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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Roaming_Guardian said:
I for one think abusing our brothers trust like that is an incredibly dumb idea.

We are having a conversation about love. Between two people/ponies that are not us. It's a dick move to be butting in specifically for our own benefit.

Do the RIGHT thing, not the convenient thing.
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And the right thing is to use his gifts in a way that draws forth the object of his desires at the precise moment we predict to buoy his spirits! They must genuinely appeal to her if they can help summon her, as much as she may scoff afterwards. It's like the stuffed doll she put under her pillow: she'll complain about it endlessly and disparage it to anyone who asks, but she'll then stuff it under her pillow and give it hugs when no one is present. I strongly suspect that she hides her likes because she was rather firmly enmeshed in the politics of the Mansus, as evidenced by the chaining and the axe and the Law enforcing and whatnot, and almost everyone in the Mansus is looking for an angle at any moment.
 
Can we recommend Pride to fund Axe expeditions? Separately from gifts option. Or tell him to give Axe bits for her travels directly instead of gifts.

Also perhaps ask her to agree to a date if she finds what she is looking for and he was of assistance to her (through buying her tickets for example).

Also how about option to make DoA to go shopping with him, if she finds time. (get him to pay for artifacts if we take DoA action to buy them)

@BirdBodhisattva Is anything on that list viable as options?
 
@BirdBodhisattva
Since there were four breakpoints, and you originally planned for more limited options, which threshold were you expecting? I'm curious if us hurling over the highest DC won us anything in addition to the expanded options list.
 
@BirdBodhisattva
1) Can we (mechanically) have a write-in that asks/encourages Pride to prepare a suspicion-free summoning location for one turn on our behalf; and then change our turn plan to Baldomare scrying for Frangiclave?
(To the rest of the thread, how would such a thing be phrased narratively?)

2) Narratively speaking, is a write-in that asks Pride whether he wants to give Axe a gift through us, knowing that it will likely not work well accepted? (Instead of encouraging him to give a gift directly)
That is, narrative flavouring of encouraging Pride to do things so he won't have regrets, instead of manipulating Pride to give gifts so that we can save Bits?
Because I want to be picking that option for Pride's benefit, not just for ours.
 
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Alex Sol said:
Also perhaps ask her to agree to a date if she finds what she is looking for and he was of assistance to her (through buying her tickets for example).

Also how about option to make DoA to go shopping with him, if she finds time. (get him to pay for artifacts if we take DoA action to buy them)
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Unfortunately, both of these read like taking advantage to me? (And Buying Stuff is Baldomare's schtick, not DoA's)
And the first (not quoted) thing definitely requires telling him about the Frangiclave, which is a thing that has unknown future implications (and could, in certain interpretations, blow up in our faces)
 
@BirdBodhisattva
Write-in:
[] You tell him a story of an apathic young unicorn noble-mare, who was married to a commoner pegasus stallion, an arranged marriage for her fathers business convenience, and the grooms efforts.
-[] Covers will introduce Pride to Stormchasers
-[] Covers does not know what advice Stormchaser will give, only that he will do so to the best of his ability
-[] Pride will learn about Covers relationship with her father
-[] Covers does not know if Pride will take more encouragement from the happy end or discouragement from his fathers expected disapproval
-[] Covers will make sure that Pride understands that the story has a happy ending despite the arranged marriage, not because of it.

The encouragement/discouragement option is mostly me not being sure about the exactl effects.
The "despite the arranged marriage" part is just to make sure that Pride doesn't learn the wrong lesson. (Not intended to approve of what father did)
 
Toboe said:
The encouragement/discouragement option is mostly me not being sure about the exactl effects.
The "despite the arranged marriage" part is just to make sure that Pride doesn't learn the wrong lesson. (Not intended to approve of what father did)
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I get what you are going for, but it's entirely off topic and irrelevant to the conversation that they are having NOW?
It's a pretty reasonable plan ...for last month's FO, for a Velvet without the Frightened debuff then.
 
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lurker9875 said:
I get what you are going for, but it's entirely off topic and irrelevant to the conversation that they are having NOW?
It's a pretty reasonable plan ...for last month, without the Frightened debuff.
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???
I do not follow how introducing him to a stallion who turned a hopeless romance situation into a happy end is irrelevant to Prides heartbreak.

Like... Stormchaser pulled off exactly what Pride wants.
 
[x] Plan Covers is pro-Love
-[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] "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."
 
[X] Plan Covers is pro-Love, Need To Know Edition
-[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] "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] Plan Covers is pro-Love
-[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] "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."

(Thinking of adding a "Introduce Pride to Stormchaser" write-in or a "ask Pride to help prepare a ritual space" write-in if its approved; but for now, here are my votes)
 
I maintain that the gifts thing is an awful idea no matter which way its sliced. Terrible if we are abusing Prides trust in us to spare a few bits on a summoning, and questionable at best if we send the gifts on AS WE SHOULD.

Better to just skip over that one.
 
[x] Plan Covers is pro-Love
-[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] "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."

[x] Plan Covers is pro-Love
 
Roaming_Guardian said:
I maintain that the gifts thing is an awful idea no matter which way its sliced. Terrible if we are abusing Prides trust in us to spare a few bits on a summoning, and questionable at best if we send the gifts on AS WE SHOULD.

Better to just skip over that one.
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There've been arguments that
1) The Gifts will at least do SOMETHING re Axe's opinion on Pride if we use it this way though and/or
2) Axe's opinion may not actually be disregard of said gifts (its hidden to avoid exposing levers to others) and/or
3) This (if not to the same degree) is an inevitable part of courtship anyway, mind replying to them?

Counterpoint:
BirdBodhisattva said:
And to note, that option really is "bits for bad feels". You get 100 bits for Lore stuff, but at best Pride is discouraged, and at worst he is angry at you.
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Right now because people think the opposite you aren't going to convince anyone without explaining further and all.
(And vote for this plan or something in the meanwhile?)

[] Plan Covers is pro-Love, No Gifts
-[] "Go for it!"
-[] "She is… a difficult mare. In fact, I never met a mare that is so hard to deal with. And I have two fillies!"
-[] "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."
-[] "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."
 
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lurker9875 said:
Ah, my apologies: Thought you meant redirecting things to Stormchaser immediately.
I take you intend to have Stormchaser tell the other half of the story Velvet is saying?
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Yeah, Velvet tells her part of the story, up to&including warming up to Stormchaser and living happily with him, while Stormchaser tells it from his pov, probably going more into his efforts and having insights for Pride.
 
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lurker9875 said:
There've been arguments that the Gifts will at least do SOMETHING re Axe's opinion on Pride if we use it this way though, mind replying to them?
Right now because people think the opposite you aren't going to convince anyone without explaining further and all.
(And vote for this plan or something in the meanwhile?)

[] Plan Covers is pro-Love, No Gifts
-[] "Go for it!"
-[] "She is… a difficult mare. In fact, I never met a mare that is so hard to deal with. And I have two fillies!"
-[] "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."
-[] "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."
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I mean I said what I need to say, passing the gifts on is questionable. It might work on account of Axe being one big tsun, I think it probably won't. I just dont trust people to NOT choose 'free' bits and abuse Prides trust if it wins.

[X] Plan Covers is pro-Love, No Gifts

Edit: Scratch some of the above, I didnt see the parenthesis 'unless you use it on Axes ritual' bit. I still think its questionable, but less of an automatic no.
 
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