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.
She doesn't have any Lantern though. She's not even Lantern 0. She doesn't even know what Lantern is. How is she going to learn and explore something she doesn't know about, and which is apparently difficult enough to discover independently that literally no one in Equestria had ever rediscovered the Lores in a thousand-plus years until the Master got involved?
I may not be remembering correctly but didn't we initiate Twilight into the concept of the Lores already? She even suffered a Fascination because of it. Certainly not any specific Lore but enough to get her to start trying. It seems natural to me that Lantern would be her targeted Lore for discovery. Besides canon! Twilight had, what, some kind of library tower and is noted to be super-gifted in magic, it wouldn't be a hard stretch to imagine there's stuff in there than grants fragments. From another perspective we are hardly the only ones who can teach the Lores NOW, I mean, there's literally books that teach them now! Even if freed all it would take is some enterprising cultist to just slip Twilight a guidebook and watch the fireworks.
All I'm saying is that Twilight is better equipped than most to discover our involvement in the cult. I'm advocating against trying to convince Twilight we were never in the cult to begin with. Trying to discredit her, make her seem like a lunatic, physical imprisonment, these seem like more realistic options for Twilight control if we cannot convince her to support us.
I may not be remembering correctly but didn't we initiate Twilight into the concept of the Lores already? She even suffered a Fascination because of it.
this is wrong. The Fascination was because we showed her SH inconsistencies, and then she went mad researching them because to Twilight books are near-sacred and she can't accept not there being a single truth.
We basically enlightened her on the worst possible lore for her to learn.
Then we left her alone trying to rationalize it for... I think 2 months.
And she took it badly.
Unless a cultist taught her directly, OR maybe she got some lore scraps from experience, she's not likely to be higher lantern now.
And hey, the experience she went through might very well have changed her from lantern to something else.
[X] You will summon the Daughter-of-Axes, asking for TWO changeling prisoners to use as sacrifice
[X] Plan An assortment of disclosure
-[X] You will not reveal anything about the Garden of Mirrors.
-[x] You have met a mighty Name of Knock, who you can summon immediately. (Teach the cult how to summon the Daughter-of-Axes, and summon her at the cult's expenses) [COSTS ONE ACTION FROM NEXT TURN]
-[x] You have found a tall and lonely Tower, at the impossible edge of the Blank Plains, and you believe it might be touched by the Mansus-moon.
-[x] You have crossed the Tribal Door, and seen that a great place of Grail lies beyond it. You might need more resources, or aid in some form, to brave that next place.
-[x] Stay silent about the Lunar Bureau.
-[x] Stay silent about the coming of Captain Shining Armor.
- - -
The Master's eyes settle on you, and you can feel the glances of the rest of the Inner Circle following suit right after.
And despite how much you prepared for this moment, you can't help but feel nervous.
Because right now, you feel like you are playing a very dangerous game. A very tense and nerve-wracking game, that feels like a mixture of chess, and poker, and perhaps that foal's toy where you stick little swords into a barrel until a toy pirate jumps out.
Although, of course, you are the little toy pirate in this analogy, stuck in a claustrophobic barrel in which an Edge-sharp blade is thrust every time you tell a lie.
And what is more, you are aware that this little "game" has a lot more rules than just that. You know that this situation you are in has a lot more moving parts than just yourself, and that you things might run out of control even if you do absolutely everything right. Heavens, you even realize that one of the rules in this game is that you very much don't know what all the rules are.
Because what if somepony else already suspects you? What if, say, perhaps Windy Flakes read something between the lines during your last conversation, and is somehow already onto you? Or what if somepony reads too much into Jade's behavior, or somehow traces Rarity's actions back to you, or by sheer coincidence or Moth manages to divine what is going on inside your mind right now?
But of course, that's not the whole problem. Because even though you are aware of all those risks, even though you have already spent quite a few nights awake over all these tiny little details that you have to be aware of, that still doesn't address your greatest concern.
Even though you have to be wary of the entire Inner Circle, and of the Cult at large, you still know that they are all just a sidenote.
After all, you are planning to betray the Cult, yes. But most importantly, that means that there is one pony… one creature in particular, that you intend to betray.
And you realize, with absolute certainty, that there is nothing you can do against this creature. Not yet, hopefully. But still, you are acutely aware that even if the entirety of the Wildhoof Club were to disappear, even if there were no longer any windigos, or Comet Feets, or random cultists that might try to hurt your family in Ponyville, you still wouldn't be safe as long as this creature is here.
After all…
"So, little Velvet… what fruits do you bring us?"
After all, you are about to try and perform a masquerade against the Master, of all creatures. You are about to invite her into a dance of pretense and deceit, one that you only have a chance of winning if she doesn't even realize that she is participating in.
But, you also realize, who could ever be better in playing a game in which they don't know they are a participant… who could be better in expecting the unexpected, other than a creature so deep in Moth such as the Master?
And that is all assuming she doesn't already know, of course. Because what if she can read your thoughts? What if she can really smell your loyalty, like she mentioned so long ago? What if she notices every single omission you make, about your forays in the Mansus, because she somehow knows where you have been, like when she realized every time you crossed a new Door?
And most frightening of all, what if she knows about all of that and is just letting you do all of this?
You have no idea how to work around the Master, because to this day you have not yet discovered who or what she is, and you have no idea about her motivations. You only know that she wants to stop the Worms, and that is about as useful and self-evident as you knowing that you don't want to die.
But still, there is nothing you can do but move forward. You had already decided what to say several days in advance, so there is nothing else you can do but go with it and pray nopony realizes how nervous you really are.
- - -
The smile that the Master has on her face… on her puppet-body's face, that is, is an enigmatic one.
Because a very large part of your mind is telling you, yelling at you even, that she knows. That she saw through every last one of your omissions, even though you have not spoken a single lie. Heavens, that part of you even swears that everypony else of the Inner Circle around you is looking at you with suspicion and accusation in their eyes. Even Jade Whistle.
But a far smaller part of your mind, that is only barely managing to keep an iron hoof around your nerves, tells you otherwise. That smaller, desperately rational part of you is telling you that the Master is merely thinking. And perhaps that she is slightly pleased by what you, and the whole Inner Circle, have told her.
Still, the seconds stretch long as you wait for the Master to say something.
Until she finally does.
"That is all… very good," she says, nodding to herself, her matronly voice not giving away any hint of malice or hidden intent.
In fact, she sounds like a perfectly normal pony right now. She even feels more normal than the rest of you, Branded and Lore-cloaked as you all are.
She almost feels out of place, in this dark clearing of the Woods where you all are, as she continues to speak.
"Now, listen to me carefully as I explain what we must do from here on. And pay close attention, for this will be a change in our way of acting that will cause great ripples as time goes on."
She almost sounds thoughtful. For all that her tone is intense, and perhaps even serious, she still sounds…
"We were small, once. But a group of faithful, of hidden Lore practitioners, tucked away in a small town that is barely large enough to appear on a map. We were small, and we remained small, because there was no need for us to grow."
She says that, and then she looks at each of you, as if remembering everything she told you, ever since you entered the Cult. Everything she taught you, when you were all just ignorant members meeting together in the dark basement of a shop.
"We knew the world was crooked, of course. It still is. But we also knew there was nothing we could do about it. And who knows… perhaps huddling together and quietly spreading the Lores was all that could be done, considering our circumstances. That is, until an opportunity presented itself to us. Until the alicorn of the night returned to this world."
It feels like the Master is telling a story about somepony else. As if she is retelling all of that to a group of ponies who weren't there.
And considering how all of you, of the Inner Circle, quite literally lived through everything she is saying… you can't shake the feeling that she is retelling this story to herself.
"But of course, as the task grew in size, so did we. First we had to reach the alicorn in her dreams, then look for her in the Wake, and then we had to mold ourselves so we could take her by force from the clutch of the changelings. And we would have succeeded, of course… if the exiled shapeshifters had the alicorn at all."
You feel a shift in some of the ponies around you. Specifically, you think you hear a slight reaction from Copper, and your heart spikes at that.
Because of course nopony here, except for Comet Feet and the Master herself, truly know what happened in the changeling hive. And it would make quite a lot of sense for the Master's absence, this last month, to have happened because she had taken Princess Luna for herself. You and Jade know that wasn't the case because of Selene, of course, but nopony in the Cult truly knew if Princess Luna had been found in the hive or not.
And Copper's slight reaction of surprise makes you feel even more exposed in your lack of reaction, and you swear that the Master's eyes stay on you for just a little longer.
"But regrettably, our efforts ultimately bore no fruit. The changelings overt actions were either based on a bluff, or were made because they killed the alicorn of the moon themselves. But either way, they did not have her. And because our scrying failed utterly in locating her, then that can only mean that she is no more. Which means, also, that we have ultimately failed in the goals we have set out all those months ago."
She says that. But for all that she is talking about what amounts to a failure, she still has a smile on her face. It is almost an expectant smile, as if she somehow relishes this turn of events, or looks forward to what is about to happen.
"So naturally, we will change as well."
And then, the thoughtfulness and reminiscence in her voice are gone, replaced by a sudden energy and purpose that completely contrasts with the old appearance of her false body.
"Equestria is in disarray. We have confirmed that one of their irreplaceable alicorns is no more, and ponies are on the edge of an abyss. I have no doubt that they will regroup and rebuild, even if they lose something along the way, and I have no intention of… pushing them, to their doom. However, they are lacking in cohesion, purpose and guidance. And we will deliver it to them."
With that, she finally stands from where she was sitting, looking down the five of you from the tree-stump as if it were an elevated dais.
"The Cult is to grow. We must gather strength and power so that we may steer ponykind in the right direction, when the time comes. We must expand so that no place is beyond our eyes and hoofs. And most importantly, we must spread the knowledge of the Lores among our ranks so that their influence slowly bleeds out to ponykind at large. Such is the direction we will take henceforth, and such will be our focus. And know this: we must still be covert in our actions, for now, but only because we are still few in number. But I am no longer worried about secrecy for its own sake, secrecy is from now on a tool to be used like any other, and to be discarded if needed."
She says that, and then she turns to each of you in turn.
However…
However.
You feel something, as she begins to address each of you in turn. You feel something that is at the same time maddeningly familiar, while also utterly confusing and new.
Because the Master begins to give out her orders, yes.
But you also feel like…
Like…
Like she is also… like her words…
You honestly have no way to describe it. It is not just as if the Master is something much larger than you. Larger, and older, and wiser, and greater than you think. It's not just that.
It's not as if you suddenly became aware that the thing talking to you is just a puppet.
No, it is way more than that.
You somehow feel as if… as if her words…
You feel like they have a much deeper meaning. As if everything she is telling each of you is an order wearing a mask, an ironically obvious and yet subtle way to convey a hidden meaning, to say something open yet secret to each of you in turn.
And what is more, your mind suddenly reminds you of Starry Dancer… or rather, of the glimpse you saw of Starry Dancer, before you lost conscience not long ago.
Because you can't help but feel that… that those strings you saw attached to Starry's limbs? You can't help but feel like the Master has those around all of you. You can't help but feel your paranoia spike, as you wonder just what exactly, or why exactly, the Master is telling each of you what she is telling right now.
"Comet Feet, there is no place for hesitation, no place for weights or weaknesses. Not anymore. Cut them off from our Cult."
The stallion answers her with a grim, but focused, nod.
"Copper Secateur, you have performed exquisitely in the Manehattan branch. It is yours in all but name. So stop ruling it in my stead and rule it. Make it yours, and do not be sated. All that I ask is that you, first, summon the entity you have met."
Copper's eyes go wide at the Master's words, and you can see several different thoughts running through her head in the span of a few moments. Maybe you see a glimpse of surprise, because the Master blatantly shrugged off something she had tried to keep secret? Or maybe you see satisfaction, at the praise and power she had just been given openly?
You do not know.
But you do see the gleam of ambition in her eyes, even if only for a moment.
"I will also be sending Starry your way. Have her aid you as you see fit, but do not deny her if she suddenly… decides to do something on her own accord," the Master continues, a wry smile appearing on her face as she says that. "Starry Dancer is in a… path, so to speak. But she is still an equal among you, so be courteous with her."
Copper responds to all of that, both the Master's orders and her boons, with a soft bow.
"Windy Flakes… I have every confidence in your skills, but I feel like you are shackling yourself. Why is that?" the Master asks, aiming a curious glance at Windy's unusually neutral expression. "You mentioned, understandably, that a crisis makes for bad business. But we both know that is not really true, don't we? It is only bad for… certain kinds of businesses."
You have the impression, even if only for a moment, that you see a shift in Windy's expression.
Or, perhaps, you feel the weight of Winter settle heavier around him, as he calls more of it to himself to remain silent.
To which the Master answers with a chuckle.
"Do as I do, Windy. Have confidence in your skills, in your… hunches. Follow them," she continues, almost as if she is prodding him. Until, finally, her tone returns to something more normal, and she continues speaking as if nothing had just happened. "Of course, what I mean to say is that we will require ever more funds. And you must acquire them, Windy, by any means necessary."
She says that, and then she turns to face Jade.
However, with the slowness of a glacier cracking, Windy's expression slowly… shifts.
The neutral expression on his face is gone, and in its place you can see that Windy is… thinking about something very carefully.
And when he opens his mouth to speak, he seems clearly hesitant. Eager, but frightened.
The Master, however, seems entirely satisfied as she turns back to face Windy. As if she had predicted that the unicorn stallion would react precisely that way.
"Master, I…" Windy says, hesitantly, as if afraid he is about to be censured by even suggesting whatever it is that he is thinking about. "May I be permitted to… to go to another city, then? To pursue new ventures, of course," he adds those last words in a rush.
And as the Master holds Windy's gaze for just a moment longer, you recall the things you have discovered about Windy, recently, and you understand the implications of his request.
"Any means necessary, Windy," the Master says.
And you watch as Windy's hesitation turns into an excited smile.
"Jade… while it is true that all your problems become nails when you choose to use hammers, a hammer is currently all that we have. Since we lack a more… subtle option, you are to bolster our Cult's strength with what you have. Summon me more windigos, and keep them sealed. Distribute them to our new cult cells as required."
She turns away from Jade before the mare can even respond.
Which is for the best, you suppose. Jade remained utterly frozen in place after hearing the Master's orders.
And finally, the Master turns to you.
"And you, little Velvet, what am I to do with you…?" she says, her words dragging unusually slow as she looks at you.
And you feel your heart beginning to hammer inside your chest at that.
"You have… such things boiling and bubbling inside your head, don't you? Such chittering thoughts within the shadows of your mind, like howling winds blowing fiercely through a forest…"
The Master's smile grows, and you do your best not to break your composure as she seems to stare into the very depths of your soul.
"Don't you think that it is time that you… share them with us?"
She asks.
And in that moment, you know. You know that she knows. She has to know. There is no way that she doesn't know.
You can tell from that smile, that damned, Woods-cursed smile. You have never been so certain of anything in your life that not only she knows, but that she is also toying with you.
Right?
Right?!
"Share them with the Cult, little Velvet. Share them, so that we may grow in numbers and power. Thus, my order to you is that you shall dedicate yourself to teaching the Cult. I do not need you to scale the Mansus, not on my orders. Instead, reduce your knowledge to writing, so that every Cult cell we create shall have the tools needed to thrive, and every pony under us shall have a path to fulfill their potential," she says.
And just like that, your certainty is gone.
Because as a wave of relief rushes through your body, that she at least didn't expose you then and there, you also realize that… you also realize how much your own thoughts were poisoning your view of things.
After all, you can see now that the Master's "knowing" smile was just her usual matronly expression. You can see, as you frantically repeat her words in your head, that she was just praising you. Because it is easy for you to forget that you, alone, probably know more about the Lores than any other pony in the Cult. So her words could very well mean that she just feels that you have grown enough, and should join her in teaching the Cult at large.
She isn't onto you. She doesn't know what you are planning. She can't read your damned thoughts. You are fine.
Right…?
Right?
"Those are my orders. See to them," she says, dismissing you even as the painfully fast drumbeat of your heart begins to slow down.
And just like that, her puppet-body is gone.
Although it still takes you almost all of your willpower not to run away.
The Master has given you your orders, and has enlightened the Inner Circle about the shift in focus of the Cult.
The Cult as a whole is now ordered to grow. This period of confusion following the recent tragedy will be a fertile soil for recruitment and expansion, but she also seems to wish for the Cult to grow as an institution. Revealing the Cult's existence is no longer strictly forbidden, but everypony understands that secrecy is still useful, and revealing its existence should only be done to further the Master's goals.
(Think, for example, that it is now acceptable to reveal the cult exists to, say, a rival gang in Manehattan. "This is Wildhoof territory" is acceptable to claim territory, but running to the cops and telling about the Cult is not. Things on that line.)
Your orders, as well, are as follows.
-You will immediately summon the Daugher-of-Axes (as pre-decided), but the Master doesn't seem to have any immediate need for her. Although he still ordered her to be summoned.
-You must make the Cult reach Level 3 in one Lore every month (NOT counting Name-given bonuses, you must make the Cult reach Level 3 by the sum of transcripts/books alone).
Jade Whistle's orders are as follows.
-She is to summon windigos for the Cult.
Given the particularities that are involved in summoning windigos, Jade would very much like not to follow this order, but will do so if you ask her.
Failing to obey your orders (either you or Jade) will incur in suspicion, which in turn ticks a [TRIGGER EVENT] clock. It is your understanding that you have good will accumulated with the Master, and that Jade might not have as much, if at all. But (as a QM) I very much dislike people seeing good will and favor as quantifiable resources. And your Master is also Moth-aligned. So I discourage trying to push your luck by not doing something, because it might very well blow up on your face once somepony or somecreature reacts in a perfectly reasonable way.
"Jade… while it is true that all your problems become nails when you choose to use hammers, a hammer is currently all that we have. Since we lack a more… subtle option, you are to bolster our Cult's strength with what you have. Summon me more windigos, and keep them sealed. Distribute them to our new cult cells as required."
Yep. There's that old Esquestria rush. Paranoia everywhere.
And fuck, those orders. The Master doesn't actually plan to start breaking things. Not yet, at least. And manuscripts, as terrible for AP as they would be, are acceptable if unpleasant in empowering the Cult. Windigoes, however, are very much not unless we could get them under our control, and even then I wouldn't want Jade doing it.
Yep. There's that old Esquestria rush. Paranoia everywhere.
And fuck, those orders. The Master doesn't actually plan to start breaking things. Not yet, at least. And manuscripts, as terrible for AP as they would be, are acceptable if unpleasant in empowering the Cult. Windigoes, however, are very much not unless we could get them under our control, and even then I wouldn't want Jade doing it.
Sure, whats your plan to avoid having to summon the Windigoes? She can't just refuse, lying wouldn't be a good idea, so that leaves her trying and failing.
Also, I think the Master probably won't mind us leaving for the Bureau, given their order to Copper. Basically told her to take her own branch of the Cult and run it as she sees fit.
Which actually might be good for us. If she truly makes it a seperate entity, we could probably target them without hitting the rest of the Cult.
Sure, whats your plan to avoid having to summon the Windigoes? She can't just refuse, lying wouldn't be a good idea, so that leaves her trying and failing.
Either fucking off to Canterlot and just giving up on staying in the Cult, or… maybe having her summon Mares instead. We voted not to do that because we didn't want to give the Cult another weapon, and I'm not sure we could excuse it as a recent discovery—unless we waited a turn, maybe—but if it's one of those two or the Cult stockpiling Windigoes…
Either fucking off to Canterlot and just giving up on staying in the Cult, or… maybe having her summon Mares instead. We voted not to do that because we didn't want to give the Cult another weapon, and I'm not sure we could excuse it as a recent discovery—unless we waited a turn, maybe—but if it's one of those two or the Cult stockpiling Windigoes…
Hmm. Actually, looking back at the Bright Library, I'm not sure how sustainable even that as a goal would be. At least one level three every turn is bullshit. It would take at least two actions a turn for the first few, and then at least three or more for the rest. That's almost half an average turn gone. We just flat out don't have the time.
I honestly don't remember if I disagreed or not, just the general thrust of the arguments that were made. But, I do feel it prudent to point out that the Master wants them stockpiled, not turned to a specific use immediately. That might have been different if they could preserve subtlety. Or perhaps not, we still don't know.
Either fucking off to Canterlot and just giving up on staying in the Cult, or… maybe having her summon Mares instead. We voted not to do that because we didn't want to give the Cult another weapon, and I'm not sure we could excuse it as a recent discovery—unless we waited a turn, maybe—but if it's one of those two or the Cult stockpiling Windigoes…
Even if we were willing to do that (which I still don't want to), that doesn't get rid of our task of getting a cult Lore up to Level 3 every month. That would eat up so much of our AP it's not even funny.
In other words, we've got two turns to gtfo of Ponyville and do whatever we can against the cult. Better make it count.
Edit: Also, I feel like covering our tracks has gotten even more important, if the veil of secrecy on the cult is bring lifted away, to a degree.
I honestly don't remember if I disagreed or not, just the general thrust of the arguments that were made. But, I do feel it prudent to point out that the Master wants them stockpiled, not turned to a specific use immediately. That might have been different if they could preserve subtlety. Or perhaps not, we still don't know.
Since we lack a more… subtle option, you are to bolster our Cult's strength with what you have. Summon me more windigos, and keep them sealed. Distribute them to our new cult cells as required."
And what is more, you are aware that this little "game" has a lot more rules than just that. You know that this situation you are in has a lot more moving parts than just yourself, and that you things might run out of control even if you do absolutely everything right. Heavens, you even realize that one of the rules in this game is that you very much don't know what all the rules are.
After all, you are about to try and perform a masquerade against the Master, of all creatures. You are about to invite her into a dance of pretense and deceit, one that you only have a chance of winning if she doesn't even realize that she is participating in.
After all why we have no real reason to think she already knows... it wouldn't be out-of-character for her to have our coming betrayal be just part of her plans, or just an acceptable possibility.
And that is all assuming she doesn't already know, of course. Because what if she can read your thoughts? What if she can really smell your loyalty, like she mentioned so long ago? What if she notices every single omission you make, about your forays in the Mansus, because she somehow knows where you have been, like when she realized every time you crossed a new Door?
And most frightening of all, what if she knows about all of that and is just letting you do all of this?
"But of course, as the task grew in size, so did we. First we had to reach the alicorn in her dreams, then look for her in the Wake, and then we had to mold ourselves so we could take her by force from the clutch of the changelings. And we would have succeeded, of course… if the exiled shapeshifters had the alicorn at all."
Because of course nopony here, except for Comet Feet and the Master herself, truly know what happened in the changeling hive. And it would make quite a lot of sense for the Master's absence, this last month, to have happened because she had taken Princess Luna for herself. You and Jade know that wasn't the case because of Selene, of course, but nopony in the Cult truly knew if Princess Luna had been found in the hive or not.
She says that. But for all that she is talking about what amounts to a failure, she still has a smile on her face. It is almost an expectant smile, as if she somehow relishes this turn of events, or looks forward to what is about to happen.
"So naturally, we will change as well."
And then, the thoughtfulness and reminiscence in her voice are gone, replaced by a sudden energy and purpose that completely contrasts with the old appearance of her false body.
"Equestria is in disarray. We have confirmed that one of their irreplaceable alicorns is no more, and ponies are on the edge of an abyss. I have no doubt that they will regroup and rebuild, even if they lose something along the way, and I have no intention of… pushing them, to their doom. However, they are lacking in cohesion, purpose and guidance. And we will deliver it to them."
"The Cult is to grow. We must gather strength and power so that we may steer ponykind in the right direction, when the time comes. We must expand so that no place is beyond our eyes and hoofs. And most importantly, we must spread the knowledge of the Lores among our ranks so that their influence slowly bleeds out to ponykind at large. Such is the direction we will take henceforth, and such will be our focus. And know this: we must still be covert in our actions, for now, but only because we are still few in number. But I am no longer worried about secrecy for its own sake, secrecy is from now on a tool to be used like any other, and to be discarded if needed."
"Copper Secateur, you have performed exquisitely in the Manehattan branch. It is yours in all but name. So stop ruling it in my stead and rule it. Make it yours, and do not be sated. All that I ask is that you, first, summon the entity you have met."
"I will also be sending Starry your way. Have her aid you as you see fit, but do not deny her if she suddenly… decides to do something on her own accord," the Master continues, a wry smile appearing on her face as she says that. "Starry Dancer is in a… path, so to speak. But she is still an equal among you, so be courteous with her."
Copper responds to all of that, both the Master's orders and her boons, with a soft bow.
"Windy Flakes… I have every confidence in your skills, but I feel like you are shackling yourself. Why is that?" the Master asks, aiming a curious glance at Windy's unusually neutral expression. "You mentioned, understandably, that a crisis makes for bad business. But we both know that is not really true, don't we? It is only bad for… certain kinds of businesses."
You have the impression, even if only for a moment, that you see a shift in Windy's expression.
Or, perhaps, you feel the weight of Winter settle heavier around him, as he calls more of it to himself to remain silent.
To which the Master answers with a chuckle.
"Do as I do, Windy. Have confidence in your skills, in your… hunches. Follow them," she continues, almost as if she is prodding him. Until, finally, her tone returns to something more normal, and she continues speaking as if nothing had just happened. "Of course, what I mean to say is that we will require ever more funds. And you must acquire them, Windy, by any means necessary."
"Master, I…" Windy says, hesitantly, as if afraid he is about to be censured by even suggesting whatever it is that he is thinking about. "May I be permitted to… to go to another city, then? To pursue new ventures, of course," he adds those last words in a rush.
And as the Master holds Windy's gaze for just a moment longer, you recall the things you have discovered about Windy, recently, and you understand the implications of his request.
"Any means necessary, Windy," the Master says.
And you watch as Windy's hesitation turns into an excited smile.
"Jade… while it is true that all your problems become nails when you choose to use hammers, a hammer is currently all that we have. Since we lack a more… subtle option, you are to bolster our Cult's strength with what you have. Summon me more windigos, and keep them sealed. Distribute them to our new cult cells as required."
She turns away from Jade before the mare can even respond.
Which is for the best, you suppose. Jade remained utterly frozen in place after hearing the Master's orders.
"And you, little Velvet, what am I to do with you…?" she says, her words dragging unusually slow as she looks at you.
And you feel your heart beginning to hammer inside your chest at that.
"You have… such things boiling and bubbling inside your head, don't you? Such chittering thoughts within the shadows of your mind, like howling winds blowing fiercely through a forest…"
The Master's smile grows, and you do your best not to break your composure as she seems to stare into the very depths of your soul.
"Don't you think that it is time that you… share them with us?"
She asks.
And in that moment, you know. You know that she knows. She has to know. There is no way that she doesn't know.
You can tell from that smile, that damned, Woods-cursed smile. You have never been so certain of anything in your life that not only she knows, but that she is also toying with you.
"Share them with the Cult, little Velvet. Share them, so that we may grow in numbers and power. Thus, my order to you is that you shall dedicate yourself to teaching the Cult. I do not need you to scale the Mansus, not on my orders. Instead, reduce your knowledge to writing, so that every Cult cell we create shall have the tools needed to thrive, and every pony under us shall have a path to fulfill their potential," she says.
And just like that, your certainty is gone.
Because as a wave of relief rushes through your body, that she at least didn't expose you then and there, you also realize that… you also realize how much your own thoughts were poisoning your view of things.
After all, you can see now that the Master's "knowing" smile was just her usual matronly expression. You can see, as you frantically repeat her words in your head, that she was just praising you. Because it is easy for you to forget that you, alone, probably know more about the Lores than any other pony in the Cult. So her words could very well mean that she just feels that you have grown enough, and should join her in teaching the Cult at large.
She isn't onto you. She doesn't know what you are planning. She can't read your damned thoughts. You are fine.
(Think, for example, that it is now acceptable to reveal the cult exists to, say, a rival gang in Manehattan. "This is Wildhoof territory" is acceptable to claim territory, but running to the cops and telling about the Cult is not. Things on that line.)
...Part of me regrets not deciding to go all in with the cult all that time ago, you know? We could have delivered Luna to the cult, broke Twilight's faith and recruited her, now we could basically hire our uncle and bring him in, we could have possibly delivered Shining Armor to the Master so that he might use it to reach Cadence...
-You must make the Cult reach Level 3 in one Lore every month (NOT counting Name-given bonuses, you must make the Cult reach Level 3 by the sum of transcripts/books alone).
Failing to obey your orders (either you or Jade) will incur in suspicion, which in turn ticks a [TRIGGER EVENT] clock. It is your understanding that you have good will accumulated with the Master, and that Jade might not have as much, if at all. But (as a QM) I very much dislike people seeing good will and favor as quantifiable resources. And your Master is also Moth-aligned. So I discourage trying to push your luck by not doing something, because it might very well blow up on your face once somepony or somecreature reacts in a perfectly reasonable way.
Hmm. Actually, looking back at the Bright Library, I'm not sure how sustainable even that as a goal would be. At least one level three every turn is bullshit. It would take at least two actions a turn for the first few, and then at least three or more for the rest. That's almost half an average turn gone. We just flat out don't have the time.
if we were loyal, we'd make the time. Half our time is objectively not THAT much as far as mission goes. It's VERY safe and very easy, and leaves us enough time to pursue our goals in the meantime, including the Mansus.
...problem is, we're not loyal, and have lots of things to do to enact that disloyalty.
-[Wolf, thy name is Evil]: "An old malice has been reintroduced to Equestria, like a wind that brings misfortune or a day where the sun just doesn't shine as bright."
(Equestria is now a worse place.)
-[The Benefits of the Mother]: Velvet Covers may now perform Regrettable Actions.
(Velvet Covers may be offered additional actions to further this path.)
I think there are things they're willing to use a Windigo for, and things they would be willing to use a Mare for, and that while there may be some overlap, they are not synonymous. And that the the Windigo category is, at least, not an immediate priority.
To elaborate, I think the Master wants to have a big red button available, as well as a smaller button, so the she can choose between them when needed. But they will settle for the big one if necessary.
On a completely different note, but the Master wants the Lores to spill out into the greater populace. That could actually be really useful for us, since it gives us an excuse.
I think there are things they're willing to use a Windigo for, and things they would be willing to use a Mare for, and that while there may be some overlap, they are not synonymous. And that the the Windigo category is, at least, not an immediate priority.
To elaborate, I think the Master wants to have a big red button available, as well as a smaller button, so the she can choose between them when needed. But they will settle for the big one if necessary.
On a completely different note, but the Master wants the Lores to spill out into the greater populace. That could actually be really useful for us, since it gives us an excuse.
