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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How long exactly does a Worm take to kill its host body anyway?
And if the answer is not something insurmountable like instantly or within minutes would the whole being shunted in time 1000 years put a pause on the whole progression of the Worms?
Also good point on the whole Crystal Heart being Harmony thing, I somehow managed to utter forget the Elements of Harmony have actually been shown in canon to exorcise Worms from hosts (Luna).
 
The time isn't exactly clear since CS is bad on giving hard time progression, but I think it was worked out to probably be something like 3 months here? Or something. I can't remember how the time periods were assumed to have worked out compared to our turns, but I think a Worm infected could be saved before three of them passed.
 
So depending on exactly how long in between Sombra's takeover to the time travel, if we assume that the Crystal Heart reawakening to purge the worms could occur in a single turn such as a Bureau expedition into the Crystal Empire (with turns lasting a month or was it 2 idr) then it could be possable for them to be saved. Of course this is assuming first try successes, that Sombra wouldn't either be a greater worm in a body or a Lore adept, that we could get the Heart to work in the first place.

Either way it still is near impossible to happen because I don't actually believe worms and lore sorcery to be the case for Sombra and the Crystal Empire but it is a fun thought experiment.
 
BirdBodhisattva said:
Slowly grinding the Wake for artifacts that suit your current hurdle is the way to go, to be entirely honest.

And, to no one's surprise, that is actually how the player character ascends to Long in the base game. To the point that once you know all the "paths" in CS, you realize you actually don't need a lot of stuff. "Rush this Lore level, get this Rite, spam dream for the specific dungeons until you have [insert level 12 artifact here], maybe go for a Frangiclave or reliable Sprintia source if you want to do it through the Peacock Door".
And sooner rather than later you will have enough to do the final rite and win.

Still, that's from the gameplay perspective. From the narrative perspective, you are a recluse office worker who spends months, or perhaps years, grinding for the next book and the next artifact. And that's how most ponies will Climb.

It just so happened that you guys short-circuited Velvet out of that through sheer bullshit.
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Cackles manically in Book Money and ridiculous rolls.

Weeps in poor planning resulting in Regrettable Actions that destroy priceless artifacts and locations we'll never get to learn the Bird-Lore of.

Going back to thread discussion, it cannot be stressed enough that Harmony seems to dunk on the Worms in a way the Lores find impossible. After all, the best the Hours can do is stuff crushed and burned Worms into their museum-jail; Harmony and its chosen Agents can outright delete them.
 
Talon TigerDino said:
Weeps in poor planning resulting in Regrettable Actions that destroy priceless artifacts and locations we'll never get to learn the Bird-Lore of.

Going back to thread discussion, it cannot be stressed enough that Harmony seems to dunk on the Worms in a way the Lores find impossible. After all, the best the Hours can do is stuff crushed and burned Worms into their museum-jail; Harmony and its chosen Agents can outright delete them.
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The true cost to put the regret in Regrettable Actions is the one that prevents both completionists from collecting all the loot and the scholars from collecting all the well written lore.
Edit: also when you said we'll never get the Bird-Lore I just imagine that Bird(the writer) is actually the Bird Hour (The Beachcomber) considering they also show up and gossip about secrets and knowledge ( just side info about parts of the quest and minor bits about the world ).

Harmony does dunk on the lesser worms incredibly well and with the Elements can take care of greater ones ( and assumedly Alicorns not suprised by Worms shapeshifted in dreams would put up quite a fight ) it makes me think of Harmony and its light as being a beacon there to let it have a good ol fight with the worms, we have all these ideas and serious lore discussions of what Harmony is and what it wants when it then turns out to be that Harmony is just a really excited battle maniac wanting a good scrap with another powerful entity.
 
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BritBiscuit said:
Edit: also when you said we'll never get the Bird-Lore I just imagine that Bird(the writer) is actually the Bird Hour (The Beachcomber) considering they also show up and gossip about secrets and knowledge ( just side info about parts of the quest and minor bits about the world ).
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You joke, but uh… just to remind people, including Bird since he's probably gonna wanna port this post over as well, presumably.
BirdBodhisattva said:
Regardless of what one might think, herein are those who have joined into the company of the Beachcomber.
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I said I was going to write something, so I did. I might not be so... poetically versed as some, nor am I the sharpest or best at what is there.
But, someone mentioned a certain someone, and it got my wheels moving, and an idea took root. And... well, you can read and reread.
So enjoy! Something that... Might yet be. A meeting from a different set of eyes.


You are Midnight Dew.

And you should not be here.

Every step flanked by royal guards, every person looking to you with questions and demands. Every action and inquiry carrying the weight of the Princess of the Sun. As appropriate of your station.

But that's not why you shouldn't be here.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

Her words alone makes you shiver.



Right now, you are in the Lunar Bureau. A new division installed by Celestia herself. An establishment set up for.... For Luna. From the name, to the black pitch colors, to the styling of a throne room. A court for the absent princess.

No. Not Absent. The very place is haunted by her shadow.

Officially it is a tool for policing and safeguarding Equestria. A group of very dedicated ponies working together to combat threats inside and out. Near complete.... Oh who are you kidding? Absolute authority to investigate any and all crime that they choose, to act as above the law as they deem fit. Only whatever morals and integrity keeping them in check.
That, and the threat of the Princess's ire.



People say it's established because of the Calamity, and you would believe it. At least, the current version is because of that. In the large part. But there's more to it. A.... sharpness that you almost swear you could feel in its name. A gleam in the eyes of the officers and investigators who are staring you down.

Of course they are. You barged in on their weekly meeting unannounced and have told them nothing.

But that's not why you shouldn't be here.



As you stammer through your words, she lifts her head. Asking the guard again about you. Your paperwork. Signed by the princess herself.

You shouldn't be here. But you should. It is your job, your duty, and absolutely nothing you can step away from.

The Lunar Bureau is the Princesses Sword.
Of course, you, a smith, need to be here.
You and yours craft the tools. The weapons to fight uncertain foes that the Bureau will find and defeat.

So of course you should be here.


The mare taps her hooves together, announcing everyone should leave. And honestly? You're thankful. This is not, you should not-

"Not you for Tartarus's Sake."

....oh.



...



You are left alone with her.

Velvet Covers

The reason you should not be here.

But you have.... A job to do at least. Names are exchanged, thanks offered, but it's not important. Not here and now in front of her.

You need to be calmer to do this right.

So you breath.

Slow

Deep

Calm breaths

Till you feel yourself in control again.


Your gift.... Your latest creation... Is given.
Words exchanged. Kindness in hand. Her words a mix of clarifying sharpness and a hungry searching that always felt like she already knew.

For you. For more. For everything she does not yet have.
Because a Sword will cut its' smith too if you let it.


...



You didn't breath a sigh of relief when she finally released you. You might have run a little faster than you should to leave. But, how could you not?

She was....

You could taste the wine in her words.
You could see it in how she smiled. How she covered everything to reveal only what she wanted.
How her eyes almost seemed to widen as you worked to unlock your bag.

Worse yet.... You could see it.

You could see how she didn't even realize it.


Your cloak fastened with quiet words seemed to wear you when you hid within it. Her dress seemed like a second skin.
The coolness that coated your breath shook when pushed by her questions. But when revealing your latest work, the Candle Dust didn't move her. Even The Princesses own word didn't shake her!

And how she.... She saw what you made. And only then looked at you.

You can but pray you were too far beneath her vision to be seen. That the soft whispered nothing's hid enough of you that she didn't.... Didn't...


You shake yourself.
And resolve.
Just.... Try to speak with her deputy more. Leave everything you can when talking with her.

She is....


Appointed by the Princess herself. Just like you.
There has to be a reason. Trust in them and....
Pray.



You should not be here. You should not be where you are.
She should.
 
The Loremaster of the Lantern Cult meets the Loremaster of the Moth Cult. If they were closer in age, in power, in understanding, the former might have an advantage. But as it is, all his Lore gifts him is the knowledge of how utterly outclassed he is.
 
Honestly, the worst part about Velvet and the other councillors that Celestia is gathering is the fact that, well… she probably could do better than any of them at their own jobs. Well, certain parts of them anyways. The only reason she ended up in the Bureau is because she was the first on the list and the most trusted, and the Internal security both needed to be secured first as well as being Luna's future area, so Celestia of course wanted the most trusted in that position.

Granted, as I said before, we basically doubled as an Intrigue specialist anyways, so it's not even that weird, But there wasn't really anything indicating that Velvet was an intrigue specialist. Publicly, anyways.

It also probably doesn't help Midnight that while Velvet would be good in any of the positions, his is the one she would be best at. It's just that nobody really knows that, either. Nor why. Ironically most people would assume she should be the Stewardship advisor first.
 
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w34v3r said:
Which means we are the best intrigue specialist.
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Fair. I suppose the real problem with Intrigue specialists is that all the good ones are either blatantly untrustworthy because they're good enough to afford to be or so damn good that you don't know they're untrustworthy. And while some organizations can afford those risks, Celestia kinda can't.

And hey, we even did manage to kill the person ultimately responsible for the attack on Luna! After tricking that person into also sabotaging Chrysalis so that Celestia could break free and kill her. If you squint real hard Very is actually very loyal and trustworthy. Sure, lots of bad shit has kinda been her fault, but given the caliber of her foes, it's a miracle Equestria is even standing to be honest. Not that Celestia will ever know the truth of those incidents… :V
 
Time passing in CS is measured to be 60 seconds to a month based on a variety of things, as for Worm removal? I believe the timer on that is 60 seconds once procced, with 30 seconds per check, a mere month. To remove a Worm there are rites it's just that no mortal can survive them so a magnitude 15 Heart influence is required. Thats for mortals doing the rites of course, a Name or well established Long would have a way easier time of it. As for killing Worms, the Lionsmith does it through sheer strength and everyone else can 'merely' capture them. But here's the thing, these are Worms on the level of Hours, and I don't think we can equate either of these with Luna and Harmony's feats. Plus the great works of the Hours have warded the Worms away for who knows how long it's been and will continue to ward them away for a time more. Harmony can merely pull it off for the lesser Worms. And it's not like burning them and or their influence away is a Harmony only thing, Lantern can do it too.
 
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Ericwinter said:
And hey, we even did manage to kill the person ultimately responsible for the attack on Luna! After tricking that person into also sabotaging Chrysalis so that Celestia could break free and kill her.
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Yes, the fact that we have been waging our own shadow war and winning it (with a little help from our sons) puts us solidly in the second of thee two categories:

Ericwinter said:
all the good ones are either blatantly untrustworthy because they're good enough to afford to be or so damn good that you don't know they're untrustworthy.
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spiderhellian said:
Yes, the fact that we have been waging our own shadow war and winning it (with a little help from our sons) puts us solidly in the second of thee two categories:
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God, how the fuck is Velvet even still alive. A mere mortal with barely any Allies, and she's already outmaneuvered the demigod and the ancient Shapeshifter, both of whom had armies of their own. If we can clear up the last remnants of the Cult and get Neighnia on side, all that will be left is to survive Celestia and Luna. Well, and actually win the game.
 
Ericwinter said:
God, how the fuck is Velvet even still alive. A mere mortal with barely any Allies, and she's already outmaneuvered the demigod and the ancient Shapeshifter, both of whom had armies of their own.
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You can say a lot about how we interacted with the master, and we all have over the past two hundred pages or so, but I really don't think you can say we out-maneuvered them!

The opposite, really.
 
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I don't think outmaneuvered is the right word? It implies a knowledge of her enemies movements she just didn't have.
It fits if you only look at the latest Regrettable Action, I guess. She understood where her enemy is, she moved into the perfect position to strike without them noticing, and that was that.
But as a whole, all she really did was feeling traitorous and not doing her job, without getting caught, until there was both opportunity and no other choice.

What carried Velvet through is her amazing poker face (every damn cult meeting it feels like she's about to have an aneurysm out of sheer fear of being named the traitor she is, yet it never shows), combined with her working in a role where shady or hidden behaviour isn't a sign of disloyalty or is downright expected (cultist).
That skillset will probably continue to prove useful. Chief Spook isn't that different when it comes to clandestine stuff.
 
Sometimes the final moments are all that matters in a chess game. But also, I want to point out that when it's Moth against Moth, outmaneuvering has a… very different definition, than most intrigue fights.

Because sure, Velvet wasn't exactly trying to get the Master to come out of hiding, but she did create a lot of situations that tempted the Master to do so, positioned herself in a place where she would be best able to act—in the trust and confidence of basically everybody important—and the biggest part? She had control of the one thing he really wanted almost from the beginning, and the information he had about that thing. Namely, Luna, and the other Alicorns besides.

Moth is all about stumbling into your goals, and by god did Velvet stumble.
 
Outmothing Moth Name probably the most impressive Velvet's feat so far. Shame that we have not got any Moth related bonus from it. Wolf you are too thorough in destroying your enemies we can't even loot them afterwards.:(
Although it made me thinking if replanting Woods is possible. Like making a small grove that can grow with time. Velvet eaten Wood's fruit in the past so maybe there is ritual that can make her spit out a seed or something along those lines.
 
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I took an opportunity to reread the quest and...
Well...
There is amazing amount of hints to Master's identity in the interaction parts.
And rereading it with context feels great.
 
Alex Sol said:
Although it made me thinking if replanting Woods is possible. Like making a small grove that can grow with time.
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Hold that thought. it will be relevant very soon.



In other news, main story has been completely ported to the other site. Feel free to move your discussion there, if you'd like.

Only thing that is left is to transfer the "informational" threadmarks. But I legitimately want to retouch them, to make them more readable in some cases, or just to update them in others (like in your "contacts" list).

So that will be done in its own time.

Hope you are all doing well.



EDIT: "But Bird, you said you wouldn't make any more threadmarks in thi-"

*BONK*
 
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