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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Reader mode
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.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
(Quote slightly edited to avoid spoilers)
 
Last edited:
Greymere said:
Don't suppose we can retroactively apply that to the reagent we're making this turn, since iirc it was intended for DoA's summoning next turn? @BirdBodhisattva
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
While it would be hilarious for Pride to have the gifts ready and waiting right under his desk, he will only start looking for them in earnest after a mare tells him that "very obvious thing" about gifts. So it will only reach your hands at the end of this turn, or the beginning of the next.

ElMariachi said:
Wait, DoA didn't told us when she explained to us that she's a "fockin Criminal"? Neither Baldomare since we got her back?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Even in-canon, the Baldomerian doesn't talk about it easily:
I recall my dream. This was the Lodge of blue silk, flapping in the winds of the Bounds at the Mansus' edge, and here was its mistress, who welcomed me as she welcomes all travellers. 'Company is nice,' she confided, 'but I still miss my Christopher. Ten years! Ten years, and not enough. But we could not have been Long together - not without touching each other. And you know what occurs when a man-Long lies with a Long woman. Or perhaps you don't. I hope you don't. I won't tell you, just in case. I will give you a tiny gift.'
And Axe is Axe. She doesn't talk to you a lot. And when she does, she isn't exactly helpful.
Unless it's in a professional setting like an expedition. But obviously, that is not the case.

The Crime is a big part of CS, and Mareinette is right there. So we can all add two and two together. But, and I try my best to keep that in mind, Velvet doesn't. And that makes a difference to me.

Also. Vote set to close in 48 hours. But this is a pretty isolated one, relating to the rest of the turn. So I might be able to start working on what comes next, routine allowing.
 
BirdBodhisattva said:
-Oh, right, i remember. Next post after this is marriage voting. So I'll go work on that list of goodies. That is to say, tongue-in-cheek "I reeeeally wish this happened" ideas in the thread will be read, throughout these next few days. I already have a list that is plenty long, but I (probably) won't accept write-ins on the marriage. So the time to shamelessly give suggestions is now. (No guarantees I will heed any of them though!)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
A failed ambush while we are out with Cadence.
Failed because Edge ability tipping off Velvet and other Lores letting her manipulate the situation to have a much easier fight.
Gains from that:
It looks like Velvets lame excuse was actually true.
An official reason to go after the ambushers (copper&cult)
 
BirdBodhisattva said:
While it would be hilarious for Pride to have the gifts ready and waiting right under his desk, he will only start looking for them in earnest after a mare tells him that "very obvious thing" about gifts. So it will only reach your hands at the end of this turn, or the beginning of the next.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Then can we switch this turn's reagent creation to something that would help in Biedde's summon or drop it entirely?
 
[X] Plan Encouraging and Information, WITHOUT TELLING HIM ABOUT THE KEY
-[x] "Go for it!"
-[x] "Any gentlepony knows that mares love gifts. And I would be delighted to help make any packages from you reach her."
-[X] "Her schedule? Yes, I am aware of it. Don't worry, I can guarantee she will return in…" (Turn 19)
-[x] "She is… a difficult mare. In fact, I never met a mare that is so hard to deal with. And I have two fillies!"
-[x] "I… I hope you don't tell her what I'm saying. But to be honest? She is a very lonely mare. She has… things going on."
-[X] "The thing you need to understand about Axe is that she is… exotic. She is not… an earth pony mare."


Gifts? sure. encouraging and informing him? Fine.

But I don't want to tell him about the Key! We can't predict what he'll do with it, and either him finding it first or making it harder for us to find it might make it worse for us


EDIT:

[X] Plan Velvet is Pro-Love and Pro-Schedule and Pro-Sanity
 
Last edited:
Iustus Vitae said:
Then can we switch this turn's reagent creation to something that would help in Biedde's summon or drop it entirely?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Well, the reagent we were making this turn is a Knock 2 and Edge 1 reagent. Our lore knowledge bonus and our magic bonus are +53 together and Biedde needs 100 Edge and 80 Knock. So it is not like this reagent is useless to summon Biedde, if we combine it with an Edge 3 reagent then we only need to roll above 7 in both with Knock getting a reroll. We just have to save this one for Biedde and use Pride's bits to make another Knock 2 Edge 1 reagent next turn.
 
Last edited:
For bonuses from the wedding, anything that nudges Twilight out of her miserable status quo is good. If she actually becomes more positively inclined towards us, that is a bonus. But if she is able to 'move forward' a bit even while still being stuck at Acquaintance still, I'll also be happy.
 
[X] Plan Velvet is Pro-Love, Pro-Schedule and Pro-Communication
-[X] "Go for it!"
-[X] "Any gentlepony knows that mares love gifts. And I would be delighted to help make any packages from you reach her."
-[X] "Her schedule? Yes, I am aware of it. Don't worry, I can guarantee she will return in…" (Turn 19)
-[X] "She is… a difficult mare. In fact, I never met a mare that is so hard to deal with. And I have two fillies!"
-[X] "I… I hope you don't tell her what I'm saying. But to be honest? She is a very lonely mare. She has… things going on."
-[X] "Whatever you do, do not think of her as a damsel in distress. However, she is on a quest of sorts… she is looking for something that is very important to her."
PLUS
-[X] Write in: find a way to introduce Pride to Stormchaser on a more personal level. Remember how good Stormchaser was with Comet back at the club? He's got a way when it comes to talking to other stallions about being in love.

Be sure not to use those gifts for our own gain or summoning, and don't go into detail about the key outside of just "she's looking for something important", just gently encourage Pride and see what happens at this stage (and make sure to have his back if everything goes to hell). Even if romance doesn't bloom, DoA could use the company somepony who doesn't have the complication of being her summoner.
 
Not how planing tally world.
This AND would not do much. If that you want you need to come with a new version of the plan wich probably something like [
"Pro love. Pro schedule, introduction" and gatter votes.
 
Atoshi said:
-[X] Write in: find a way to introduce Pride to Stormchaser on a more personal level. Remember how good Stormchaser was with Comet back at the club? He's got a way when it comes to talking to other stallions about being in love.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That is very unlikely to work.
A similar write in was turned down because Pride is too focused on Axe directly to take "Stormchaser is experienced in dealing with such a situation, ask him".
BirdBodhisattva said:
-Your "in" with Pride is talking about Axe. So for any write-ins, your "hook" must be Axe as a central subject. I'll say this again on the Velvet Wings and Stormchaser write-ins. But you needed a 125 to have Pride be willing to listen to you, and even then it was about his desperate love. So, trying to shoehorn something that benefits you is """doable""" (such as the Gift option). But the front and center of any options must be related to Pride x Axe, not laterals.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
BirdBodhisattva said:
Like I said before. Pride is amenable to hearing about Axe, and how to act about her.

The general idea of "love finds a way" is nice, but Pride already believes in that, lovestruck as he is. And the secondary effect of "talk to resident love-advisor Stormchaser" is not something he will be receptive to.

So, I like this write-in, but it is not applicable.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
 
Atoshi said:
Be sure not to use those gifts for our own gain or summoning,
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
we were basically told that using them for summoning and giving them to Axe will work the same, weren't we?

well, except that in summoning we also get the discount.

I'm in favour of just using one for the summoning and giving her the other. Or, alternatively, we use one to reduce the summoning cost (with key it goes to 0) and another to make a free lvl 3 reagent.



I also still want to NOT tell him about the Key, why is everyone telling him?!
 
Pittauro said:
I also still want to NOT tell him about the Key, why is everyone telling him?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
1) I didn't think he'd interfere too much. I expect Baldomare Scry to move quicker than he can in finding out about the Frangiclave's location, and thus is to outpace him on finding it.

2) I think it is possibly useful backup. If we can't use Baldomare's action on a scry for whatever reason. If we need bits for the expedition. If it's locked in an expedition that, for whatever reason, is tricky for us.

That said, I think your concerns are totally fair. I'd be happy to vote for an option that's the same as calendar without mention of the Frangiclave.
 
[X] Plan Velvet is Pro-Love and Pro-Schedule and Pro-Sanity
-[x] "Go for it!"
-[x] "Any gentlepony knows that mares love gifts. And I would be delighted to help make any packages from you reach her."
-[X] "Her schedule? Yes, I am aware of it. Don't worry, I can guarantee she will return in…" (Turn 19)
-[x] "She is… a difficult mare. In fact, I never met a mare that is so hard to deal with. And I have two fillies!"
-[x] "I… I hope you don't tell her what I'm saying. But to be honest? She is a very lonely mare. She has… things going on."

Let's think about this a bit more: Why do we want to tell him about DoA's quest?

Getting him to tag along the Expeditions? It could be dangerous, and somewhat falls under the "encourage him to adventure" option which we agree is a bad idea? No.
Asking him to fund the Expeditions? In a different universe, if Silky Stream was involved instead, and we have an actually magical snakemare instead of DoA involved too, why would we allow Silky Stream to fund the Expeditions like this, throwing an infinite number of bits down a relationship that may not even work out? I can't find a reason this would make sense and not be taking advantage of him?

As for my wishlist for the Wedding, it's probably something Rarity related, something Twilight related, and something Celestia related (moving 1 up on the d6 or something)?
Or perhaps Cadance discovering the Lores and inducting Ponykind into them for the last one?
 
Last edited:
[X] Plan Velvet is Pro-Love and Pro-Schedule and Pro-Sanity

I kind of lost track of the other plans, but this is the one that I think will be the best for this scenario.
 
I have the swirly eyes at all the variants and suggested changes to my plan. So I'm just going to sit here doing nothing. *Sage nod*
 
Aranfan said:
I have the swirly eyes at all the variants and suggested changes to my plan. So I'm just going to sit here doing nothing. *Sage nod*
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Here's a summary of the plans with >1 vote for you and for all the other people in the same boat.

Plan Covers is pro-Love: Encouraging but also giving warning that she's difficult and in a tough spot. Also accepts gifts. [Your plan, but for the readers].

Plan Velvet is Pro-Love and Pro-Schedule: Because we're very confident we're summoning DoA next turn, we can get some extra encouragement telling Pride her return time.

Plan Velvet is Pro-Love and Pro-Schedule and Pro-Sanity: Avoids divulging the Frangiclave for fear it'll make things messy: either get Pride in a mess, or otherwise interfere with our plan. See here for Pittauro's pleading more detailed concerns.

Plan Encouraging and Information: Pro-schedule + divulging that she's a Snakemare.

Plan Encouraging and Information, WITHOUT TELLING HIM ABOUT THE KEY. Just what it says on the tin. See Pro-Sanity above for rationale.

Plan Covers is pro-Love, No Gifts: Just what it says on the tin (worried about taking advantage of Pride for gifts).
 
The main reason I am doing the key mention is that it's the closest to saying "Axe is not a prize to be won, she is a mare with her own thoughts feelings and goals. Treating her like a prize will only alienate her."
 
I mean, that sounds to me like it is putting a lot of emphasis in the option's flavor text and none on the action's intended meaning that is right below.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Back
Top