private Darkness over Equestria (RP)

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

"Even if we managed to receive passage into the city we'd be under close watch and the second we make a wrong step they will attack us. Now imagine how many bandits would be in a city that size when I can be seen on the horizon." He stated turning to look at Tyra. " We cannot handle this like neanderthals, we have to approach it tactfully otherwise we waste our lives in a failed attempt."

[P-Jay 1,987]

caliber pouted a bit. he doesn't do stealth. that just wasn't what he did. he was the loudmouth egotistic guy who ran in and usually survived.

 

but.

 

he's in a group now. he's gotta accept there are other ways to do stuff.

 

"i could cause a distraction." he said, "it kinda comes naturally. but, if you wanna do it, im cool with that, too."

[HigurSan 195]

@@Reaver,

Ironeye Sungazer

 

"Don't poison the water," she said in agreement with Radiant. "When I said make the hideouts unlivable, I didn't mean straight up making it toxic. If your plans succeed, other ponies will eventually want to move in. They won't be bandits necessarily, just those who want a place to live. Go after the food supplies instead. Even if its poisoned, it'll rot eventually. New food can be brought in. New sources of water can't." She took on a contemplative expression. "Whatever plan we choose, it can't be something that takes a ton of time to set up. The longer we're there, the more likely we are to be discovered. As to a particular poison... I'd choose something slow acting, that they won't instantly notice. By the time it kicks in, they'll all already have it. As for non-lethality... hallucinogens and strong anti-constipation medicines. Mixed together, it'll make them absolutely miserable and unable to trust each other."

[Unicorncob 5,679]

"I am no Neanderthal, unicorn," Tyra snorted, feeling a little insulted by Radiant's comment, "I am simply trying to provide options for our assault."

 

She didn't understand it; every time she tried to help, it was met with negativity. What was she doing wrong? She knew she didn't know a thing about complicated strategies, and she was fine with that, but she was simply trying to help.

 

Were they already growing tired of her presence? Were they going to up and leave her in the night, or worse?

 

She shook her head. No, no. She couldn't think like that. She was among friends, she had to be.

But, Alex didn't trust her, Red seemed reluctant to be near her, and Radiant was shooting down every suggestion she provided.

 

But, they had not said they wanted her to leave, like the others had. Nor had they left her while she was asleep.

 

She dragged a hoof along the dirt again, this time much slower and gentler, while her mind raced with uncertainty.

[P-Jay 1,987]

caliber caught tyra's eye, and frowned. 

 

he knew that look all too well.

 

uncertainty. he used to look in the mirror every day to see that look.

 

moving beside her, he grinned. "dont worry about it." he said in a low voice. "some ponies are better at other things then others. and that includes planning attacks."

 

he grinned a little wider. "while others, like ourselves, are better then them in our own respectful fields. like fighting. dont take it personally, tyra. nopony is great at everything." 

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Tyra glanced up and saw Caliber approaching her. Part of her hoped it wouldn't be another reprimanding.

 

Her prayer was answered; the unicorn provided words of encouragement, saying that some ponies were good at some things, such as the two of them were good at fighting.

 

She nodded, and grinned up at the stallion.

"Aye, you are correct," She agreed, her grin returning to its wide goofy self again, "My thanks, friend. My mind was wandering elsewhere."

 

Despite their disagreements before, she felt like she could truly trust this stallion, and that she could win the trust of the others in time.

 

She turned to look up at Radiant, still unsure of her stance with him. She did wish to be friends, but she felt...intimidated, by his magical abilities.

"I apologise for my outburst," She said solemnly, bowing her head, "I simply wished to help, and I am not the most knowledgeable on such tactics."

Edited June 26, 2015 by Unicorncob

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant glanced back at Tyra who seemed to be a dressing him again. "It's fine, more suggestions the better just such head on tactics are not a wise action when the numbers we're against are somewhat unknown." He said still glancing back at Tyra. "We have to work together and tactfully instead of bringing every bandit in the area to us."

 

Radiant turned his gaze forward to continue scanning the region.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Chip Circuit

[Unicorncob 5,679]

"Aye, you are correct," Tyra admitted with a small nod, "We are a team, so we must act like one. I just wish to be of some assistance too, you understand."

 

She bowed her head to the unicorn. "I do not wish to be a burden on you all, I will try my best to be an affective member of this group."

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant turned his head to look back to Tyra, the faintest grin could be seen to those perceptive enough. "As long as you have such an attitude you will be no burden to this group." He assured her as he turned his head forward once again.

 

"The sun is beginning to set once again, perhaps we should set up camp soon." Radiant suggesTed looking back to Strider to see what he thought.

[Little Red 1,529]

T-t-t-time Skip!

 

They had set up camp. Night had fallen. They hadn't started a fire, for fear of being spotted. They were probably two miles away max from the city, but the place was so flat and the city so tall that they could see it easily from here.

 

They were still discussing plans. Lunar had gone already to do a fly-over.

 

 

Red was getting slightly tired, but still watched the others, listening alertly. She approached Tyra and lay down beside her.

 

"You know, we never got a chance to eat that fish." She said, thoughtfully. "Uh... is raw fish good?"

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Red was getting slightly tired, but still watched the others, listening alertly. She approached Tyra and lay down beside her.

 

"You know, we never got a chance to eat that fish." She said, thoughtfully. "Uh... is raw fish good?"

 

Tyra grinned and offered Red a greeting nod as she laid down beside her.

Her grin only widened as she let out an excited gasp from Red's question. She really was interested!

 

"Oh, it is quite delicious!" She squeaked, tapping her forehooves together, "But it will never come close to when it is smoked, or grilled, or roasted over a spit!"

She went to hop up and gather some firewood, but she remembered that they couldn't light a fire in fear of getting caught.

 

She shrugged and brought out the fish, wrapped in see-through wrapping to keep it fresh.

"I am sure I could prepare it raw," She muttered, unwrapping it and grabbing her axe, "I will just need to gut it..."

[Little Red 1,529]

"Ah..." Red coughed slightly. No, she couldn't  back out now. It would hurt Tyra's feelings... "Alright!" She said, forcing a little cheerfulness in her tone. Well, at least it would be an adventure!

 

She sniffed at the fish. It smelled... an awful lot like... fish. Perhaps she should start eating fish, it might be useful. There were sometimes places to fish when there weren't any other food. Very rarely, but sometimes.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

After their camp was set up Radiant sat on the outside perimeter of their camp. He was placed and faced forward in the direction of the bandit city to keep an eye out for any patrols or stragglers.

 

From where they were they had a decent view of the road as well as the city that was still in the distance. He remained sitting still sweeping his over the area before him. As he sat there he comte plated to himself a few different thoughts.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè had listened to what was going on. She really was starting to feel the effects of her surpressed evolution soon to come about. Because of this she had partly separated herself from the group. She says, more to herself then allowed, "It's almost time. I need to find a secure place before it happens."

[Unicorncob 5,679]

"Ah..." Red coughed slightly. No, she couldn't  back out now. It would hurt Tyra's feelings... "Alright!" She said, forcing a little cheerfulness in her tone. Well, at least it would be an adventure!

 

She sniffed at the fish. It smelled... an awful lot like... fish. Perhaps she should start eating fish, it might be useful. There were sometimes places to fish when there weren't any other food. Very rarely, but sometimes.

 

Tyra grinned widely, not sensing Red's reluctance, and dug a blade of her axe into the fish's belly. With careful precision, she proceeded to spill the pink innards onto the wrapping material.

"Easy..." She muttered, making sure to get the good parts, "I think that is all."

 

She sniffed the remnants of fish guts from her blade, and grinned before returning it to her harness. "Aye, it is still fresh!"

She pointed a hoof to the small pile of pink guts, grinning widely at Red. "Go ahead, try some!"

[Little Red 1,529]

Red stared.

 

She had sworn to herself not to be appalled or disgusted... but CELESTIA, THAT REEKED!

 

She coughed slightly, thinking up a dozen excuses as to why she couldn't eat it. No... no! She was not letting Tyra down again!

 

She lowered her head, looking into Tyra's eager eyes. The things you would do to be nice to some-pony, she sighed to herself. Okay, eat it all. You can't taste. Think about something else.

 

She began eating the fish guts-- oh, oh, that was DISGUSTING!! Was that its kidney?! UGH!

 

She swallowed automatically. She smiled at Tyra, licking the gore off her mouth. "It's better than I thought!" She said, cheerfully.

 

She took another bite, crying inside. Why am I doing this? Ponies shouldn't eat meat! This is wrong! She swallowed.

 

Well, it could have been worse, she reflected, staring at the much diminished pile of gore.

 

"Next time, I would like to try it cooked," she said, at last. Forcing herself, she took another bite.

[Unicorncob 5,679]

"Aye, it is a lot nicer when cooked," Tyra admitted, grinning as she wrapped up the remains of the fish guts, probably much to Red's relief, "But I am so happy you like it! Perhaps soon I may cook it for you!"

 

Her grin turned a little sheepish. "I managed to keep it at just the right temperature, so I am sure you will not get sick! I promise I will have it cooked for you next time!"

 

She felt much more peaceful in mind, knowing Red was so willing to try this new thing just for her! She would definitely pay her back one day.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Unicorncob

[P-Jay 1,987]

caliber noticed red and tyra eating, and he walked over there. he noticed they were eating fish. curious about how it tastes, he sliced a bit of the fish, and ate it.

 

his eyes went wide, and then closed. and he swallowed. he grinned.

 

"cant wait until i can eat it cooked." he said, "this is delicious enough as it is!"

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Tyra blinked as Caliber helped himself to a bit of her fish. She was happy he liked it, but he could have asked first.

 

"You need only ask if you wanted some, friend," she grinned, putting the remainder of the wrapped up fish into her bag, "I plan to cook it soon, when we are able!"

 

Hopefully there would still be enough for everypony...and griffon, and changeling.

[Little Red 1,529]

Red was still having trouble swallowing the last bite she had taken. "I would love that," she rasped to Tyra. She watched aghast as Caliber waltzed over and took a bite of fish. And said he liked it. Completely honestly.

 

That's it, she decided, he's insane. Completely insane. No, no, that wasn't right. Just because he liked fish didn't mean he was insane. It didn't mean Tyra was insane either. She wanted to like fish, after all.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè had been by herself for a while. When no one noticed her distance from the group, she got closer. She sits next to Radiant and asks, "So when our friend returns, It's my turn right?"

 

Amorè knew her shapeshifting and silvertoung will be of help to the group. She will try her best not to use her magic but she might need it to get into the city and slowly find the leaders. "I have one question though. Would I be allowed to use any method I have at my disposal to gain the information we seek? It would be kind of useless for me not to be able to and it will take more time."

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

As Radiant sat there keeping an eye on the roads he heard hoof steps coming up behind him, as he turned he saw Amore right there. She helped herself to a seat next to Radiant.

 

"Your turn?" He questioned raising a brow to her slightly confused until it downed on him what she was speaking of. "Oh, yeah once we have a chance to review any notes of Lunar's to best help you in this endeavor."

 

Radiant looked to Amore as she asked about her magic. "I will let you be the judge on when to use your magic, if you are born with such abilities then it isn't fair to keep them under lock and key. The same goes for unicorns." He said looking forward toward the roads again. "Can you change yourself to look like a bandit but change your appearance slightly or do you have to base your transformation exactly to that of a pony you have seen?"

 

@@Midnight_Aurora

[HigurSan 195]

@@Chip Circuit, @@Little Red, @@Midnight_Aurora,
Ironeye Sungazer

Today... hadn't been the best for her. Well, not hurting all the time was a nice bonus. But the lack of constant pain was nice. It did leave her feeling as if something was missing, but not in a way where she'd want to regain it. Instead, it was like a tumor had been removed from her brain. In a way, that was an entirely accurate description. Suddenly her mind was completely her own, not dampened by the need to compensate for the overwhelming agony. Now thoughts were arcing back and forth across her mind at lightning speed, smacking into each other and making new thoughts on new trajectories. So she was still having a hard time to focus, but it was because of the exact opposite reason than what she had before. Before it had been hard to think. Now it was hard -not- to think.

 

To calm her self down, be began drawing in the dirt with a stick. But what resulted was not at all random chicken scratching, even if she herself didn't entirely know what the drawings represented. She had never had a proper magic education. While she had control, it was only by force of will. In the past, most unicorns had some magical ability. Though many had barely enough power to cast even minor spells, there were routes of education by which even the weakest unicorns could produce fantastic magic. This was the literal school of thought called Wizardry. It relied on sigils, stored magic energy, spell books, and rituals. Speak this set of words with enough stored magic energy nearby, and a reliable effect would be produced. Draw this rune on the ground, it would collect and store ambient background magic which could then by siphoned into spells.

 

Wizardry was, at a word, safe. Any unicorn could do it, if they were taught the right words and symbols. What Ironeye had was something far more dangerous. Every generation, a few individuals were born with an excess of magic. Seemingly be pure accident, these ponies naturally produced vast magic reserves that often rivaled the combined might of several senior Wizards with absolutely zero training. Called Sorcerers, these ponies could harness magic by pure force of will, bending it to their desires with ease. But ponies' minds are fickle, their emotions indecisive. Many Sorcerers perished at an early age, their young bodies unable to handle the flow of magic, or their lack of proper control causing them to cast massive spells which ultimately backfired, often leaving the entire are uninhabitable. Twilight Sparkle had been a Sorcerer, one of the greatest to ever live, right on par with Starswirl the Bearded. But where most perished, she had survived. Her innate talents had been held under control long enough for the Princess to find her, and take her into her care.

 

But now there were no Princesses, no masters of magic who could teacher young ponies to control their minds and magic. The ambient magic of the world, normally drawn into the black hole that was Tyrek, zeroed in to the few individuals of great power left. It hung around them like a dense fog, seeping into bodies like a reverse leech. On her person, Ironeye had dozens of crystals filled to the brim with raw magic. Spells left uncast for centuries crowded into her mind though she had never learned them, seeking release. At her home, she had filled every piece of parchment and open bit of flat surface with vast scrawls of diagrams and incantations, trying to get them out of their head to relieve the pressure. What she was drawing now, thankfully, was at least familiar.

 

It was a ward spell, though the complexities of it she did not entirely understand. She could make out bits about light and darkness, and something about division between the two, but that was it. It reminded her of some of the cloaking spells she had learned, but seemed to differ in that it was used for a -very- specific place and time of day. Further than that, she had no idea.

 

((For my imagining of sorcerers, imagine an extremely high water pressure system (with magic as the water). With few conduits/magic users, the magic will try and get out through the remaining openings, meaning those magic users that are left. For the analogy, there's only a couple of options left to the user. They have to be strong enough to resist the pressure, lest they burst (sometimes literally), or they had to constantly release it in some way. Additionally, if that flow can't be handled, it will likely whip around like a fire hose with no one holding it.))

Edited June 27, 2015 by HigurSan

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè watched Ironeye write and she says the ancient toung to which the spell was. Ironed could hear her speaking the words of the spell she was writing. Amorè looks to Ironeye and asks, "Do you understand what your writing?"

 

Amorè acknowledges Radiant's questions. "Yes i normally need a base but i have learned so many pony forms over the last 200 years I can now create my own forms. Besides I was going to take the form of a special entertainer and perform my way to the leaders. I just need somepony who is good at making a form of request slip used by these bandits. Something of a mare for higher request or something like that."

 

She returns to the mare. "If you'd like I could teach you a few spells I learned from a book one of Twilight's friends gave me. They said it was her spell book. I could also teach an untrained unicorn to focus and use their magic with great effect. Even going so far as to say, I am like the sage passing knowledge from one to the next."

Edited June 28, 2015 by Midnight_Aurora

[Unicorncob 5,679]

@@HigurSan

 

Tyra tilted her head as this mare - Ironeye, she believed she called herself - began drawing a strange picture in the dirt and muttering to herself.

 

She realised that she knew next to nothing about this pony, with her always confiding in Radiant since she'd joined their group.

She grinned; perhaps this was a chance to make a new friend!

 

She sat down next to Ironeye and watched with wide-eyed curiosity as she doodled.

"An interesting picture," She finally said, nodding sagely, "I have no clue what it is or what it means, but it is interesting, to be sure."

 

She spotted a lone stick sitting closeby, which she promptly picked up and began dragging around in the dirt to draw her own picture. Drawing was a practice she did not practice much back home outside of her own leisure, so her envision of what a dragon looked like was looking more like a curvy noodle with stick-limbs, horns, and shooting a large pinecone of fire from its mouth.