MLPFEMTORPG -- Never 1get

File: 1497117215496.jpg (469KB, 1920x1329px) Image search: [Google]

469KB, 1920x1329px

>>30929280
Post sheets

File: Stephen Bird.png (7KB, 325x386px) Image search: [Google]

7KB, 325x386px

>>30929289
https://pastebin.com/HZDtCp5g

>>30929299

File: There Are No Words.jpg (67KB, 550x547px) Image search: [Google]

67KB, 550x547px

>>30929289
https://pastebin.com/haMVj8ts

>>30929280
https://pastebin.com/68nd0GB3

>>30929289
https://pastebin.com/w7vFkeLu

>>30929289
https://pastebin.com/7FyBUa0q

>>30929299
>>30929314
>>30929316
>>30929327
>>30929328
>All at full H/W

Last time on Pirates...

The party convinced the dragon Mori to swoop down and bring them to his lair through their fight with the clouds. At the top of the lair would be Master Cangrejo, the teacher of Aura they wanted to meet. From the giant basket that made for their cage, the party was able to get a good view of all the islands below them, giant turtles swimming in alternating circles through the waters. This still left the question of how the Ribcage drifted through the oceans the way it did, but those were questions for later.

But, the dragon was attacked, and the basket nearly burned, by a minotaur in shining armor, slinging fireballs at the party from above. He had it in his mind that they had been captured and would soon suffer a horrible fate, by Mori's hands. The dragon flew away before the knight could do any serious damage, but it was likely they would see him again.

>>30929316
You fail to loosen the dragon's grasp. Given how extremely high in the sky you are, this strikes you as an incredibly suicidal idea.

>>30929304
>>30929327
>>30929328
"Here, let's get back to my cave first," the dragon says. "I'm Mori by the way, thanks for asking."

Nobody asked.

The dragon brings you near the peak of the mountain, but instead of thinning, the peak is wider than the mountain beneath it, and a swanky nest of ice is resting at the top, kept up by an intense network of ice support beams.

>>30929304
"Not these ones in particular, but people like them come by every now and again, thinking they'll be cool hero guys if they can kill a dragon. Nobody ever does, but a few have stolen some things from my collection."

>>30929422

https://pastebin.com/58dJiZTV

>>30929422
Cloud looks at the widening ice nest as they fly up to it.
"Ritzy place, make it yourself?"

>>30929422
"Woah! This reminds me of the time I got lost swimming, so I just swam north thinking I'd eventually get home."
She laughs with a bit of a shiver.
"Very cold there, but met some chill as heck sharkponies."

>>30929433
Cutlass set out from the prison island maintained by the Gates of Justice, on her mission to enter the Ribcage and spread the assassins of the Gates of Justice throughout the lands within.

"Then the rest of you better follow your Captain's example," Godot says ominously. "The use of this power demands that level of single-minded dedication. No matter what your goal is, with Aura, you'll reach it as long as you're willing to put in the effort. The problem is that you cannot simply stop there. In exchange for pushing you to your goal, and beyond it, this power will refine and improve you, until the old you has died and slipped away beyond anyone's memory. In at least one sense, your old self will die to your ambition. The question then, is if there's anything new that can be born in you after that! If you aren't certain that something can, this WILL kill you."

Much of the crew look down, or at the water, gravely considering Godot's words.

>>30929422
"It is a pleasure to meet you then, Mister Mori. I am Alder, of Tribe Frostclaw!" he chirps, before humming a little "Well... on the positive, at least they have never suceeded, I suppose! What kinds of things do they steal?"

>>30929481

"Then I have nothing to fear," Cutlass says with an excited grin. "I have little to live for, and the only thing I want is more power."

>>30929422
"Well heck, where're y'all from then Mori the dragon? And why'd you decide to stay in this horrible place from which no ship has ever come outta?"

Steve hangs out of the window examining the big dragon's wings.

"And do ya think you'd be interested in hearin' the good word of Sugar Hoof?!"

File: morty.gif (276KB, 795x837px) Image search: [Google]

276KB, 795x837px

>>30929422
Rin looks out to the mountain, taking a moment to look over the strange ice structures set up to support the peak. "I'm going to take a wild guess and assume this is your place... uhh... Morty you said?" Rin says, not paying much attention to whether she was right or wrong.

>>30929502
"Oh god, are you seriously one of those guys who come by my door with the little pamphlets every Saturday!? Mori shouts back. "I have no idea how you guys keep getting up here! I don't want any of your literature, thank you very much!"

>>30929509
"Mori! How did you even get the 't' sound in there?" the dragon demands, exasperated.

>>30929434
>>30929456
>>30929488
>>30929509
>>30929502
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xdJ7YjN7g0

Mori enters the palace through a cavernous window. The palace is but a single room, messy and full of books, treasure, weapons, and trinkets galore. Many shelves of ice line the wall, and on them rest a grotesque and eclectic display of trophies. There are many mansions and ships, propped up as if they were toys. Around them, there are dozens or hundreds of people-- frozen solid. Many are warriors, others are mages, or thieves. But each is preserved in ice, many in contorting poses suggesting the agony in which they were captured. On the other side is a large crafter's desk, with many tools, papers and oddities on it.

All in all, the dragon's room is quite messy. Tapestries and colossal sea monster skulls litter the floor, with no place to go in the dragon's collection, strewn about haphazardly.

>>30929500
Godot grimaces. "You're piling up my regrets very quickly, Captain. I suggest you change your attitude, otherwise your manifestations of power are going to be your undoing."

"Captain!" a mook shouts from the helm. "What direction are we headed!"

>>30929559
Cloud gulps at seeing the frozen ponies, filling with dread.
"Hey, so uh, we heard there's a skeleton from the island over her that your buddies with. He happen to be around here?"

>>30929559
Rin doesn't seem to pay attention to Mori's correction, instead more focused on the palace's treasure and trinkets. Upon noticing the frozen people, Rin looks to Mori with confusion. "Wait ye freeze your trespassers? Why don't ye just eat them"

>>30929559
Murmuring to the crew, "Get on yer ready fellers, ah think we'll hafta put up a fight to get ta dat teacher guy."

Steve readies his shield and tenses up in preparation.

>>30929559
Cerulean goes up to the sea monster skulls, those having her curiosity piqued more than the frozen ponies around her.
"Woah, did you fight these things yourself? They're actually pretty nice."
She then has a look of realization.
"Oh! That's right! A nice skeleton that runs a potion place said you had a friend who could teach us these cool 'aura' things. Is that true? Cause I would so love to get a skull collection like this one going back in my grotto."

>>30929559

"I will take your advice to heart," Cutlass responds to Godot. "The one thing I have left to live for is my f-" she stammers. "Crew. Or... at least... the idea of actually having one. I hope you all can be that crew."

She starts to blush. "I mean, not like I care if you leave or anything!" she says loudly in objection to nothing.

"To the ribcage!" Cutlass says dramatically. "Sooooo..." she trails off as she realizes she has no idea where she is.

She looks over to the assassins and blushes. "I don't know where we are..."

>>30929559
Alder's mood falters a little bit at the sight of the many, many people frozen solid... he's much less excited about coming here now. "I-I suppose this is your collection, then? This is... quite bizarre." he chirps out, sticking as close to Cerulean's side as he can manage

>>30929604
>>30929568
Mori sets down the basket and opens it, then lets the lot of you out onto the chilly floor.

"I don't have any skeletons, and I don't have any friends," Mori says without any self-consciousness. "Who are you talking about? I can check my list."

>>30929594
>>30929626
"I'm a collector of rare goods," Mori says, scoffing as if it should be obvious. "I've got complete hero series going back all the way since the time of Clover the Clever. I've also got a bunch from non-Equestrian history, stuff that would go for MILLIONS on the interdimensional black market. In fact, I've got over a hundred one-of-a-kind gimmick heroes, mint condition, frozen at the climax of their quests! Hundreds of years of hard work! Why would I waste all of it by eating them?"

>>30929568
>>30929601
"Oh, wait a second... you're talking about THAT guy. The demon. Yeah, he's a jerk," Mori says. "Comes up here uninvited every time his wife yells at him for not putting the dishes away, and drinks all of my beer! He's pouting up on--"
"RUUUUUUN!" a voice shouts from one of the shelves. A thuggish-looking diamond dog in a gi, his face half-unfrozen, is shouting down at you. "Just run, it's not worth it! We all came up here and--"
With a puff of breath, Mori freezes the dog again. "Whoops! Guess that one didn't set properly."

He bends down and rubs his hands eagerly. "Okay, you guys set your signature poses. You'll be in these for a long time, so make sure you're comfortable."

>>30929620
Godot looks on, apparently unsure of how to respond to your blush. "Uh, right."

"Whaaaaaaat!?" Sparkler demands. "Don't you have that magic map or something? The entire reason we agreed to come with you?"
"Here, Captain," Droplet says, handing you a compass and a few other navigation tools. "Is good compass. Will lead you right where you want you."

>>30929657

"Well, sure," Cutlass says, taking the map out of her hat. "But, what good is a map if you don't know where you are in comparison to it? Or, without knowing which direction is which?"

Cutlass looks at the compass. "That's... Do you mean that literally?" she asks Droplet. "If you do, I'd like to know where you found it."

She looks at the map and the compass to find the right direction.

>>30929657
"Y-You just... freeze them and keep them here? Forever?" he asks, a nervous look on his face "I-I do not think I like the sound of that." he chirps, before looking towards the others, and then the now re-frozen Diamond Dog

>>30929657
"But I don't have a long time. I gotta save the Misties and Gusties from the Crimson King's curse. And I can't take several bites out of him if I'm stuck here posing for you."
She hums in thought.
"Maybe we can come to some sort of deal? I mean, I'm just a big shark pony from the ocean. I'm not exactly a famous somepony, so I don't think I'd be a good fit for your collection thingy."

>>30929657
"A drifter, eh?"
Cloud responds to the friend comment.

>>30929657
Cloud glances over at the dog, looking a bit more worried but tries to hide his expression.
"Whoa whoa man, you can't freeze me yet. I'm incomplete, see my back?"
He says, gesturing.
"Running a ask for a genie, wings are on hold. Plus, I'm part of a pair. An unfinished half isn't fitting for this kind of collection, ya know?"
Cloud says, attempting to sell himself short to buy some time on himself.
>Persuasion [1d10]

>>30929657
"You COLLECT them?! What a joke, here I thought you were something important when all you are is just a collector. You're not even a first-rate one, just a second-rate, I don't even see me real captain in any of these blocks o' ice." Rin says, insulting Mori's collection. "If you're thinking of putting me in some ice block too then you'll be wrong if I let a second-rate collector pick me spot! Now wait here." Rin says, attempting to slip away in the shadows and hoping her criticism would make Mori wait.

>Intimidation: Harsh criticism
[1d10+3]
>Stealth
[1d10]

Even though Rin has no plans to be frozen, it doesn't mean she can't at least see if her captain MIGHT have the slightest chance of being here.

>>30929657
"Well, y'all ain't happen to have any hoof heroes here do ya? That'd be pretty cool tah fre- ah mean meet one of 'em."

>>30929693
"Ah, no. Is ordinary compass. But very good one. Steady, precise. You not drop, or very bad luck. And I will be very sad."

"Well, let's go get the charts and other stuff. It's in the captain's quarters," Sparkler says. She leads you to the captain's quarters, a large room with reinforced windows. It's spartan and bare for the most part, but very keenly organized and well-stocked with books of maps. Consulting the maps and your magical map, you find that, if you travel to the northwest for about a day and a half, you will come into the Ribcage's projected trajectory. But, you will have to find an entrance on your own, as the magic map doesn't mark them.

>>30929725
"More like a shut-in."

He inspects you over. "Man, damaged goods. Hmm... what's the other half? Is that one complete at least?"

>>30929767
"Well, if you have the money, I'll let you buy one off me. But, if not, you're going on the bottom shelf with all the knights I got."

>>30929738
"Jeez, I'm still building it, you can't criticize me when I still have a bunch of orders on the net I'm waiting for!" Mori shouts back, clearly offended. He turns away in a big huff.

>DC for stealth reduced by 2 next turn

>>30929710
>>30929712
Mori looks over the both of you. "Well, I don't have too many griffons, but you're none too remarkable. Pretty weak aura. The shark on the other hand, I still want you. Yeah, there might be a lotta sharkponies around here, but there's some kind of strange power I can see floating around you that I haven't seen before! I absolutely gotta have you front and center! Then that'd show up your friend over there," he says with a glare at Rin.

>>30929788
Alder flushes a little and stamps one of his forelegs, somewhat insulted despite the situation "Unremarkable? And my aura is weak? How can you even tell?"

>>30929788
Rin groans, hearing the word net again from him as if he has one lying around. "I think ye don't know what the word net means do ye, Morty?!" She says before she attempts to slip away from the scene to investigate the ice blocks more.

>Stealth
[1d10]
>Perception: Investigate ice block for possible familiar faces, like her old and true captain.
[1d10]

>>30929788
"By choice, or forced cause of those minotaurs and others outside?"

"A unicorn back on the other island, has shadow magic. And totally, well, not right now. Neither of us can be complete without the other, hence why we're a pair."
Cloud says, sitting down.
"Can't pose without her, so I'll be fine waiting around until she gets here. Not like I can go anywhere without my wings."

>>30929788

"Now THIS is my kind of pirate ship!" Cutlass says with a delighted smile like a child coming downstairs on Christmas day. "It could use some decorating, but I'm sure I'll be able to spruce it up in no time."

She immediately starts working on determining which direction to go. "Tell the helmsman to set course due northwest. We'll should be there by the day after tomorrow," she says distractedly as she looks for a good way into the ribcage.

Though, it doesn't mark entrances specifically, it must indicate what is currently open and accessible. Furthermore, she uses the other charts and writings available to her to find something safe.

[1d10] to find a good opening (Master Thief if applicable)

>>30929788
"My ship has a great deal of coinage available tew et I know, name your piece and price handsome feller!"

>>30929788
"Well," Cerulean says, giving a sharky grin to Mori, "if I interest you THAT much, then how about this?"

"That demon you don't like? Well, we were told he could help train in aura stuff. And if you think this 'strange power' I have is so good now, then think about AFTER I've had time to use and practice with it."
She goes up to Mori, holding out a hoof in a 'think of it now' kind of way.
"Think of it now: that nice center piece you want so much, but in even better condition or whatever! In such a shape, there'd be no other dragon or kraken or anything that could top it! And its owned by you!"
She looks at Mori.
"So whaddya say? Wanna be the patient lionfish and wait for that bigger, tastier fish to swim by?"

>>30929821
>>30929876
"Yeah, what she said! If you wait some time, you might end up with better catches."

>>30929821
"It's very bland. Very small. Inoffensive. Milquetoast. I'm looking for guys who are gonna really rip things up, but you look like you'd make friends with me instead."

>>30929838
"I dunno. But, there's nothing good out there I can't experience in here, with my own beer and my own air conditioning."

>>30929845
"500,000 pom is the minimum. It's all uphill from there. Like I said, my collection's worth millions."

Even with the conversion rate on pom, you're pretty sure you don't have nearly enough money for that.

>>30929829
You slip away, unnoticed. Glancing over the blocks of ice, you don't see any familiar faces among them.

>>30929838
"Shadow magic? Hmm... that is pretty rare. Tell you what, why don't I just freeze you, grab her, freeze her and then put you together? Yeah, that's pretty good. I'm a good planner," Mori says, snapping his fingers as if he's figured out the whole world.

>>30929838
>>30929876
But, just as he starts inhaling to freeze Cloud, Cerulean speaks up, and the ice breath gets caught in his throat.

"Well... it's just a preliminary appraisal I had. I'd need to see some evidence of your power to really determine whether I want you to be THAT high up in my collection. But, I guess I'm not opposed to the idea.

From outside, you start to hear the distant sound of marching-- many, many sets of metal-bound hooves are marching up the mountain.

>>30929842
The magic map is somewhat of a mystery, and seems almost by design to be obscure and hard to read by all but the cleverest and most ambitious of pirates. But, you tease out its secrets and use the animations of water around it to determine where entrances would most likely be. You boil it down to two good spots. One, a bit higher up on the right side, appears more dangerous and fraught with coral obstacles, but the other appears longer, albeit safer.

>timeskip to morning available

>>30929932
Rin starts to look around just a bit more, mumbling to herself as she walks through the rows of hundreds of frozen adventurers. "He's a collector, ye have to be here... I refuse to believe ye to be dead..."

>Perception: Search for Captain Crimson a bit more out of desperation
[1d10]

>>30929932

The main goal here is to find a SAFE way in anyway. The choice seems obvious to Cutlass. They would sale for the longer path.

Cutlass folds the map back up and puts it into her hat. Then, she heads back onto the deck.

"Now, Godot, Miss Sunshine," she says loudly, calling them both to her side. "I'd like to learn the basics of Aura and how to use it. We can teach the others later if they find that they are not mentally prepared."

>>30929932
"Evidence? Well, I'm good at breaking things, but you really care for all your stuff...hmm...," as she thinks of a way to show her power, she hears the marching noises.
"What about whatever is marching up the mountain? Do you care if I use whatever that is to show whatever it is you're seeing?"
On that note, she goes to see if she even can see what is marching up.

>>30929932
"W-Well, it is not like we have had time to define it! M-Maybe it will turn out to be something worthwhile!" he warks, growing increasingly wound-up by the rather passive, demoralizing talk

>>30929964
Alder is tugged back to his senses somewhat by the sound of marching, and twists his head around to take a look outside "I thought it was too difficult to make the trip up by foot?"

>>30929932
Decieve: [1d10]

"I'm shore weev easily gathered that much in our travels, come on down to our ship with the merchAndise and we'll talk it out some how 'bout? After we figger this whole aura thing out though of course."

>>30929932
"Whatever floats your boat then."

>>30929932
"Whoa hold on!" Cloud exclaims, waving his hooves defensively, "You can't just put two pieces together! You gotta pose them as one. Otherwise its not a set, its jsut some, cobbled together mess!"

>>30929932
Cloud breathes a sigh of relief as Cerulean buys them time after his smooth talking went wrong.
"Yea, what she said. We can be a whole lot better."

>>30929958
"I probably know little more than what you might," Godot says, sitting back down by the rail. "I have only made simple abilities based on what was most convenient at the time."
"Well, I'm no Master either," Sunshine says. "I know almost none of the theory behind it, and have been playing by ear. But, it seems to me like it's a matter of... how do I put this? Broadening one's self. Broadening one's reach, one's vision. Kind of getting a new way of looking at the world in the same way that a newborn does: Something strange and wonderful, with no limits or predictions on what might happen, until you act upon it. At least, that's how I came to know my power."

>>30929983
"Ah, fine then. Go ahead and pick out the one you want from the bottom three rows. Anything above that, I'm not willing to sell."

>>30929955
You eventually find Capt. Crimson's coat-- or at least, the sleeve, spiky and black-- in a pile of clothing, stored in a nearby box. But, it's not frozen at all. It appears like it was lost in a struggle. Again, you don't see the Captain on any layer of the shelf.

>>30930003
"I've been in this business a long time. Trust me, I can figure out a better pose that'll make you look like a couple of heroes! It'll be fun!"

>>30929964
>>30929978
>>30930003
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS8A1Gbq2CQ

You head toward the window, climbing up on a set of giant steps to reach its ledge. Peering down the side of the mountain, you see winding trails, with many branches leading in dead ends, or blocked off by vicious traps. But, blazing through all of it is a snaking trail of silver and cloth. A legion of soldiers are making their way up the mountainside, while the one in front blasts the ice away with powerful surges of fire that come from his hands without an apparent source. You recognize the one in front as the minotaur "hero" that tried to save you earlier. The forces behind you are comprised of man-sized imps with mottled skin, bark-skinned goblins and ogres.

>>30930037
While Rin's heart fills with hope, she feels it anchor back down when it turns out only to be the sleeve. She sighs but still looks at it with determined eyes. "Ye at least escaped..." She mumbles, pocketing the sleeve and returning to the group.

>>30930037
"Oh, goodness. They certainly seem to be coming ready for a... rumble, I believe the phrase is?" he says, a little unsure if he used the correct words "I believe he was coming in order to fight the dragon, yes? At least, he seemed to say as much earlier." the griffon remarks "It seems like the minotaur might either be magic, or have some sort of... fire aura?"

>>30930037

"We're searching for a master anyway. I just need to know how to do it on a simple level. And, you said you could teach me that, Miss Sunshine."

"If it's really so simple..." she says as she makes her hoof glow. "If I'm only limited by my imagination..." she says as she stops making her hoof glow. Another thought comes to her.

What if she put it in her eyes? What if she put it in her mind? What if she put it in her words?

The last one in particular fascinated her. And, it's as Sunshine said: no predictions. Like a newborn, one must test everything.

Cutlass concentrates on the idea of putting her aura not just in her mouth or on her tongue, but on the actual air being projected from it. She speaks to Sunshine. "Tell me, Miss Sunshine. How do you feel about your brother?"

[1d10] mostly for the lols

>>30930037
"Surely you can see a pose would look more natural, which means it'll be better, if we did it ourselves."
Cloud counters.

>>30930037
Cloud looks out at the oncoming legion of knights and soldiers.
"You mind if we chat with that demon while you deal with those guys? Might be able to get him out of that pouty mood and out of your hair for a bit."

>>30930037
"Oh, its those guppies again," Cerulean says, walking around a bit and seemingly eyeing something.
"Hmm...seeing as how they can't swim away, maybe this could work?"

She heads to a part of the mountain and tries to slam her tail as hard as she can into the mountainside, trying to tap into her latent power, and cause rocks to fall onto the forces.

>Rocks fall, party dies? (Slam)
[1d10+1]

>>30930037
"Alright, I'm thinkin we could do well with one uv em guys that work with hammers n' metal n whatnot y'know?"

Turning away from the shelf to the mirror,
"It sounds like we have some parteh crashers here to hoof up our dealings. Whaddya say to freein' em now to help in our lil die-lemma? If not ah think we could stand to leave ye behind in favor uv sum aura traynin'."

>>30930145
not mirror, window

>>30930087
"What about him specifically? The guy works himself half to the bone, but even then, it's hardly enough for his superiors. Largely because he can't bring himself to be very harsh on any of the inmates. Even the ones who've committed some horrible crimes. I can't understand why he insists so much on his approach."

>>30930145
>>30930097
The dragon folds his arms. "Well, you guys still don't know where Master Cangrejo is, nor could you probably approach him in his current state of poutiness. When he gets pissed, he goes into a whole nother world in his head. He may be a jerk, but he's my jerk, and I know how to get him to chill out. So, cut you a deal: You wipe out these dickheads who are coming up my mountain, and I'll let you have the smith, and even let you talk to the Master. How's it sound?"

>>30930067
>>30930071
>>30930133
Cerulean slams a particularly loose set of icy rocks, causing them to tumble downward, kicking up snow and ice on the way down. Too late, the soldiers see the incoming projectiles, and run forward for their lives. Most make it out, but many in the back rows get buried under the rocks and knocked off the side of the mountain. Their leader, the minotaur, looks up. "Hey! Ahh, good effort! But, try hitting the dragon next time! Or, just sit right there and be still. These guys aren't the cheapest entourage, you know!"

Seemingly unfazed, he charges forward, and the remaining members of his forces follow, unaffected by the deaths of the others.

>>30930201
Rin takes a seat on a nearby frozen adventurer who looked up in horror to his demise. "I don't see any reason to help, he be defendin' this place all by himself long ago then he should prove to us that he still can! Besides, we're here someone else right?" Rin says to the rest of her group, deciding to aid neither party in the assault on the palace.

>>30930201
"Sorry!" She yells back to the minotaur. "I think it might just be this piece of treasure I found! Its making me do his bidding!"
She gives a wink at Mori, of course joking, but hoping the idea of a damsel in distress would make the minotaur less wary to the next trick...this one manually rolling a large rock right off the side and causing another rock slide.

[1d10]

>>30930201
"Alright you got a deal. Let's get these guys dealt with."

Cloud pokes his head back out the window again, checking the remaining soldiers. Focusing on the minotaur leader, Cloud's eyes glow orange as he tries to shrink the charging bull.
>Wax/Wane [Shrink Minotaur] [1d10]

>>30930201
"You got a deal Mori!"

Steve grabs hold of one of the dragon's scales and gives it a vigorous handshake.

"Lets tayk care of these boys and get ourselves a metalboy and some majick powers!"

Steve runs out and slides down the cliffside the rocks fell off of, using his shield as a sled, right onto the minotaur party.

>Slam, Crit 8+ [1d10+1]

>>30930133
"Excellent work, Miss Cerulean!" the griffon chirps, before looking back towards Mori with a curious look
>>30930201
"Defeat the minotaurs? Alright, I suppose. I will do what I can!" the griffon chirps, before taking to the air, and trying to shoot an arrow at one of his legs! Maybe he can trip the minotaur up!
>Flight [Automatic]
>Shortbow: [1d10+1]

>>30930201

"Hmmm." Cutlass ponders out loud. "Is that something you'd usually share? I'm not sure if what I just did worked."

>>30930223
"Yes, but why do it myself when I can force you losers to do it for me?"

>>30930225
>>30930250
>>30930229
>>30930264
Cerulean's next rock is too slow, and the minotaur's crew avoid it. But, their run is slowed when Cloud shrinks the leader to about 3/4 his size, slowing him down proportionately. This gives HHS the time he needs to sled down the side of the cliff to his level, and knock off three of the goblins trailing behind the minotaur.

"Ahh, one of the prisoners!" the minotaur greets. "Do watch out there, lad, these are your rescuers!"

But, when Alder shoots at the minotaur, the knight reacts swiftly, pulling one of the goblins in front of him to serve as a shield. What was going to be a minor injury for the minotaur turns into a deadly one for the goblin as it sails through his head, and the minotaur tosses the corpse aside.

"Alright now, just a minute, all of you! I'm starting to think you've a bad case of empathizing with your captor! I'm here to rescue you, behead him and offer his head to the Crimson King! I'm the hero in this situation, you silly folks!"

>>30930297
"I..." Sunshine seems surprised. "No, no, I'm really not supposed to share secrets about procedure. I guess it's alright because he trusts you already, but don't tell anyone that I--"
"Were you using aura just now?" Godot asks. "That's strange. So, yours is the type that works subtly, invisible even when active. That's a dangerous kind."
"Hey, don't use aura on me when you're just a beginner!" Sunshine says. "What if I say something embarrassing?"

>>30930317
Rin glares at the dragon, deciding to ready her hidden skill to make things worse for the dragon. "What did ye say?" Rin growls.

>Wenches & Mead: Steal Ice resistance/immunity so he can be harmed by it.
[1d10+2]

>>30930317

Cutlass giggles with delight, clapping her hooves. "What's sort of things would embarrass you?" she asks, again using aura.

[1d10]

>>30930317
Cerulean picks up on something the minotaur said, quickly running down the trail at a fast rate...like, a VERY fast rate. So fast she skids to a halt as she swings her tail forcefully at the minotaur 'hero.'
"Tell the Crimson King he's my next meal!!"

>Slam, crits 8+, DC -2 (Simple tag+Sprinter)
[1d10+1]

>>30930317
"That sounds more like you're in this for your own glory, especially using another soldier as a shield!"
Cloud taunts from the safety of the ice cave.
"Besides, we got our own goals for being up here, so we're all good!"

Clod's eyes glow orange again as he attempts to stir up the winds to blow the army off the mountain, or weaken their footing.
>Climate Control [Stormy Winds [1d10]

>>30930317
Alder winces a little bit- that certainly must have been an unlucky spot to stand in. Oh well, he probably knewwhat he was getting into. He goes for another shot at the now shrimpy-looking Minotaur. Maybe he could knock him off balance a little, if it could help Cerulean out a little!
>Shortbow: [1d10+1]

>>30930351
Sunshine purses her lips tightly with a suspicious glare.
"Hmm... you've lost it," Godot says. "You seem gifted in the ways of the mind and speech, but obviously, once someone knows you can pry into their mind, they'll close themselves off. An ability like that will earn a lot of enemies, or subordinates."

>>30930350
"I said you're a..." the dragon cocks his head. "An... incredible specimen. What'd you just do? Ah, I don't think I have a dragon with an ability like that. That's a rare bit of magic right there."

>>30930424
>>30930359
>>30930387
The minotaur hero catches Cerulean by the head and digs his hooves into the ground, even as she pushes him into the crowd of mooks and Alder plinks arrows off his armor. Icy winds kick up around the mountaintop, but the horde of monsters are mostly able to hold their own by hunkering down into the ground.

Slowly, the minotaur comes to a halt. "Are you done?" the minotaur asks. A light shimmering emerges around him. Suddenly, it sparks into fire, setting Cerulean directly ablaze just from him touching her.

>Cerulean 4/6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvRzjU_xiv8

"Because I am done with your antics! Hektus the Conquistador does not yield to evil or betrayals! I stand to be a hero!"

Hektus squeezes Cerulean and starts charging back up the hill, all while the fire continues to burn her.

[1d10+2]

The goblins start throwing crude javelins and slinging stones at Cloud and Alder.
[1d10+1]
[1d10+1]

>>30930504
"Anyone working with that Crimson King jerkface is no hero!," she yells at Hektus, trying to bite down on him and some goblins around him amidst the flames to commence some ripping and tearing.

>Cleave, Hektus and two goblins since I'm seeing two rolls made
[1d10+1]

>>30930504
"Nothing ye need to know about." Rin growls back at him, attempting to leap behind the ice block and slip away stealthily to gain an advantage.

>Stealth
[1d10]

>>30930504
"A conquistador doesn't sound like all that heroic of a profession! Maybe you should try helping, like for a start help us by leaving us alone!"
Cloud shouts down again, eyes glowing as he tries to root the minotaur down by calling up tree roots to spring forth and bind him.
>Earthen Grasp [1d10]

>>30930504

"Hmm..." Cutlass contemplates Godot's words. "True. It's definitely something I shouldn't made known. I don't think it's totally undetectable either. I believe what I did was put my aura in the moving air of my voice. In other words, the sound. It's thinner, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone more powerful could still see it."

"And don't worry," Cutlass adds with a friendly smile. "I don't intend to use it as some party trick. Messing with someone's mind is certainly too... distasteful for that. Sorry for messing with you, Miss Sunshine."

"Still, the fact that aura can affect the mind is certainly interesting. I still have another idea. One that's perhaps even more... chilling."

Cutlass focuses her Aura into her eyes. However, what she aims to see is not anything physical. She attempts to focus the aura beyond that. She looks to Sunshine. Or perhaps, beyond her. Into her. She tries to see what Sunshine desires most. Not at this moment, but the desire that drives her every action. That deep-seeded essence of her being.

[1d10] for soulseeing

>>30930504
Alder warks a little bit, and tries to swoop out of the way of the javelins!
>Dodge! [1d10]

>>30930608
>>30930573
You dodge the oncoming barrage, while Cloud stops Hektus' charge by tying up his legs with vines. However, Hektus waves his arm forward, and the mook army starts charging up the path, and climbing up the ice wall, to the window.

The goblins and ogres continue pelting you with javelins and rocks as they approach, kamikaze style.
[1d10+1]
[1d10+1]

"Oh yeah," Mori says lazily. "If any of them get inside my room, the deal's off, and I'll freeze all of you. Better hop to it."

>>30930559
You knock two of the goblins off the cliffside, but Hektus remains standing even as you bash him. His aura turns into fire as your body contacts him, burning you severely in return.
>Cerulean 1/6

"I would hardly call it working for him! It's his daughter I'm really after! Many suitors from across the turtles are putting together bouquets for her lovely hand in marriage!"

Hektus ducks and weaves, then tries to sock you on the nose. [1d10+2]

>>30930572
"Whatever," Mori says dismissively. He leans back as you vanish, settling into a comfy chair.

>>30930577
You can't tell exactly what lies underneath Miss Sunshine, serving as her driving force. But, there's a lightness, and yet a great weight to it. It's bouncy, and yet primal, like a wild animal creeping around unwary prey.

"Cuuuutlaaaaaaass?" Miss Sunshine asks suspiciously, eyebrows turning into peaks. "What are you staring at me like that for?"

>>30930669
"You sound like you're worried."
Cloud scoffs at Mori's comment.
"And you can' change a deal after it's made, trust me. Never works out well."

As the goblins and ogres charge up, Cloud's eyes glow as he looks up to the sky. If they're trying to climb ice, then melting it slightly with some sun should slip them all right off.
>Climate Control [Extreme Sun] [1d10]

>>30930669

"I'm sorry, hold on..." Cutlass responds absent-mindedly. "I'm... practicing something..."

[1d10] to try one more time

>>30930669
"And knock it off with that fire junk! It's making things feel more like a fish fry than a mountain top!"
She attempts to use her tail to cause another landslide.

>Slam (Crits 8+)
[1d10+1]

>>30930669
Rin then attempts to fly up towards Mori's throat, trying to keep in his blind spot.

>Fly
[1d10]
>Stealth roll again if needed
[1d10]

>>30930669
Alder chirps in surprise, and pulls out a vial of liquid! He flies down towards the sharkpony, and passes her the vial to drink "Here! Take this, please!"
>Natural Remedy: [1d10]

>>30930695
>>30930725
"I'm a dragon. You're a tiny batpony. You don't even have wings, so that means you're like, half a batpony! So, I'll do whatever I want."
The onslaught of projectiles seriously wounds the both of you, but the soldiers' advance is slowed by the melting of the outside.
Cloud 3/5
Alder 0/4

>>30930715
Mori scratches at his neck absentmindedly.

>>30930725
>>30930708
"I'd really love to, but all this violence is requiring me to respond in kind!"
Hektus' fire punches temporarily knock Cerulean to the ground, dazed and burnt. But, Alder's healing potion rapidly rejuvenates her, and gives her the strength to knock down another set of rocks and ice. This time, it sets off a chain of precariously-stacked stones, creating a bigger landslide than before.
Hektus points both of his fists upward, trying to blast the landslide away with a pillar of flame. [1d10+2]

>>30930701
"I don't wanna practice with you if you're just gonna creep me out like that!" Miss Sunshine says, getting up all in a huff, heading belowdeck.
"Ooh, is it my turn?" Colobok asks, approaching with his guitar.

>>30930777
"Exactly, you're a dragon. So you should just be done with these guys in a second instead of flapping your mouth."

As the soldier's continue on, but slowed, Cloud focuses to grow in preparation of fending the soldiers off.
>Wax/Wane [Grow Self] [1d10]

As well as animating one of the frozen trees on the mountain side for some backup.
>Earthen Grasp [Instant] [1d10]

>>30930777
Rin then attempts to slice at a soft spot at his neck, trying to make an opening for her next trick up her sleeve.

>Rupture
[1d10]
>Slice n' Dice
[1d10]

>>30930777
Alder struggles to get back up, wincing in pain as he tries to work out some of the crude spears.
>Recovery: [1d10]

>>30930777
Cerulean shows her teeth as she attempts to stand back up.

[1d10]

>>30930818
Already back up, and seeing Hektus busy with the incoming landslide, she goes low and bites at his ankles to try and throw him off the side...or at least distract him enough to make him lose focus and be hit by the falling rocks and ice.

>>30930777

"I'm sorry!" Cutlass calls out as Sunshine retreats.

"C'mon, Cutlass," she says angrily to herself with a frustrated hoof to the forehead. "Stop running away your frien- AH!" she jumps as Colobok approaches her.

"Y-you didn't hear anything!" she stammers.

"Hmm, a stranger WOULD be good practice..." she says as she tries to see into the depths of his soul.

[1d10] for soulseeing

>>30930798
Your attacks barely graze the surface of Mori's neck. You know that dragons grow more powerful in the presence of their hoard, but this wanes when they are away from it. It's unlikely that he will have any vulnerabilities while in this room.

"Oh hey," he says, picking you off his neck between his forefinger and thumb. He gives you a tight warning squeeze about the ribs and torso. "What's your deal?"
>Rin 1/5

>>30930797
"Hey, I'm not the one with something to gain here. That's you, so you gotta put in the work."

You fail to get any larger, or to summon any plants, likely due to the extreme heat affecting your focus. The soldiers use the opportunity to clamber up, grabbing at you to try to pull you down.
[1d10+1]

>>30930841
The landslide explodes in a shower of rock and ice, pelting you. But, you use the opportunity of distraction to knock Hektus off balance, causing him to tumble and slip off the side of the path, continuing to fall down the precarious cliffside, often falling into the puddles of water left behind on his ascent.

>>30930842
You learn that Colobok is a pony of simple means and ways. He dislikes his assigned tasks of assassination and subterfuge, and instead seeks refuge in the pleasure of his music. He desires to have enough money to live comfortably, and to play his guitar before many audiences, big or small.
"So, when may we have the aura powers?" Colobok asks Godot.
"That's for the captain to decide," Godot says. "Cutlass? What say you?"

>paused

>>30930881
Colobok is a donkey*

>>30930901

>>30929280