Champions of Celestia

[Samurai Equine]

@PawelS, @Skylight Scintillate, @abrony-mouse, @Kujamih

"Well done, Mango. That was very generous of you. Clue-hakasei, I hope you got everything you needed." Samurai says before following in the same direction as his friends, the direction that leads to the location of the mysterious chalk mark.

[EDITED.]

Edited October 14, 2022 by Oni Musha

[Dr. Clue]

@PawelS @abrony-mouse @Samurai Equine @Kujamih 

"Well I'll go take a look of the symbol with Mango. I think it would be most helpful if we have a sketch of the symbol to use," Dr. Clue said. She would put her notepad away and adjust her armor before following Mango and Shadow Dagger to the site of the symbol.

[Silly Druid 6,925]

You part ways with Rosy Thorn, who looks relieved that you finally let her go.
 

@Skylight Scintillate @abrony-mouse @Oni Musha

You arrive at the place where the symbol is supposed to be. And indeed, after some searching you find it on a wall of what appears to be an abandoned barn. It's barely visible, and you wouldn't pay any attention to it if you weren't looking for it. It seems to be made with chalk.

Near the barn you see a beggar. "Greetings good ponies, have a bit or three for the poor?" The old stallion asks. To your surprise, Shadow Dagger tosses him a coin. You didn't take her as a type who would do something like that.

@Kujamih

You arrive at the castle to speak with Commander Steel Hooves, who receives you immediately. "What is it, recruit?" He asks you with some concern in his voice, because you arrived alone, and seem to be in a hurry.

Edited October 15, 2022 by PawelS

[Dr. Clue]

@PawelS @abrony-mouse 

Dr. Clue investigates the chalk mark carefully to see if she can learn anything more about itt while drawing a sketch of it and taking notes about it. While she is focusing on the mark on the barn, she is aware of the begger nearby. "What do you think it means?" Dr. Clue asks Mango and Shadow Dagger.

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

@PawelS

"..... What am I doing here hmmm.... Oh yeah... I think it's best that I investigate the venue and stay there till it starts. The rest has it going smoothly and we have a lead. I believe having too many pony's investigating outside would attract too much attention and might hinder it. I believe Dr. Clue and the rest can handle it." 

Kuya then awaits his escort to the venue. 

 

[Samurai Equine]

@PawelS, @Skylight Scintillate, @abrony-mouse, @Kujamih

When they return to the chalk mark, Samurai keeps an eye out for Commander Steel Hooves. Wouldn't want to owe him any awkward explanations. He noticed Kuya went in his own direction. They probably need as many eyes covering as much ground as possible. Samurai wonders what insight Shadow Dagger will provide.

[EDITED]

Edited October 14, 2022 by Oni Musha

[Silly Druid 6,925]

@Skylight Scintillate @abrony-mouse @Oni Musha

Dr. Clue investigates the symbol, but can't find anything special about it. It looks the same as what Commander Steel Hooves showed you earlier, and a closer look confirms it was indeed made with chalk.

Spoiler

OOC: Sorry, but I have no idea what an Investigation roll could reveal here.

"I think they used that symbol to indicate the place of their meeting. As Raven said, they tend to meet in secluded places like this," Shadow Dagger explains.
 

@Kujamih

You leave the commander's office, and go to the main square of Canterlot, where the exhibition is going to take place tomorrow. There are about a dozen ponies here, busy with building the stage in the center of the square, and the stalls at its edges. The preparations seem to be going smoothly.

Edited October 15, 2022 by PawelS

[Samurai Equine]

@PawelS, @Skylight Scintillate, @abrony-mouse

Samurai nods. "Does the symbol need to be decoded, or are their different symbols indicating different locations?" Samurai asks Shadow Dagger. He also starts looking around for hidden doors or secret passageways.

(There is no Roll for Luck here, so... Roll for Intellect? Charm?)

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

@PawelS

"Hmmm.... If they're target is the princess what's the best spot to be in?" Kuya ponders.

" Might as well check the stalls." He then snoops around. 

[Mango Eve]

Mango copies the edgy rogue-pony and also tosses the beggar a bit.

"Say old timer. Have you seen any strange ponies hanging around this symbol?" Mango ask the beggar on an impulse. "I mean... other than us," she adds on reflection, noting the odd pony sit-com vibe of having a samurai, a rogue and a royal guard hanging out together with the pony equivalent of Violet Beauregarde (except orange).

[Silly Druid 6,925]

@Oni Musha

"How should I know, Raven didn't say anything about decoding or multiple symbols..." Shadow Dagger answers.

Intellect (d4), result: 1. Critical Failure.

You don't find any hidden doors or passageways. You even have trouble finding the normal door to the barn.
 

@Kujamih

Intellect (d3), result: 3 / Pony Sense (d5), result: 4. Best result: 4. Success!

You don't find anything suspicious in the stalls. It doesn't seem like the conspirators planted anything there in advance.
 

@abrony-mouse

"I've seen the one who made the symbol, young lady, if you can spare a few more bits I'll tell you everything I know..." The beggar suggests.

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

@PawelS

".....  If there's nothing near... Then there's something afar?.... The symbols.... Wait... Could it be?"

Kuya would rush back to the commander and request them to search around the event and a radius around the main square  to where they found the symbols. Kuya suspects that there's more symbols hidden inside the city and is most likely circled around the main square. He'd also request them to smudge the symbols, just in case.

" There's a high chance that they're doing something much bigger...." 

[Dr. Clue]

@PawelS 

Dr. Clue jotted down the notes that at first glance, she couldn't really determine anything more from the symbols. She also noted that the others didn't seem to find anything in the barn. However, something that the beggar said made Dr. Clue raise an eyebrow. "How do you know this?" Dr. Clue asked, staring at the beggar suspiciously.  "You were just standing around when this other pony drew this symbol and you continued to loiter around here willing to give out this information in exchange for bits?" Dr. Clue asked, jotting her thoughts down due to how suspicious they seemed.

[Samurai Equine]

@PawelS, @Skylight Scintillate, @abrony-mouse

Samurai failed to find any hidden clues in the area. Too bad.
Seems Dr. Clue has the investigation pretty well taken care of. Still, Samurai wonders something. Would looking at the symbol from a new perspective tell him anything? He takes off his helmet and tilts his head to the left. Then the right. Then he does his best to see what the symbol looks like upside down. ... Is there a mirror in the area? Maybe seeing it reflected will provide some insight.

[Silly Druid 6,925]

@Kujamih

You go to commander Steel Hooves to tell him about your ideas. However, he assures you that the city has already been searched thoroughly, and only one such symbol was found.
 

@Princess Skylight

"Not quite, ma'am, I wasn't standing here all the time, I just happened to be here yesterday morning when that pony drew the symbol..." The old stallion explains.
 

@Oni Musha

No matter how you look at the symbol, it's still the same thing: a crescent moon inside a horseshoe.

[Dr. Clue]

@PawelS 

"So it was yesterday morning huh? Hmm, I suppose that could be a possibility. I guess since we don't have any other leads, we'll listen to what you know," Dr. Clue said, tossing the bit to the beggar. However, given that she didn't exactly trust him, she jotted down any notes about the beggar in case they needed to find him again. 

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

@PawelS

"Ohh.... Well better smudge that one symbol just Incase." He informed.

" I guess I need more time investigating the main square. "

He quickly goes back and checked the place once more.

" Maybe something new comes up." 

[Samurai Equine]

@PawelS, @Kujamih, @Princess Skylight, @abrony-mouse

Samurai was so distracted trying to be useful and figure this out himself, he didn't even notice the beggar at first. "Excuse me sir, may I ask why you're hanging out here? Seems like a rather specific place for a simple beggar to be hanging about."

[North Star 5,266]

On 2022-10-25 at 8:58 PM, PawelS said:

"I've seen the one who made the symbol, young lady, if you can spare a few more bits I'll tell you everything I know..." The beggar suggests.

Mango nods her head slowly. She had been taken for a foal many times. But she believed this old beggar's tale. "All right then, Mr. I'll nibble."

She plonks her orange behind next to the beggar and squanches up next to him like a filly about to be read a bedtime story :3

[Silly Druid 6,925]

@Kujamih

You check the main square once more, and don't find anything suspicious.

Pony Sense (d5), result: 1. Critical failure.

Your Pony Sense doesn't tell you anything either. In fact, you feel so dejected that you lose one Willpower.

(You can use Defiance to roll again by spending one more Willpower.)
 

@Princess Skylight @Firefighter Equine @abrony-mouse

"Well, I like this place." The beggar answers Samurai's question. "I don't earn much money here, so I often go to different places, but I always return to this old barn, it's the closest thing to home I have."

He looks disappointed that he got only one more coin, but decides to share his story anyway.

"That's not much, hopefully you'll give me some more after hearing what I have to say. So yesterday morning I saw a pretty young mare making this symbol with a piece of chalk. She was an earth pony, green with blonde and purple mane. I didn't quite get her cutie mark, my eyes are not as good as they used to be. She didn't seem to be from around here, I never saw her before. I tried to talk to her, but she didn't say anything and just ran away."

Edited November 13, 2022 by PawelS

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

( I get a critical success and what do I get?.. nothing... But critical failure? A present for you! )

Defiance! ( It's better to waste willpower than keep it stagnant I guess.)

Kuya keeps it up and searches for more in this area. 

[Silly Druid 6,925]

@Kujamih

Defiance (d4), result: 4. Success!

You don't find anything on the square itself, but your Pony Sense tells you to go somewhere nearby. In that place you can see a tent with a sign over the entrance. The sign says "Madame Violet", with a picture of a crystal ball in the background.

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

@PawelS

".... A gypsy.... You can never go wrong with a gypsy... Their connection is very deep... I go!"

Kuya would head inside and calmly introduce himself.

" Good day madame Violet. I came her for your wisdom."

He'd place his bits on the table to show he means business.

[Samurai Equine]

@PawelS, @Kujamih, @Princess Skylight, @abrony-mouse

Samurai listens closely. He gives the stranger two more bits. He is about to give even more, but he holds back. "Is there anything else you can tell us? No detail is too small."
He also looks over at Dr. Clue. "We may need a security detail around here in the morning, if that's when our mystery mare is popping up."

[Mango Eve]

@PawelS, @Kujamih, @Princess Skylight, @Kujamih

Mango furrows her orange brow. "That's an unusual colour... thanks Mr!" she says, about to toss him another bit but refraining as Samurai does the honorable thing.

"I'll scope for this mare from the air, while you try to learn anything more." Mango shouts back to Samurai as she takes flight to track down this filly.

Mango uses SEARCH!