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!
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.
Sorry, sorry. Yes I can explain more. Excrucians are invaders trying to unmake reality for various reasons though some sort of also come from inside reality. Warmains are a type of Excrucian who seek to take something from creation, some quality or possession they feel was stolen from them. They seek this lost property by means of their Test, some trial or challenge that they force upon reality. Failing the test is oftentimes fatal, but those who pass the test are instead subsumed by the Warmain in a process known as Tempering.
Warmains tend to be fairly violent and are drawn to those that can stand against them. The whole Corrivality business where the Colonel and the Lionsmith struggle to overcome eachother works very well as either two Warmains in a love hate relationship or as one Warmain somehow split in half.
As for the protagonist as one of the Glitched I need to explain a little about Strategists. The Strategists are hat loving Excrucians who wage war on creation out of rage and hatred. They are sort of born in creation (Excrucians have a strange relationship to time) and come into being when they encounter a Glitch in reality which reveals (to them at least) that the world is fundamentally wrong. This Glitch infects them at the root of their being killing them in an endless cycle. Most people who experience the Glitch are trapped like this, suffering the same fate forever. Some, perhaps one in a thousand, break free from the world. Making it to the Not outside of the cup of flame where they reclaim their true heritage (and hats) as Princes and warleaders of the Excrucian Host. The Protagonist of Cultist simulator is similarly trapped in a cycle of life and death. Repeatedly they pry at the secrets of the world only hunting for scraps of Lore until the search consumes them.
This makes sense, but reminds me of another question I had: Velvet's SH Sacrament is marked as a dangerous action.
I've sort of assumed that means 'potential wounds', but mechanically, getting Dread or Fascination would be just as dangerous to us if we weren't frail.
(Hell, more so! Unless Wounds can fester, which I suppose is something we'll find out if we fail our healing roll this turn).
So my question is: Is this correct? Is dangerous a warning of general possible game-ending effects, not just wounds?
In the world of Noblis, Creation is under threat by the Excrucians, forces of the Not, who broadly fit into four categories.
The Strategists hate existence. To them, there is something just fundamentally wrong about it. This wrongness comes not from surface features of the world, like war and pain and disease, but is something deeper that infects every aspect of existence. Love, too, is wrong. So is sunshine, rain, joy, sorrow, and chocolate-covered marshmallows. Opinions vary as to whether there could possibly be an Is that is not wrong, but they all agree that the Is that is, is. For each Strategist, some specific feature of this wrongness infects them too, binds to them, and eventually drives them out of the world to recover/kills them (these are the same thing).
The Deceivers love you, but they think you're in an abusive relationship with existence, and they want you to break up. They love you, but they do not love your body, or your history, or your future, or your memories, or this world. They say these things are lies that you have trapped yourself in, and they want to free you from them. Deceivers have a self-referential concept that they can bring into the world and use to twist it.
The Warmains don't necessarily want to destroy Creation per se, rather they seek in it something that is worthy, by whatever standard that Warmain judges worth. Those things judged poorly are left behind, in whatever state they may be after they have been tested. Those things judged worthy are taken by the Warmain and incorporated into themselves, which, being creatures of the Not, is much the same as destroying them. Impress them enough and perhaps they will kill you and wear your face; what could possibly be a greater accomplishment?
I don't really understand Mimics, so of them I will speak no more.
I don't think any of the Hours fit well as Excrucians though, even the Wolf-Divided and the Gods-from-Nowhere are a part of the construction of reality, not an external force seeking to unmake it. And the protagonist of Cultist Simulator hasn't a fraction of the destructive power Strategists are known for.
I've sort of assumed that means 'potential wounds', but mechanically, getting Dread or Fascination would be just as dangerous to us if we weren't frail.
Yeah, mostly I think the Colonel and the Lionsmith only work as Warmains if painted in broad strokes. For the most part the Hours don't really work as Excrucians. The Sun in Rags could be written as a Mimic but it still isn't a perfect fit. Mimics are divinities who were slain by the Excrucians and used to create infiltrators. At the heart of each Mimic is a Blasphemy, the remnants of their Domain twisted into something unnatural. As for the protagonist Strategist thing they would be one of the Glitched, someone who has to live the wrongness of reality killing them but with none of the phenomenal cosmic power.
The author does not intend to (and should not be interpreted as intending to) break the site's Terms of Service or site rules at any point.
None of the above subjects are condoned, glorified or encouraged by the author, and their presence in this story is purely for narrative purposes.
If you do not wish to be exposed to any of the subjects cited above, you should STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.
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[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
-Will reveal your "Scarred" trait to Cadance.
"-still, I am so sorry! I should have known better and-"
"Cadance…"
"-should just have been less nosy, or at least I-"
"… Cadance…"
"-not made a-any assumptions or-"
"Cadance!"
Somehow, you finally interrupt the mare. And she gives you maybe a full second of silence as she stares at you with that same mixture of regret, shock and honest relief.
You are glad you didn't have to shake her, like you were about to. But still, you know even this window won't last you long. So, you take this opportunity.
"Like I said, it's fine! I promise," you repeat yourself. This time making sure the mare is actually listening, and not having your words go into one of her ears and out through the other as she cries. "I've been like this my whole life. And because of that, sometimes I just get sick or feel under the weather. I know it doesn't look good, but I promise you it's normal for me."
You try to say that as naturally as possible. Or at least in a way that makes you sound confident.
And you can tell that she finally, finally is listening to you. And also that she believes you.
However, exactly because she believes you, you can see how her expression turns even more worried.
"But… I…" she begins to say, her voice still wet and crestfallen. "You shouldn't have come here, a-and… I didn't know, but-"
"Hush, shush, don't give me any of that," you say, patting her on the back from where you are sitting next to her. "You didn't know it, but I did. And I decided to accept your offer anyways, because I want to help you."
You say that in a gentle, patient voice, hearing the mare hold back her sniffs as you continue to side-hug her.
"And I'm telling you now because I trust you. So, I don't mind you knowing this."
You watch as Cadance shakes her head, still covering her eyes with her hoofs. Her expression is clearly apologetic, and you can tell why. After all she is shaking her head because she disagrees with you.
The mare clearly thinks you only told her that because she was inconsolable just a few minutes ago. And she wouldn't have believed you otherwise.
Well, that might be true. But it is only part of the truth.
You really do trust Cadance. Heavens, if you can't trust her and Shining here in Canterlot, who can you trust?
"Cadance, you're crying again," you say, seeing her eyes pool up with tears for what must be the third time tonight. But you don't say that in a judging tone. Instead, you just pull her a little tighter into your side-hug.
Because this is definitely… not just about you. You are pretty sure that seeing you, and the conclusion she reached, was what made her cup overflow. But still, you can tell she was carrying a whole mountain's worth of stress on her back.
After all, you have no idea of how busy her schedule is. And yet, she came to visit you on the very first night following your arrival in Canterlot. Yes, you are sure of it. Cadance came to you in the hopes of alleviating some of that stress, even if it was just by having a normal conversation with somepony, and it backfired spectacularly the moments she laid her eyes on you.
Or rather… it almost backfired spectacularly.
"There, there…" you say, "let it all out…"
Because sometimes, a shoulder to cry on is just what a pony needs.
You are only slightly worried as to why she isn't doing this with Shining Armor, but you push those concerns to a distant corner of your mind. That doesn't really matter right now. What matters is that you will help Cadance feel better.
"I know that… I'm a Princess, and I shouldn't cry and…" she begins to say. But you don't even let her finish that sentence.
"What? No! Not in here you aren't, missy. You can be as honest as you want when you're with me," you say. "Of course, I would feel a lot better if you weren't crying because of me. But I'd rather you be truthful with me than letting you just keep all of that inside of you."
You say those words, and you feel a small wave of relief as the mare finally gives you… a small nod.
And you slowly manage to move the conversation uphill from there.
- - -
In the end, you stayed up for a lot longer than you intended.
Not because of Cadance. Or at least not directly. Because the mare wasn't really in a good mindset to just chat her sorrows away. So you kept her company, yes, and you accepted whatever apologies she gave you, and you stopped her whenever you felt she was starting to denigrate herself too much. Still, as soon as you got her to smile a little bit, you convinced her that the best thing she could do was get a good night's sleep and put that whole matter behind her.
And so she left, relatively early. Just a few minutes after midnight. And you sincerely hope she followed your advice and slept.
You, on the other hoof… didn't quite fall asleep that quickly.
Because you had a lot to think about. You had a lot to worry about.
After all, now Cadance knows about… your predicament.
And thanks to that, any hopes of quietly getting rid of it are now gone. Your circumstances are clearly the kind of thing that no natural (or even naturally magical) means can cure. So, if they were to disappear in the future, at least one pony would realize something very strange happened. Combine that with the fact that you know the Bureau will clash with the Cult and the Lores soon enough and…
Well…
You definitely don't want to be bunched in the same group as "the ponies who attacked Luna". And evidence that would suggest you knew about the Lores before the Bureau discovers them is definitely not something you want to create.
However, this also means that you are still stuck with this unhealthy condition of yours. Even though a known solution is right there, and you can get it fixed with a few days of preparations, a few alchemical solutions, and a damned hammer.
That thought kept you awake… for a while.
But eventually, you slept. You slept, and you dreamed, and you found yourself in the Mansus once again. That is, until you woke up.
And now you are here.
You ignore the light exhaustion you feel in your body, and you concentrate on the here and now.
It is late in the afternoon. A few hours away from sundown, but still late enough for the sun to be closer to the horizon than not.
You spent the entire day with Shining Armor so far. A few hours of the morning were dedicated to finishing your tour in the Lunar Bureau, taking a closer look at the materials that will be at your disposal.
Naturally, you didn't understand the first thing about the "gear" (as he called it) that your investigators and, well, soldiers will be using. And for that, you are thankful that Cadance sent Shining Armor your way. Because he was being honest when he said you have a small armory, but once he started showing you the pieces of armor, equipment and other gadgets besides, you definitely felt like you were grasping at straws just to keep up with his words.
On the other hoof, the closer inspection you two made on the upper levels, on the offices and other administrative parts of the building, you were back in your element. And you can confidently say that no expenses were spared in stocking the Lunar Bureau.
Which is a given, of course, given the… care that Celestia seems to have with the place.
But much more importantly, the rest of your morning, and most of your afternoon, was spent basically talking to Shining Armor. Because even though the institution you are going to head is clearly well funded, you still had to decide on a factor that was much more important that "mere" funds and equipment.
And that factor, of course, relates to the ponies who will be using said funds and materials.
Because as it stands, the Lunar Bureau has a staff of… maybe six or seven ponies. Namely, the only ponies who are currently in the Lunar Bureau are you, Shining Armor, and the skeleton crew that aided in designing its initial configuration: a pair of ponies from the Royal Guard, a consultant from Canterlot's own constabulary, and two administrators trusted by the Crown.
To put it simply, you do not have a staff. So, you and Shining were discussing what your next step would be.
Well, it is obvious that your next step will be a recruitment drive. But you two were discussing how to go about said recruitment drive. Where you would draw from, what skills you will be looking for, what your standards will be, and even what roles you will want to fulfill.
Although your discussion with him was interrupted by the clock, as the moment for your audience with Celestia was finally approaching.
So, here you are right now. In the throne room. Surrounded by an unexpected group of ponies…
Waiting for Princess Celestia.
…
Your growing nervousness is suddenly broken as you realize something very dangerous is approaching. Followed by a sudden rise in temperature.
And before you can even react, the wide doors at the back of the throne room swing open.
"Hear ye! The Princess of the Sun presides over this audience!"
The rising temperature suddenly turns into a wave of heat, and everypony in the room bows down without a second thought. Yourself included.
- - -
"I have gathered you all here today to pass down a decree."
It is hot.
You are still bowing down, facing the floor.
There is something very dangerous right in front of you. Its threat eclipsing that of the Royal Guard standing in attention nearby. Its lethality greater than even the other alicorn that is waiting next to her.
Heavens. Her very presence seems to make the air around you heavier.
It is hot.
"Today, I will create a new institution that will be charged with policing and safeguarding Equestria. It will be guided by my sister upon her return, but it will begin its activities immediately so it will be worthy of her attention once she takes its reins."
You have not even looked at her yet. None of the gathered ponies have. But still, you can all feel her.
The room doesn't seem any brighter than it was before. But still, she is… she is quite literally radiating heat.
You feel as if you are inside a sauna, that is very slowly being heated.
You feel like you are under the midday sun, even though you are inside the shaded and covered throne room.
You feel as if you have… you are remembered of when you were younger, and you fell and scraped a leg. You remember how it felt to not have any fur covering a part of your body. How it felt when you had a scraped coat that wasn't exactly cut and bleeding, but that was still noticeably thinner. You remember how even the casual heat of the sun almost felt painful to your sensitive wound.
That is how you feel. Except that you feel that on every part of your body that is currently facing the Princess.
But most of all, you can tell that Princess Celestia is obscenely angry. And the only thing that surprises you more than the size of her anger is the fact that she is somehow keeping it in check.
Still, she feels like a nocked bow, with its arrow aimed straight at you. And that even the slightest nudge will cause the arrow to be let loose.
"You may raise your heads."
The Princess utters those words, and you all obey.
Princess Celestia looks utterly normal. Her expression is strict, her white fur is spotless, and her golden regalia is polished to a reflective sheen.
She looks exactly like you remember her, the last time you met. Except that she looks a lot healthier.
However, the way she feels to you is completely different.
In fact, she feels so different that even your body reacts. You feel your pupils trying to contract, as if you are looking at something brilliant. You feel how your eyes want to water, as if you were gazing at the sun.
And you have to hold yourself so you won't shiver, even though it is getting hotter and hotter.
"Look around you," she commands, waving a hoof, and you all obey. "Some of you might already recognize each other, but some of you might not. Still, I have gathered you all here because you are all the governors of the most important cities in Equestria."
You look around you, and sure enough you… well, you definitely don't recognize any of the ponies around you. Still, the small crowd that is currently in audience together with you is indeed a very well-dressed crowd. And you can definitely picture all the ponies around you as being an important mare or stallion.
Naturally, you don't see a pony like Mayor Mare here. But judging by the number of ponies here, and their bearings, you can see that everypony present is a leader, mayor, or whatever governing title they use in the large cities that dot Equestria.
Well. All of them except for you, of course.
"So hear me, all of you, as I say this. From this day onwards, the Lunar Bureau is now officially in existence. It will have broad discretion to investigate any and all criminal activity in all of Equestria. It will not be restrained by any single local rule of law from any city, and it will have overall authority to perform any action it deems necessary to fulfill its duty."
She says that, and once she finishes speaking, you swear that the throne room is somehow even quieter than before.
In fact, you almost think everypony is holding their breath.
And when the Princess leans forward on her throne, you can sense how everypony collectively stop themselves from taking a step back.
"Velvet Covers, step forward."
She says that while looking straight into your eyes. You hesitate for less than a second, but even that feels like an eternity while under her scrutiny.
Still, you step out of the small crowd.
And you almost feel thankful when, with a wave of her hoof, she motions for you to turn your back to her, facing towards the crowd of governors.
"Velvet Covers is to be the Commissioner of the Lunar Bureau. You will all communicate any matter of importance directly to her, and you will all cooperate with her with anything she requires. She will answer to my sister first, myself second, and to nopony else."
You feel a chill run down your spine, as you hear her precise words.
After all, Cadance is standing right next to her.
However, any concern you have about her particular wording evaporates in the wind, as you practically feel the Princess…
… as you quite literally feel the Princess…
… slowly becoming irate.
You have your back turned to her, so you can't exactly tell what is going on. But you can feel sweat forming under your clothes.
And you can very clearly see how all the governors, gathering in front of you, are slowly becoming wide-eyed. One of them even shuddering.
As the Princess speaks her next few words.
"And any affront against the Lunar Bureau will not be an offense against me…"
And even though you have your back turned to her, you swear she is speaking those words through gritted teeth.
"… but an offense against my sister."
She says that, the temperature around her so hot that you might as well be standing next to a bonfire.
And you understand the threat. Everypony understands the threat.
But more than that, everypony understands precisely how little patience Princess Celestia seems to be fostering right now. And how she no longer has any patience at all if the subject is her sister.
Still, the temperature slowly begins to lower once again. It is utterly beyond you how much willpower would be needed to rein in that much anger, but you are once again reminded just how old Princess Celestia is. As well as how beyond she is from mere ponies.
After less than ten seconds, the boiling heat coming from behind you is nothing but a distant memory, and you are left with nothing but the uncomfortable sensation of sweat on your fur.
"Princess Cadenza and Deputy Shining Armor will inform you of what other expectations we have of you."
Princess Celestia says those words. And all the governors bow down at the sound of the Princess getting up from her throne, as she begins to make her way out of the room itself.
You are about to step back into the safety of the crowd, or at least turn around and bow yourself, when she says a final trio of words.
"Velvet Covers, follow."
You give Cadance one last, desperate glance, which she answers with just as much confusion, before you follow after the Princess of the Sun.
- - -
You follow after Princess Celestia.
You don't really dare to say a single word, as you do. But still, you follow after her. And together, the two of you leave the throne room behind, and you go in the general direction of the royal quarters. Or at least that is what you remember of the castle's layout, from your last visit here.
You did invade those same royal quarters with Twilight, after all.
However, before you reach the royal residence proper, she suddenly takes you down a set of stairs. Past heavy metal doors patrolled by Royal Guards, and down into a less elegant-looking portion of the castle.
"What did Princess Cadance tell you about your duties?" she asks, as the two of you go deeper into a place that… that you have no idea what is for.
"She was… she explained to me I would be a director of sorts, my Princess," you answer. Unsure if Cadance perhaps told you something you shouldn't know yet, but also uncomfortable with saying something that Princess Celestia might think is a lie. "Of an organization charged with guarding Equestria against dangers. She made a particular mention about the monsters that caused the… Catastrophe."
You say that last word hesitantly. But to your relief, Princess Celestia only nods.
By now, you think you understand where you are.
The place looks… not exactly recently built, but definitely recently furbished. It gives you the same new-yet-dedicated feeling that you had while touring the Lunar Bureau.
Except that this place's purpose is definitely… different. You pass by doors that are tightly shut, some even locked with chains, and the one door you pass by that is half-open seems to be a mixture of a laboratory and a magical workshop.
Still, this place seems to be as empty and non-functional as the Bureau itself.
"I am not surprised that Princess Cadance told you of the monsters' true nature. You have her trust," she says. And you detect only the slightest hesitation from her before she continues speaking, "as well as mine."
Of course, it also doesn't escape you that you didn't really mention that Cadance told you the truth about the "monsters". You remember Cadance telling you that she shouldn't reveal that to you, and you are quite sure that you didn't say that to Celestia right now.
And yet, you can also tell that she didn't know that you know, until now. You can tell that, somehow, she just read you like an open book.
You suppress the urge to swallow the dry lump you have in your throat. But maybe even that discomfort from you is already a tell that she can read.
Still, the two of you walk on. Until you stop on a particular, chain-locked door. This door in particular doesn't seem any different from the others, but Celestia seems to be sure this is where she wants to be.
"So, this is something you need to see."
She says that, and with a flick of her horn, a complicated set of locks comes undone. But more than just locks and chains, you also sense the faint hum of magical spells being powered down.
This door, you can tell, would be hard even for you to open before she undid its seals. But now, it is finally nothing but an unlocked door.
But you bite down your urge to gasp in surprise. Because as soon as she unlocks the seals, even before she opens the door itself, you immediately sense something else.
You immediately sense LIGHT.
"Follow," she says, and the two of you enter the room.
The interior of the room is… empty. It is a large, circular room. Its walls clearly reinforced and sturdy. However, the room is almost completely empty.
With two exceptions.
The first is a tall, thin object in the middle of the room. Covered by a black cloth.
But you can already tell that… no, you can already feel. Even thought it is covered by that cloth. Even though it is several meters away from you and inert. You can tell that object has power. You can tell that it bleeds the very LIGHT of the Mansus itself.
More power than even you have. Perhaps as much power as Baldomare herself had while in the wake.
Thick with the glow of Lantern. Heavy with the brightness of Glory.
You are so taken aback by this… by this thing, that you almost don't notice the second thing in this empty room.
But notice it you do, and soon enough your eyes are drawn to the… well, to the equally shocking and unexpected sight of a pony.
Bound and chained on a chair.
Crying in fear as you and Celestia enter the room.
Without a word, Celestia walks to the middle of the room, and pulls down the cloth that is covering the object. And several things happen all at once.
All of them leave you speechless.
The first thing that happens is that LIGHT SHINES. The black cloth falls to the ground to reveal a mirror. A pony-tall, oval mirror that seems completely normal to the naked eye, except that it is very much not.
Because as soon as it is uncovered, as soon as it begins to reflect the place it is aimed at, it does it with such clarity that you swear it might even be cutting. It shines out so much Lantern that you wouldn't even dare stand before the mirror itself.
The second thing that happens is that… well…
The mirror, now uncovered, has its backside to you. The mirror, now uncovered, is intentionally aimed at the other end of the empty room.
And the only thing it is reflecting is the chained and bound pony.
The pony screams. It screams as if he is being stabbed. It screams as if his soul is being stabbed. It screams out into the room and the sound is amplified by the mirror and reaches into your very mind.
The pony also, even if very painfully, is suddenly engulfed by a green flame. It licks through him, or is perhaps expunged away from him, as if he is being skinned alive. With his throes making it clear the process is just as painful as it looks.
And once the flames are gone, there is no longer a pony.
There is only a black-carapaced, insect-looking copy of a pony. A quietly sobbing and clearly exhausted changeling.
You are shaken by what you see. For several reasons.
But Princess Celestia is not. And thankfully, you think your reaction is sufficiently expected for her not to be surprised at your open-mouthed shock.
You are only glad that she doesn't realize the… the several other reasons as to why you are shocked.
"These are the monsters that attacked Equestria. They are shapeshifters, and I know for a fact they still walk among us. We have no ways of identifying them as of yet, this magical mirror being the one exception so far."
She says those words, and casually nods at the… at the "magical" mirror behind her.
And you immediately understand that she… that she has no idea of… she has no idea of the power that she is so casually standing next to. You don't know how or why, but you can immediately tell from her words, that mixture of casual dismissiveness coupled with her statement that she doesn't know of "any other ways", that she has no idea of…
… that she has no idea at all about the Lores.
"So hear me now, Velvet Covers. The purpose of the Bureau is to protect ponykind. Fight back against the shadows. Oppose the greatest offenders who have made a habit out of crime. Sniff out future threats before they can make another Catastrophe."
She says that, but once again you feel her ire rising.
You feel her political tone become once again weighted by anger as she continues to speak.
"But these monsters? The changelings, and the ponies who aided them? Those you will persecute. Any pony you suspect of being a changeling is to be sent to me. Any pony found to have colluded is to be brought directly to my attention. No exceptions."
You nod to her. You vigorously nod your head at her words. Not only because you think that your words might betray you, if you say something, but also because you think that even if you say "yes my Princess" you will somehow just anger her more.
However, you can't take your eyes away from the mirror behind her.
And even though you want to ask for it. Even though you dearly want to ask for… just for access to it, you hold your tongue.
Even though you have all the excuses in the world. Even though it makes sense that giving that mirror to you… to the Lunar Bureau, will aid in finding more changelings.
But still, you can tell that… asking her for anything right now would be very unwise.
However, more than that, you also realize something else.
You realize that… well, if Celestia wanted you to have that mirror as a tool, it would already be waiting for you in the underground jails of the Lunar Bureau.
But that mirror is not there. No. Instead, it is here. In a recently-dug complex right under her own royal quarters. Guarded by more guards and magical wards than even the Lunar Bureau itself.
Locked behind rows upon rows of heavy doors, all marked with the stylized sign of an eclipse.
"Come, I will explain to you your first priority. You will begin in Canterlot. One of the great noble families has… overstepped. For decades now, even. You will begin from there, both as a test run, and to make an example out of them."
The Princess moves to leave the room without further ado, and you follow after her.
And as she explains to you what will be your first assignment, you can only nod and agree to everything she says. Offering her nothing but your deepest bow when you two finally part ways.
- - -
You sit down with Shining Armor in your office.
It still feels strange to call it "your" office, but you suppose that sensation will fade away with time.
Besides, you can still feel the slightest hint of dread from your recent conversation with Princess Celestia. Even if it was a very one-sided conversation. So, whatever hesitation you might have from doing an unfamiliar job is very quickly quashed by the knowledge that she is watching.
"So, how did you conversation with her go?" Shining Armor asks.
To which you answer with a…. complicated expression.
And given how he nods in response, you know he understands.
"Well, on my end, me and Cadance went over the most important bits with the governors. The Bureau will basically be beyond their oversight, so there wasn't much to explain there except that they shouldn't interfere with it," he says, leaning back on a chair. "But we also gave them a few scrolls with information, and some badge identifiers."
He says that naturally, but you raise a questioning eyebrow at that. And he realizes that, again, you have no idea of what he is talking about.
"Oh, right. Sorry. The badges we will use are magical, to avoid counterfeits. So we gave each governor some identifiers to… I mean, we gave them these little tools that confirms a badge is legitimate. They should have enough for themselves, their chief of police, and two more important ponies in their staff. Not a lot, but these kinds of things aren't really meant to go around easily."
You nod at that, letting out a low "ahh…" at his words.
Right. Hoofsoldier gear…
You really need to catch up to speed about that sort of thing.
"Well, while I was away with Princess Celestia, she basically gave us our first… well, target?"
"That's quite the ruthless way to put it, Commissioner," he says with a chuckle.
"Well, I can't help it if it's the truth. She pointed us at one of the great families, nonetheless… And she did say she wanted it to be an… example."
Shining's expression becomes a bit more complicated when you say that.
"I bet they all have dirt on them, one way or the other. But still…" he says.
"Yes, still we will have to find that dirt," you say, to which the stallion nods.
And the wordless agreement once again floats between the two of you. That in order to do that, you will need ponies.
"Right then. What do you say we begin to fill this bureau with hoofs?" he says, giving you a shrug which clearly told that there was no helping it.
And you can't help but agree.
[LUNAR BUREAU MECHANICS:]
You and Shining Armor decide that the Lunar Bureau will focus on three main activities:
-Investigation: Your main concern. Discovering enemy parties, tracking down their trail, and collecting evidence on their activities. This activity must be done by ponies specialized in investigation and police work, and you will recruit them from those niches.
-Assault: A secondary, but also crucial concern. Cracking down gatherings, arresting members, assaulting their headquarters more quietly and efficiently than the regular Guard. This activity must be done by ponies who are effectively soldiers, but who are beholden to much higher standards.
-Support: The bones keeping the Bureau up. Keeping the cogs oiled, the paperwork flowing, and providing logistical support to investigative teams and assault squads. This activity can be done by "any" paper pusher, but you must find ponies who are also discreet.
The number of squads you can field at any given time will depend (and be capped) on your administrative capabilities.
Finally, every now and then you will find ponies who are particularly effective or trustworthy. These "heroes" will come with specific bonuses (and maluses) that will provide more advantages to your squads. (Shining Armor, for example, will be a "hero")
You will recruit several ponies and distribute them into "squads". Each squad will be given an assignment (one action) per month, and will be managed as needed. More squads will mean more actions.
Throughout the rest of the month, you and Shining will focus solely on recruitment. Poring over all viable candidates from all cities. A quick letter with your signature on it, and the Bureau's stamp, cutting through any red tape. Even if you are recruiting from a governor's own prized staff.
However, when it comes to how much care you exercise while selecting candidates, you decide to…
[] Apply the greatest scrutiny. You will interview all candidates personally, and veto ponies that display even the slightest stain in their records.
-You will begin with the minimal number of squads.
-You will begin with two "heroes" besides Shining Armor.
[] Go for an intermediate approach. You will personally go over all the files and dossiers, but you follow Shining Armor's advice and allow for some flexibility here and there.
-You will begin with an intermediate number of squads.
-You will begin with one "hero" beside Shining Armor.
[] Offload recruitment to Shining Armor. Naturally, you will accompany the process, but you will be helping him more than the other way around. His standards are high, but his priorities are also different.
-You will begin with a large number of squads.
-You will only have Shining Armor as a starting "hero".
A short explanation on the Lunar Bureau's mechanics:
The Lunar Bureau will be able to perform one "action" per squad every turn.
The precise action that each squad can do is not relevant for this vote right now. But a squad can be either an investigative squad, an assault squad, or a support squad. Naturally, investigative squads will be the most important, and consequently more numerous (since more investigative actions will be required per turn to rat out criminal parties).
However, heroes will provide greater bonuses to squads they are attached to, and will provide more flexibility or other lateral buffs. However, heroes might come with inconvenient maluses. A hero will never be "bad" at his job, but their bonuses and maluses will set them apart from a mere stamp you give to a squad to make it work better.
Despite the voting options mentioning "low" or "high" scrutiny, there is no risk of the Lunar Bureau being infiltrated by changelings. However, there are no promises about other (pony) parties.
Whatever ponies you recruit will automatically be set to fulfill Celestia's present orders, and investigate one particular noble house. Velvet will gain more autonomy later on, once everything is established.
Despite the coloring, Velvet did not feel that Princess Celestia "exuded" Edge. She merely felt so much anger that Velvet's own Edge-senses were flaring in alarm. To the best of your knowledge, Princess Celestia is completely ignorant of the Lores.
Hoo boy, now this is a motherlode of info, and of all sorts and domains too.
Sadly, I cannot go sifting through it yet, this has caught me upon my commode before bed.
But I can say: Hoo Boy
Not least since that 'Noble Family' sounds concerningly Velvet-shaped. Strong counterarguments below.
Hmm. I'll also add that maximal scrutiny sounds pretty good to me for the opening move. Two heroes, greatest assurances of reliability, and so on. Harvest the very cream of an untouched talent pool. Let's clear out at least one illicit and highly-connected organization before loosening standards.
(Intermediate is also fine with me (action economy!), just definitely not offloading recruitment.)
Edit: Also, let's not worry too much about the lack of research, these are the very basics of the mechanics, and the Lores themselves are a useful spur, what with being the sort of thing to keep secret that also has many aspects relevant and/or useful to the Bureau's work.
Also, the Velvets simply aren't a great noble family. They're minor if wealthy nobles.
Anyway, what level of scrutiny should we choose?
I think we can count on Shining Armor to catch spies from the noble families - he's spent years as head of the guards in Canterlot, he knows how palace intrigue works. Spies from more occult - and dangerous - organizations, though, he's not likely to catch.
Personally I like the idea of knowing very well all of the founding, high-ranked ponies of the Bureau, from having interviewed each one personally. We can then open recruitment for lower ranks more widely. But it does mean we might fail Celestia's first mission from lack of squads, which would be... problematic.
Hmm. On the one hand, surprising she didn't know. On the other, worrisome that she could read us so easily, even with all our Moth. Maybe we shouldn't spend too much time around Celestia until she's out of the mood for lazering ponies who give her even half a reason.
The pony also, even if very painfully, is suddenly engulfed by a green flame. It licks through him, or is perhaps expunged away from him, as if he is being skinned alive. With his throes making it clear the process is just as painful as it looks.
And once the flames are gone, there is no longer a pony.
There is only a black-carapaced, insect-looking copy of a pony. A quietly sobbing and clearly exhausted changeling.
…Hold up. Didn't, didn't Baldomare fuck their shapeshifting ability when she subverted the stone they was using to give the whole race Moth levels? They should all be Lanterns now right? How the hell can they still shapeshift?
Did nuking Chrysalis before the transformation was really complete stop that or something?
I assume this is how Celestia plans to make sure any potential "Luna" is for real this time. Not that sufficient Grail combined with Moth couldn't probably make her ignore even that plan, but she doesn't know that.
[] Apply the greatest scrutiny. You will interview all candidates personally, and veto ponies that display even the slightest stain in their records.
-You will begin with the minimal number of squads.
-You will begin with two "heroes" besides Shining Armor.
[] Go for an intermediate approach. You will personally go over all the files and dossiers, but you follow Shining Armor's advice and allow for some flexibility here and there.
-You will begin with an intermediate number of squads.
-You will begin with one "hero" beside Shining Armor.
[] Offload recruitment to Shining Armor. Naturally, you will accompany the process, but you will be helping him more than the other way around. His standards are high, but his priorities are also different.
-You will begin with a large number of squads.
-You will only have Shining Armor as a starting "hero".
Hmm. I don't really want to leave this in Shining's hands. He's a soldier, and while they've probably got some good security they're also not built for intrigue fights. As stated, his priorities are different, and I don't really want the crippled pony to be our only hero besides.
Intermediate isn't bad, per se, but it also means that we won't be meeting everybody in person—and thus can't check for active Lore knowledge if, say, Copper or Windy try to get a hood in—and also just means Velvet is less careful in general. Given the purpose and sheer scrutiny on this thing, I just don't feel comfortable being lax.
Then, of course, there's the highest scrutiny. Which is all well and good, gets two heroes and is super careful, but does leave us a little short on numbers. We won't be able to do as much, but we'll do it better, and perhaps faster if we're smart with our plays. We also have a few methods for cheating just a bit, and once the Lores get laundered it would be really damn useful to know we can trust our people with them. It will also just make them more effective in general, and we're going to have, like, two actual turns of activity before Luna returns anyways? If we count turn 18 fully at least. Not a lot of difference in how much can get done in that amount of time anyways.
Despite the voting options mentioning "low" or "high" scrutiny, there is no risk of the Lunar Bureau being infiltrated by changelings. However, there are no promises about other (pony) parties.
So the question is
1) Do we prefer more hero units, or more AP? I think AP is probably more valuable, but I don't think we've seen Shining Armor's stats yet, so it's hard to say with confidence.
2) How worried are we about infiltration from pony groups? The obvious concern would be the remaining members of Cooper's Cult, or splinter groups, but there's also the potential for infiltration by regular criminals, or just high-placed corruption.
Shining Armor is presumably already aware of 2/3 of those issues though, so I think it suffices to apply the medium level of scrutiny. Hopefully we can pick out ex-cultists from their files reasonably effectively.
While getting booped for issues during our first mission would be bad, getting booped for allowing the Bureau to get infiltrated by some of the factions its meant to oppose would be even worse.
Given the authority of the bureau, everyone and their uncle will want to insert their agents while they can. From the recently chastised nobility, to cults, to any other mystery factions, organized crime, etc.
Personally I like the idea of knowing very well all of the founding, high-ranked ponies of the Bureau, from having interviewed each one personally. We can then open recruitment for lower ranks more widely. But it does mean we might fail Celestia's first mission from lack of squads, which would be... problematic.
Eh. The thing is, unless she's expecting the results by the end of the first turn, Luna should return before we even give our full report.
Which doesn't exactly cover the issue, but should certainly be a big enough thing that even if we did fail, would make her more forgiving. I also don't really think we will fail in investigating a single family that Celestia already knows has overstepped and done so for years. Not with several heroes—assuming they're properly applied—and our entire focus on this. Even minimum squads should still be enough to function, at least.
EDIT:
Also, I am now imagining Luna coming back, Celestia takes her down to get checked by the big bad Lantern mirror, and Luna going "Oh, a Lantern artifact. That should prove my honesty."
Just… instant recognition and understanding that would leave Celestia gobsmacked while also making it very obvious that she is already using the Lores.
Also, I am now imagining Luna coming back, Celestia takes her down to get checked by the big bad Lantern mirror, and Luna going "Oh, a Lantern artifact. That should prove my honesty."
Just… instant recognition and understanding that would leave Celestia gobsmacked while also making it very obvious that she is already using the Lores.
Yeah, if Luna is willing to work with us and remembers anything then… we have a good hope of just instantly gaining a legit reason to 'start' learning the Lores. Her instantly recognizing an artifact - as frankly anyone even enlightened would one that powerful - would probably help.
I imagine Luna will complain that the damn thing is bright though, lol. She does appear to have a Moth affinity.
Anyway this is interesting. We aren't research but that isn't surprising - right now there… really isn't anything for us to research? Research comes when we have proven ourselves and want to start targeting unknown non-pony or otherwise ancient threats. And will probably be done by celestia's division (unsurprising since she seems like the Lantern affinity). That's fine, as we just need to know they exist to get nominal access so we can learn to counter them.
Also Celestia doesn't want us to have the mirror because she intends to personally kill every changeling. After torturing them, probably. And us having the mirror would cause delays in that, and that she cannot have.
I'm… wondering if returning Luna will lead to her having a breakdown, as the dam on her grief breaks and floods the anger, for a time.
Oh wow, I knew the Bureau has (or rather, going to have) its own investigators, but they also double as hit squads? Nice.
So how does a 'Hero' might work, exactly? They give bonus, but I'm guessing some have weaknesses that's detrimental to a squad they're attached to. Like say, bonus for investigation squad, bad at support and assault?
1) Regardless of our choice here, we should be able to do the digging by ourselves if necessarily. Either by homing in on promising areas and directing our teams to search them if not as the first thing to do, then as one of the early things to check.
Alternatively, we can try to take the field personally; because the Bureau is still nascent and we don't want to disappoint Celestia for a very understandable reasons, a little bit of overzealous work shouldn't be too surprising, and Lantern 4 (or even 3)/SH 4/Grail 3 should be able to work fantastically as Investigation team leader.
We shouldn't overdo things, but one time can be written of as an accident, even if it reveals additional capabilities.
2) Narratively speaking, we should be able to both expand Bureau at later date (either passively or as an AP investment), and "downgrade" the recruitment practice if required. Relaxing the standards once the core is complete (or if we are becoming overwhelmed with work) should be relatively easy, tightening them won't prevent already present (and now senior) operatives from existing within the Bureau's ranks
3) As already mentioned, we should be able to recruit more people. Given that the total number of squads is limited by our administrative capacity, higher standards should result in comparable or maybe even higher current cap (although other options should be able to raise that cap more easily, I believe), and if we are ready to invest additional AP in our job, we should be able to raise the number of squads.
It would probably be easier then searching for additional heroes, even, as it seems that Velvet personal attention is what allows them to identified as "heroes" (compare to option where Shining handles all of it)
Really, given the state of Celestia, overprudence in our work should work in our favor (even if in a sense "she is not as angry as she could have been").
All in all, I think high standards is what we should do, to build proffesional, high quality core of the bureau. Short term (and that short term will probably last until Luna's return, turn 17+18) we can compensate with our own abilities, and long term it should result in higher quality troops, with less narrative hooks for corruption (financial or magical), spies and so on.
Given that the changelings retain some capacity for shapeshifting still, and that the disruption of said capacity appears to be temporary, personal oversight over recruitment would allow us to learn if any changelings has entered our ranks. We wouldn't be able to do anything immediately, but we should be able to push them to second-rate roles and other non-critical roles, if not refuse employment outright.
Also, on R&D division: if we really need it, and if Luna will be at least cooperative, she can just order its creation, you know? It would push any research on Lores until later, but our most immediate tasks seems to be mundane corruption and changelings, so the occult affairs can wait a bit.
Snagging the two heroes is probably the play here. We don't know what the recruitment mechanics are yet, but in my head "Find a Hero" is a more difficult action than "Find a Squad".
Hello, everyone! The earlier calculations of how this expedition might go have prompted me to whip up...drumroll, please... This (Graph) Calculator! Use should be pretty intuitive: Set the bonus equal to your estimated net bonus (the slider moves in increments of 1, on account of how...
also I favor either the tightest recruitment or the middle option. Failing the first, supposedly easy, assignment shouldn't be too big of a risk and we are unlikely to get more than one meeting with Celestia to report before we have Luna. It might be two before we can bring her back though.
On that note it is starting to get less presumptuous: how the hell are we going to bring Luna back?
also I favor either the tightest recruitment or the middle option. Failing the first, supposedly easy, assignment shouldn't be too big of a risk and we are unlikely to get more than one meeting with Celestia to report before we have Luna. It might be two before we can bring her back though.
On that note it is starting to get less presumptuous: how the hell are we going to bring Luna back?
Luna can just fly in and meet Celestia, on her own?
"Sorry sister, that I have left you like this," or something.
Yes, there will be a check, using that very mirror I believe, but well, our Luna is the true Luna, isn't it?
We don't have to reveal our personal connection, not immediately. Luna can reveal it when and if she decides it is safe, I trust her judgement of her sister.
I'm honestly worried Luna won't be up for that, the memory of the Worms is going to be painful as fuck, even with Selene tempering the damage.
But yeah, her returning as a "I was sorting shit out to figure out who attacked me and discovered something so much worse in the process" on her own should work, if she is willing and able.
I suspect Luna won't be restored at anywhere near full power, so we may want to be careful about how she returns, in case the Master is skulking around still.
Well. That entire meeting was fucking terrifying. Celestia is completely out of patience it would seem. Let's not give her any reason at all to turn that ire upon us, eh? Also, while the Forge's Redemption would be noticed, I think it's high time we used Incision of the Mind to get rid of our Frightened malus. That should make us much harder to assassinate, at least by non-Eldritch means.
As for recruitment? Go all in. Highest quality. We're going to be running what's essentially the secret police. We need the best of the best. We need loyalty. And most of all, we need to make sure we aren't being infiltrated right from the start.
I suspect Luna won't be restored at anywhere near full power, so we may want to be careful about how she returns, in case the Master is skulking around still.
I just hope she has her memories back when it happens, as Luna that is. While Selene forgetting us is gonna feel bad for out heart, a Luna-sized Selen is going to be worse for our health.
I mean, how're we gonna explain that to Celestia?
Its a good thing Selene haven't really forgotten, with cracks falling through as seen in her interlude.
