Re: Luna's Command: The Wibbly-Wobbly Saga

Curunir Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:38 pm

Luthier sighed. "I admit we didn't find out anything immediately useful, but I'm sure the things Rock Salt said will make sense in time. I still don't think it was a waste of time- at the very least, we might have been able to help him at least a little- he's been through something traumatic, and seems to have some extremely crippling problems."

AProcrastinatingWriter Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:20 am

Dusk Raven wrote:
"I'm... sorry, Luna." He didn't like letting her down, even if he couldn't help it. "My research continues as always, of course... and I may yet find more on this mission."

Spoiler:

"It is alright," Luna smiles as she enters the room. "You have done nothing wrong and quite a few things right."

And somehow, it is obvious from these words that despite any insistence otherwise, she is not going to say what these words mean.

Spoiler:

After a few minutes of waiting around and making small talk, Wandering Eye and Her Highness Princess Luna are joined in the conference/strategy/burned room by eight familiar persons, about half with tired expressions on their faces.

After a quick assurance that they were not too tired to keep on going if that was what was necessary for Equestria (and a quick shot of coffee for those who needed it, delivered by a pouting Plug), Luna takes her place back at the head of the table. "Now then," she says in a voice of authority, settling into her chair, wings pressed a little tighter to her side to give her the necessary fitting for the space given to her. "Back to business. What is our strategy going forth from this point?"

Curunir Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:30 am

"Thank you" Luthier says as Plug brings in the coffee.

"I don't believe our conversation with Rock Salt changed anything for the moment... I believe you said something before about us seeing to something in the Canterlot Caves? I think that was originally our next course of action... however... have you had any word from your emmisary to the Crystal Empire? We may need to see to that if any of the rest of the Crystal ponies are having problems like Rock Salt is."

AProcrastinatingWriter Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:02 am

"Their messages are scheduled to arrive every day at dawn with updates on the situation as it stands, starting...well, starting in just a few hours, I suppose." Luna sips her coffee curiously, then smacks her lips. "My, that is quite good," she murmurs.

Dusk Raven Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:06 am

"I'm more of a tea person, thanks," Wandering Eye stated as Plug brought coffee.

"Yes... my original recommendation to go into the caverns stands. Scorch and I were planning a similar expedition when we received Luna's summons, and although I left some of my equipment back at my, ah... place of residence, I think I'm well-prepared to head underground... and I have some vague inklings as to what we may encounter there."

He looked over at Luna. "I'm afraid questioning Rock Salt didn't give anything concrete - he speaks of a "starry place" in which he ended up, with some beings of some sort, ponylike in form but with distorted features, beings who somehow hurt him. And also something which made him feel very small in comparison... which, when you're dealing with these kinds of things, is more terrifying than it sounds. Suffice to say, he's been through events which reduced him to the half-sane wreck your guards picked up... though I'd like to believe we helped him at least a little."

Retrokinesis Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:13 am

Brilliant politely declined the coffee, for the same reason she decided against a stimulant spell: she wanted to ensure she had full control of her faculties, uninfluenced by artificial tampering, for such an important assignment. Slightly tired now was better than passed-out from magical exhaustion later.

"I am inclined to agree with delving into the Caves after speaking with our guest. I don't like the idea of trotting into a potential danger zone blind, though. Can you provide a tactical assessment of the Caves and their surrounding environs? Have there been any previous expeditions there? Regardless, my spells stand ready to defend Equestria" she asked Luna.

AProcrastinatingWriter Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:48 am

Retrokinesis wrote:
"I am inclined to agree with delving into the Caves after speaking with our guest. I don't like the idea of trotting into a potential danger zone blind, though. Can you provide a tactical assessment of the Caves and their surrounding environs? Have there been any previous expeditions there? Regardless, my spells stand ready to defend Equestria" she asked Luna.

"There have been expeditions before, though none as of late - we as a nation apparently grew out of the need for the mines there many years ago. In short, you are the next expedition there." Luna settles a little more - she can't seem to get comfortable. "Routine patrols over the area, according to the latest reports from my Nightbounds, reveal a thick forest leading up to the caves, which are completely overgrown with forestry. The caves themselves, not being much prone to change, are still likely to be deep and winding affairs with many crystals growing within them. The entrance is quite a steep downward hill if I recall correctly, and likely to have been made only steeper with time." She looks around to the guards in the room. "Have I explained myself well-enough?"

"Yes ma'am!" Grizzle salutes.

"Crystal Empire clear, your highness," Plug nods, then salutes as well.

**Paper Shadow** Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:09 am

"Well, what are we waiting for? I'm pretty sure there's nothing more fun than going into a dark forest in the middle of the night." Scorch moves to Wandering Eye and picks the unicorn up and carries him under his arm, pointing to one of the exits of the room. "Onwards!"

(Athletics Roll to pick up Wandering Eye: 12 (Roll) + 13 (Bonus) + 5 (Wandering Eye Freaky Knowledge) = 30)

AProcrastinatingWriter Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:25 pm

Her higness stands up slowly. "Don't you at least want to know where the Caves are before you carry my good friend Wander screaming into the night?" Luna asks, a soft smile touching her features.

After a mild bout with the forces of embarrassment, the seven ponies and accompanying creatures made the short trek from the inner workings of the palace out to the caves which Luna spoke of.

They were not very much like Luna described.

Admittedly, the party isn't quite actually to the Caves yet, and the forest surrounding the path up to the caves is quite overgrown and extended to above the path, blocking the light from reaching the impoverished ground below. However, as pointed out twice at this point, there was indeed a clear path into those dark, dark woods, though in fairness to cursory patrols those overgrown trees did presumably block the view from above.

As calls from wild beasts slink through the curvature of tree trunks like creatures of darkness themselves, the forested path extends tentatively towards a cold, fear-filled darkness. No stars touch the ground beneath these sunreaching leaves, and the path, despite being dirt, seems almost pristine because of that fact; untouched even by light itself.

"Welp," Plug breaks the silence at long last. It does little to help, even after he continues: "Glad Luna is close by."

"We'll head in first," Grizzle says, indicating his fellow guardsponies. "Civilians stay behind us...make sure the young one's in the middle of the crowd. And for Celestia's sake, be careful."

Spoiler:

Xel Unknown Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:37 pm

Lunar twitals (I know it's misspelled badly) his claws... "Um... I wish I spoke up sooner, but I just realized... Ah... Why are over here going into these caves? What point is there to going into the place?" He asked with purely inosent confusion. "I think I kinda forgot... If it was said beforehand..."

**Paper Shadow** Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:44 pm

Scorch heads over to one of the nearby trees, and rips off one of its many branches. When he does, he shoots a small puff of fire onto the branch, setting the top of it on fire, creating a makeshift torch to light the path...

(Athletics Roll to break off a branch: 8 (roll) + 13 (bonus) = 21)
(Fireborn)

Xel Unknown wrote:Lunar twitals (I know it's misspelled badly) his claws... "Um... I wish I spoke up sooner, but I just realized... Ah... Why are over here going into these caves? What point is there to going into the place?" He asked with purely inosent confusion. "I think I kinda forgot... If it was said beforehand..."

"The cave has some weird magic going on inside it, or something," Scorch answers the hippogriff. "So we're gonna go to check it out."

Xel Unknown Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:58 pm

"Ok... But how does it relate to the Crystal Empire?" The Hippogriff mused.

Dusk Raven Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:51 pm

Wandering Eye had no verbal reaction to Scorch picking him up, merely a look of dull surprise and exasperation.

Meanwhile, in the forest on his own four hooves, he replied to Lunar with "We don't know. That's why we're here. There could be quite a lot of strange things down there, and we need to make sure it's safe."

He decided he could wait until telling them his suspicions as to what exactly was down there. He could be wrong, after all, and until then he was operating on a "need-to-know" basis.

He looked about him, eyes keen and sweeping the darkness. It was hard to believe a forest this dense existed so close to Canterlot... perhaps that was how the entrance to the caves had been hidden so well. Still, darkness was but a small impediment to him... it was a talent he'd found useful on several occasions. And a contributing factor to his closeness to Luna, he supposed.

[Yay for Nightwatch!]

AProcrastinatingWriter Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:13 pm

Dusk Raven wrote:
He looked about him, eyes keen and sweeping the darkness. It was hard to believe a forest this dense existed so close to Canterlot... perhaps that was how the entrance to the caves had been hidden so well. Still, darkness was but a small impediment to him... it was a talent he'd found useful on several occasions. And a contributing factor to his closeness to Luna, he supposed.

[Yay for Nightwatch!]

Wandering Eye sees a thick forest of many disparate types of trees, mingling together like some sort of family reunion with mother nature. Various small fruits hang off various small trees, and even with his special eyes Wander cannot truly see up into the boughs of the trees, an unfrotuante quality of reality brought about not through a lack of light but through lack of x-ray vision, what with all the leaves fighting up there for physical space. Up ahead in the distance, past a stray owl in the branches of a far tree, Wander sees the path bend around and disappear off to the right.

Once the torch is lit, all those without Night-seeing qualities see much the same thing, but for a much shorter distance.

Spoiler:

Retrokinesis Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:21 pm

Brilliant Shimmer wasn't particularly tired any longer. Rather, she didn't feel tired now that she was in full alert mode. This was an uncharted forest filled with unseen threats leading to an unexplored cave filled with unknown danger. She was up in front with Grizzle and Plug; she would've been far more comfortable if it was just them, really. There were civilians (and a colt, for Celestia's sake!) in tow and it was up to them to protect them. Unless, of course, doing so interferes with the assignment. A direct assignment from Princess Luna was far too important to compromise. She decided against telling them that part.

Brilliant put on her best reassuring face, not that it mattered in the dark: "Don't worry, you are in no danger with us here. The Royal Guard is more than capable of handling whatever may be waiting".

Spoiler:

AProcrastinatingWriter Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:25 pm

Spoiler:

Dusk Raven Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:50 pm

Wandering Eye called out, "Grizzle, Plug, do you see the path? It bends around to the right a ways ahead, don't want to get lost. I don't know if extraordinary night-vision is one of the job prerequisites..." He didn't want to seem like he was underestimating their competence, but it was important to take no chances...

[My roll for seeing anything additional in the darkness was a nat 1... and the roll for sensing what Shimmer's hiding is 5, plus 12 (skill), plus 1 (glamour) for... 18. I need to get new dice...]

AProcrastinatingWriter Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:59 pm

Retrokinesis wrote:
Spoiler:

The path ahead of you may be nigh-pristine and dirty, but judging from the small stumps with too-even cuttings along the edges of the road and the patches of dirt that are obviously filling in some recently made-holes, it seems obvious that this is not a natural path.

Dusk Raven wrote:Wandering Eye called out, "Grizzle, Plug, do you see the path? It bends around to the right a ways ahead, don't want to get lost. I don't know if extraordinary night-vision is one of the job prerequisites..."

"Yeah, I see it," Plug says. "And the name is Sp-"

"I cannot see it, myself," Grizzle interrupts, heedless. "But then again I am not a member of the Nightbound. Perhaps Plug should lead the way?"

Plug sighed. "Alright, fine. Let's get going, everypony! Er, and otherwise." And he heads into the forest, Grizzle walking close behind him.

Curunir Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:02 pm

"Iggy? Do you think you could listen ahead to hear what's around the corner? Sound can reach where light cannot." Luthier wasn't sure if asking the rude pegasus for help was good- he was certainly about to receive an insult, and best case would be dealing with a smug Iggy instead of an irritated one- but they did need his help.

He noticed Brilliant Shimmer reassuring the group, and was concerned to see that her guarantee was insincere- but it made sense, none of them knew what dangers they could face here. Still, they did have the guard here, and everypony had survived the scrape with the sunsnakes virtually unharmed. He decided to help her keep the group calm, pulling out some instruments and setting them to playing a soothing nocturne- but quietly, no louder than the group was already being with their footsteps and voices, no point drawing additional attention to the group if anything was lurking out there.

"Yes, I'm quite certain the Guard will keep us safe, as Princess Luna has placed our safety in their capable hooves." Luthier looked directly at Shimmer saying this- making sure that she understood that he considered everypony's safety a central component of the mission.

Practically running the music automatically in the background of his mind, he kept an ear out for any disturbances in the forest noises around them.

Rolls:

Retrokinesis Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:08 pm

Brilliant noticed what Luthier wasn't saying clearly and was about to glare at him sternly when she noticed something: Even-cut stumps and fresh holes? This path was made deliberately and, likely, recently.

"Plug, Grizzle, stop. Look at the side of the path. The stumps? The barely-concealed holes? It looks recent..."

AProcrastinatingWriter Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:25 pm

Curunir wrote:
Rolls:

Luthier has noticed the same thing Shimmer has about the truth or falsehood of the trail - rather, that it seems false. In addition, he knows there is an owl quite nearby, who seems a bit bestirred. The party's spirits uplift very slightly.

Retrokinesis wrote:
"Plug, Grizzle, stop. Look at the side of the path. The stumps? The barely-concealed holes? It looks recent..."

"You're right," Grizzle breathes, peering down at one of the patches of dirt. "Somepony was here...and they didn't want anypony knowing that they were!"

"Thank you, Lieutenant Obvious," Plug says with all the sarcasm he can muster. "I'm sure your promotion will be coming in soon."

Grizzle looks angrily at him before beginning to move along the trail again. "Everypony on guard. Somepony is going to be at the end at this path we've stumbled on, and my bets are that whomever it is won't be friendly."

**Paper Shadow** Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:00 am

"You know what would be funny?" Scorch says, adding himself to the conversation. "If this pony turns out to be friendly."

Xel Unknown Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:15 am

Lunar nods in agreement as he looks around the cave himself...

Perception check:

AProcrastinatingWriter Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:22 am

Lunar sees a Timberwolf prowling around in the bushes nearby.

He sees the stuff the others have seen, too, but that seems less important.

Curunir Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:39 pm

Spoiler:

Brilliant Shimmer had ordered only Plug and Grizzle to stop, but Luthier assumed that went for the rest of the group too. It would be bad to split up- especially to leave the Guard behind. Despite Shimmer's earlier hesitation, she and the guards were probably the most likely to be able to keep all of them safe. They were probably right about something making the path and recently, and possibly being up ahead- Luthier immediately stopped playing the music, as quiet as it was.

"Hmm... I noticed a possibly annoyed owl nearby... Maybe it's been disturbed by whatever came here before us, and not just our passing. You said you were raised by wolves, Lunar... Would you happen to speak owl as well? I could imitate one of course, but I wouldn't know the meaning, I'd just be speaking gibberish." Luthier spoke quietly, just in case- although if anything nearby was going to hear them it probably would have already anyways.

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