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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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Dear reader! Whether you are new here, archive-reading and whatnot, or you are already someone who has been with us for quite a while, I would like to say a few words that I believe are best kept close to mind.

-This is an MLP quest. And more importantly, none of us are gratuitously cruel. So good things will happen on this quest, and I hope that enough good things have already happened to prove that.
-This is also a horror quest, so bad things will happen. Bad things might happen to good characters if you are not able to protect them, and you most certainly will not be able to intervene if you lack the tools to do so.
-And finally, this is a quest in which you jostle with powers greater than yourself, with all that it entails.

Please, do keep those things in mind as you go forward. But ultimately, this is also a quest in which it is hoped we all have fun! So if any of the above points is not exactly your cup of tea, or somehow make the experience as a whole "not worth it", then this quest might not be for you. Which is fine! Individual tastes are a thing, so don't think any more about it if you don't want to read anymore. And regardless, I hope you have a lovely day!

Kaelor said:
PSA for whoever needs to hear it:

Readers should take their own mental health into consideration when voting and not subject themselves to triggering narrative elements like rape or constant mental torture of a friend just for the Greatest Good of a world that doesn't exist.

If those are fine for you or Regrettable is even more triggering, then GREAT! More power to you. But you aren't a bad or selfish person for picking the option that keeps the characters you've emotionally connected with safe. [REDACTED for spoiler warning]

This is a high intensity quest that doesn't hold back when it comes to horror and negative consequences. Take care of yourself.
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(Quote slightly edited to avoid spoilers)
 
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@Ericwinter - as long as you aren't buying the Moth artifact, I think I'm happy with your plan. One less action spent with our cultists than my proposal, but studying Heart gets us up to the second lore level, which should help all said actions. I can see it, yeah.


[] Plan Beating Hearts
EDIT: I don't know if I can vote for something else while putting forward my own plan, so retracting my vote for now. Will likely support Plan Beating Hearts later, depending on how the vote goes.

Ericwinter said:
---{X] Heart
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Your brackets are malformed here, though.
 
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Pittauro said:
The fact the Master is not able (or willing) to get these circles himself tells us a lot. He's not as powerful as we feared, not so far out of reach.
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I mean, whatever they are might just be too mothy to be able to teach people that kind of basics? Because on one hoof, they really should already know this stuff themselves if they can do things like invoke THAT OLD YEARNING, but on the other hoof, if they do already know that stuff why do we need to research it before they can use it? Something's up with their knowledge base.

[X] Plan Outreach

[X] Plan Beating Hearts

[X] Plan People-focus

Anyway, whichever plan we do, i think paying a lot of attention to our fellow cultists is important, both to aid them and to influence them. That last turn was some shit after all. And it wouldn't hurt Velvet Covers to have more friends she can actually talk about said shit with either.
 
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NMS said:
Guys, why are you going to the Master for Heart when we current have a Heart book we can use?
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Ericwinter said:
...That, is a very good question. I think I may have forgotten that while writing my vote up. I'll, uh, go change that.
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It is worth noting that we can usually read 2 books in one go. So using an action on 1 is a bit inefficient.
And also, I think we need to roll for success with a book, but not with the Master's teachings?

But eh, maybe will take the half action to relax or whatever. I can live with that, I suppose.
 
PrimalShadow said:
It is worth noting that we can usually read 2 books in one go.

But eh, we will take the half action to relax or whatever. I can live with that.
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Yeah, I'd thought about that, but... we still get the same amount done, If I'm understanding the mechanics correctly? while not letting the book become utterly useless and making our knowledge base be less dependent on the Master. And hey, some people have voiced concerns about Velvet needing relaxation anyways, so having a free half action might actually help.

Pittauro said:
The fact the Master is not able (or willing) to get these circles himself tells us a lot. He's not as powerful as we feared, not so far out of reach.
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Happerry said:
I mean, whatever they are might just be too mothy to be able to teach people that kind of basics? Because on one hoof, they really should already know this stuff themselves if they can do things like invoke THAT OLD YEARNING, but on the other hoof, if they do already know that stuff why do we need to research it before they can use it? Something's up with their knowledge base.
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I actually made a comment earlier noting how the Master probably just found a neat trick for getting influences--in the original game you could actually build up to a pretty high influence even if you stay in the Woods, by finding "A Buzzing in the Brain" influences and then stacking them together for higher levels--and then spamming them near-constantly, or at least every time he had to interact with the Cult. that way it feels like they've got a whole lot of power and knowledge, but actually aren't that good. Hell, they're barely at... what, level seven Moth? And we've made it from tne to three in the space of a few months, during which we've focused mostly on mundane matters.
 
Ericwinter said:
I actually made a comment earlier noting how the Master probably just found a neat trick for getting influences--in the original game you could actually build up to a pretty high influence even if you stay in the Woods, by finding "A Buzzing in the Brain" influences and then stacking them together for higher levels--and then spamming them near-constantly, or at least every time he had to interact with the Cult. that way it feels like they've got a whole lot of power and knowledge, but actually aren't that good. Hell, they're barely at... what, level seven Moth? And we've made it from tne to three in the space of a few months, during which we've focused mostly on mundane matters.
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It is a nice theory, but I honestly wouldn't count on it. Certainly, observations of the Master suggest that his actions have limits - but we don't know the nature of those limits. One possibility is that he is limited by lack of knowledge, and the high-level abilities we see are carefully crafted deceptions, as you mention. But other interpretations are equally possible.

For example, maybe the Master is a being of the Mansus and his abilities to act in the Wake are limited. Notice for instance, how the only times we've seen the Master in the Wake were in a specifically warded room, and when he appeared to us directly in the form of a swarm of moths.


I think we should pay attention to what the Master shows himself to be able and unable to do, but I caution heavily against just assuming that his knowledge is overblown. In the words of one from another eldritch franchise, "overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer".
 
BirdBodhisattva said:
since there is now an active investigation going on due to a murder. A crime of this gravity is already relatively rare in Ponyville
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So about that murder investigation, I have a feeling we know who's responsible for that.
BirdBodhisattva said:
"We have procured the a new place for gathering. Its previous owner will no longer bother us, although…" you can feel Windy Flake's smile, a Winter smile, crossing his lips, "we might have a bit of a problem with an ongoing investigation. But apart form that, I shall be transferring our operation there in the coming month."
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I don't think anypony's realized it IC yet due to the factors of A) ponies are peaceful creatures that tend to think the best of people, B) especially friends, you don't want your friends to be horrible people so you try to interpret there actions to support that assumption, C) the ritual happened right after which meant every pony was thinking about that instead of Windy Flake's words, and D) Velvet Covers was distracted due to the Old Yearning making her temporarily insane.
 
Ericwinter said:
I actually made a comment earlier noting how the Master probably just found a neat trick for getting influences--in the original game you could actually build up to a pretty high influence even if you stay in the Woods, by finding "A Buzzing in the Brain" influences and then stacking them together for higher levels--and then spamming them near-constantly, or at least every time he had to interact with the Cult. that way it feels like they've got a whole lot of power and knowledge, but actually aren't that good. Hell, they're barely at... what, level seven Moth? And we've made it from tne to three in the space of a few months, during which we've focused mostly on mundane matters.
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From the voting options, we know he's, at least, Level 4 in all other Lores.

And yet, he didn't know about the Worms being able to puppet ponies. This can have... implications.
 
PrimalShadow said:
It is a nice theory, but I honestly wouldn't count on it. Certainly, observations of the Master suggest that his actions have limits - but we don't know the nature of those limits. One possibility is that he is limited by lack of knowledge, and the high-level abilities we see are carefully crafted deceptions, as you mention. But other interpretations are equally possible.

For example, maybe the Master is a being of the Mansus and his abilities to act in the Wake are limited. Notice for instance, how the only times we've seen the Master in the Wake were in a specifically warded room, and when he appeared to us directly in the form of a swarm of moths.


I think we should pay attention to what the Master shows himself to be able and unable to do, but I caution heavily against just assuming that his knowledge is overblown. In the words of one from another eldritch franchise, "overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer".
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Fair enough. It's something to keep in mind at least.
BirdBodhisattva said:
(Skill pending MOTH interlude)
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So hey, @BirdBodhisattva you said this skill was going to be a primarily narrative one, right? Am I correct in assuming that measn it's, like, some sort of occult power we'll be able to use? Like actually turning into shadows or stepping through spaces that don't exist or something?
 
Most of the plans are going for social with Starry Dancer and then Jade Whistle. Those are reasonable choices. Starry showed emotional vulnerability which means that a social action might get her lastingly on-side, making this turn a great time to social her. Jade has previously been largely unreadable and showed some reactions which might be an opening to establish some closeness in this difficult time, and further is a high-value recruit because being our cult loremaster means that her loyalty brings a cabal of ritualists with her- and possibly any artifacts, lore, or rituals we don't know.

However, I think it's a significant mistake to overlook Comet Feet. This is true for several reasons which relate to and build on one another.

To begin, he's in a more vulnerable position than he appears. Emotionally, he's an Equestrian pony- born to a peaceful society- who has nevertheless been convinced to outright murder someone for the sake of the cult's goals. That has to be emotionally difficult, but as long as he could reassure himself with thoughts of the greater good, it's okay... and he just witnessed this ritual. Most peoples' convictions were shaken, but with blood directly and personally on his hands already it's likely that his guilt and horror would be much more severe.

This means that he's in a mentally vulnerable state. But unlike us who have a supportive family and a task that lets us social our peers who are having doubts, he is... sent off to be alone. To dwell alone with little to do but stew in his own emotions while contemplating the eldritch lore of Edge, which teaches him how violence is inevitable and the natural state of all beings is brutal conflict. This is not a recipe for good things. In fact, I would go so far as to say that without someone there to anchor him and serve as a stabilizing influence, there is a good chance that Comet Feet is on the high-speed rail to crazytown. The MLP side of the cross reinforces this; there's no shortage of episodes with the basic plot "someone on their own goes completely nutso until their friends reach out and help them recover and become stable and happy again". But with no one to reach out as a friend, where will this plotline take Comet Feet?

There's also the possibility that he responded to the ritual with a high-loyalty option. That could be his natural opinion, or simply a means of keeping himself more mentally stable, shielding himself from the negative emotional effects of the things he's done by doubling down on saying that the Master is right and everything was necessary. Certainly, diving farther into Edge is likely to make this an easier line of logic to follow as well as allowing him to dismiss blood on his hands as unimportant. If he is taking such a route mentally and emotionally then we will hopefully be able to discover it with a social action, and knowing it now, as soon as possible, is quite important. That's because...

As our cult's enforcer and someone who is devoting himself to the task of becoming personally lethal enough to engage and overcome all the cult's enemies solo, Comet Feet's mental stability, loyalty, and relationship with us is a matter of key concern. Obviously, having a super-powerful crazy person in our cult has serious downsides and inconveniences, but of more concern is the fact that we and others are showing doubt in the cause. Should the lead to the cult having any internal conflict, the side with Comet Feet on it has the option of immediately moving to slaughter the opposition via the application of overwhelming violence. Should the Master decide that there is risk of internal conflict, Comet Feet may well be the hammer he tries to bring down should more subtle means of maintaining his control fail, before any rebellion can grow. Comet Feet is, essentially, moving to become a winning piece in the coup game. We very badly want that piece to be ours- whether we're loyal or not.

In short:
Comet Feet is at high risk of insanity or fanaticism and he's going to be made of 250% murder very soon, spend an action on him before it's too late.
 
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Its hard making a decision because I really want to do both time with our family and collect heart, but we are obviously only going to ge two do one of them with all the other stuff that needs to be done, I kind of want to help Twilight Sparkles but its also an action that takes time away from the actual search or helping our cult members.

So much to do so little time.
 
zxzx24 said:
Some of them are doubling down on their base urges to cope, and some of them are showing real fear and horror at what they witnessed (though they are too embarrassed to admit it). Most of the leadership being in the cups or scared of their own shadows is not condusive to getting things done.

We need to keep Comet Feet from making murder a habit if hes going to operate in ponyvile.

Desperately.
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Heart.
This cult is in a bad need of a mid-tier adept of the Heart A skilled adept of heart can navigate society like it's own bedroom and gives everyone a hug. And with our level of Moth and Winter lore we very much need it to counterbalance certain urges.
 
permeakra said:
Heart.
This cult is in a bad need of a mid-tier adept of the Heart A skilled adept of heart can navigate society like it's own bedroom and gives everyone a hug. And with our level of Moth and Winter lore we very much need it to counterbalance certain urges.
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Heart's themes are protection, preservation, and (musical) beat. There are lots of protective ponies but for those that fulfill the last aspect, of music, there are three named non-Mane 6 Ponyville characters that fit the bill, Lyra Heartstrings, Octavia Melody, and Vinyl Scratch. I'd go for Lyra, if she has follows the fanon interpretation of being a Human-focused conspiracy theorist she has the right mindset for being in a cult. If anything she'd be too enthusiastic about delving into the secrets of the universe.
 
Largely snipped from primal shadow, but here's my suggestions.

Are we sure focusing this much on finding Luna is wise?

The cult is shaken, likely the most they are going to ever be and now is an invaluable time to get in with them.

Perhaps it would be better to drop the dream searching action in favor of speaking to copper or that other one?

That or JUST do the dreamwalking action. We can say all sorts of things to her if we get her alone...

Edit:
Heart will like as not make us more eldritch as more personable. I'm against trying to raise it right now, for these circumstances.
 
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NexusEye said:
Heart's themes are protection, preservation, and (musical) beat. There are lots of protective ponies but for those that fulfill the last aspect, of music, there are three named non-Mane 6 Ponyville characters that fit the bill, Lyra Heartstrings, Octavia Melody, and Vinyl Scratch. I'd go for Lyra, if she has follows the fanon interpretation of being a Human-focused conspiracy theorist she has the right mindset for being in a cult. If anything she'd be too enthusiastic about delving into the secrets of the universe.
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Isn't Lyra house(room?)mates with BonBon/Agent Sweetie Drops?

BonBon can be a Supression Bureau agent here.
 
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