'Operation Blackstar' Edition
[UPDATED] Inventory Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zT7_B57dyfFQXAp8RfoTGKPZDLOrzk4AloDXea1xa64
Archive: http://anonpone.pineapplecomputing.com/unique
Character List: http://pastebin.com/KbMeKbtg
Summary:
You control Chalk Dust, a mare who finds herself in the archaic ruins of the city Carcasonne. Mutants and other monstrosities are created from a substance called 'Ambrosia', and it seems everyone is part of one cult or another. The biggest cult is perhaps one dedicated to a goddess named "Sonne" who is a sun god of some time as they call Celestia 'The false goddess'. The powers that be in the city (The Pink Laugh who sent us here, wiped our memories, and generally is kind of a bitch, though helps on occasion, The Queen in Yellow who is the apparent ruler of the city and has some obsession with 'Uniqueness', and The Red Glare who we know little about other than The Pink Laugh sent us to off him, apparently.) seem to be stuck in a power struggle, and they intend to manipulate Chalk like a chess piece. Our 'goal' right now, other than just survival and trying to help who we can, is to kill Red Glare and possibly escape the city.
>>26372965
You've just been headbutted by a rabid mutant with a long neck named Hook'em. The hit knocked you into a dance hall that is playing classical music on a shitty record player, and there are apparently corpses that can explode hidden under the tables. You aren't able to see your party members or Hook'em but you think they must still be in the Golden Cloud since you can see movement in the smoke
You have more pressing matters to attend to however. Namely the fact that your filter is about to run out because of the gas.
>>26373025
Our teammates need to cover for us while we replace that.
Namely the ones with guns.
>>26373025
we should probably make our presence known so we don't get shot at.
>>26373085
>>26373109
You yell as hard as the dwindling air in the filter will let you "Drumroll! Patches! Cover me I need to change my filters!" Then you begin to swap your filters as fast as you can. Hook'em and Patches emerge from the cloud wrestling each other. Hook'em is considerably bigger than Patchwork but you're not too sure if it's just his neck that makes him look bigger or not. Hook'em seem to not be concerned by the attack, he hasn't been even hit once but has been goring Patches every chance he gets, but it is keeping him somewhat occupied at least.
Then Drumroll runs out screaming and rolling around on the ground.
>"MY COAT! MY FUCKING COAT! IT BUUURRRNS! MAKE IT FUCKING STOP!"
>>26373194
pour refreshments on drumroll.
>>26373222
>>26373314
You don't have water or refreshments to pour on him.
>>26373338
darn. I was hoping there were some strewn about because we were in a dining ballroom. Let's look for doors and try to find a kitchen. waiters and stuff need to bring food from somewhere.
>>26373338
Steal that guys record and see if we can negotiate with him by holding it hostage.
>>26373352
>>26373449
Looking around, you see that there is no kitchen on this floor. You remember there was one on the floor below so you doubt there is a second one up here. Thus you abandon Drumroll to scream in agony as you make a break for the record player.
As you get close to the record player however, you notice that there are about 3 bulbous corpses holding it up with their swollen heads. Hook'em and Patchwork's fight is starting to wrap up as she seems to be more and more sluggish with her attacks as blood drains out of her from her gore wounds.
>>26373711
Okay, we need to get into this fight. Do we have a gun?
>>26373711
Use our telekinesis to get the record from afar.
>>26373711
threaten to cherry bomb it?
>>26373730
You do have your Tommy gun, and a flintlock pistol
>>26373771
>>26373781
Use TK or Cherry Bomb to take care of the record?
>>26373832
Cherry Bomb could get interrupted while TK would get his attention and make sure it's at our mercy.
>>26373859
You reach out with your TK and pull the record loose quickly, stopping the music. The moment it stops however, Hook'em reacts
>"HEY! STOP MESSING WITH THE MUSIC AND FIGHT ME FOR ONCE! BEATING UP PATCHWORK GETS REALLY OLD!"
The three corpses explode, sending the record flying and out of your TK grasp. Luckily you manage to grab it, but the record player also is sent flying and you didn't anticipate that. It smashes straight into your face, creating a nasty bruise that seems to just be growing bigger and bigger.
Hook'em moves away from Patchwork and charges towards you, emitting a Golden Cloud that obscures his exact position. She's still seriously wounded, but you can see her stumbling forward to try and help you.
>>26374088
If he's charging directly at us, can we make a ramp to make him veer off course. Preferably into the exploding corpses.
>>26374088
well then ain't that some shit. Let's start running to the right and because it's obvious he'll follow and come towards us we try to cherry bomb what's in front of us.
>>26374134
>>26374147
You run to the right and wait for him to turn towards you so you can get a better idea of where he is. Right as he begins to turn you aim your horn and shoot out a Cherry Bomb at him1 1 1. Critical failure
Unfortunately, you aim a bit high, and it just hits the ceiling in front of you. Even worse though once it explodes it begins to catch the roof on fire, giving off intense heat and light. Hook'em is still charging at you after side stepping out of the way of the flames.
>>26374414
Use our tommy gun.
>>26374414
How did that have anything to do with >>26374134
Submitting this suggestion again.
>>26374414
i hate combat in this game. Put up a barrier?
>>26374456
Chalk's luck stat is one.
>>26374473
more like -1
>>26374414
Create a barrier under his leading leg and push upwards to tip him, then pull out the tommy gun and empty it into him.
>>26374414
Put up a shield to deflect Hook'em to one side, followed by a slippery one just above ground level so he slides out of control way past you, hopefully into bomb-bodies. If possible, smother flames by flattening another shield tight against the ceiling.
>>26374435
>>26374451
>>26374456
>>26374473
>>26374492
>>26374509
>>26374569
You put a barrier under his leading leg and push it up to hopefully trip him, and then a second one just above ground level to hopefully sideline him if he jumps over it but it seems to be in effective against him. You do notice something odd when you lift the barrier up, the golden cloud seemed to have lifted up off the ground several inches, and it keeps at it's new position until you use the second barrier. During which the golden cloud goes low to the ground before rising back up to it's higher position several inches in the air. You don't see his body during this whole process even though it looked like you should've.
You focus on trying to snuff out the flames with your barrier before you take out your tommy gun and unload into the cloud. From his screams of pain, it hit him quite a few times, and it causes him to back off and duck back into the smoke generated from the 3 recently exploded bodies.
>"AN INTERESTING CONTRAPTION...WE WERE TOLD SOME OF YOUR OTHERWORLDLY TRAVELERS MAY COME FROM A DIMENSION WITH MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO ACCOMPLISH HERE?"
>>26374772
Is he actually the cloud?
>>26374772
does he really even care?
>>26374772
If it's Hook'em talking, maybe we've got him reasonable and talkative now. Explain why we're here and that we don't want further trouble from him.
In the unlikely event that he warms up to us, tend to Patches' injuries.
>>26374772
Is Drum dead yet?
>>26374796
>>26374802
>>26374815
>>26374824
You look over to Drumroll, he's trying to pick himself back up, but it seems like between his burning coat and his nearly empty filter he won't be moving any time soon unless you help him. Patchwork is finally up, and seemingly healed if her movement shows anything, but she doesn't dare go inside the Golden Cloud, despite the fact she seems immune to it's effects. "Do you even care?"
>"HOW RUDE. OF COURSE I CARE. IF I DID NOT I WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED YOU."
"We're just here to take the weapons back."
>"HMM. WELL THAT IS JUST ONE OF MY OBJECTIVES SADLY."
"What's the other then?" you suddenly dip in and out of consciousness. Your head wound is still gushing blood out.
>"I'VE RIGGED THIS SHIP FULL OF EXPLOSIVE AND I'M TO DRIVE IT INTO THE QUEEN'S DOCKS AND BLOW IT UP. HOPEFULLY PREVENTING HER INVASION."
>>26374991
welp, time to go back to fighting. there's no way this can be resolved.
>>26374991
We're fucking bleeding?? Try to help Drum by throwing him a filter via TK.
>>26374991
Ingest some blood medicine quickly
>>26375031
I didn't know either. Think that might have been important information.
>>26374991
Would we mess things up irreparably if we just take all the weapons we can TK off on the rowboat, and let him do his thing with the main ship?
Also, pop a clotting pill and toss Drumroll a filter, maybe Patches can assist him while we chat up Hook'em.
>>26375031
>>26375035
>>26375045
Ah my fault, it's just a bruise. Same difference though, bruises is just internal bleeding and thanks to your condition is just as harmful.
>>26375024
>>26375071
"How would this mess things up timeline wise. Would it give me more or less time?" you swallow a Blood Clotting pill quickly before tossing Drumroll a filter. Patches gets the hint and moves over to help him get back into fighting shape.
>"MAYBE MORE, MAYBE LESS. I'M LEANING TOWARDS MORE SINCE THE RED GLARE IS NOT READY TO LAUNCH AN INVASION JUST YET. BUT IT WILL SEVERELY CRIPPLE THE QUEEN'S CAPACITY TO LAUNCH AN INVASION OF THE EAST SIDE, AND THUS MOST LIKELY THE RED GLARE WILL ATTACK HER THIS TIME AND INVADE THE WEST SIDE WITH MOST OF HIS TROOPS."
>>26375121
you ever think the red flare and yellow bean fight is dumb?
>>26375155
"Don't you think this whole spat between Red and Yellow is stupid and pointless? They've fought it over and over and over and yet neither of them have been able to get close to winning."
>"PERHAPS FROM AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE IT MAY SEEM POINTLESS. BUT THEY ARE ALL FIGHTING FOR ONE PURPOSE ALONE: GODHOOD. TO RULE OVER ALL OF CREATION. IT IS GOOD THAT THEY KEEP FIGHTING, IN FACT I THINK THAT IS WHAT OUR BOSS INTENDS TO ACCOMPLISH."
>>26375183
your boss WANTS them to fight for an eternity? Because that's what's going to happen at this rate.
>>26375183
'Our' boss?
>>26375183
If the boat is just going to be blown up then all of the weapons would be destroyed.
>>26375216
Perhaps the fighting is allowing them to continue existing. A chaotic immortality.
>>26375327
well yeah that makes sense but that would eventually get boring.it would also make sense that he's putting all his pieces in place and then snatch the godhood for himself.
>>26375216
>>26375242
"'Our Boss'? Do they want them to fight for eternity? Because that's what's happening at this rate"
>"SURELY PATCHWORK HAS MENTIONED IT TO YOU, PERHAPS LONG AGO, WE WORK FOR ONE PONY THOUGH HE SELLS US TO WORK FOR THE QUEEN OR RED. AND I AM UNDER CONTRACT TO NEVER DIVULGE THIS INFORMATION" The fire is spreading on the roof despite your best efforts.
"If this ship is going to be just blown up, all of the weapons will be destroyed."
>"A CONUNDRUM. HOWEVER, I AM TO CONTACT RED'S COASTAL FORCES SO THEY CAN LOAD THE WEAPONS ON A SEPARATE BOAT BEFORE I BLOW IT UP. HENCE WHY THEY'VE SENT ME TO KILL THE SMUGGLERS OVER MY OTHER MORE...BRUTISH CO-WORKERS." he points to all the corpses "IT WAS EASY TO SUFFOCATE THEM TO DEATH, AND WHEN ONE DIED THE POISON WOULD SPREAD FASTER."
>>26375417
If we can't put the fire out, this ship is probably going to blow up.
>>26375417
Would they have an accurate list of what's on the ship? If some stuff goes missing, but the majority remains would they even notice?
>>26375417
this job isn't even all that important to us anyway. we could just let the ship burn and blow up and no one gets the weapons.
>>26375507
I think we should do that.
Just hop onto our raft, cherry bomb the shit out of it, and haul ass
>>26375417
Since the ship's now on fire along with being booby-trapped, and we still would have to defeat Hook'em to change his plan, we should argue for a compromise. For one, will he share the weapon stash. For another, does this ship have any lifeboats we could utilize to carry out a heavier load of weapons. And of course, "Can we stop for a minute and extinguish this fire before us and the weapons are blown to bits?"
>>26375507
This should be the plan if Hook'em doesn't want to play ball.
>>26375431
>>26375438
>>26375507
>>26375519
>>26375522
>>26375626
"Do they have an accurate list of what was stolen?"
>"MOST LIKELY NOT. THERE WERE TWO SMUGGLING SHIPS. THEY WERE ONLY ABLE TO CAPTURE ONE." you smile smugly at this news.
"Well now Mr. Hook'em. The way I see it there are only two options here. Either I let this ship blow up and no one gets the weapons and you don't get to complete your mission. Or you let me take a few of the supplies and we'll be on our merry way. How does that sound?"
>"...GIVE ME BACK THE RECORD FIRST. THAT'S A RARE PIECE."
>>26375692
patches can we take him for his word?
>>26375692
Do we have a deal?
>>26375692
We have no reason to destroy nice music. Please take better care of it, exploding bodies don't make a good table.
>>26375710
>>26375715
>>26375801
>>26375801
"Patches can we trust him?" she currently has Drumroll on her back after applying some gauze to his burns.
>"He is bad pony. But not lie. We can trust."
You levitate the record into the cloud until you feel him grab it in his teeth. "Please take better care of it, exploding bodies don't make a good table." He keeps the smoke up, however he suddenly shoots an energy beam that causes a pipe in the roof to bust open, spilling water into the roof and putting it out.
>"THANK YOU. THERE IS A LIFE BOAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP THAT COULD POSSIBLY HOLD A FEW THINGS. BE SURE NOT TO SINK YOURSELF BY PUTTING TOO MUCH WEIGHT. HOPEFULLY WE SHALL NOT ENCOUNTER EACH OTHER AGAIN, FOR IT MAY BE ON MUCH WORSE TERMS." The water begins to disperse his cloud until there is nothing left. However, he seems to be gone.
Weight Limit: 5. Patches counts as 1.
Repeater Rifles with ammo x 10: 1 wt
Artillery (many available): 3 wt
Gatling Gun: 2 wt
Hoof-held Mortar (functions like an RPG) with 5 shots: 2 wtGotta pause here.
>>26376026
Repeaters x2
Gatling gun
what happened to the crappy boat we road in on? we can't just tug it behind us?
>>26376026
While the artillery is tempting, I think we should get a mortar and twenty repeaters.
>>26376026
This:
>>26376082
The gatling gun would be OK except we've got us our Tommy. BTW, collect our brass for reloading!
Bye for now, Slothtrot, nice episode tonight, I like how you're doing it now!
>>26376026
>Hoof-held Mortar
>functions like an RPG
Then why call them mortars and how do they have the tech for ROCKET PROPELLED GERNADES anyway?
>>26376026
Ask Starlight what she would rather have her cult armed with.
>>26376339
>"You'll probably need them for later on lad. If you want I could just get rid of them for ya!"
>>26376780
Zebra man pls
>>26376082
>>26376196
>Weight Limit: 5. Patches counts as 1.
>Repeater Rifles with ammo x 10: 1 wt
The max we can get is 4 repearters
>>26376863
>Repeater Rifles with ammo x 10
I assumed that meant 10 repeater rifles with ammo
>>26376863
>>26376885
Makes sense when you think of weights of the actual objects. You cant tell me two rifles weighs the same as a Gatling gun.
>>26376885
It isn't clear whether that *10 is for the ammo or the guns with ammo.
>>26376915
Mostly because there'd be no reason to take the repeaters.
3 shoulder mounted rifles or an artillery piece. Take your pick.
2 rifles or a mortar with ammo.
2 rifles or pic related
Should be obvious why that's not the case.
>>26376915
10 is for the number of rifles and a sizable amount of ammo, sorry for the confusion. Have a tentacle horse for compensation.
>>26376082
This. The Mortar seems more useful then the Gat.
we should have shot him from the window when we had the chance.
better then nothing I guess.
>>26376780
Listen Beefy, just because you have immeasurable power doesn't mean you should go give RPG's to ponies who are still wielding muskets.
>>26376953
>DRENCHED in tentacles
w-wew
Bubba quest!
Bump. Keep thread alive for at least 3-4 more hours. I'll come back and run then.
beb
too many annoying ponies here.
>>26380974
aw yiss
Back. It seems like a consensus on the supplies hasn't been fully reached yet.
>>26383232
Looks like 3 for >>26376082
>>26383232
i vote for artillery and repeater rifles.
a cannon being fired and loaded while ponies with rifles defend it is neat to me.
>>26383288
>>26383290
Heading deeper into the bowels of the ship, you get to work setting up the lifeboats into the murky ghost infested water. Patches does most of the heavy lifting, loading up an artillery piece and the shells while you grab as many rifles as you can. Drumroll isn't much help, he just keeps watch with his Tommy Gun.
Half an hour later and you are finally heading back out onto the river and harassed by the groans of the ghosts once more. Suddenly, cracking and garbled speech comes from your radio.
>>26383560
check out your radio.
>>26383560
Why did we take the artillery?
>>26383560
>>26383614
I agree, my vote was on >>26376082
>>26383569
You tune in on the radio, but it seems like right now you are out of range. However, you can make out Gumdrop's voice. It sounds like she's screaming...?
>>26383614
>>26383632
Meant to say mortar, whoops.
>>26383690
well nothing we can do about that. We can try to row faster?
>>26383690
Shit. Could be a vision or something important happening.
Just double time it home.
>>26383690
Well that's not good.
>>26383702
>>26383710
>>26383721
"Not good...Peddle faster!" You get Drumroll to pick the pace up on the rowing. As you get closer to the shore, you can hear clearer screams coming from the radio, along with several sounds that are apparently so loud that the radio only blares out static. However, once you get close to the shore, it stops altogether.
You head back into the warehouse. Things are quiet, there is no sign of the smugglers. However, there is quiet a lot of blood spatter and bullet holes that weren't there before.
>"Celestia, the hell happened here?" drumroll asks
>>26383931
apparently everything has gone to shit.
>>26383931
Blood trail?
>>26383963
>>26384018
"Everything has gone to shit it seems." You look for blood trails, anything to point to where any of the bodies could be, but there is none. With the amount of blood spatter around, surely someone must have been killed right? You look expectantly at Patchwork but she just shakes her head.
>"Corpses not here."
Your radio suddenly gets a signal again, and you hear Gumdrop in the other side.
>"H-hello!? Chalk please pick up! We're being attacked!" Her normally calm and aloof voice is now quivering in fear.
>>26384122
Roger, we're on our way. Stay safe as best you can.
>>26384122
We can see that, where did they go.
>>26384122
attacked by? have you barricaded the doors and windows? We're on our way.
>>26384136
>>26384186
>>26384202
"Attacked by who? Did you barricade the doors and windows?"
>"C-creeps in these s-stupid bird costumes! And they've already broken in...they overwhelmed us and they began to round everyone up in a circle. I managed to run away but they're looking for me..."
>>26384363
sounds like the cultist. guess the queen found out we took the babies?
>>26384363
Time to test out our new weapons.
>>26384372
She had no means of finding that out ans there was a separate group we found using the same gear.
>>26384473
oh god it better not be that threadbane bitch.
>>26384484
Most likely.
>>26384372
>>26384473
>>26384484
>>26384512
Your first gut instinct is to pin it on the Queen. But then the thought crosses your mind that it may actually be that bitch Threadbare. "Alright. Stay safe Gumdrop. We'll head there as fast as we can." You store the radio and take the mortar, and as many rifles as you can carry, and then take of running.
As you sprint through the polished streets of the Tribunal, non of the citizens or guards approach you. That definitely rules out The Queen. Then suddenly you hear a massive boom that shakes the buildings and sends everyone into a panic. The cultists with weapons rush past you and head to the docks. Definitely not the Queen.
You head to The Foundry, still keeping a brisk pace. The ruined buildings are a certain contrast from the immaculate city for before, though that may change soon. You stop dead in your tracks when you hear a familiar voice.
>"Maaassteeer."
Out of an alleyway nearby, Lovesick emerges, wearing a robe and soaked in blood. Her gas mask looks damaged, and even under the robe you can see she has many more tentacles wriggling around
>Massster! I killed them Master! I even caught one for you!"
>>26384687
L-lovesick? You did this? You attacked those ponies?
>>26384687
who did you kill exactly and left for me to interrogate? I need to know if I should head pat you or not.
>>26384705
>>26384720
"Lovesick! You attacked those ponies?"
>"Y-Yes maassster. Was I not supposed to kill them? Oh I'm so sorry master!" drool is leaking out of her gasmask, and you see her mouth is stuck in a painful looking smile. "They attacked me master. They began beating me... they shot me...it hurt too much master. I just lost control. I think I killed the smugglers too...."
"W-What? Who did you leave alive for me to interrogate?" Lovesick heads back into the alley, and then drags out a cultist pony dressed in The Queen's attire. It looks like the Tall Smuggler. Tentacles has sprouted out of his body and are holding him in place.
>"H-Help me! Some ponies attacked the warehouse and this fucking m-monster lost her mind!"
>>26384860
she should have left one of the ponies that attacked her alive. I guess we can just look through their belongings? Where are their bodies?
this guy was just a smuggler and KIND of an ally I guess?
It's ok lovesick. you were just defending yourself. pet her and say you're glad she's safe.
tall smuggler, who attacked you? did they say why?
>>26384860
As much as I'd love to do an interrogation, I think Threadbare just attacked our home.
Can you control him, take him with us?
>>26384860
We're sorry about Love's conduct. Tell him who we believe attacked them and ask if he'll help us return the favor.
>>26384860
Oh dear. We need to get her out of the cloud.
>>26384917
>>26384932
>>26384966
"We're sorry about Lovesick's conduct. Though it seems these events are connected. The pony who just attacked you are also attacking our home."
>"Dammit, I should've known getting involved with you would've ended in disaster...Now look at me! How the hell am I going to go back home looking like this!?" Lovesick looks guilty, or as guilty as she can manage with her permanent grin.
"Again, I apologize. But perhaps you wish to take revenge on this 'Threadbare' with me."
>"Fuck no! I don't want anything to do with you and your crazy impure monster friends! L-Look, they told me some stuff, if I tell you what they said can you just leave me alone?"
>>26385048
fine, what'd they say?
>>26385048
Lovesick's tentacles are temporary.
>>26385072
>>26385084
"Fine then, her tentacles are only temporary too."
>"I sure hope they are. Anyway, I hear them talk about how they were going to transport the 'Blanks' somewhere while they kept a force behind to hold 'the rest' hostage. I don't know what any of that means, but I imagine you do."
>>26385284
Yeah, it makes sense. LET'S GO!
>>26385284
We need a few survivors to interrogate.
>>26385302
>>26385334
"You're free to go." The cultist gets up and runs. You ask if there are any more survivors from Lovesick, but she says she really did kill them all. You run to the Penthouse as fast as you can with Lovesick in tow...
Lovesick's mental condition seems to just be getting worse. You sadly don't have a spare gas mask. If you don't do something however she may be too crazy to help you.
>>26385461
drum, give love sick your mask. you can breath a little bit of this stuff in and be ok and we're almost at the penthouse anyway.
>>26385494
You tell Drum to give Lovesick your mask. But he refuses
>"What? No! Hell no! She's already a mutant anyway, I don't want to turn into one if I can't help it."
>>26385641
call drum a little bitch.
give love sick your mask.
would it be possible to take lovesicks mask and then just put a small barrier around us to replace the glass?
>>26385641
It would effect him very slowly while it would turn Love into a savage beast shortly.
>>26385737
With what?
>>26385802
the barrier? did you not read the part where I said "replace the glass"?
>>26385656
>>26385737
>>26385790
>>26385802
>>26385821
You decide to just put a small barrier in the cracked glass to reseal her gasmask. This is rather difficult, and between the running and maintaining this barrier in such a specific and awkward place you're already exhausted by the time you arrive closer to the Penthouse.
Several of Threadbare's followers are guarding the entrance, having made a makeshift barricade out of furniture. You also notice something odd about her Bird Mask wearing cultists that set them apart from The Queen's: They have blindfolds on them, with buttons sewn on where their eyes should be. Patches looks uneasy.
>"Is she really sister? Threadbare was never cruel. Not like this..."
>>26386091
I picked this place because it would be hard to find, attack and take over. How the fuck did she manage to do all three?
It's obvious that your sister has gone insane and not your sister anymore.
Let's get the guns ready.
Aim and then fire.
>>26386091
Hand Drum a repeater rifle.
volley fire on the sentries.
>>26386091
I wonder if they're blind. Guns at the ready try to sneak up and get around the barricade so we can deal with them quickly.
>>26386091
Time to try out a mortar.
>>26386127
Yeah, how the hell did they come straight for us?
>>26386224
apparently any jackass can just stroll in so we should have no problem taking it back.
>>26386091
They went after our sisters. That makes me very fucking angry.
>>26386279
You'd better fucking believe we're taking hostages.
And by God, they're going to tell us where they are.
>>26386294
If there's a way to kill Threadbare and make her stay dead we will find it. She will pay.
>>26386294
there a point to taking these guys as hostages? they're unfeeling fanatics you know.
>>26386311
If there were ever a way to make Chalk snap, it's this.
>>26386341
They don't even feel pain?
>>26386269
They went for us at the dock, which we only decided to go to yesterday, and they knew exactly where we lived. Were they buying info from Beefheart or something?
>>26386386
I don't think so and they also know their lives are expendable and willing to die for thread. Even if we broke all their legs.
>>26386407
Guess we'll find out.
>>26386127
>>26386191
>>26386201
>>26386203
>>26386224
>>26386269
>>26386279
>>26386294
>>26386311
>>26386341
>>26386355
>>26386389
>>26386407
>>26386415
Anger begins to simmer within you. You chose this place because it was supposed to be secure! How did these jackasses just waltz in without issue!? And how do they seem to know every place you go? And then they have the gall to steal your sisters from you. You don't care about Patchwork's apprehension, Threadbare is going to pay. You give Drumroll and Lovesick some of the repeater rifles. "Volley Fire at the sentries." Lovesick actually manages to hold 3 rifles in her mass of tentacles. Almost like she's done this before.
You sneak closer and closer, looking for an exposed point in the barricade. You line up and aim directly for the head of one of the sentries and then whisper "Fire!". The shots ring out true and immediately kill a few of the sentries. They try to fight back, but it seems their muskets are no match for your superior firepower. It doesn't help that their cover doesn't actually seem to help them that much. Patchwork sneaks from the flank and rampages through all the stragglers, knocking them about or pouncing them and hiding her carnage under her quilt.
>"Odd. Chalk come here." after your decisive victory, Patchwork points you towards one of the corpses. She's unmasked the corpse, revealing their horribly mishmashed face. It looks like several different heads of a 3 different ponies where sewn and glued together.
>>26386566
as I suspected, their "lives" (if they can even be called that) are worthless. Let's continue, take what we can from them.
>>26386566
So they're nothing more than "dolls"? Continue clearing the place and try to capture one.
>>26386566
I don't care. Where are my sisters? Where is everyone?
>>26386566
We need to keep going. Now.
>>26386603
>>26386643
>>26386702
>>26386709
"Interesting, but let's keep going. Now." You begin to storm off into the building, until your radio goes off. It's not Gumdrop on the other end though.
>"Chalk Dust! And not a moment to spare. I heard the gunshots and wager that was you. Now, before you go charging off into the building: If I hear another gunshot I'll start executing hostages. Starting first with this long haired filly."
>>26386839
alright. I guess we won't shoot anymore and kill them with a good old fashioned barrier. We can save the ammo for when we reach the top.
>>26386839
Fine by me.
>>26386839
I'll be quiet then.
>>26386839
What do you want?
>>26386859
>>26386870
>>26386870
>>26386923
>>26387026
"Heh, I'll be quiet then."
>"My followers have guns you know. Even if you don't shoot, they will."
"Point taken, what do you want?"
>"I wish to do business. Specifically, I wish for a little trade to be established. Interested?"
>>26387100
I'm listening.
>>26387100
they'll also be in narrow hallways with a wall heading right toward them so I don't see my cause to be worried.
hey, i have a box of interesting toys up there. take the biggest one you can find and shove it right up your ass.
>>26387100
So if we execute them silently we'd be able to free all of our friends. We need a cardboard box.
>>26387114
>>26387131
>>26387139
As you plan ways to silently take out all the guards you play along "Alright, what is it?"
>"Everyone of your friends is worth 2 of your sisters. Except Pitch, he is worth 1. If you give me permission to kill them, I'll send x number of your sisters back to you, unharmed. I cannot guarantee their safety in my hooves. You've seen what I nearly did to the other one."
>>26387267
Why's pitch less?
>>26387267
I also think we should use a mortar when a bunch of them are in an enclosed space because they said no gunshots. explosions should be ok.
why do you want to KILL my friends?why aren't you just killing them now?
>>26387267
We should keep her on the line.
Negotiate while we sneak past her guards.
>>26387286
>>26387334
>>26387346
You make your way into the apartment, turning the volume of the radio down as low as it can go so you can only hear it if you press it up to your ear. "Why is Pitch less?" she laughs nervously, though it sounds a bit creepy considering how monotone she's been up until now.
>"He's kind of cute. I want to marry him. So he's worth less so you're more likely to give me him." Patchwork shakes his head.
>"She Threadbare. No doubt. Always wanted to marry." You make it to the lobby, where more of her Followers are present.
"Um...Why the hell are you doing this? Why do you want to kill me and my friends?"
>"I told you before Chalk, but you wouldn't listen. I want you to experience the Joy I've felt. You will thank me when it's over."
>>26387471
but we already know the joy of drinking ambrosia.
>>26387471
What's the story behind your "dolls"? We can use our TK to jam their guns and our meat cleaver to decapitate them.
>>26387517
>>26387533
"I've already taken Ambrosia before you know." You focus your TK to see if you could jam their guns. But you could probably only do one or two at a time. There's around 7 of them, one of them could get a shot in and then it'll be all over.
>"The Joy I want to share is more than just that."
"What's the story behind these 'dolls'? Your followers."
>"I control them with my Joy. They are built out of discarded pieces of dead ponies. The best part about them however, is that I can rebuild them immediately if they are broken."
>>26387902
unless we shoot them? why are you forbidding us from using guns then if it doesn't matter and they can just go right back up?how is she even able to tell who's firing? we can just let off a shot once or twice and she wouldn't know it from any other.
>>26387943
She doesn't care who fires.
>>26387902
We can't see what Chalk sees so please give us some details. Kinda hard to do stealthy assassinations when we're as blind as the "dolls".
>>26387902
Tell me more about this 'joy'
>>26387943
>>26387959
>>26387982
"Tell me more about this 'Joy' of yours."
>"You seem rather interested in trivial facts! I guess I should ask you one as well: do you really ask everyone you meet this many questions?"
>>26387965
[Sorry, having to type from phone is kinda ruining my plans. I actually had descriptions for the rooms written out pre-game but they're on my computer]
From the various times you passed through you remember that the lobby was normally spacious and lacking in decoration. Right now you are hiding behind a few decorative pillars right near the entrance. Straight ahead and towards the back there is the elevator that is normally left unused since the building has no power. To the left and right are various apartments, but you remember that the stairs are definitely to the right. In the lobby itself there is yet another 'barricade' which is really just piles of furniture. In the barricaded part of the room is the 7 Fleshdolls. There is a circular desk right in the middle of the barricade that seems unused.
>>26388150
Can our shield be soundproof? From our earlier sneaking, could we the whether or not the "dolls" are blind?
>>26388150
I'm a curious mare.
>>26388150
The answer to that question is actually yes.
>>26388150
Pretty much. But you want me to experience it so much, why don't you try selling me on it rather than trying the ambiguous sound like a villain route?
>>26388197
Wr know that it's airtight and doesn't carry vibrations well. So I'd say it'd probably be good at stopping sound.
>>26388197
>>26388266
>>26388303
>>26388469
>>26388507
"The answer to that question is actually yes. I'm a very curious mare. Now if you really want me to experience this 'Joy' of yours, why don't you stop being ambiguous like a stereotypical villain?"
>"When you put it so nicely like that I could divulge a bit more. I know you have a hidden potential Chalk. Something far greater than my power or my purpose. I only wish to help you achieve this potential."
You can't tell if the dolls are blind, they seemed to have eyes under their blindfolds and they directly at you in back when they ambushed you.
The shield could muffle your sound.
[gotta stop here]
>>26388710
Large shield around the "dolls" and Patches. anybody else would get killed instantly by the return fire.
>>26388710
that's what ponies seem to keep telling us.
>>26388710
Can we disguise ourselves using the other dolls' outfits, make our way to the elevator, close the doors behind us and rappel or TK or otherwise scale the shaft for a sneak attack? Gumdrop's in here somewhere too, though I'm not sure how to meet up with her since the radio's being monitored.
>>26388710
That's still pretty ambiguous
>>26388710
You're still being ambiguous. I think you might have better chances if you were more specific about what'll happen.
I wanna line up dolls and then just throw a barrier spear while everyone else does their own thing with who's left.
up from 10
>>131288452
Bep
saved you from death
>>26389723
>>26390665
>>26391219
"That's still very ambiguous you know."
>"Indeed it is, but I don't like talking to somepony who is just trying to waste my time. Now, start making deals with me or I'll start by shooting this one...hmm what's her name? Chemtrail. I'll shoot her in the hindleg." you hear muffled screaming and cursing from the radio. Even with the sound low, it's loud enough to start and catch the attention of the fleshdolls.
Will you go ahead with your plan of attack or try to prevent her from shooting Chemtrail first?
>>26396118
Rushing us when it's such a difficult choice. What's the hurry?
>>26396118
We should attack while we distract her.
>>26396118
How do you know I'm not interested?
For someone who's so keen on getting others to experience your 'joy,' you're sure good at making it sound like a bad thing.
I want to hear your bloody side of the story.
>>26396118
Are you trying to say that talking to me is a waste of time? That's pretty insulting.
>>26396164
>>26396181
>>26396197
>>26396207
"Rushing me on such a difficult choice. What's the hurry? And I find that you think talking to me is a 'waste of time' rather insulting."
>"Please, it's obvious you're just trying to keep me talking. Stalling time for something. And I do find this conversation a waste of time. Your questions bore me."
"How do you know I'm not interested at all? For someone who wants me to experience this 'Joy' you sure are doing everything in your power to make it unappealing. I want to hear your side of the story."
>"My story is near finished. In fact, it could even end today. But I'll humor you. Sadly though, since you didn't take my threat seriously...Which limb should I shoot? Her left or her right?" Drumroll, grabs his rifle
>"I know this may be morbid, but maybe we should shoot right when she does. That way she might not hear it."
>>26396383
>We should attack while we distract her.
Why did you even link it? We've had a plan of attack and we've just been wasting time. Also the shooting simultaneously idea is stupid since she'll only fire one shot while we'll need several. If it keeps up like this several of our friends will be dead before we even get out of the lobby.
>>26396383
No, we're not doing that.
>>26396383
So she wants us to take a ton of Ambrosia?
Fine, make us a deal.
Should we tell thread she'll regret her choices today?
>>26396383
Ponies have 4 legs last I checked.
>>26396546
That would just provoke her.
>>26396552
>"I'll shoot her in the hindleg."
>>26396546
Urg, I'd rather not yet, but I can't think of a good way to proceed.
I'm against actually playing though. If she wants to start shooting ponies then that's on her. We're not going to give her the satisfaction of playing along.
>>26396580
Then why are we even talking to her? we should just start killing and working our way up.
>>26396383
What does a hostage situation have to do with ambrosia anyway?
>>26396594
By the time we reach them all of our friends would be dead. Less Rambo, more Splinter Cell.
>>26396607
I liked the idea of trapping them in a bubble with Patches and just letting Patches wreak havoc.
>>26396607
if she were smart she wouldn't kill anyone. that's the point of having a hostage. honestly this entire scenario is fucking dumb. She's going to kill them anyway for the release of our sisters who she'll most likely actually kill in this rambo climb and for some reason she needs our approval to do it?
>>26396383
What is it she likes about Pitch?
>>26396594
As much as I like Chalk "I Don't Negotiate With Terrorists" Dust, I'd rather get up there without her noticing.
>>26396636
I'm just kind of frustrated that these ponies, in an easily defensible location with rifles and armor at their disposal, lost to a pony and her cult that probably shouldn't have been able to find it in the first place.
>>26396691
They'd technically only be dead for a few days right? Plus if we could collect bodies I think they could take them over, unless I'm misunderstanding the whole ghost thing.
>>26396730
You are.
>>26396383
If you hurt my friends I'm going to have to kill you, and then you'll have no chance of getting married.
I have a file you know. It's got all kinds of things about Pitch in it. It could be yours if you end this peacefully.
>>26396458
>>26396461
>>26396509
>>26396580
>>26396594
>>26396607
>>26396616
>>26396636
>>26396646
>>26396691
"No, that's stupid. We're going to have to shoot more than once. Patches, get closer and I'll put a barrier around the area to try and muffle the sound." Patchwork nods and shuffles closer to the best of her abilities. Her hulking size makes it almost impossible, but somehow the dolls were too stupid to notice an 8 foot monster mare lurking around. You put the sound barrier up and let her go to work ripping apart the Dolls. The muffling works pretty well, you can barely here it from here. However, the dolls' aim is actually rather terrible, and some of the shots hit your shield and gives you head-splitting pain.
You turn your attention back to the radio quickly "Look sweetheart, I'd rather not deal with your shit, but I don't get it. What's the point of having Hostages if you're just going to kill them anyway? None of this makes any sense! And if you hurt any of my friends, I'm going to have to kill you."
>"Bah, not even answering any of my questions. You need to play ball if you want me to speak you know?" the shot rings out on the other side of the radio and Chemtrails swearing and screaming intensifies. "But I will leave you with some food for thought. Is it really possible that me and my followers would really be able to overrun this entire building all on our own? Even with outside help it'd be next to impossible. Additionally, don't you find it odd that I sent my followers to that warehouse, somehow knowing you'd be there?"
>>26397206
Seems that everyone has a pony on the inside.
Well, it's either Pitch unwillingly or Sweet may not be the bumbling idiot he's led us to believe.
>>26397206
This is bullshit.
>>26397206
Yes, it almost seems likean outside force realizes how bullshit it is and is trying to make things fit together.
>>26397206
oh boy. ANOTHER traitor.
>>26397206
So, what would you say to me telling you to shoot Sweet?
>>26397206
You know I'd be more inclined to believe you, if working with you was a good idea for anyone up there.
They'd have to be pretty stupid to not know it's a bad idea to cross me.
>>26397382
I highly doubt she cares about shooting her insider.
>>26397248
>>26397256
>>26397278
>>26397360
>>26397382
>>26397413
"Another traitor? Oh joy. Tell me, it must be Sweet right? What would you say if I told you to give him a bullet?"
>"I'd oblige, but I'll say that he wasn't the 'traitor'. In fact, from what I hear this 'insider' was something of a prisoner to you. Convincing her to work with me was rather easy. I think her name was 'Early Bloomer' if I recall."
>>26397518
Well that doesn't make any sense at all. I never told her where I was going.
>>26397518
And how the hell did she get in contact with her. For the love of god allow us to progress with reaching them. Did Patches finish killing them? Is it clear to proceed?
>>26397518
this makes me so angry that i want to pick the colt as the first hostage to kill.
>>26397660
Oh good, it's not just me.
>>26397518
>Early
Fuck Early. Fuck her universe. Fuck her son. Fuck her.
>>26397660
Lets not get a kid killed out of spite.
>>26397733
While I agree with you I still want her to see her son die and then kill herself out of grief or something. I also want her to beg to take her instead and then decline.
It'd feel pretty good. Wrong morally. But good.
>>26397786
She can wish all hope of us saving her world goodbye. I hope she's proud of that.
>>26397786
That would make us no better than Thread and her ilk. We don't play their game.
>>26397786
While the idea is tempting, I don't think it's the best.
I do want somebody to die by our hooves, at least. Namely Thread.
>>26397851
Our sisters were put on the line, of course somebody gon die.
>>26397543
>>26397550
>>26397660
>>26397674
>>26397690
>>26397733
>>26397786
>>26397805
>>26397820
>>26397851
>>26397886
You shake your head in anger. Dark thoughts of revenge fill your mind, the migraine not helping your mental state, though you cast them aside. Patchwork seems to be done with her slaughter so you quickly head into the lobby.
>Patchwork forces open the elevator doors, which reveals that there is in fact an emergency ladder. "Problem. Too big for ladder. Would break it."
>>26397957
Patches should stay down here and wait until she hears gunfire to use the stairs to go up. She'll clear the rest of the building on her way.
>>26397957
Don't suppose there's a cable she could climb?
Those thing are designed to hold a lot of weight.
>>26397957
Well then she's staying down here.
>>26397957
Have her take the stairs as soon as she hears any commotion, since we're gonna be the ones causing it.
>>26398029
The cables are snapped, a quick look downward shows a a broken pile of metal and wood that is probably the elevator itself.
>>26398015
>>26398057
>>26398399
"Stay here until you hear gunfire, then take the stairs. I trust you'll be able to deal with any of the dolls along the way."
>"Okay. Please calm sister. I don't want to lose her..."
Drumroll, Patches, and yourself all hop onto the ladders and climb up quickly. It's quiet for a moment, with only the sound of the three of you breathing through you mask and the beating of your eardrums from your headache. You come to the top elevator door. Drumroll can't seem to open it with his hooves, and Lovesick's swollen tentacles can't fit in the cracks.
>>26398418
TK a pry-bar shield ALA Terminator II, insinuating it between the doors then prying them open with it.
>>26398418
I guess we need to pry it open with our barrier?
also
>patches instead of lovesick
ha
>>26398418
Try the meat cleaver first. We're pretty burnt out on magic as it is.
>>26398449
>>26398486
>>26398503
[Sorry, kind of burnt out because I've been sick as a dog recently]
You try to use the shield to pry it open, but it just causes unnecessary agony and tires you out. So to save your energy you try to use the Meat Cleaver. It's too flimsy to do anything. Lovesick's many new tentacles suddenly reach into your saddle bags, pulling out the shovel.
>"H-Here you go maaassster."
>>26398716
Shit, how could we forget about the shovel?
>>26398716
Oh... whoops.
>>26398716
I forgot we even had that because of all the crap we've been going through.
>>26398716
th-thanks
>>26398716
Use shovel to pry open doors.
>>26398730
>>26398731
>>26398745
>>26398770
>>26398784
"Th-Thanks." you pry the door open with the shovel with surprising ease, and climb inside. Just to your left is the penthouse door. The radio goes off again, with Threadbare on the otherside.
>"You've been awfully quiet down there haven't you? What are you getting into down there? I've been quite busy myself."
[keep passing out right now, will try to push forward but don't expect quick responses]
>>26399188
OK. Proceed as quickly as possible to our place, hopefully Patches joins us soon but we can't afford to wait. Be prepared to dodge gunshots and also to take some, burst in and deal with this.
>>26399188
Let's get up to the door and then get ready to open it. Drumroll gets ready to shoot while aiming high. Then we say into the radio " on the ground."
we open the door and then he fires at everyone standing.
does this work?
>>26399248
She starts coming after bullets start flying.
>>26399272
I doubt they'd get the message through the radio. If anything we'd be warning Threadbare.
>>26399188
I've been talking with my friends about this crazy situation. What have you been up to?
>>26399272
Only problem is if the hostages are in another room, like the bedroom.
At which point she could just start wasting them. We'd need to clear rooms quickly, make a beeline for them.
I'd say give Lovesick a few guns again, make sure we have a gun, and start clearing while we have surprise on our side.
She'll probably have time to pop a couple bullets into our party members, but we'll hopefully save most.
The only problem I see is how we're going to find out where she took the blanks.
>>26399272
But that warns Threadbare too.
>>26399188
Hope you haven't been flirting with Pitch.
>>26399341
If only we had a spell we could use to gather intel before we open the door.
>>26399349
I like the way you think Anon
>>26399349
THIS.
