more questions. And I hope you are all doing well!

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Now, as for everything else:

I don't care about the map, all you'll find is half-thawed corpses at the Hive. It was thoroughly scoured and purged.

If truly empty-minded, I guess we can give the empty one purpose. I'd still feel better if Axe gets us a child predator to feast upon though. Karmic retribution and all that.

Stealing 53 Bits just feels so... petty, for lack of a better term. Usually when Velvet does evil things they are huge, sweeping acts that mar the world. This feels beneath us, even though it is undoubtedly useful.

As for the weird flowering thing... take it. Worst comes to worse, Celestia yoinks it and gets some Grail and stuff, which we do not care about; doom tracker only cares about Lantern. Best case scenario the Bureau learns something, and becomes that much more useful to us.

EDIT: QM came in with the steel chair of knowledge and I must reconsider things.

 

[Greymere]

So, to put it very simply, I will give you three perspectives to consider when you think about him.

From a NARRATIVE perspective:
-He is a living pony who was kidnapped by the changelings, and had [something] done to him.
-You will have the option to look into that [something], if it interests you, but it's not really essential to your Glory-climbing.
-He also has a past, and that can also be good (or bad) depending on where you take things.

From a MECHANICAL perspective:
-If you pick him, you will quite literally be given a list of options to vote from.
-I can guarantee you will AT LEAST be allowed to vote for one of his Lore affinities. But depending on interest and availability, I will certainly make things more entertaining than just that.
-Among other things, he is meant to be an interesting "build-a-minion" option. Something that could have happened more often if you went on a "wider" recruitment-heavy build, or if you had your own cult. But since you never did that, and this chance presented itself, I decided to offer this here.

From a TIMING perspective:
-Mr. Prisoner, if leashed, will come to you around (approximately) the MIDDLE of next turn.
-He will NOT be available for any Sacrament attempts next turn (but will be available for the following turn, since he is a sacrificable minion).
-The idea is that you choose him now. "Build" him and get introduced to him next turn, and he is completely available starting Turn 24 as a regular minion.
-In practice, this means he would have to keep the Leash until AT LEAST the beginning of Turn 24 (and on Turn 24, you will be able to sacrifice him, or do whatever else that involves the Leash coming off and you switching it around).

Click to shrink...

So basically, it locks up our Leash indefinitely in exchange for a customizable (normal pony) minion.

Yeah, not worth it. We need the Leash to stick on Spoiled for our Moth Sacrament, and spending the Leash on acquiring +1 Follower AP is something we can already do by applying it to a Close Friend if we really need it.

Well this expedition has been underwhelming. No Worthy Opponent, no Lore loot, barely any bits (but only if we're willing to steal from the prisoners!). As expected though, considering Bird outright told us it wasn't a loot vault.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

It was fun to read though. Shame we arrived too late to fight the Husk and too early to fight an eldritch plant monster, though.

 

[Greymere]

[] Plan: Don't Bother With the Small Stuff
-[] (MAP) Let the Bureau have it.
-[] (PRISONER) Leave him.
-[] (LOOT) I will do the right thing, and not steal.
-[] (THING) Capture it.

 

[spiderhellian]

@OurLadyOfWires What would happen if we eventually took the Leash off him..? Even for a "quick-leash-Spoiled-and-Moth-sac-her" moment? Is that a "You don't know"?

I dunno, a free Minion is valuable (and playing with Minion-making mechanics seems fun), and we've been actively passing up the Leash recently. We need it ever-so-briefly for Spoiled, but I really do wonder if that's manageable... And while we need it for Spoiled, we don't need it immediately for her.

(Though I like trying to play the Moth Sac into getting Filthy as a Confidant, it's nicely awful, so it would be a loss, hmmm.)

 

[ses]

@OurLadyOfWires What would happen if we eventually took the Leash off him..? Even for a "quick-leash-Spoiled-and-spook-her" moment? Is that a "You don't know"?

I dunno, a free Minion is valuable (and playing with Minion-making mechanics seems fun), and we've been actively passing up the Leash recently. We need it ever-so-briefly for Spoiled, but I really do wonder if that's manageable...

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I'm under the impression that we'd need to wait for Turn 24 to take the leash off temporarily. Which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. We've chosen Soothe the Night every turn which was explicitly given to us as our only "defuse Celestia" button to press. And the only way that'd be an issue is if she gains a level LITERALLY every turn including the jump from 3 to 4. Which is just a tad too pessimistic for me. And nothing actually stops us from taking the leash off and giving up on gaining the Minion next turn in favor of doing Moth Sacrament next turn anyway if Selene reports that Celestia hit Lantern 3 at the end of this turn and Selene has no offered options for delaying/defusing Celestia, even though it was implied that Selene would give us options to choose from soon.

Personally I've been worried about how we're going to handle getting Filthy as a confidant anyway. I'm not as optimistic as others are that we'll have Filthy personally loyal to us if we moth-sac his wife. I'm halfway tempted to just fix their marriage the normal way to ensure that Filthy stays in our orbit.

QM is saying that the customization options will be interesting, and I'm inclined to believe that.

 

[spiderhellian]

And yet, you can't help but feel like they are ponies. You can't help but feel like what you are about to do, the act you are about to commit, is being committed upon ponies. And not that you are about to... to kill these strange, nebulous monsters that should be the target of all your hate, and upon which any gruesome act should be justifiable.

And what is more, you honestly can't help but wonder who is truly evil, from their point of view.

Click to shrink...

But your motivation? Or rather, the Cult's motivation? What the Cult did was definitely not out of some innate necessity. It was certainly not hunger that made you do all of this. It was definitely not by instinct or nature that you kept them in the cold, dark, Winter-thick confines of the White Room for several months, stored like food or like wood to be used on a cold day. And you... well, it is definitely out of free will that you are doing this, this sacrifice, where you are weighting their lives as barely worth more than a Reagent you could craft with just a few days' worth of your time.

Click to shrink...

You wonder how it felt like, to them, to be in that cold dark, their lives unable to fade away thanks to the iron grip of their confines. You wonder how they felt, having nothing but each other as mute, miserable company for so long.

You wonder if that is why they are looking at each other so intently, with their eyes full of fear and… and perhaps just the slightest glint of relief.

You wonder if they are relieved for each other, thinking that their only companion, who was with them during that frigid hell, will finally be free.

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For what must be the thousandth time, you tell yourself that the changelings are all evil, and that you have to do this, and all the other justifications you have been telling yourself these last few days.

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Man, it is... tough, to read back on this (Post #188 ). And the contrast to the absolute menace Velvet was in this assault.

We can blame it on the Influence -- and in part we should, and in part that's a reminder of how harsh those influences bind. But it does also reflect the steps she has walked since, the level of Edge that has suffused her role as Director of the Lunar Bureau, and how much more sin and sorrow she has allowed stain her hooves since those days not so long ago.

 

[ses]

-Level 4: Decisiveness is crucial. Even the sharpest blade will only cut as deep as you push it into a body, and a blade that is pulled backwards only risks cutting yourself. Once you make a commitment, the only direction you can go is forward. (Further +5 to Personal Combat. Roll twice on your first of every six combat dice, during combat.)

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At the end of the day the writer and readers are human beings, born to the necessary exceptions that human morality makes when it comes to "Enemies in war"

If the changelings were not currently kidnapping innocent civilians to drain to death there's no way in heck the Bureau would be able to actually catch them. They have flight and shapeshifting and Equestria's recordkeeping isn't exactly modern. If their thirst for brains/souls/emotions is so strong they can't simply adopt anonymous new identities and keep under the radar then no peace is possible regardless. And if it isn't then the fact that they're operating a proto-hive is all the justification necessary.

Demolishing a military base built within our borders and killing everyone inside is as justified as a justified military action can possibly get. We were absolutely correct to make the call to assault the hive and take no prisoners. There's not much mercy we could possibly offer even in theory without staining ourselves in the blood of their victims, considering the "larders full of juice-squeezed civilians".



Unrelated. Been rolling up more sample Biedde duels.
First duel: clean win
Second duel: Uh... velvet is Dancing With Death
Third duel: clean win
Fourth duel: Velvet deals 2 wounds to biedde lol.
Fifth duel: clean win
Sixth duel: clean win
Seventh duel: Velvet is dancing with death again due to biedde nat100
Eighth duel: Oh my god how did velvet end up Dancing with Death on all 3 of the losses I rolled up out of these sample duels. That's really unlikely. Worrying.
9th and 10th duels: clean wins.

I wonder how QM will write out the narrative of the duel when a huge chunk of probability space is "Velvet clocks biedde in the face and wins first round" or "Biedde clocks velvet in the face and wins first round"

 

[spiderhellian]

At the end of the day the writer and readers are human beings, born to the necessary exceptions that human morality makes when it comes to "Enemies in war"

If the changelings were not currently kidnapping innocent civilians to drain to death there's no way in heck the Bureau would be able to actually catch them. They have flight and shapeshifting and Equestria's recordkeeping isn't exactly modern. If their thirst for brains/souls/emotions is so strong they can't simply adopt anonymous new identities and keep under the radar then no peace is possible regardless. And if it isn't then the fact that they're operating a proto-hive is all the justification necessary.

Demolishing a military base built within our borders and killing everyone inside is as justified as a justified military action can possibly get. We were absolutely correct to make the call to assault the hive and take no prisoners. There's not much mercy we could possibly offer even in theory without staining ourselves in the blood of their victims, considering the "larders full of juice-squeezed civilians".

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I think this is certainly Velvet and the Lunar Bureau's perspective. It's a reasonable perspective to have.

But with the hive as described, it seems to have elements of a refugee camp — not just a military base.

And even as a military operation… there are more and less ethical ways of waging war. To go into an operation saying "kill them all" is towards one end of that spectrum.

Don't get me wrong, I see why Velvet has walked this path. Even without the Edge Influence, we'd probably have walked it here.

But I think it's right, to grieve what has been lost. To mourn what shreds of forbearance, mercy, empathy, have been carved away along the way.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Stealing 53 Bits just feels so... petty, for lack of a better term. Usually when Velvet does evil things they are huge, sweeping acts that mar the world. This feels beneath us, even though it is undoubtedly useful.

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Their are over a hundred captives that less then 1 bit per person. That would not even feed them for a week. And they get to go home to friends and family.

 

[Shaper47]

So basically, it locks up our Leash indefinitely in exchange for a customizable (normal pony) minion.

Click to shrink...

Where are you pulling that from?

-In practice, this means he would have to keep the Leash until AT LEAST the beginning of Turn 24 (and on Turn 24, you will be able to sacrifice him, or do whatever else that involves the Leash coming off and you switching it around).

Click to shrink...

-The idea is that you choose him now. "Build" him and get introduced to him next turn, and he is completely available starting Turn 24 as a regular minion.

Click to shrink...

It uses the Leash for a single Turn and then he becomes a regular minion. I.e regular minions do not require the Leash 24/7

 

[Greymere]

Their are over a hundred captives that less then 1 bit per person. That would not even feed them for a week. And they get to go home to friends and family.

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They aren't literally bits that we're stealing off of them. It's personal effects and jewelry, which we're then presumably pawning off.

 

[Spacemurica]

I still pity the Changelings, they were dealt a really bad hand

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Man I feel so bad for them, their situation is so tragic.

Admittedly Changelings are my favorite race in mlp, but still crushing them like bugs under our foothoof feels bad man.

 

[ses]

@OurLadyOfWires are the Lantern and SH rolls to detect changelings and find infiltrators the same as what the Bureau would have rolled if Velvet hadn't spent an AP on joining the Assault? Because those three extra thresholds of success Velvet brought via Splendor and Lantern 4 means that "assaulting Tall Tale" would have caused huge backlash/consequences for only reaching the first threshold in the counterfactual where we sent just the Bureau. Just want to know if that's the sort of tests we can expect more or less when doing constable actions like this.

 

[Arrkhon]

So why are people talking about the map like it points to a empty cave network? Master didn't take enough ponies with him to really loot it and I don't remember the cult being sent to loot the place afterwards

"Oh? Very well then. I am, let us say, an interested party. And I got here, and this might interest you more, by massacring your defenses and killing everything that stood between me and your throne room."

"… you… You did… what…?"

"But before you lose your temper, allow me to say two things. One, most of your assets were left untouched. Your eggs, your prisoners, and of your spawns that did not attack me, they are still alive… wherever they chose to hide in this vast hive of yours. And two, they are alive as a show of good faith, for I wish to make you a proposition. A deal, if you will."

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It may be lacking in mystical artifacts of amazing power but there should be plenty of cash we can lift and the shards of the subverted stone are probably still there

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

A/N-1: The voting for the previous threadmark (results from the Tall Tale assault) is still ongoing, and will continue even through/after this update.
A/N-2: But what about the second vote-heavy update?

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan: IM FROM PONYVILLE AND I SAY KILL EM ALL
-[X] (AotL) Edge
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Ashen Wastes
-[X] (Social) Fleeting Opportunity: Soft Sweeps
-[X] Study (2x), by priority: Moth 5 book, Lantern 4 artifact, Winter 4 artifact, Manehatten book
-[X] Join the Assault on Tall Tale
-[X] Sacrament: Challenge Biedde

[X] Plan: Prisoner Chomping
-[x] (Free) Sell Edge 3 artifact
-[x] (Detectives) Follow Up: Dodge City
-[x] (Constables) Follow Up: Tall Tale
-[X] (Commissioner) Introduce Lore: Forge
-[x] (Director) Lantern
-[x] (Mareinette) Honored Guest: Spoiled Rich & Filthy Rich
-[x] (Biedde) Channel an Edge Influence
-[x] (Baldomare) Channel a Lantern Influence
-[x] (Selene) Soothe the night
-[x] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[x] Perform the Reflection of the Tapestry x 2
--[x] Target: Easiest Level 7 book to acquire
--[X] Target: Easiest Forge 6 reagent to acquire
--[X] At Jade's old house
-[X] Acquire a prisoner, preferably not an innocent civilian
-[X] Build a prison
-[X] Obtain a dead body
-[X] Perform the Attention of the Laws (Edge) (x2)
-[X] Cover your bases (-2 Follower AP, +1 Velvet AP)

You breathe in.

And you breathe out.

Breathe in.

And then out.

In.

Out.

…

This last month was… strange. It was unusually long, it felt unusually short, and as is usually the case you are also sure it was exactly the same length as every other month in your life.

And yet, throughout that entire time, you were also under this impending sense of inevitability.

Maybe the month was long because you were unusually busy. The Bureau was involved in something particularly important, to which you even dedicated some of your personal time.

Maybe this month felt short because, despite all your mortal concerns, you still knew that this day would arrive.

And maybe this month felt like any other because, in the end, you knew you could just… cancel this, at any time. One word from you, heavens even a moment of internal hesitation, would have been enough for this day to be postponed. Postponed, or completely canceled.

But none of that ever happened.

None of that happened, and the days kept galloping on, one after the other. And the matters of the Bureau are still ongoing, back in Canterlot. And the matters of your family are still happening, back at your home.

And you are here.

With him.

With Biedde.



"The rules of this assessment are quite simple."



He speaks with a matter-of-factly tone. His words so casual that he might as well be making small talk.

And he does not look at you, either. In fact, the old stallion is currently busy taking off his long coat and folding it on the ground next to him.



"You will come to me, and we will fight. We will fight until you are sufficiently broken, or until you bleed me. You are not permitted to back down until you are dismissed, and you may use any tools at your disposal."



This must be the first time you see the old stallion without his coat. And sure enough, he looks… old.

He looks old, but in the way that a tree looks old. His body is gnarled and covered in scars, but not in a way that stops him from moving. He has all of his limbs, which surprises you a little, but the thinness of his legs does not betray the solidity of his muscles.

Maybe once, he was built like a statue. Maybe once he was perhaps beautiful, the same way a marble depiction of "the ideal pony" would be beautiful. That is, until a sculptor challenged himself to see how much more of the statue he could carve off, without it crumbling under its own weight.

The bald spot he has at the very top of his head, visible once he takes off his cap, almost makes him look like a kindly and caring grandfather.

That is, until his eyes, cold and knowing as only his eyes can be, look back towards you.



"Cheating is also inadvisable. I will not take offense if you do. But to be frank, if you cheat and succeed, you will not survive what happens next."



He says that, and once again you are reminded of why you are doing this to begin with.

You are reminded of why, tonight, you two are in the middle of the fields of your family's estate. Away from prying eyes and the obstacles of civilization, preparing to fight each other.

You are reminded of why you, a mortal, even considered challenging him.

You are doing this for power. You are doing this because you cannot afford not to.

You are doing this because, if you succeed, Biedde will offer you Sacrament in the Lore of Edge.

So, you answer his unspoken question with a short nod.

And just like that, you begin the most dangerous dance of your life.



[Velvet Covers has challenged Biedde to a duel]

[Biedde, the Name of Edge, accepts]



You let out the breath you were holding.

You narrow your focus. You block out anything that isn't the stallion in front of you.

Your surroundings no longer matter. Interruptions no longer matter. If this were a real fight, perhaps you would have the mind to think about those things. But this, you know, is an assessment.

He has made it very clear that he wishes to test you, not to kill you.

Even if a test from him is a knife's edge away from being lethal.

With that in mind, you circle the stallion.

Biedde is standing at the very center of an empty field. And you are currently several paces away from him. So, you begin to walk around him, keeping your distance.

The stallion does not move, of course. And the reason for that is obvious.

It does not matter from what direction you attack him. There are no flaws in his defense.

So, you breathe in, and you make your approach.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Velvet Covers' health: 3/3]

[Biedde's health: 5/5]

[A Confident certainty: Velvet Covers rolls twice, on the first of every six combat dice]

[A Mastery: Biedde rolls twice, on the first of every two combat dice]

[Velvet Covers has activated an Attention of the Laws]



[Velvet: 27 9 + 89 (total combat bonus, Edge doubled) = 116]

[Biedde: 31 98 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 178]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 0, Biedde – 62]

[Velvet Covers suffers one wound (-50 to Biedde's overflow)]



[Velvet: 35 + 89 (total combat bonus, Edge doubled) = 124]

[Biedde: 54 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 134]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 0, Biedde – 22]

[Velvet Covers has not been dismissed, combat will continue]

"There was once a tribe of reavers who had a tradition," Biedde says, as you make your approach.

You approach him from his front, looking him in the eyes as you do so. Your pace is steady, as you would not dare to gallop towards him or try to charge him.

Still, you approach him from his front, simply because you have no idea of how he would respond if you came from another angle.

At least from the front, you know he will use his forelegs, and maybe his head.

At least from this angle, you can pretend you know what to expect.

"Their tradition was that once they drew a blade, that blade could only be sheathed if it tasted blood. Or, in the alternative, if it was used to prepare their young for battle," he continues.

You are now two steps away from him, just outside the range of his hoofs.

It terrifies you that, so far, you only dared come this close because he told you that he would not come to you.

And it terrifies you even more that, you know, you will not be dismissed until you come even closer out of your own volition. One way or the other.

"They were decimated, killed to their last, by another tribe who had no such limitation when it came to their young," he finished.

And then, you lunge towards him.



!!!!!



You kick with your hindlegs, the movement sharp and sudden. Both of your forelegs raised and ready to punch towards the stallion.

Biedde does not blink, he barely even reacts.

In fact, you dare say that he scarcely moves at all.

Your movement is quick, but his are quicker. And on the next moment, his right hoof is raised, just casually nudging one of your hoofs to the side.

But his hoofs, you know, are as sharp as spears, and your momentum is still ongoing. So, with that one movement of his, he already shoved one of your hoofs away from his body, and his own hoof is now aimed straight at your chest. If you don't do anything, you will simply impale your chest on his foreleg. And you would be a fool to think that it would not skewer you alive.

However, you dare say that you already expected that. And your blows were not aimed at his chest or his face. Instead, you were always aiming at the empty space between you two, where you knew he would try to block you.

And sure enough, your other foreleg continues its punching arc and hits his outstretched hoof. Just enough for his impaling hoof to be aimed at the side of your body, rather than towards your heart.

Less than a tenth of a second has passed so far, and your two forelegs have already been committed to stopping one of his hoofs from impaling you, and nothing else.

Still, you only need to bleed him, and you never expected to be able to wound a limb as battered as one of his forelegs.

And true to your initial plan, your momentum continues to carry you forward, and you continue to angle your face downwards as your lunge pushes you.

Your horn, you know, is also aimed straight at his face. At his face, and at his neck, and at any part of him you can so much scratch for a drop of his blood-



!!!!!!



-but on the next moment, the old stallion is no longer in front of you. His entire body, somehow, is now underneath you.

And as if to make a point, he headbutts you on the side of your chest. He headbutts you with as much eloquence as if he was shaking his head to answer a question, but that movement from his oak-hard body is more than enough to send you flying.

You roll on the ground, hard, feeling a metallic taste on your mouth as you do so.

And when you finally come back to your senses, you realize that… well, you realize that you have no idea of what he just did, or how he did it.

But as you look back towards him, you watch as he calmly steps back on his initial spot. Planting his four hoofs on the same spot they were when this "assessment" began.

"It is impossible to teach your young without drawing their blood," he remarks casually, patting one of his cheeks with a hoof to brush off some of your bloodied fur that stuck to him. "Again."

He says that, true to his command, and you realize that you have no choice but to try again.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Velvet Covers' health: 2/3]

[Biedde's health: 5/5]

[Current overflow: Velvet Covers – 0, Biedde – 22]

[Velvet Covers has activated an Attention of the Laws]



[Velvet: 72 + 89 (total combat bonus, Edge doubled) = 161]

[Biedde: 14 77 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 157]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 4, Biedde – 22]



[Velvet: 52 + 89 (total combat bonus, Edge doubled) = 141]

[Biedde: 88 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 168]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 4, Biedde – 49]

[Velvet Covers has not been dismissed, combat will continue]

Something inside of you boils in anger. Something inside of you yells that doing this, playing by his rules and making this a display of skill, is the wrong answer.

Something inside of you yearns to simply charge him. Make this a display of strength against experience.

But you smother that voice out.

You barely have the skill to challenge him, and you certainly do not have the strength.

So, you have no choice but to dance to his tune and continue this.

Once again, you approach the old stallion.

This time you do it from his left side, if only because you tell yourself that having a larger surface area to work with could give you more chances to bleed him.

And the stallion entertains you.



!!!



You once again lunge at him, one foreleg outstretched as you give it your best shot to at least land a blow on him.



!



And the stallion lets you land a blow.

But even that almost shatters your will to fight.

Because your hoof lands on his side, yes. Your horseshoe strikes against him with all the strength and lethality you can muster.

And all you hear in response is the hard, almost hollow sound of metal striking against wood, or perhaps something else that is old and so very sturdy.

Your blow lands, but it does not wound him. It does not even disturb any of his many scars.

Still the stallion does not react. Not with words, at least.

Part of you expected a disappointed tsk to come from his lips. Or something like a disapproving shake of his head, before he calmly walked out of your range and challenged you to try again.

But old Biedde, true to his beliefs, does neither of those things.

Instead, he reacts in the only way he knows: he springs his trap.

Because ah, Biedde is very old in the ways of violence, and he knows that even his body and safety are currencies to be spent. Spent, not wasted.

And right now, you have one outstretched hoof touching his body, fully committed to the movement and well within his range. And the rest of your body is currently mid-lunge, with the entire momentum of your advance aimed squarely at the side of his chest.



!!!!!!



This time, you can see what he does.

Biedde rolls, once again placing his body underneath you. His four legs facing upwards towards you.

But this time, he does not push you away. Instead, his vice-like legs grab at you. All the while without breaking stride of his tempestuous rolling.

And on the next moment, you are underneath him. Your whole body squarely within the cage created by his four legs.

That movement alone, that violent shift of having your entire body carried and slammed against the ground, hurt. More than that, it clearly wounded you, even if not enough for the old stallion to stop.

Still, true as an arrow and certain as death itself, you watch in terror as the old stallion raises one of his legs.

And before you have time to blink, he brings it down like a guillotine towards you.

Spoiler: Combat Rolls

[Velvet Covers' health: 2/3]

[Biedde's health: 5/5]

[Current overflow: Velvet Covers – 4, Biedde – 49]

[Velvet Covers has activated her third, and last, Attention of the Laws]



[Velvet: 94 + 89 (total combat bonus, Edge doubled) = 183]

[Biedde: 4 56 + 80 (total combat bonus) = 136]



[Overflow: Velvet Covers – 51, Biedde – 49]

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



[Biedde acquiesces to not completing this combat turn]

[Combat has concluded]

Biedde's hoof, from his right foreleg, falls down like a guillotine.

It is aimed straight at your neck. A decapitating move that, you know, will kill you.

This is not a matter of whether it can kill you. No. You are certain that this will kill you.

And without conscious thought, without you even telling your body to do so, your two forelegs jump up in response.

You do not try to strike back at him. You don't even aim at his body. The rules of this challenge don't even register in your mind right now.

All that matters is that he is going to kill you and you are going to die and you have to stop that no matter the cost.

His hoof fall. Your two hoofs shoot up, trying to block it.

But of course, your hoofs are just too slow, so all your hoofs can do is scrape at his foreleg as it crashes down towards your neck.



!!!!!-



But somehow… somehow, maddeningly, his hoof stops.

His hoof stops. It has reached your neck, but it has stopped. You can feel it pushing against your jugular like an anvil, but it has stopped. You were a fraction of a moment away from being decapitated, but it stopped.

The hoof pressing down against your throat is so strong that you can't even breathe. And you swear that your eyes must be bulging out of your face.

However, as you look up and away from the hoof of your killer, towards the rest of his body, you realize that…

… you realize that the two hoofs you have, holding on to his foreleg, are tinged with the impossible red of blood. Your hoofs, it seem, having somehow scrapped enough of his coat to draw blood, barely enough for a drop.

But blooded him you have.

And that, apparently, was enough for the stallion to stop his… "assessment."

Moments later, to your absolute relief, the hoof retreats from your neck, and you draw in a long and thankful breath.

Your body hurts, you are pretty sure at least one of your ribs is broken from where he headbutted you, and several other parts of your body ache.

But you…

You…

But this is done.

And now, you discover what happens next.

"Very well," the old stallion says. Inspecting his bruised foreleg as if studying from a book. "This seems to be sufficient. You are dismissed."

He then makes his way towards his clothes, calmly unfolding his coat in order to put it back on.

"Meet me in the Mansus," he finishes.

And before long, you are back home, on your bed, and doing your best to ignore your pain as you prepare to Dream.



- - -



The Climb is harrowing. Crossing the Red Church is punishing. And you swear that you are assailed by terrors that are as real as they are imagined, as you wonder what the old stallion has in store for you.

But you know Biedde is a pony who keeps to his word, terrifying as it may be.

So, you Dream, and you Climb, and you make your way towards that old and dreadful place where the soldier stands guard.

And there, you find him.

"You have proven yourself sufficient. So, you will be granted passage."​

He says that as soon as you see him, on that broken slab of Mansus-stone that oversees that impossibly damned prison.

And then, the impossible happens.

Old Biedde, the last soldier of the Colonel, steps away from his position.

He does not look at you. Not for a moment does he take his eyes away from his charge.

But to your surprise, and to your horror, his staunch and unbreakable back is no longer imposing itself between you and that pit of pits.

And what is worse, the old creature gives you a command that you cannot defy.

"Enter."​

That is all he says.

And although you have never heard that name in your life, and you were never educated on the dreadful implications it carries, you pass by the stallion, and you begin your descent into the Worm Museum.



- - -



…

…

…

This place is outside the Mansus, for safety, but also within it, for security.

This place has remained untouched and unbothered, despite the destruction that visited the House of the Sun, because its continuance was simply that important.

This place is not dead. Not exactly. But a part of you already knows it will never stop dying.

This place knew the touch of the worms. And it knows the touch of the worms. And it will never stop knowing the touch of the worms.

…

…

…

However…

However.

However.

There is another reason why Biedde ordered you to enter.

There is no light within this place, but there is no darkness either. This place is not lit by lanterns of black nephrite, but it is not touched by Glory either.

Still, for all that this place has not known destruction, it has known damage.

In fact, evidence of it is all around you.

You see broken doors, even if they lead to rooms with unbroken cages (that you dare not look, for the sight might infect you).

You see collapsed tunnels, even though you realize there is always another way towards the exit (for even Them would not dare trap Themselves in here).

You see dented walls, with marks that are just one scrap away from being a cursed sigil, and you see upturned floors, as if the very foundation of this place had been hastily used as cover (for nothing is beyond being used as a weapon).

But most of all you see… you see the signs.

You see the signs, and you see the marks, and you see the evidence of it.

A great battle was waged in this place.

And you do not see any evidence that this battle has ever ended.

Yes, you are sure of it.

Biedde's master is in this place. An Hour, for only an Hour could keep a Name within its grip, still stalks this corridors.

And at this very moment it is still stalking its prey. This soldier of soldiers, this killer of killers, is still here, and the battle that so damaged these halls is still ongoing.

It is still ongoing to this very day, to this very moment. Even though it began when the Mansus cracked and broke, or perhaps even before that.

This is what Biedde wanted you to do. This is the Sacrament Biedde had to offer you. To meet his own mentor and lord, and to be taught and marked and dragged into his service.

The very thought, of becoming like Biedde and being bound to a living Hour, terrifies you.

And yet, you cannot help but continue to put one hoof after the other.

…

You continue to make your way deeper into this place, this tomb and battlefield both. You continue to follow the increasingly violent and careful signs of struggle.

Until finally, finally, you reach an atrium… You reach a room that is so dark, so heavy with the weight of Edge and cunning that you are sure that… that you are absolutely sure that right there, on that deepest of shadows, awaits-



"Whoa there little filly, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"AHH!"



-your fur nearly jumps out of your skin as a voice suddenly comes out of absolutely nowhere.

And it takes you several long, humiliating moments to realize that the other sound you just heard was of you yelling in surprise.

"Pfff… ahahahaa… AHAHAHAHAHAH, oh boy that was hilarious. Calm down, calm down. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you, probably."

For all that this is a dream you can hear your heart hammering inside your chest.

Still, you quickly confirm that you are not insane, and that you are not having a terror-induced hallucination due to your surroundings.

And when you turn to face the source of that voice, you see…

… a stallion.

No, not just that. You see an absolute monster of a stallion.

He is not pony-sized, he is horse-large. Taller than a Princess, and perhaps taller than Mareinette. But unlike the Princesses' gracious slenderness, and unlike Mareinette's bony silhouette, this stallion has a body full of muscles behind his stature.

He is broad-shouldered, thick-coated, and with a long mane that carries itself like a mohawk all the way to the middle of his back.

However, his most unusual trait is definitely in his mouth. Specifically, he has two very long (and very pointy) fangs pointed downwards from his mouth. Not unlike a great feral cat from ancient times, if the skeletons you saw in museums are anything to go by.

Still, despite all of that… despite his size, and his strangeness, and the very fact that you are deep inside this horrifying place of the Mansus, the stallion looks…

He does not look unkind. In fact, he looks well-humored. Perhaps even jovial.

And what was that about him calling you a little filly?

"I… I beg your pardon?" you ask.

To which the stallion finally stops laughing (he was indeed guffawing this whole time), and cleans away an eyedrop before looking back (and down) at you.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. I meant to say that… gosh, it has been so long since I spoke to somepony. But anyhow, I was going to say I wouldn't go there if I was you," he says, very casually.

"And by there you mean…?" you ask, cautiously looking at that deep, dark shadow you were previously walking towards.

You are currently inside a particularly large (and dark) hall of this tomb-like place. Thankfully, there are no cages or monsters in sight. And in fact, given how many collapsed passages you see all around you, you suppose this was a central hall of sorts. Or perhaps a place where several paths connected, each leading to a different section of this place.

But right now, this place is empty. It is empty, save for you and the… strangely humorous and large stallion. And everywhere you look you see nothing but shadows and blackness.

You also notice that… well, the stallion himself is standing exactly on the threshold of one of the unbroken passageways. Almost as if he was standing there exclusively to block that particular door.

"I mean there, that shadow over there," he says, pointing at the strangely intimidating corner of the hall. "That place you were walking towards? The one where that FUCKING COWARD is waiting?" he says.

Although he yells those two words with such intensity, and no small amount of mockery, that you can't help but think he isn't just talking to you.

No, you are sure he isn't just talking to you. Because when he yelled those two words, you saw him look straight at that shadowy corner.

"Because I know he's there waiting. Or maybe that's what he wants me to think. Still, doesn't matter. I ain't moving from this here place, no siree," the stallion finishes, with a self-satisfied nod.

And you…

You have no idea what is going on? Although it is plainly obvious you just walked into something.

"And… and who exactly is…?" you start asking, but your confusion causes you to trail off. "I'm sorry, why exactly shouldn't I go there? And what would happen if I did?"

You ask that, and you don't even try to hide your internal turmoil, because something tells you the large stallion is simply too honest to bother with any sort of misdirection.

"I mean, isn't it obvious?" he asks. But then, as he looks at your expression for a few more seconds, something finally dawns on him. "Oh… you're telling me it's not obvious? Hang on, how long has it been since…"

The stallion says that, but he doesn't bother to wait for an answer. Instead, he raises a hoof towards his mohawk-mane, and you think he starts counting the strands with the tip of his hoof.

Sure enough, you hear a quiet "onetwothreefourfive…" under his breath as he works through his fur.

That is, until he stops and shakes his head with what you can only describe as confusion.

"Oh shit it has been a while. Damn this fucker is patient. And the fact you are here means that…"

He shakes his head, letting out a short neigh as he does.

And then, he once again focuses his attention on you.

"Alright little filly, hear me out. I have no idea how things look like out there. But if you walk into that there shadow? Well, then the fucker will mark you as one of his own, and that will be that."

"And by the… fucker, you mean…?" you ask, tentatively.

And if the frown the stallion gives you is anything to go by, then he really must be surprised by how long it has been since, apparently, somepony entered this place.

Still, you can tell his frown is not directed at you. And in all honesty, given his size and your current surroundings, you can't help but warm up a little at how kind he is being to you.

"I mean the fucker? The coward-in-charge? The loser-general? The golden shit? The Colonel?" he says, directing another glare at the darkness of the hall. "Listen, I… I'll give it to you straight, little filly. Biedde is stuck out there to stop anything nasty from leaving, and I am stuck in here to stop Him from crossing this door. And between the two of us, we are the last pieces our respective sides had on the board."

You feel something, something quiet, stalk around the hall.

But the large stallion seems entirely unintimidated as he continues to speak.

"And if you are here, it means Biedde let you in," he says, letting out a dark chuckle as he speaks about the Name. "Biedde lets you in, because if his boss conscripts you he gains another piece on the board. And that might finally tip a scale that has been left untipped for a very long time."

He tells you that, and then he explains to you his… predicament.

"The name is Smiles, by the way. Or rather, this Name is Smiles," he says, as if telling a joke. "Pleasure to meet you, little filly."

Smiles, from what you gathered, is somewhat aware of the current state of the Mansus. You have not yet met a Name that is as honest and straightforward as he is, but you quickly realize that there is a reason for his honesty.

He tells you all of that because, by his own reckoning, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Because the one that Biedde serves and the one that Smiles serve have been locked in battle since the Mansus began to crack. Something happened, something that Smiles does not get into details about, that turned their cold war into an outright brawl.

And their lords battled through the Mansus, and then they battled through the Wake by means of their servants, and then they ended up in here.

"And here is the thing about my Lord: He will never stop growing stronger. And here is the thing about Biedde's shitstain of a boss: he can be very crafty. So, if the sucker gets a jump on my Lord, he will certainly kill him. But if my Lord has enough time to get stronger, he will one day be strong enough to punch his way out of his place, and then crush all of it under his hoof."

That was why Smiles was standing on that doorway.

Because Biedde's Lord, it seems, is currently waiting somewhere in this hall.

And Smiles' Lord is somewhere else in the Museum, somewhere that can only be accessed by passing Smiles, growing stronger and stronger still.

If He strikes Smiles, He will lose his cover, and Smiles' Lord will win the day. Or so the Name professes.

But on the other hoof…

"… that old fart is still out there. And he gets first picks on whoever passes him by. And like any servant of the Colonel, he is doing the only thing he is good for. He is raising an army. He is raising an army, and if you made it this far you are the first on his list of conscripts. All so that one day he has enough servants, Long or otherwise, to storm this place and kill little old me, so his boss can then hunt down my Lord without losing the element of surprise."

He says that, and all of a sudden you understand… everything.

You understand what makes Biedde tick. You understand his motivation.

And most importantly, you understand exactly what he intended, when he offered you this "opportunity" for a Sacrament.

And you trust Smiles. You know he is telling the truth because, despite his good humor and sincerity, you can also tell that he hates Biedde. He hates him more than anything else.

"Make no mistake, little filly. I can't stop you from doing that. But if you throw his lot with him, you are looking at an eternity of bondage… and that isn't a way for a pony to live."

He says all of that. He says all of that, and you believe him.

But in the end, Smiles can't move from his post. He can't move any more than Biedde can abandon his station. And the fact that the two Names are locked in their places on the board, and their players can't make any more moves, means that you get to choose.

So of course, Smiles offers you another alternative.

"But nothing would make me happier than to sucker you right out of Biedde's hoofs. Oh, I'm sure he knew this was a possibility, but he took the risk anyways," the stallion says with a jovial smile. "So, what do you say we make this blow up on his face?"



And to his offer, you decide to…



What will you do?



[] You will walk into the shadow, and into bondage.
-You will receive Sacrament from the Colonel, living Hour of Edge (and not from Biedde).
-Smiles will become an enemy of your faction. You will be unable to summon him (although you do not believe anypony else will ever learn how to summon him).
-Narratively, you will align yourself with the Colonel. Mechanically, nothing will change other than you receiving Sacrament. The Colonel will not suddenly start giving your orders, or pulling your strings, and your relationship with Biedde will remain unchanged.
-However, this option HAS A CHANCE TO "POISON" YOUR EPILOGUE. (This is the only "fair warning" you will receive from QM regarding this option. This is a "meta" warning, being offered out of an abundance of reasonableness, and Velvet Covers is not aware of it. Similar to the warning about the Master becoming an alicorn.)


[] You will take Smiles' offer.
-You will receive Sacrament from Smiles, the Name of Edge (and not from the Lionsmith. "You are too frail to meet my Lord! And don't worry, this won't hurt a bit.")
-Smiles will be immediately summoned in the place of Biedde, for free, as if he had been summoned at the beginning of Turn 23.
-Smiles may be Befriended, and finds deep humor in being (according to him) an objectively better choice than his corrival.
-Narratively, you will NOT align yourself with the Lionsmith, and Smiles specifically wishes for this option to be as tempting as possible, with as few strings attached as he can offer it with.
-However, Biedde will become an enemy of your faction. He will immediately un-summon himself, and will refuse future summons from your faction.


[] You will take the coward's way out.
-You will Wake, immediately.
-Biedde will not take offense to this, and you will be able to challenge him again at a later date. Smiles will not take offense to this either.
-You will NOT receive an Edge Sacrament at this moment, and you will continue your turn as normal.
-You will learn how to summon Smiles, and will be permitted to do so. Summoning Smiles, keeping Biedde summoned, or even having both summoned at the same time will not be considered as "joining" either of their sides in their conflict.
-You will also gain the action "Micromanage". (If Biedde and Smiles are summoned at the same time, you may use your social action or TWO follower actions to guarantee Smiles and Biedde will not meet during the turn.)





Jesus Christ that 49 overflow.

The dice were honest, but holy shit they took me for a ride as I wrote this. I write combat one thing at a time, rolling the dice and then writing the blurb until the next combat turn. So I thought he was going to fold you in half into a Dance with Death when I saw how close he was to double-wounding you on his next roll.

But uh… yeah. Anyways.

You have met Smiles, the (better, if you trust his yapping) Name of Edge.

Due to his natural honesty, and in an attempt to sway you, Smiles has revealed to you his entire character sheet.

Spoiler: Smiles

"Large, but not threatening. Strong, but not careless. A gentle giant, quick with a joke and with a mouth just foul enough to make foals giggle with embarrassment. This pony clearly lives by the notion of living free, while also having the strength to ensure he can do so. And if there is any hate in his heart, then it clearly exists for the sake of a single pony who he will never tire of speaking ill of."

Smiles

Summoning requirements: EDGE 100, KNOCK 80, HEART 60.

Summoning cost: 100 bits.

Summoning details:
-Smiles is willing to extend (reset) his summoning if you agree to "do some favors" for him. (He will ask for an increasing number of Follower action points. One action point per additional turn he is asked to stay in the Wake.)
-Smiles is capable of CHANNELING the highest intensity of Edge influence, and gifting it to you for a full month.
-Smiles is considered a Minion, and does not mind being sacrificed for Rituals.
-Smiles may NOT be sacrificed to summon Biedde, and will not be summoned if Biedde is sacrificed in his summoning.

Health: 5/5
General bonus: +30
"Combat-related" bonus: +50
Aspects: EDGE 6, HEART 3
[NAME]: There is, or was, a hierarchy within the Mansus. He has reached high within its ranks.
[ONE WHO IS VERY GREAT]: Smiles is willing to offer you Sacrament in the Lore of Edge, should you fulfill his requirements.
[WEIGHT OF PRESENCE]: Smiles grants a full level up to the Secret Library for his preferred Lore.
[CRUSHING STRENGTH]: If Smiles causes at least one wound to an opponent during battle, he causes an additional wound.
[TROUBLEMAKER]: Once per turn, Smiles may lead one assault (or one Short Expedition) without spending any action points.

[LAUGHING GIANT]: During combat, Smiles will try to taunt, attract and engage as many enemies as he can at the same time. He does not receive any mechanical advantage when attempting to do so, but foes will naturally try to "dogpile" him whenever possible.

[PROUD]: Will refuse to cast any rituals that do not involve Edge or Heart.
[UNIQUE]: Smiles is a unique creature. He may refuse summons at will, and will refuse re-summons for three full months should he be unsummoned for any reason (including if he is killed).
[OH HATED FOE]: If Smiles and Biedde ever meet, under any circumstances, the two of them will battle to the death in single combat (no interruptions will be allowed or accepted).

And with that, you finally meet the last Name. The eight, and hardest to find, Name, meant to be the corrival of the other Edge Name, possible Edge Master betrayal option, and the fourth member of the "Change" faction in the Name Hotel, to counterbalance the four "Order" Names.

Twelve hours moratorium. I need to go sleep this off.

Spoiler: Author's Note 3: numerical corrections.

After this update, a reader very wisely pointed out that:

I say this knowing very very very keenly how I got folded in half in humiliation last time I tried to "um, akshually" you, but shouldn't Velvet have +90 combat when using AotL due to +1 Martial?

Click to shrink...

And he is correct. Velvet should have had a +1 to all her rolls.

Mechanically, changing that now wouldn't alter the results of the combat. (It would not impact how many dice would be thrown, in what order, or Velvet's wound.) So, I will not update it.

However, I would like to point out that Biedde's "49 overflow" was in fact, some three points lower (down to a 46), and that Velvet beat him with a 53.

For transparency's sake, if nothing else.

 

[Shaper47]

Sigh, called it.

The Colonel will not release what is his and going for his Sacrament means being in bondage to him forever.

Hell I even guessed correctly that the Colonel was still alive even.

Just go Wolf like we should have from the beginning.

 

[ses]

The dice were honest, but holy shit they took me for a ride as I wrote this. I write combat one thing at a time, rolling the dice and then writing the blurb until the next combat turn. So I thought he was going to fold you in half into a Dance with Death when I saw how close he was to double-wounding you on his next roll.

Click to shrink...

I say this knowing very very very keenly how I got folded in half in humiliation last time I tried to "um, akshually" you, but shouldn't Velvet have +90 combat when using AotL due to +1 Martial?

And HOLY SHIT LIONSMITH NAME

I like Biedde. I really didn't agree with all the Biedde hate that the thread was making. I like the Colonel. But Velvet is in this for Godhood for herself.

 

[Sintonir]

Ok, so... this happened.
What a close call, 49 vs 51...
I'm a bit more trusting towards the Lionsmith, but let's weights pros and cons other than obvious...
Cons:
- With Smiles, we will likely get a weaker Sacrament. If that matters at all.
- Our current path seems to be more aligned with Colonel values, we trust the establishment and win through cunning more than strength
Pros:
- It seems we helped Comet Feet get out of Colonel's service, why hurry there now?
- We may save our Uncle? Unlikely, if only we did it a turn earlier...

 

[Shaper47]

The kicker is that we need Biedde for his constant guard duty trait.

Family protection and our personal protection is very important.

@OurLadyOfWires Can we have a forth option where Velvet immediately commits to getting her Edge Sacrament from the Wolf-Divided?

 

[Arrkhon]

The bald spot he has at the very top of his head, visible once he takes off his cap, almost makes him look like a kindly and caring grandfather.

Click to shrink...

How does that even look with a pony

-However, this option HAS A CHANCE TO "POISON" YOUR EPILOGUE. (This is the only "fair warning" you will receive from QM regarding this option. This is a "meta" warning, being offered out of an abundance of reasonableness, and Velvet Covers is not aware of it. Similar to the warning about the Master becoming an alicorn.)

Click to shrink...

Is this something that even needed to be said?
Either way I doubt that this will be a hard choice, Velvet is defined by Betrayal and one more in exchange for a string-less sacrament is a great deal, even if it would mean we would switch out Edge/Moth bodyguard for a Edge/Heart one which won't exactly be subtle

 

[ses]

Points that come to mind:

1) There's no possible way that Biedde managed to secretly teach any apprentices sufficient Edge to possibly successfully summon him even if he started immediately upon entering the Wake rather than having Darth Steppes be his first acolyte. The only other Branded on the planet who has a chance of meeting Biedde before we reach Glory is Windy Flakes and we can roflstomp him easily considering our respective resources.

Then again... considering the +20 "interest" modifier Mareinette gave... Biedde might be able to give a buff to his own acolytes that he may have made and hidden in the world during his last 4 months in the Wake....

Then again the Master needed a summoner to reach his summon DCs fair and square despite very much wanting to get summoned. The changeling thing wasn't just to fuck with us and help us cross a mental line against murder.

And it's very likely Steppes is his only acolyte in the Wake regardless, who he hasn't had time to train yet to summon him as a backup entry into the Wake.

2) "Change" is pretty much synonymous with "Harmony" as far as I can tell? "Change" was the Forge's plan to seal away the Lores and usher a new era of Harmony after all. So I'm more inclined towards the Change faction and learning about the distinction is a majority of the reason I'm amenable to Mareinette. Presumably the 4 Names each were "Change: Mareinette, Forge Name, Smiles, Will of the Woods" and "Order: Axe, Biedde, Baldomare, Neighnia"? I'm actually not sure, Will of the Woods might actually have been on the side of Order despite being the Moth Name considering his racist rant about alicorns, but I get the vibe that was also mostly him putting on his chuuni Master mask.

3) Steppes. If we unsummon Biedde is that good or bad for Steppes' wellbeing? I genuinely don't know.

 

[DelightedOne]

SmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmilesSmile-*clank* okay I'm done.

You guys can guess what I'll be voting for. I prefer Change, but if we take the coward's way out I won't mind.

Besides, Velvet is a connoisseur of betrayal. Why not make it official?

 

[Sintonir]

There's no possible way that Biedde managed to secretly teach any apprentices sufficient Edge to possibly successfully summon him even if he started immediately upon entering the Wake rather than having Darth Steppes be his first acolyte. The only other Branded on the planet who has a chance of meeting Biedde before we reach Glory is Windy Flakes and we can roflstomp him easily considering our respective resources

Click to shrink...

There is one other organization which could summon Biedde if we let them grow: the Eclipse.
Smiles seems to only be reachable through Sacrament with Biedde. Biedde, however, stands guard over the Worm Museum, Eclipse could reach him if we let them...

I'm sorry? Why would the Sacrament of a Name from the saiyan alike Hour be weaker than that of the William Afton alike Hour.

Click to shrink...

Because one is from a Name, another is from an Hour

 

[DelightedOne]

Because one is from a Name, another is from an Hour

Click to shrink...

Woops sorry that wasn't supposed to go on the final version.

But does who we learn from really matter or is it just a honor thing? Both are Sacraments after all.

 

[Random Anon]

Holy shit, what a Combat. 49??? If you told me the rolls were faked, I would believe you.

Anyway. Smiles. Obviously Smiles. C'mon. Narratively it may make more sense to go with the Colonel, but fuck that. I want my happy ending.