Play By Post Dark Equestria Party Thread

Sunset glared at Necrose, having just stepped out of the inn and right into him yelling at Goldenwings, the priest of the Sun! Anger seethed inside her. How dare that peasant speak like that to a servant of the most radiant one? She had attempted to warn the folk of the impending disaster, but it seemed that they'd not listen to reason, nor did they respect Her followers!

Sunset Joy stepped forth and inhaled, slamming her hooves into the ground. "You wretched, miserable cur", she began, and despite the rage that bubbled in her soul, her voice and expression remained unchanging, eyes still as bottomless pits. "To speak with such utter disregard and lack of respect to a servant of Her Radiance. Have you no love for our Divine Majesty and her faithful? What kind of a monster are you?" She raised her voice slightly towards the end, but otherwise remained steely and statue-like.

Goldenwings was interruped from answering when the mare from before came out while Necros was yelling at him. Then much to his suprise... the mare actually started calling Necrose out on it!

Not wanting the stallion before him to blow his cover he says quickly yet calmly, raising his hoof he tries to calm the mare, "Please this stallion's words cannot hurt me... the one most high watches over her followers."

"Yes, i did. Daawn did too. YOu really should be careful about talking" Spell replied, looking at this whole mess going on "Could you all please calm down and not getting onto one another? Please? Don't make me use my fancy mathematics on you"

She hated when people was just starting holy wars over some simple things, even if they were not very simple.

"It pains me to see ponies ignorant of the mercy and kindness of Our Most Glorious Lady", Sunset said, staring unflinchingly at Necrose, "yelling such profane heresy at the face of one of Her servants, disgracing Her name openly and without shame.. I attempted to help you, but very well, then. Let this town burn with its blasphemers", she threw her neck and walked past Necrose, nodding at Goldenwings.

Jace was sitting at the table sipping away at a mug of water that he had fetched.

"Well... at least things are bound to be interesting... maybe I should prepare a bit..."

He placed his mug on the table and stood stock still for a moment closing his eyes. (I reckon I can just Take 10 on Concentration at the moment) After the moment passed he opened his eyes. His mane was flowing more freely now and there was a glint of silver in his eyes.

He finished his mug and put it back on the table dropping few coins into the mug. He then turned and walked to where Necrose was.

"So... does anyone have any idea just how large this group of soldiers is?"

He looked from pony to pony.

"I mean talking is all fine and dandy, but if we would be up against superior numbers I think I'd prefer running."

Goldenwings looked a bit stunned at the mare, not believing she actually spoke positively of tyrant Celestia before asking his face emotionaless his head slightly tilted to the side, "Mercy and kindness? Are we... speaking of the same Most Glorious Lady?"

"You want to know what kind of monster I am, sunshine?" Necrose began while the mare was still within earshot, his tone suddenly even and no longer yelling, "I'll tell you. I'm the kind of monster who does Celestia's bidding. Or rather, I was, until around this time last year. Be a year in a couple of months. Didn't serve willingly, but I was in the army." He stopped speaking there to make sure the mare was listening.

The mare halted and looked over her shoulder at the stallion who addressed her, narrowing her eyes slightly. "A coward and a runaway, then, and not just a defiler and an anarchist?" She turned around completely, opening the clasp of her cloak with her mouth, letting the brown, weather-worn garment drop on the ground. Underneath she wore the silvery, shining full plate, adorned with the great blazing sun of Celestia and the markings of the Royal Guard. A heavy sword hung at her side, much larger than one that would normally be used by a pony.

"I warned you all, to steal away and not face death, to avoid bloodshed. Now I see that the wisdom of Her Radiance can not be doubted. You spit back the love she offers. It must pain Her so, to order having you all put to the sword."

Taking a firm look Goldenwings steps forward saying taking a tackful tone, "Daughter, do not speak such. There is good reason for ponies to be angry, as there are many who use their authority to feed their own greed and pride. Ponies hate the church because the leaders abuse their power for their own selfish gain... this is a fact that pains me greatly."

Turning to Necroses the priest made it clear he did not want him saying anything that would counter what he said.

--------------------

"Your a foal... but I will post your blasted ad for some mercs," the barkeeper said after a moment of thought, still clearly afraid but realizing he had little choice.

Zathra grinned, nodding. "good, thank you. can you have them meet here for interviews?"

The earth pony simply shrugged. "Necrose Macelar, formerly Captain Necrose Macelar of the 1st Stalliongrad, at your service, sunshine," he said with a mocking bow. "I used to wear that very same style of armor. Got tired of it, and military life, and the orders I had to follow, so I left when the opportunity presented itself. It was easy, though if I had a choice in the manner of opportunity that presented itself that would allow me to leave, I wouldn't have chosen an explosion of unknown origin or colliding with a tree. Both of those things were very painful. If you were thinking of doing something similar for fun, I wouldn't reccomend it at all. You're much better off faking your own death or something like that. Still, I was able to get away, so I guess they were worth it, to be able to do what I want with my time, instead of following orders I disagree with." His tone was now conversational. He noticed the mare's sword, and that gave him an idea. "You asked me if I have no love for Celestia or her faithful. To answer that question, sunshine, no, I do not, and it is for the reasons the priest said. Sadly, I don't think any of my experiences in the army will sway you, so I'll just let the priest's words serve as my justification."

"As you say, Priest", Sunset complied, standing down and relaxing slightly, yet eyes still glaring at Necrose. "Duty is duty. To run away from one's orders is the greatest betrayal", she stated, staring. "Those who stain the Divine Empress' name with their lies and false use of Her name do not deserve to live, Priest. Should you encounter such individuals, please, guide my sword. All the Royal Guard will be at my heel to purge their profane filth from this world."

Again, her attention turned to Necrose. "I am Sunset Joy, Captain of the Royal Guard. The most faithful of Her Radiance's servants. You should be wiser than to disgrace the Empress with your misguided discontent while in my presence."

"One of our majesty servants killed my parents and tried to kill me, with poison. Cloudkill, to be exactly. Just to throw my fire bits into matter at hands." Spell replied, while Daawn got comfortable in her mane and was poking out of it "So, yeah, sorry but the name isn't exactly trying to stay clean and shiny."

She was rather annoyed with all grow ups arguing and ignoring her, especially due to the fact that where could be troubles any minute.

"The problems run far deeper then you may realize Captain," Goldenwings says softly before turning to Spell and Necrose and saying, "Go and start the preparations, I will be with you in a moment."

Returning his gaze to the mare he requests simply pointing his hoof toward the streets, "will you walk with me dear one?"

"As you say, sunshine," Necrose chuckled, bowing that mocking bow again. She may not have responded exactly as he was hoping she would have, but what she did do, nothing but issue a warning, was a great deal less risky than what the earth pony was expecting. That was fine by him, as if she had attacked him while unarmored and unarmed, it would have meant either death or at least another serious injury for him. Then again, it would have served to reinforce the common pony's belief that all loyal to Celestia are cruel and malicious, thereby probably rousing them to defend themselves or seek aid, so it wouldn't have been a total loss. Still, the black-coated pony was glad to be alive, even if he hadn't rattled Sunset's cage as thoroughly as he had hoped he would. He turned to the filly. "Spell, right? Let's go back inside and see if we can come up with a plan with Jace."

"Yes, Spell" She replied, Daawn still poking her head out of her mane, observing everything and having a look on her birdy face like "Ugh, ponies". "And i guess we shall, if we need to. I hope we don't need to explode those guards, at least. Maybe talking will do"

Sunset reared her head. "Slain by the Empress' servants? Surely those perished by the hoof of Her Radiance's followers were wicked and deserving of a bloody demise", Sunset claimed. "Certainly, Priest. Let us walk", she agreed, turning away with Goldenwings.

"I doubt talking will work, Spell," the earth pony said as he opened the inn door for the filly, "But if there is a way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, I'd rather we take it." He scanned the inn for Jace, and upon seeing him, made his way oer to the table and sat down. "Alright, Jace," he began, "You're better at plan-making than I am. We'll probably be outnumbered, so fighting isn't a good idea. I still say we stay, but we should probably do our best to trick them into leaving or something. Any ideas?"

Noitatohtori wrote:

Sunset reared her head. "Slain by the Empress' servants? Surely those perished by the hoof of Her Radiance's followers were wicked and deserving of a bloody demise", Sunset claimed. "Certainly, Priest. Let us walk", she agreed, turning away with Goldenwings.

Upon setting hoof on the street they could see ponies moving to and fro, with it can the problems of Ponyburg. On the street corner was foals and mare begging for bits, one could even be seen swipping food from a stall. There were venders, many selling overprices wares that ponies had to buy or they would go without. One could even see a mare going into an ally with a stallion, money being hoofed between the two.
As they walk Goldenwings says softly, "It would seem you are either ignorant of how things are or are very idealistic Sunset because it isn't as simply as 'if they are killed by the servents of the Empresses it means they where wicked'. Nothing is so simple."
Waving his hoof towards the ponies aroud him he says, "look around, open your eyes my daughter and realize the pain and sorrow ponies suffer from... suffering bought by those of power. The guard, the priests, the business owners... So many of them prey upon those that cannot go against them. There are foals that will never know the tender embrace of their mother, nor the guiding hoof of a father. There are mares and fillies force to give themselves for the pleasure of others just so they can feed themselves. Ponies willing to sell out their own family to save their own lives."

"Well depending on how much they do outnumber us fighting could be viable solution, if we manage to ambush them. But as for leading them away..."

Jace looked at Necrose.

"If there's no pegasi in the group and they don't have too many ranged weapons, I could just bait them myself, they wouldn't have a change of catching me if they wear any sort of armor. Otherwise we would need something to draw their attention, fire works, but it's kind of hazardous to work with."

Sunset walked with the Priest down the street, her steps noble and defiant, much unlike the depressed shuffle of the poor and the helpless. "With all respect, Priest, you are wrong. The Empress loves and cherishes us all. Yet measures must be taken against those who would strike down my Mistress, be it by deed or thought. She deserves our worship, and these misdeeds are merely the fault of wretched beings too ignorant to accept the light of Our Most Holy Lady. If all were to bow before Her; things would be good. For us, and for them."

There was determination in her voice; as if she truly believed in what she said. "The suffering of these ponies is their fault only, and nopony else's."

A look of sadness past over Goldenwings face as he studies Sunset as she speaks, realizing that the mare would be in for a nasty shock as time went on. After a moment of being silent he says, "Daughter, you will realize soon that things are not black and white but I do have one request... do not be quick to judge those around you."
Turning to look at those around him be continues, "These ponies are a product of the evil around them, not from within." Turning back to the mare he asks one thing, "Do you know what the elements are that the Chosen Six wield are?"

Hawthorn couldn't believe it, these ponies were facing certain death. Were they really this foolish? ...were his kin this foolish? The thought stung, not settling well in his mind. They had chosen their fate and he had cursed himself for abandoning them. Could he do it again?

"Pride," he called to the planning ponies. "That is their weakness." The stallion slowly approached Jace and his company. "They believe they have the upperhand, and they are not wrong in thinking so. We lead the fight to where we want it. They will follow, and that is where they will fall. Set a trap and it will crush them."

Sunset looked long and thoughtfully at Goldenwings, the priests' words beginning to sound strange and suspicious. "You are not an ordinary Priest. Why do you not praise and adore our Empress as she deserves, but instead speak of evil and darkness around Her? 'Tis unimaginable to think of the glorious Empress as evil. And the Chosen Six, you say? They wield the elements of Harmony, of course."

The Captain halted, looking around as well. "I came here to save these ponies from impending doom. But you have opened mine eyes, Priest. This be naught but a den of sin, and all of them must be put to the sword, so that none may live to spread their filth and lies of my beloved Empress."

The stallion stopped walking before he looked seriously at the mare before reminding her pointedly, "Your are mistaken, not one word of what I have said has been towards Her Majesty. I have not spoken negetively of our Empress at all, nor would I. The words I have spoken are the truth, and I ask a servent of her Radiance such as yourself to protect those here. They need you, as those here are not the sinners but the victems."
The priests eye seem to look into the mares heart, a calm focus clear on his face as he waited for her answer.

"Protect them?" An expression of distaste appeared on the mare's features, breaking the otherwise emotionless visage. "I tried. I told them to flee, but now there is the band of fools trying to get them to make a stand. Against the Royal Guard? Surely that is madness. Yet I cannot break an order. My duty is to serve my Empress, and her word is law. She is my Sun."

"However it shall turn out, I am bound by oath and know where I stand."

Necrose looked up at the pony who approached the table. "I agree with half of your suggestion," he said, "We should lead them somewhere advantageous for us, but I would rather not spill any blood unless forced to. Sadly, it may come to that, so if we are outnumbered by a great deal and we are forced to fight, I would rather whatever trap we set be one that gives us an even greater edge. At the very least, we must keep civilian casualties as close to zero as we possibly can. But before we can even plan anything, we need to know of such a place where we could use the terrain to our advantage, whoever you are." He emphasized his last words to imply that he was asking the pony his name without actually asking that question.

"IF it goes to fighting, could you make sure they stand in one place or at least somewhat close to each other?" Spell asked, going through her saddlebags for things she could need. which later Daawn who was out of her mane was placing on a table.

((Knowledge Geography to find a nearby natural location which has advantageous terrain, perhaps to easily set a trap in. Maybe a thick forest or steep cliff? Total = 30))

Goldenwings becomes quiet for a moment before saying, "Well I will be returning, perhaps the the Wise One's light can shine on those in danger. You go do what you feel is right my daughter, I just hope yo do not learn the pain of shedding innocent blood."
--------
Yo know that there is wall that could be used on the east side of the city, as well as a hill at the south and lastly the Everfree Forest, arguablly the best place to make a trap but understandably with it's own dangers