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

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Didn't we leave Copper alone for over a year? Suggesting we leave Biedde alone for 3 months, when we know his power in the Wake is extremely limited, is not a comparable kettle of fish.




Yes, that's what monsters are known for. Mercy.

There is no merciful Edge Hour. One of them is a tyrant in service to his duty, and in that duty slays monsters. And the other is a killer in service to strength and freedom, and creates monsters that rampage against the innocent.

Spare Equestria from such "mercy." Velvet is far more merciful than either.

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Biedde is much more dangerous than Copper. He doesn't need over a year to become an existential threat. He just needs to enter the Wake and start stabbing our network anywhere Smiles is not guarding. He's not blinded by a hatred for Velvet like Copper was; he can be smart about how he picks things apart once he's back. Those of the Colonel are patient and cunning after all.

As for your second point; I was talking about Velvet. When I say "make them work for Velvet" I do not mean "make them work for the Lionsmith".

 

[Shaper47]

Even assuming that won't cause other problems, that sort of taking our time just means the other timers blow up in our face?

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True but being better prepared for All In might be worth it.

Like, narratively I suspect having the higher lore the better for the Glory Ending.

And, well personally there's a lot I still want Velvet to do before she ascends.

It's a trade off I suppose. The more time Velvet has to prepare the better but she's still vulnerable while preparing.

 

[Greymere]

Our layers of lies and masks and obfuscations have layered themselves so deep that we're now presenting Reproach with the literal truth. His beliefs regarding everyone's identities is now accurate, but it doesn't feel like it.

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There are times you can really tell that Moth was the lore chosen in that first quest vote, that it was Velvet's first lore to 3, that it was the first lore we taught Selene. This update felt like one of them: pretty much the entire truth, but it's refracted through a plethora of deception. Mothy through and through!

Dovetailed nicely with the loss of influence and wound, too.

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And all this is without the ability to "don the mask", however that shakes out.

Edit: You know, if we end up having any free/flex follower AP, I'd almost be tempted to send someone out to look for books in Ponyville.... we're only a single Level 2 book away from having the Bureau at Forge 3.

 

[dcoconeo]

-"Lend" FOUR followers to Baldomare. They will all embark on a SHORT expedition with her to an unknown location.

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Can we lend Smiles over, since this is also SHORT?
Similarly, can we double down on feeding Smiles Velvet AP if we want?

Edit:
Also, isn't making the Forge 6 Reagent directly much easier than the expedition, since sending Names is not cheap either?

 

[Greymere]

Also, isn't making the Forge 6 Reagent directly much easier than the expedition, since sending Names is not cheap either?

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Making the Forge 6 reagent ourselves would cost 190 bits (80 for Lv. 4 + 110 for purification). So... it depends.

Edit:

@OurLadyOfWires there's a tiny bit of a discrepancy between the progress bar we were originally told for the map fragment, and what it is in our inventory...

BOOK Non-Lore. "The Way Home (Fragment)." A fragment of a map, retrieved from a small changeling quasi-hive, that might point the way to their original hive. (Requires deciphering. Progress 0/100. Confusing text, "-20" to deciphering rolls.)

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-You will gain the Non-Lore book "The Way Home (Fragment)," which has a "-20 (Confusing)" malus for study, and a "0/300" progression bar to it. Finding other Fragments (if they exist) would greatly help you study this book.

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[DelightedOne]

Can we lend Smiles over, since this is also SHORT?
Similarly, can we double down on feeding Smiles Velvet AP if we want?

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We could.

Wait, I'm a bit confused. Why are you asking that if it doesn't matter who we send on an AP level(I'm assuming you are thinking on using Smiles' Troublemaker trait)? Since it doesn't consume Follower actions.

-The expedition will not cost you funds, nor will they cost actions from the followers. But it will cost one action from Baldomare herself.

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[Pittauro]

"Well then, do you know anywhere interesting we can kill time?" you ask.

"Of course not," Beyond Reproach answers, "I only live here."

And you are not entirely sure why you expected that stallion to answer anything else.

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There's always Sugarcube Corner. Maybe you'll even meet the legendary Party-In-Splendour...

Still, you can tell at a glance that you are looking at the Commissioner rather than at the Director of the Lunar Bureau.

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...I'm forgetting the difference.

Maybe the Director was the formal title of Luna? If not, what am I missing?

Because Lady Velvet Covers, and you are absolutely sure that is Lady Velvet, is… tired. She looks tired, and she looks bothered, and you can't see any of the sharpness that was present in her just a few weeks ago when you last saw her.

If you didn't know any better, you would almost think that she is sick. Still, you watch as she waves away a maid, as well as Battering Ram, and gives the Deputy a weak welcome as she walks down the stairs.

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Well, we lost the Edge Influence AND we made a Name enemy. So yeah, sick kinda fits.

Also the one wound.

Stormcloud-grey coat, raven black mane… you stretch your neck as high as you can to look over the rows of ponies in front of you, and you catch a glimpse of a cutie mark: a moon partially hidden by black clouds.

And what is more, the mare looks sullen. Not angry, but not friendly either.

No, she doesn't look sullen. She looks serious… and disappointed. As if she is more than just unimpressed by the gathering of ponies in front of her.

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Another Selene form?

"The Commissioner leaned in to talk to her," he repeats himself. And once again, you squint your eyes to look at the pair of mares at the front of the hall.

It is maddening how you have to focus to be able to find the pegasus mare, even if she hasn't moved an inch.

But sure enough, you look at the Commissioner… and you can see that she is leaning into the pegasus mare to listen to something she was saying.

"That's body language one-oh-one," Reproach continues. "I've seen the Commissioner wave away bodyguards that are larger than her, and I've seen her frown when the freaking Deputy took a few seconds to come when called. She is a noble, and she is used to wielding authority. And still, she is leaning in to hear what that mare has to say."

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...Is he the Lantern bureau guy? Because he's pretty perceptive.

Moments later, the Commissioner nods. And you can tell that she has the expression of a mare who knows everything will be alright, because there is a Princess there who knows what to do next.

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If only they knew it's basically the reverse!

Imagine if what Selene was whispering to Velvet was "mom, I don't wanna talk to all those ponies!" or something like that

"But more importantly, I have been trying to recruit Miss Wind because of her own contacts, and… well, if you could do the honors, Midnight Wind?"

The Commissioner says that, and Midnight Wind answers with a mute nod.

And then, the pegasus mare raises a hoof and-



-CLOP-



-she strikes the hardwood of the stairs with enough force for it to echo through the hall.

And as if to answer her summons, the entrance doors of the hall, the large double doors that are closed shut behind you, are swung wide open.

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Well, that's quite the presentation they prepared.

A larger-than-life stallion bristling with muscles, taller than anypony else you have ever seen.

A mare exuding beauty as if it were a perfume she could wear or sell, cloaked in regal robes of red and black.

A burly stallion whose coat had a metallic sheen to it, his expression blank and serious.

"Alternatively, she may send one of her… contacts, in her stead. One of them, or several, with or without her. I recommend you to cooperate with them as much as possible, in whatever operation you may be involved."

A bespectacled mare with a piercing gaze, her mane tied into a bun behind her hair.

A sullen pony, covered from nose to tail in a tattered cloak, walking down the stairs as if they did not want to be there.

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At least this happened AFTER Biedde "left".

...how would it have even worked if we'd had both of them available? They can't stay in the same room after all!

Separate introductions?

"There is this fairy tale I sometimes read to my foals…" you say to him in return, also in a whisper. "About an old mage and his band of companions. They called themselves the Pillars, and they helped the Princesses guard Equestria a thousand years ago…"

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kind of an hilarious comparison... but it makes me wonder.

Any chance the Pillars were all Long?

You say that as you look at those five ponies, and at the "Midnight Wind" pegasus who so easily hides behind them, despite being their leader.

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Due to the Bureau's progress with the Lores, you have introduced the Names the Lunar Bureau. Summoned Names may now, mechanically and narratively, interact with the Lunar Bureau, either by their own design or through your orders.

All summoned Names, and Selene, may now use the action "Consult for the Lunar Bureau." If picked, that character will aid the Bureau for the duration of that turn in whatever way they are best suited, narratively or mechanically. Names and Selene will only be available for Bureau raids/assaults during said turn if they are "Consulting".

Summoned Names will now add their innate bonuses to the Bureau's library.

The Lunar Bureau has received the "Mutated Husk" corpse. You can guarantee the Bureau will retain custody of it at least until the end of Turn 23, but you cannot know if Eclipse will learn about it after that.

The Lunar Bureau has discovered the expedition site "The Colony of Dodge City." It will be added to your list of expeditions shortly.

The Operations and Investigations departments of the Lunar Bureau have jointly recommended that, presently, the Lunar Bureau LACKS the capability to assault this recently found place. They recommend either searching for other gatherings of changeling activities, or increasing the Bureaus offensive abilities.

Come Turn 23, you will be offered additional options to address these recent changes (both relating to studying the corpse, and exploring your options in relation to the changeling colony).

Finally, the non-Lore book "The Way Home (Fragment)" has been added to your personal inventory.

More to follow.

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Well, that's a significant strenghtening of the Bureau, even if it comes at the cost of our follower actions.

Baldomare could study the weird changeling corpse.

Smile could join assaults. Would he be able to use his free action for that @OurLadyOfWires ?

Mareinette could take care of some diplomatic actions... I wonder if for example we could have her persuade members of Eclipse to be more cooperative.

Cherenkolt could probably build up the headquarter in ways nobody else can.

Axe... well, she can look surly in a corner when not swinging her axe?

Even assuming that won't cause other problems, that sort of taking our time just means the other timers blow up in our face?

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IF, and it's a big IF, we can remove the Daybreaker problem, I'm not opposed to taking a couple extra turns before All In (or even bypass it by having Luna ask for it).

Mostly because we're growing in strenght VERY quickly, and each extra Name and Sacrament and Artifact we get will be a massive help in general. the Sacraments are likely to help a lot in the Mansus after All In too. Already Edge Sacrament means that if we end up fighting there we're much better off as we can heal.

That said, taking more time means there's a chance of, for example, Discord getting free, or Sombra coming to play, or Tirek, or Starlight, or who knows what else.

Can we lend Smiles over, since this is also SHORT?
Similarly, can we double down on feeding Smiles Velvet AP if we want?

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it was mentioned they don't use their actions for Baldomare Lantern Sacrament expedition, so sure.

Also, isn't making the Forge 6 Reagent directly much easier than the expedition, since sending Names is not cheap either?

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To be fair, it's not that much cheaper. Forge 4 requires 80 bits, then Forge 6 requires 1 Velvet Action and 110 bits.

Forge 6 is a single expedition costing 135 bits per pony, we get a good chunk of those back, AND we most likely get other loot too. And, even if we already paid for it, 30 bits for the scrying ritual and a follower action on that.

Expedition is on the whole cheaper (once we get our refund) and gives us more.