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

BirdBodhisattva · Jul 9, 2021

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.

(Quote slightly edited to avoid spoilers)

Toboe · Jun 12, 2023

BirdBodhisattva said:
You just gave me the best idea as to where exactly Windy might run and who he might fatefully meet.

Also, guys, come on. This is an easy vote. You either vote for "Happy QM" or "Unhappy QM". I mean, I just write the story, so how bad can the effects of my disappointment be?

Ink for the pen and fuel to the flame,
grease for the cogs and gifts to the Name!
Thirstmaster
for the questmaster!
[X] Summon Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires (will cost one action from Turn 16)
(although waiting a turn so the rebind doesn't happen in the

Pittauro said:
...kinda mundane, but I wonder if we can have her be a model for Rarity's clothes to boost her income

"With all these scares, Fashion gotta follow the Zeitgeist and direct it somewhere positive!
That is why I am releasing a new line of moody robes!
Please give a big round of applause for our newest model, Mare Antoinette from Prance."
[Grail]!

Shaper47 said:
Yeah, what's the worst that could possibly happen?

Scene flash

Mareinette: "[Grail]."

Velvet: "Glad that's dealt with but what did your mean by enjoyed yourself?"

Mareinette: "[Grail]."

Velvet: "Egh, well he can be charming when it suits him. Did you make sure Soft Charm doesn't know? I wouldn't want any complications?

Mareinette: "[Grail]."

Velvet: "She joined in!" And what do you mean, in detail, about an unexpected event happening?

Mareinette: "[Grail]."

Velvet: "I'm going to have another sibling? Well Soft Charm bearing fruit isn't that much of a complication.

Mareinette: "[Grail]."

Velvet: "Wait, if Soft Charm isn't the one who will bear fruit that means...

Drool drops from Mareinette's mouth to the ground.

New Moth Sacrament:
Surprise adopt a Mansuscreatures child before said child becomes dinner.

Starlit Horizon · Jun 12, 2023

jason1stlegion said:
This turn's more ambiguous, though, considering the arguments against immediately curing our Scar. We'll also probably need to put one of our 3 extra actions into healing, so keep that in mind.

Nah, it was considered, but I think the consensus among those who were in the thread at that hour that it is far too risky, with success chance of only 62.16%.

If we fail, we go to 0/2 wounds and our lores are locked out, plus all suspicion going to death door would bring.

Byzantine · Jun 12, 2023

zxzx24 said:
This seems optimistic to me.

I did not mean it would only cost us a wound, just that that would be part of the price.

Skelm · Jun 12, 2023

zxzx24 said:
And I'd much prefer to try scrying for the key this turn instead.

I would rather have Baldomare scry for the Frangiclave. It's going to be a high-level expedition and therefore likely protected against scrying, we want as much information as possible before we go in, and we're not actually likely to have the resources to go for it sooner anyway.

zxzx24 · Jun 12, 2023

BirdBodhisattva said:
Jade (who is doing those researches) has no idea.

This quote is only distantly related to the idea of "researching the memory of light is related to awakening Selene."

Starlit Horizon said:
Here you go:
I think there were more, but just what I can find from the top of my head.

Okay let me take a look.

Shaper47 said:
Your going to have to work me though your reasoning here.

The way I understand it; for Selene's safety Knock should be the last lore to reach level 3 and we need to do research for her knock level 2 and 3. I have no memory of this instability point at level 3?

BirdBodhisattva said:
"Do Knock next turn."

There's your quote.

Still writing.

This reply wasn't in response to the memory of light. It was in response to asking about what to do for Selene.

Shaper explicitly asked about research and Bird didn't comment on it. Likely intentionally because we have no way of knowing.

BirdBodhisattva said:
You now know enough to understand that, indeed, the best way forward is Winter - Knock - Edge. And Knock not being last only because Jade senses there is something to be learned after Selene learns Knock 3, but that you ideally would like to see studied before she is completely ready.

This may or may not be connected to the memory of light.

Bird says after she reaches knock three.

Which she has not yet reached. So bring this quote back up after her knock 3 lesson.

BirdBodhisattva said:
Selene is on the final stretch of her Lore education. Ideally, the order of the Lores you will teach her henceforth is Winter -> Knock -> Edge. And that is because something new can be learned (researched) about Selene every time she reaches a new level of Knock. However, it is unwise to have her learn Knock before Winter.

Once again. No promises relating to what we do or do not learn. Your assuming that the memory of light and whatever we discover will be connected.

Which is fair.

The rite of childhoods end was a ritual. The memory of light was a research opportunity for something.

We have no idea what knock 3 might or might not give us.

I don't find this compelling if you are specifically arguing that not researching memory of light will be harmful to Selene.

I find it more likely that the 3rd knock discovery will be completely unrelated.

I (based on nothing) suspect the memory of light will do anything for us except open up another research hole or fetch quest. And can be safely ignored.

That it might possibly benefit selene is a more compelling argument. Even if I think that chance is remote.

ElMariachi · Jun 12, 2023

NMS said:
*Twitch* Alright. Which of you donkeys were arguing that working for the Bureau would help our action economy?

To be fair, Bird warned us that we would have less liberty on our actions if we take the job, and even that several actions during the first turns will be locked by the task of establishing the Bureau.

zxzx24 · Jun 12, 2023

We could invest actions into making the Bureau work better perhaps. Or more useful to us personally.

I would still like to find the time to use thst power for the good of equestria, and the world as well.

Starlit Horizon · Jun 12, 2023

zxzx24 said:
SNIP

It is unclear if Knock 3 is locked behind Knock 2, but it does say that we want Knock 3, specifically before Selene is ready.

If it was something that wouldn't be related to Selene, then Knock could have been last without real downside. In fact, given how stressful Knock is, it would be directly counterproductive.

So, Knock 3 must be related.

Are you willing to risk locking out Knock 3 results and/or delaying the awakening for a single scrying, we, frankly speaking, don't need right this instant and that Jade is worse than Baldomare at?

Because "yes, one is locked behind another" and "no, they aren't" are equally probable based on what we know.

To me, risk/reward of this choice is not great, to say the least.

zxzx24 · Jun 12, 2023

Starlit Horizon said:
If it was something that wouldn't be related to Selene, then Knock could have been last without real downside. In fact, given how stressful Knock is, it would be directly counterproductive.

Have you just forgotten why knock is painful and stressful for Selene?

Winter helps her deal with the mental strain and fear caused by her regaining her memories of being Luna.

Including the worms and being tortured for a very long time.

Starlit Horizon said:
Because "yes, one is locked behind another" and "no, they aren't" are equally probable based on what we know.

Starlit Horizon said:
So, Knock 3 must be related.

This seem rather contradictory to each other

But "if there's even a chance it will benefit Selene we should do it" is a bit more compelling to me yes.

I've not made up my mind either way.

rafuki22 · Jun 12, 2023

I'm fine with either outcome, so i will abstain myself from voting.

Starlit Horizon · Jun 12, 2023

zxzx24 said:
Have you just forgotten why knock is painful and stressful for Selene?

Winter helps her deal with the mental strain and fear caused by her regaining her memories of being Luna.

Including the worms and being tortured for a very long time.

This seem rather contradictory to each other

But "if there's even a chance it will benefit Selene we should do it" is a bit more compelling to me yes.

I've not made up my mind either way.

Ok, let me go through my logic.

Fact 1. Knock, even when tempered by Winter, is the most stressful lore for Selene. Without Winter's mental stability, it can be horrifying. Common sense is to delay it in the sequence of education as much as possible, other concerns permitting.

Fact 2. Advice specifically goes against that common sense, saying we want time to research Knock 3, to have it ready before awakening happens.

Conclusion 1 (based on facts 1 and 2): Knock 3 research is somehow related to Selene.

Conclusion 2 (based on facts 1 and 2): Knock 3 research should be done no later than turn 17 to get benefits we want as per advice.

Fact 3. We do not know if we can do Knock 3 research without Knock 2 research finished, to the best of our knowledge they are equally probable pending further evidence and/or testing.

Fact 4. If we don't unlock Knock 3 research by the beginning of turn 17, we can't finish it by the end of turn 17 (duh).

Conclusion 3 (based on facts 3 and 4, conclusions 1 and 2): if we don't do Knock 2 research turn 16, it may delay the awakening and/or negatively affect Selene (comparatively) by being unable to perform Knock 3 research in time.

What exactly Knock 3 (edit: research) is unknown, it may be a way to preserve Selene in Luna as it was long theorized, it may be something else entirely, but it is, as per advice, something we want.

Skelm · Jun 12, 2023

zxzx24 said:
I (based on nothing) suspect the memory of light will do anything for us except open up another research hole or fetch quest. And can be safely ignored.

To be clear, I agree with this, I just think now is a good time for Jade to persue that path.

Shaper47 · Jun 12, 2023

Starlit Horizon said:
Conclusion 3 (based on facts 3 and 4, conclusions 1 and 2): if we don't do Knock 2 research turn 16, it may delay the awakening and/or negatively affect Selene (comparatively) by being unable to perform Knock 3 research in time.

Makes sense, still based on fact one it may be best for Selene to just delay her awakening for a turn. Fact four isn't too strenuous compared to Selene's safety.

Starlit Horizon · Jun 12, 2023

Shaper47 said:
Makes sense, still based on fact one it may be best for Selene to just delay her awakening for a turn. Fact four isn't too strenuous compared to Selene's safety.

Both "do knock second to last" and "knock last, delay" has Selene spend the same 2 turns with Knock.

In fact, if the supposition that level 3s in general is stressful for her, and it very well might be - see her Confusing Realization & the fact that for Velvet herself level 3 is instability point with level 4 where it is released (the quote should be there somewhere), delaying might be not the best idea.

Pittauro · Jun 12, 2023

Toboe said:
Ink for the pen and fuel to the flame,
grease for the cogs and gifts to the Name!
Thirstmaster
for the questmaster!
[X] Summon Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires (will cost one action from Turn 16)
(although waiting a turn so the rebind doesn't happen in the

nice rhymes, pretty catchy

Skelm said:
I would rather have Baldomare scry for the Frangiclave. It's going to be a high-level expedition and therefore likely protected against scrying, we want as much information as possible before we go in, and we're not actually likely to have the resources to go for it sooner anyway.

I think we kinda HAVE to scry if we care about finding it.

We don't know where it is, after all.

there's a good argument to be made about scrying for it this coming turn with Jade, as right after healing we could go on an expedition to get it on turn 17, right before DoA expires.

That should hopefully stop her from leaving, and will avoid us losing her for one turn. Her actions are pretty useful after all, as all Name's.

The most basic of them all is a Lore lesson up to lvl 6 after all!

...uh. I think I just realized why for Baldomare we probably need a lvl 6 or 7 book to keep her in the Wake. She has (at least in the Wake) Lantern 6. Doesn't that imply that lvl 6-7 knowledge might be things she actually doesn't know?

zxzx24 said:
This reply wasn't in response to the memory of light. It was in response to asking about what to do for Selene.

Shaper explicitly asked about research and Bird didn't comment on it. Likely intentionally because we have no way of knowing.

Even more specific, this is about unlocking the Knock 3 research which should be important to research BEFORE the turn in which we would (hopefully) do the ritual.

Knock 2 research can be delayed. Knock 3... well, we don't know, but we want to have the OPTION to research it immediately, just in case it might offer an alternative to Incision (which kinda makes sense, honestly. Selene was given to us by Harmony or at least in accordance to "the laws of the more kind world), or at least that's what it felt like. Presumably there's another way to get her back other than Incision once she's ready. a less... forced way to wake her, basically.)

Shaper47 · Jun 12, 2023

Pittauro said:
(which kinda makes sense, honestly. Selene was given to us by Harmony or at least in accordance to "the laws of the more kind world), or at least that's what it felt like.

I disagree with this pretence but agree that the research for knock could be helpful in her awakening. My thoughts are more on what is the safest way for Selene to learn even if it's at cost to the speed of her awakening. I believe Bird mentioned earlier how we had been teaching Selene really fast and that he didn't expect us to raise our lores so quickly so having a bit of a delay isn't to bad of an idea in my view.

Aranfan · Jun 12, 2023

@BirdBodhisattva

If you don't want us to pick an option, don't offer it to us in the first place. What's even the point of the vote if you as the QM say "I want you to pick this option".

Pittauro · Jun 12, 2023

Aranfan said:
@BirdBodhisattva

If you don't want us to pick an option, don't offer it to us in the first place. What's even the point of the vote if you as the QM say "I want you to pick this option".

don't be unfair. QM has been saying he'd like us to take more regrettable actions all the time, and it's not like we're taking them all the time.

He has his preferences, but he's not forcing them on us.

...well, beside maybe the bit about Soft Sweeps, but that was a whole clusterfuck of reports and bitterness that outright led to a long hiatus, so I won't begrudge him that change if it led to the quest coming back, and it was completely IC behaviour for Velvet anyway.

Shaper47 said:
I disagree with this pretence but agree that the research for knock could be helpful in her awakening. My thoughts are more on what is the safest way for Selene to learn even if it's at cost to the speed of her awakening. I believe Bird mentioned earlier how we had been teaching Selene really fast and that he didn't expect us to raise our lores so quickly so having a bit of a delay isn't to bad of an idea in my view.

eh, we should have been slower because he expected us to fail some rolls, for the usual reason of "I didn't expect you to get this good to all the lores so quickly!"

But we did, so certainly it's for the best we went quickly at it. Failing a lesson might be more or less risky to Selene than succeeding at them, we just don't know.

That said... I could see Knock 3 research unlocking an alternative method of waking up Selene into Luna that takes more than a single turn. Who knows.

rafuki22 · Jun 12, 2023

Aranfan said:
@BirdBodhisattva

If you don't want us to pick an option, don't offer it to us in the first place. What's even the point of the vote if you as the QM say "I want you to pick this option".

What Pittauro said and...

BirdBodhisattva said:
Unfortunately, yes.

Jokes aside, I am joking. So don't worry.

I've just been waiting for her appearance for too long, is all. And besides, I will have her on the Wake one way or the other. The advice of "the best victory to pursue is Glory" was given way back then, and I already knew Mareinette was blocking your way when I said that.

She'll have her time in the sun. I'm just expressing my hopes it's sooner rather than later

But really. Vote for whatever you like, as always. I won't finagle things one way or the other. And the arguments that "summoning her is an unknown" are as valid as the arguments that "that unknown will only strike three turns from now, at the earliest" and others besides.

jelloloaf · Jun 12, 2023

Aranfan said:
@BirdBodhisattva

If you don't want us to pick an option, don't offer it to us in the first place. What's even the point of the vote if you as the QM say "I want you to pick this option".

There's a difference between preferring one over the other and being unwilling to write one.

Aranfan · Jun 12, 2023

Pittauro said:
...well, beside maybe the bit about Soft Sweeps, but that was a whole clusterfuck of reports and bitterness that outright led to a long hiatus, so I won't begrudge him that change if it led to the quest coming back, and it was completely IC behaviour for Velvet anyway.

My opinion on the soft sweeps thing is not hidden.

ElMariachi · Jun 12, 2023

Speaking of Jade, is there something we can do to help her increase her More levels, we can't continue to do almost everything ourself, even with our bullshit level, and she the only (ex-)Inner Circle member who still doesn't have her Brand (well, there's also Starry, but she's not in the Mansus climbing game anymore).
And also level-up Rarity while we're at it, her Forge will be of use to us since it's one of our weak points.

zxzx24 · Jun 12, 2023

Aranfan said:
@BirdBodhisattva

If you don't want us to pick an option, don't offer it to us in the first place. What's even the point of the vote if you as the QM say "I want you to pick this option".

Because its still our choice.

And this us rather uncharacteristically confrontational of you. Are you feeling alright?

ElMariachi · Jun 12, 2023

Pittauro said:
...well, beside maybe the bit about Soft Sweeps, but that was a whole clusterfuck of reports and bitterness that outright led to a long hiatus, so I won't begrudge him that change if it led to the quest coming back, and it was completely IC behaviour for Velvet anyway.

If you're talking about the last update in September, that was with Rarity, not Soft Sweeps.

Necrosis · Jun 12, 2023

[X] Do not. (Turn 16 will progress normally)

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

A bodhisattva, by definition, must die to move on.

Anti-nihilist(maybe).

Team Plasma Grunt

Anti-nihilist(maybe).

Theoheretical

Team Plasma Grunt

Once was impaled