Equestria Begins IC

[DracoDei]

((OOC Thread))

The sky has that "unsettled" look of weather half tamed as the heavily armed caravan you have joined arrives in Oatburrough. Sighs of relief are heard as the heavy doors swing shut. The wooden ramparts are topped with hundreds of buckets to ward of the flames of the Goliaths that menace the town. Only a little of the walls have been replaced with stone, and those are actually furthest from the gate.

The caravan master approaches you and pulls out the letters of record for the debt you owed her for a loan to get additional equipment for your long-term mission.

"Thank you, that clears your responsibility to me. Good work!" she says as she starts to sign them as 'Paid in Full'.

[DracoDei]

((Did some roleplay via Skype with Percival's player.))

Percival walked around, hoping to gather more information on how to defeat these goliaths. "stupid goliaths...I've got to do something. but what can I do?". He wanted more information on where to find them. He finds himself in the crafts-district and inquires of several of the shop-keepers. This results mostly in noticeable embarrassment for himself due to his asking highly technical questions that he emphasizes are of life-and-death importance of before somepony points him towards the local guard garrison/weather-patrol office.

"Ah, thank you!" he said as he went towards the weather patrol. He growled to himself. "They'd better have an answer..."

He presents his letter of authority to the guards at the gates to that area of the town (who he notices aren't doing anything to impede Ponies going in and out of it). They direct him/you* to the military commander. Unsurprisingly she is a Pegasus. Her name is Captain Hail. The peon who escorted you* introduces you*.
*Probably the whole group unless somepony has some-place else they would especially like to go.

"Ah, that is good. This situation is getting really out of hoof. What can I help you with?" she asks.


"I am trying to gather information on where to find these goliaths. And to gather magic."

"Well, they don't congregate much... territorial except when mating or raising young. Any territory for at least a hundred miles around is either claimed by one, claimed by the Sheep, or a Goliath is looking to move into."

"I see. So...what do we do? we need a plan."

"Well, obviously my plans are either last resorts, or have failed. In the first category we have 'wipe out the Sheep except for the Lambs who will end up in orphanages' or 'wipe out the Goliaths'... neither would be easy, but at least the Sheep are all in one place. Not to mention, wiping out the Goliaths would probably lead to war with the Sheep anyway, since they hold that the Goliath's are somewhat sacred in a sense, and claim that a great disaster will befall if too many of them are killed."

"Hmm, sounds like a rock and hard place we have here..."


"Personally, I'd try to find out how the Sheep are keeping the Goliaths from attacking them nearly as much as they do us. The negotiators around here seemed to be pretty on the ball when I got here, but something must have slipped through the cracks. My scouts have tried to catch the Sheep at whatever they do to keep the Goliaths from attacking them but we haven't gotten anything so far. Mostly been high altitude stuff, or at night with magic for seeing in the dark. Not much on the ground.

"Or find out WHY they are withholding that information... apparently there were Ponies living here at some time in the past. Or maybe it was just non-Sheep? You'd have to talk to Shard Digger about that. He's the one who digs up bits of old buildings for whatever crazy reason."

"So the question is what made the Sheep not like us, when they got along with the previous other town on this site just fine as far as they claim?"

"I'd say our best bet is to interrogate them on why they're withholding important information. Should I see Shard Digger then?"

"Well, if you think that wise before discussing what magic you might want us to aid you with... I don't know your group, so I can't comment on which should be first."

"Hmm...that's right. Maybe we should discuss magic first then?"

"Certainly. I'm sure that we could work out an arrangement. What were you thinking of? Casting? Consumables? If you place a deposit I could perhaps even see my way clear to allowing you to borrow some of our equipment."

"I was thinking Casting. How much should I deposit?"


"Well, that would be a charge, not a security deposit, and depending on how much I trust your plan I might even be willing to waive that..."

"Ah....well I've been known to make the WORST plans. You don't want to trust me, do you?"

"Well, I'm sure your group is competent enough in general given that paper you showed me. It isn't about competence. It is about how risky the solution turns out to have to be really."

"Alright...I didn't expect to get this much trust but okay..."
((Everyone else give me a Sense Motive roll at this point.))

It occurs to Percival that this town, and even the military personnel he is seeing, include more than a few members of all three tribes. He even thinks he saw some non-Ponies...

"What the? what is this place?"

Hail looks confused and cautious (as if you might POSSIBLY be dangerously insane). "Huh?"

"It's just um...there's non ponies here too."

"Yes... under the same theory of peace to avoid a 'protracted chill' as is the reason why I haven't beaten the answers we need out of the Sheep..."

"Right..." he looked around, feeling out of place.

[igordragonian]

Dream Chaser shifted the weight in his moustach from side to side.

"It seems, there are giant around that should be beaten! But worry not, my comrades! This Knight is up to the job!" he said very loudly.

[Ishimi]

SteelHeart looks around the settlement. Everypony seems to be happy living here, they seem to be getting along: good.
The giant problem? not so much.

Normally he would just go and fight the blasted things, but it seemed these "sheep" that were mentioned revere them for some reason. It still seemed logical to take out the goliaths, but perhaps he should wait until they have more information to go off of.

for now he's lost in thought as he-

Dream Chaser shifted the weight in his moustach from side to side.

"It seems, there are giant around that should be beaten! But worry not, my comrades! This Knight is up to the job!" he said very loudly.

He suddenly looks to his new compatriot. He was... loud. loud was okay, but unexpected. Hopefully his spear is as "loud" as his voice.

[igordragonian]

B]"We should work harder to make this noble alicorn overlord to trust our heroism!"[/B] Dream Chaser had need to share what his senses told him about this

[DracoDei]

Hail's eyes bore into Dream Chaser's for less than a second as her right forehoof points to her hornless forehead.

Then she looks to the rest of you. "Get this blasphemer off of my base." she growls. "And count yourselves lucky my Faith is especially merciful and also that it places alicorns as humble servants of God come from Heaven, rather than as anything more Holy than that or I'd have him flogged even if he did prove as mad as he seems."

[igordragonian]

"OH my Oh my! What a miserable misunderstanding! We came here to save you!"

[DracoDei]

Hippocrates Leech places one foreleg over Dream Chaser's neck and seems to be gently trying to guide him out of the building.

[Cloudy_daze]

Wine's Wisdom chuckles quietly as the rather loud pegasus is gently herded towards the door. lowering his hood and directing his attention to the captain.
"If I may... a few questions, you mentioned scouting.. we don't particularly know the area very well d'you have a map or chart we could look at it would be valuable to learn about the area."
he pauses for a moment squinting his eyes and leaning slightly to the left.
"I don't suppose there's a library or even just a record-keeper we could speak too is there?"
Straitening back up without pausing long enough for an answer he smacks his lips slightly and adds
"and perhaps could you direct us the best place to get food and drink?"
He finally stops speaking long enough for Hail to get a word in edgewise his posture returning to a slouch.

[igordragonian]

"Aha! You are so eager, that we'l go and save the world already?" he agreed to get out.

"Aha! Yes! We should have a victory banquet!"

[DracoDei]

Wine's Wisdom chuckles quietly as the rather loud pegasus is gently herded towards the door. lowering his hood and directing his attention to the captain.
"If I may... a few questions, you mentioned scouting.. we don't particularly know the area very well d'you have a map or chart we could look at it would be valuable to learn about the area."
he pauses for a moment squinting his eyes and leaning slightly to the left.
"I don't suppose there's a library or even just a record-keeper we could speak too is there?"

"Yes, there are a few references and records. Two places actually. One for the base, and one for the rest of the town. " Hail replies, and then proceeds to give Wine's Wisdom directions to both of those locations.

He pens something carefully onto the top of a scroll, then places his seal at the bottom and thriftily cuts off the remaining blank portion of the scroll.

"This will allow you and/or Hippocrates Leech to borrow maps from the quartermaster. Of course those required some work, so we shall require a security deposit of 10 gold bits for each such map that leaves the records office. No interest, but please check in to see if anyone else needs it at least once a day while you are in town, or every week if you are out exploring unless you make prior arrangements in advance. I suppose you could copy the maps yourselves or hire somepony to do it if you are worried about damages."

He hoofs Wine's Wisdom the authorization slip.

Straitening back up without pausing long enough for an answer he smacks his lips slightly and adds
"and perhaps could you direct us the best place to get food and drink?"
He finally stops speaking long enough for Hail to get a word in edgewise his posture returning to a slouch.

"Food would be in the market-place. I'd ask the mayor about where you will be staying since the barracks no longer seem like an option I can countenance. Of course, if you meant 'conversation' as well... well, that would be the market place if you don't have any too particular subject that I could direct you to somepony more conversant with."

---

Hippocrates Leech and Dream Chaser head for the gates from the military base leading back into the rest of the Pony town.

[Cloudy_daze]

Wine's wisdom tucks the slip in his robe nodding.
"thank you that should be a great help."
He nods a few times and turns to trot away stopping after a few feet turning back around
"where can I find the ponies who negotiate with the sheep village I'd like to get their thoughts on some things as well."

[DracoDei]

"That would be the mayor if you want somepony with authority over our relations... or myself, but I don't really think you want my input at this time since your major goal is making nice with the Sheep as I understand it, where-as I've been taking a firmer stance and preparing for what to do if words fail.

If you want the person who is over there the most then trader Cart would fit the bill.

I suppose you could also ask Shard Digger if you want a different perspective on the Sheep. He does most of his digging inside the palisade of the town when he isn't wandering around the area near this town looking for some fool thing... and even he will admit it is a fool's quest. It isn't my place to say more about that however.

In any case, when he isn't doing one of those two things he used to go and talk to the Sheep some." says Commander Hail.

[DracoDei]

You all meet back up just outside the military base in the Pony town.

[Cloudy_daze]

Wine's Wisdom puts on a practiced lopsided smile and takes a surreptitious pull from his flask.
"it seems to me we need more information I'd like to start somewhere more basic and learn the layout of this area and check those maps at the records office, unless somepony else has a better idea?"

[igordragonian]

"We could charge forward!" Dream Chaser has offered with a wide smile.

[DracoDei]

"Yes, as usual we could. But as usual we probably will not be doing that. Which particular direction or target were you thinking of charging this time?" asks Hippocrates Leech.

[igordragonian]

"You might have a point, oh wise comrade!" Dream Chaser thanked him with a bow.
"Then, where shall we charge?"

[Cloudy_daze]

Wine's wisdom nodded his head in the direction of the market
"lets go speak to Trader cart I'd like to know a bit more about the sheep and we can get a bit of a feel for this place."

[DracoDei]

"That sounds as good a place to start as any." says Hippocrates.

You find Cart in the marketplace selling various yarns and other wool goods. Unusually for a travelling merchant he is a Pegasus.

He seems to have picked you out of the crowd (with his eyes) while you are still at least 3 stands away.

"Well hello my good sirs, and how can I help you today?" Cart says cheerfully.

[igordragonian]

"WE NEED DIRECTION, OF THE RIGHT WAY TO CHARGE AT!" Dream Chaser yelled, as if the trader was deaf or something.

[DracoDei]

Cart looks shocked.

"What!? I don't understand! Is the village under attack?"

[Cloudy_daze]

Wine sighs and speaks up.
"No-no nothing like that! my friend is just very excitable"
wine smiled hopefully at the confused pegasus before continuing
we just want to talk to you for a few minutes and maybe trade?

[igordragonian]

"The Village is under attack?! By whom?!" Dream Chaser has asked with worry.

"Ahh. No. I just always charging somewhere." he has explained, wriggling his mustachio.

[DracoDei]

'Well certainly! Certainly! Always glad to assist our.defenders against the windegoes.' replies Cart to Wine's, seeming to put Cloud out of his mind for now after Cloud's last statement.

[Cloudy_daze]

"well you see having only recently arrived we'd like to know a bit more about the area particularly the sheep village you trade with really any tidbits could be helpful.

[DracoDei]

"That is a request I could easily grant. But in return, and actually somewhat relevant to that, I could use your opinion on the value of some weapons. Quality of workpersonship and that sort of thing. Especially of the metalworking and any magics that might interact with them."

((I may be appending this post. Feel free to respond to it, just make sure to refresh the thread and make sure you have read the latest version before you do so.))

[igordragonian]

"You want us to test the value of your artifacts? Why of course! I know all the elements of an ultimate artifact!"

[DracoDei]

He lays a blanket over a chest, then ducks under it and opens the chest (apparently wishing to keep the contents a secret).

His two daughters keep a keen eye on everyone nearby in case of shoplifters.

After much careful clunking around and a bit of muttering, he emerges from under the blanket with a spear and a lance. A stone on a chain around his neck is glowing brightly, probably a simple illumination charm.

Hippocrates' horn glows. "Well, these don't appear to be magical... although I think some of the stuff in the chest is. Might want to invest in a lead lining if you are worried about bandits." your medic reports.

"I've considered it but... the weight simply isn't worth it."

Wine's Wisdom and Dream Chaser examine the weapons. The spear looks to be of good quality. ((Not going to qualify if it is Masterwork or not, simply because that is the wrong way to think of it for these purposes. Basically it is "Noticeably Above Average".)

Spoiler: Only Dream Chaser notices this.

Show

It looks like the lance would be a good weapon, but... it also necks down smoothly towards the middle of the shaft, much like you have sometimes done with your own shafts to make them break more easily. It is very finely balanced, and the tip sharp and hard, but the shaft might be somewhat prone to breaking if someone tried to chop it (("Sunder" combat action)) or even in the process of hitting a well-armored target. Basically someone turned this into a single-use weapon, and given the overall work-person-ship appears to have done so deliberately.

Spoiler: Note for after this conversation with Cart finishes.

Show

Hippocrates saw an odd dip in the blanket that Cart was working under as if something was pulling it downward from below, right about the time Cart was muttering.

[igordragonian]

"I am afraid someone turned this fine weapon into one use weapon." Dream Chaser said sadly.
"Such a loss..." he has mourned the weapon