The Dream Team - On Set (IC)

Paper Shadow wrote:(Good Advice)

(It's applicable to everything, really)

Paper Shadow wrote:You enter the room. Inside lies a round glacial table with a large snowflake design carved onto the top, with a number of slightly too small icy chairs around it. Some of them are filled with some "delegates", as in, various toys of sorts dressed in high-class clothes. As you look around, you notice that your Super Amazing Magic Uniform has disappeared and been replaced by a fancy dress with a similar pattern. And of course, sitting on the most extravagant chair opposite to the door you entered from, sits a small white unicorn filly wearing a small crown...

"Hi!"

Starsprinkle took the scene in. It was super-duper cool - pun not intended. It was a whole heck of a lot fancier than anywhere Starsprinkle had ever been. Then she saw the smallish chairs and toys dressed up as courtiers, followed by her fancy new Super Amazing Magic Dress, and finally the little unicorn filly at the end of the table - presumably the princess.

Well. It wasn't what Starsprinkle was expecting to say the least. When she thought of princesses, she thought of large alicorns like Celestia or Luna, not small unicorns like Snowburst. Still, royal birth could make anypony a princess, and this was her first meeting with one. It was still super exciting. And when she got excited, well...

"Omigosh HI! It's SO nice to meet you, Princess Snowburst! I'vebeenhearingsomuchaboutyoufromyoursisterwhoisreallycoolbytheway
andIdidn'tmeanthatasacoldpunyourpalaceisjustcoolregularandstufflikethatandIlovewhatyou'vedonewithyourroomeverythinglookssofancyandnice!"

Crystalite wrote:Inception (Dream Stride) - 1/Day
Preparation Time: 1 Minute
You fall asleep projecting an image of your subconscious into the world. For the next hour you lose access to all utility talents  and are under the effects of the Phase Step and Haste utility talents. You cannot be seen by anyone physically but may be detected by magic. When this spell ends you return to the point of casting. You may end this effect at any time.

Streetsmarts: Finding the throne room. Athletics: Getting there as quickly as possible. Perception: Observing as much as possible on the way, especially the Princess (assuming we get there before the party gets to the dining room.)

Streetsmarts: 1D20 ( + Horse-Sense (7) = 15

Athletics: 1D20 (14) + Brawn (7) + Haste (5) = 26

Perception: 1D20(13) + Horse-Sense (7) = 20[/spoiler]

(Preparing, Please Wait...)

Your small group is taken to the dining room, where an incredibly long table stretches from one end of the room to the other. Maids and butlers are setting the table up with sweet treats and mouth-watering cakes. There are a couple of small groups and families of ponies at parts of the table, enjoying the food...

(Dream Stride Prep Time Remaining: 30 seconds)

Fury of the Tempest wrote:

Endurance:

You brave the snowstorm with the pony, and see a structure begin to form through the snowfall. Soon, you find yourself at a pair of doors of a very tall building, with both the doors and the building being made of ice. Two guards, dressed similarly to the pony who led you here, stand at the door. The pony who led you speaks to one guard while the second knocks on the door...

"ANOTHER ONE?"

"ANOTHER WHAT?"

The door then opens, and you are signalled to go inside quickly...

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:"Omigosh HI! It's SO nice to meet you, Princess Snowburst! I'vebeenhearingsomuchaboutyoufromyoursisterwhoisreallycoolbytheway
andIdidn'tmeanthatasacoldpunyourpalaceisjustcoolregularandstufflikethatandIlovewhatyou'vedonewithyourroomeverythinglookssofancyandnice!"

"Yep, my sister has talked about you too. She said you are very good at magic and very obnoxi... obnox... obn." The little princess scrunches her muzzle in slight frustration in being unable to pronounce the word on the tip of her tongue, "Something. Care for tea?"

Quartz, knowing he is in good, honest company, first improves on his stature and mannerisms a bit, as well as polishes his armor a bit to make it gleam a bit better, then proceeds to make acquaintances with everypony at the table, greeting them and introducing himself.

Illusionary Mask, Persuasion:

Frost found he wasn't particularly hungry at the moment. Instead of approaching the table, he hung back a bit, scanning the room for anyone whom he might be able to question about what was going on.

Perception:

Paper Shadow wrote:"Yep, my sister has talked about you too. She said you are very good at magic and very obnoxi... obnox... obn." The little princess scrunches her muzzle in slight frustration in being unable to pronounce the word on the tip of her tongue, "Something. Care for tea?"

Of course Starsprinkle knew exactly the word Snowburst was trying to think of. Black Ice liked to throw that word around a lot. It was kinda mean. But she didn't want to badmouth anypony in front of an honest-to-Celestia PRINCESS!

"OmigoshyesI'dLOVEsometea!" she shouted.

mjh6 wrote:

Perception:

Most of the people at the table look like civilians, although from different walks of life. You see ponies wearing clothes with a gilded trim, and ponies wearing the bare basics of tundra survival. None of them look like anything too special, but your best bet for information would be with one of the better off groups...

Zarhon wrote:

Illusionary Mask, Persuasion:

Socialising is a go! Everypony around greets you and shares a chat with you. You find out that most of them are travelling, spending a night or two at the castle, depending on the weather, and one of the higher class groups are there for business reasons (although not divulging much information about that)...

Crystalite wrote:

Checks and other things:

(*Ding* Prep Time Done)

A projected unseen image of Honey Sticks is formed, and begins moving around the castle quickly. She looks through the floors, and manages the find the Princess before the throne room (she doesn't know where the throne room is, but from what she has already searched, she assumes it's in the higher floors of the castle). At least, you think she's the princess. She is wearing a small crown and is in the fanciest seat, but she's only a filly. She is in a room, sitting on a fancy chair, with a table of toys also sitting around, as well as a blue unicorn in a pick dress with stars on it at the door, gushing over the fact she is meeting a princess...

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:"OmigoshyesI'dLOVEsometea!" she shouted.

The little unicorn begins to levitate a teapot to pour you a cup, but she notices the door open behind you. A skinny grey unicorn with heavy bags under his eyes stands there, a sly smile on his face as he begins to move around the table casually but with posture. "Guten morgen, meine prinzessin," the unicorn greets Snowburst when he gets close, "How are you today?"

"Great!"

"Wunderbar. Now come along, it is breakfast time."

"Can we have tea first, pleeaaase?"

"Ah ah ah, you forget liebes kind, something important is happening today, is it not?"

Snowburst thinks for about five seconds before gasping in realisation. "Daddy!" she shouts in excitement. She jumps off her chair and rushes for the door, the unicorn slowly following her...

(Honey Sticks, you also see this moment with your Dream Step, since no one has woken you up yet...)

Honey Sticks dreamed of the castle's inner workings. Her mind's eye frollicked about, drinking in the icy palace. She found herself in a room not unlike the dining room (by her definition) save that there were only two actual ponies; the rest were dolls and toys, much like Smarty Pants. Where was he anyways? No doubt he would want to talk to his fellow plushies; but no matter. She shrugged as she watched the scene unfold.

She gathered quickly that the younger filly was the Princess. She's about my age! she thought excitedly. She was not surprised in the least; for she had not yet reached the age where normal had been firmly established. She started to follow as the Princess went out the door. Daddy?

Honey Sticks suddenly felt a twinge of pain. Her own daddy was not often home; her momma assured her that he was okay, and frequently read the letters he sent. He was somewhere "overseas", she was told; she didn't quite understand that part, having never seen the ocean before. (She had meant to ask, but her mother seemed upset at the time, and by the time she could ask Miss Cheerilee she had quite forgotten.) But still, she missed him terribly. Her heart went out to the Princess; nopony should have to wait to see Daddy more than a moment. She followed the filly and the butler, wondering what sort of pony her daddy was like...

Starsprinkle just managed to catch her breath before she could continue gushing in front of the Germane butler. As he and Princess Snowburst ran off, she paused for a few seconds before following them.

"Does this mean the tea comes later?" asked Starsprinkle.

Frost after looking around the room, and not seeing anyone in particular who looked knowledgeable, decided to just pick someone to talk to and figure things out from there. He walked up to a group of ponies that seemed particularly well dressed, and awkwardly said " Wow, some blizzard out there. Is it always like this here? Or is there something weird going on?"

Persuasion:

Crystalite wrote:She started to follow as the Princess went out the door.

The little Princess rushes through the castle, heading downstairs...

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:"Does this mean the tea comes later?" asked Starsprinkle.

The grey unicorn stops in the middle of the door as you ask the question. "I'm sorry Fräulein, but who are you?"

mjh6 wrote:

Persuasion:

"Is this your first time at the castle?" asks a rather snooty pony as he repositions the glasses that sit on his face...

Fury of the Tempest wrote:

Perception:

As you enter, the pony that led you here quickly takes his scarf back...

The door is shut and locked behind you. The grand opening room is what you would expect from such a lavish place, also one made of ice. It's grand, large, open, a delicate frozen staircase stands before you while, instead of hanging and floor decorations, they have been carefully and lightly carved into the ice. While the building is made of ice, the ceilings, floors, and walls, are more reflective than see-through (and even then you can only see your reflection when you are close). Still, it's a very glamorous room, it's like what you would expect from a castle...

A guard comes from one of the doorways to the side of the room and spots you. "Another one?" blurts out the guard...

Frost felt his face heating up "Uh...yes?"

Paper Shadow wrote:The grey unicorn stops in the middle of the door as you ask the question. "I'm sorry Fräulein, but who are you?"

"[color:528a=33cccc]I'm Starsprinkle!" said Starsprinkle. "I dropped by to visit the Princess!"

After a brief bout of socializing, Quartz went to thinking about the predicament that lead him to this castle. He didn't appear to be an isolated incident, and the whole affair was rather strange. Trickery could be ahoof.

He heads to find one of the castle's serfs, currently on duty. "Pardon me, but is there any possibility of being granted an audience with Princess Snowburst, or whoever else is in charge of castle affairs? I believe they would be interested in hearing of the puzzling circumstances of some of us recent arrivals."

Fury of the Tempest wrote:"I'm guessing you've been finding a lot of strangers out in the snow, without much to keep them warm?" Storm Blade asked as another guard blurted out 'another one', just like the previous one. As he spoke, the pegasus stepped closer to the ice walls, using its reflection to help give himself a once over, checking for any signs of injury he might of picked up while trudging through the snow.

"Yes. Was there an accident?"

mjh6 wrote:Frost felt his face heating up "Uh...yes?"

The pony, and some of the others around him, gives a snobbish laugh. "Well, the snowstorm keeps the castle cold, so the ice stays structurally strong. It happens regularly, but not all the time. Couldn't you figure that out by yourself?"

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:"I'm Starsprinkle!" said Starsprinkle. "I dropped by to visit the Princess!"

"How do you know die Prinzessin?"

Zarhon wrote:He heads to find one of the castle's serfs, currently on duty. "Pardon me, but is there any possibility of being granted an audience with Princess Snowburst, or whoever else is in charge of castle affairs? I believe they would be interested in hearing of the puzzling circumstances of some of us recent arrivals."

"The princess will be down for breakfast soon," an orange maid answers, "She usually is happy to talk to anyone here, so if you wait you should be able to talk to her."

Honey Sticks had just started down the stairs when she felt a NUDGE.

She whirled around. Nopony.

"Honey," a voice whispered in her ear. She rubbed at it with her hoof.

"Honey, it's time to wake up," it continued. She felt another NUDGE. She rubbed her eyes...

...and pulled them away to reveal Smarty Pants, poking her with his tiny hoof. "Whuh?"

"We're HERE," he said plainly, gesturing at the dining room. They were still on top of Mr Minotaur. He was talking to a maid.

"The princess will be down for breakfast soon," she was saying, in a voice startlingly similar to her own. "She usually is happy to talk to anyone here, so if you wait you should be able to talk to her."

Honey whispered in the Minotaur's ear. "I bet she's about MY age!"

Frost felt himself blush even harder. Yes, he knew that, it was his job to know that.But needing to do so seemed dangerous and impractical, especially for a place with so few pegasi. But now wasn't the time to argue about that. Trying to keep his voice steady, he said, "Well, you're right about me not being from around here. In fact,last thing I knew I was sleepingin my bed, and I woke up here. I'm also not the only one that happened to. Is that common around here too?" He hoped the princess would appear soon.

Paper Shadow wrote:"How do you know die Prinzessin?"

"I'm friends with her sister, Black Ice."

mjh6 wrote:Frost felt himself blush even harder. Yes, he knew that, it was his job to know that.But needing  to do so seemed dangerous and impractical, especially for a place with so few pegasi. But now wasn't the time to argue about that. Trying to keep his voice steady, he said, "Well, you're right about me not being from around here. In fact,last thing I knew I was sleepingin my bed, and I woke up here. I'm also not the only one that happened to. Is that common around here too?" He hoped the princess would appear soon.

"No. You should see a doctor about your sleepwalking." More laughter followed this joke...

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:"I'm friends with her sister, Black Ice."

"Ah, but where? Since you didn't call her Prinzessin Black Ice."

Fury of the Tempest wrote:"None that I know off." Storm Blade said, turning to face the guards he was with. "Honestly, this is all a strange experience... currently, I wouldn't be surprised if this was nothing more than a joint-dream."

(Meta-gaming a bit?)

"Well, I lived here long enough to know that this isn't a dream. Follow me, I'll take you to the dining room."

Paper Shadow wrote:"Ah, but where? Since you didn't call her Prinzessin Black Ice."

"I didn't? OMIGOSHI'msosorryaboutthatIrealizethatwasprobablyreallyrudeit'sjustwegotoschooltogetherandI'msousedtoeveryone
beingastudentorateacherandnotroyaltythatcallingherPrincessBlackIcejustslippedmymind!"

Frost was starting to get less embarrassed and more annoyed. Was everything a joke to these ponies? "I doubt a foal like her," he gestured towards her. "Could sleep walk all this way."