private Unexplained Mysteries in the Undiscovered West (1x1 with Props ValRoa)

[Forest Storm]

OOC thread

A druid's work is never done. There are always issues in the world that need attention. This time it was the rumors that an unknown kind of craft had appeared in the sky above the western frontier of Equestria. The information Forest Storm and Tree Song had so far was vague, but they hoped to find out more after getting closer to the area in question.

Two traveling green ponies, a druid and his apprentice, reached their next stop. It was the village of Stillwater, beyond the Smokey Mountains and White Tail Woods, the last settlement on the Equestrian side of the border. It's not a very pleasant place, with marsh terrain all around. Beyond lies the Undiscovered West, a largely unknown region where all sorts of strange things can happen.

"What do you think it is?" Tree Song asked, with a slightly worried tone in her voice.

"I don't know. Airships are not unheard of in this part of the world, but this time it seems to be something else," the old druid answered calmly.

Forest Storm stayed at the inn, while Tree Song, being the more outgoing half of the team, went to the market to sell potions and buy supplies, but also to talk to the locals. Perhaps she would obtain some more information about the strange phenomenon in the sky.

[Tree Song]

Tree Song returned to the inn, and related her findings to her teacher.

"Cigar shaped, you say? Well, that's new. I haven't seen anything like it, and it's not mentioned in any of the druid records. I think we should find out what exactly was traded with that pony, it should give us some leads."

This time they both went to the town to ask around, focusing on finding a pony who participated in the trade, and figuring out what kind of materials were involved.

[Forest Storm]

A mare in metal armor... the only one that comes to my mind is Tempest Shadow, but I don't think it's her. She did use airships during the invasion though, so maybe there is some connection here... The druid thought, letting his apprentice be the first to talk to the stallion.

"So what are you going to do with these canisters? And why did you agree to the trade in the first place?" Tree Song asked, eager to satisfy her curiosity.

"Would you be willing to sell us one of them? We need to examine it to figure out what's going on here..." Forest Storm added.

[Forest Storm]

"So you traded some herbs and a map for them? That's interesting, can you tell us what kind of herbs and what area on the map she was interested in? That could help with our investigation..." The druid asked. "Also how many of these canisters do you have? I don't think we need them all, a few would suffice." If there are different kinds of them, they would buy one of each kind.

[Tree Song]

"Yes, I suppose we will have to go further west eventually. Thank you for your help, sir!" Forest Storm said, ending the conversation with the stallion.

"It was nice meeting you, take care!" Tree Song added.

They headed back to the inn to investigate the canisters further. On the way they looked at the sky from time to time, in case the strange vehicle would appear again.

"So, if she wanted a map of Equestria, it means she is from a foreign land..." Tree Song theorized.

"It appears so. Which is unusual, as ponies rarely live outside Equestria..." the druid said, deep in thought.

"And perhaps she or her associates have health problems? That would explain the purchase of herbs."

"Possibly," Forest Storm replied, too preoccupied with thinking to say anything more.

[Forest Storm]

Their trip to the inn was uneventful.

After arriving in their room, the two ponies start to examine the canisters. They put them on the floor and take note of everything they can see about them: their size, shape, color, the material they were made of, the blinking lights, as well as any inscriptions on them. The druid is knowledgeable in many languages, so he should be able to decipher them.

[Tree Song]

"These holes! It seems the canisters were used in underwater combat or something... And in this state they are pretty much worthless, right?"

"Maybe the metal they are made from has some value. Anyway, there is nothing more for us to learn here, we should get going."

Unable to find out anything more from the oxygen tanks, the two ponies left the inn and started their journey further west. At first, they were traveling through a causeway between two swampy areas, but later the terrain became more rocky and hilly, as they were approaching the nearby mountain range. At that point they were outside of Equestria's borders, so they proceeded with extreme caution, keeping an eye both on the ground and the sky.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

The two ponies approach the mysterious craft cautiously, trying not too draw too much attention to themselves and to use the terrain features for cover, but also not to appear to be sneaky, because that would suggest they have hostile intentions.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

After a brief discussion, the druid and his apprentice decided to confront the mysterious pony directly. They walked up to the place where the craft was located, and stood in front of the armored pony, waiting for his or her initial reaction before staring a conversation.

Both on the tanks they examined earlier, and on the vehicle itself, there was visible combat damage, which meant there was probably a war somewhere near the border of Equestria. In case it spreads to Equestria itself, the pony nation must be prepared for it. So their duty was to gather as much information as possible, and warn the Princesses about the potential threat.

[Forest Storm]

"I'm Forest Storm, and this is my apprentice, Tree Song."

Tree Song waved her hoof to greet the mare.

"I'm a druid, and it's my duty to seek out the truth about any important events in Equestria and outside its borders. We come in peace, we just want to know what's going on here."

[Forest Storm]

The druid decided that it would be best to make the conversation flow naturally, instead of demanding answers.

"Well yes, I'd say Equestria is pretty much isolationist, we don't know much about what's going on outside of it. That's why Storm King's attack was a complete surprise to us, for example. I'm one of the few who intend to change that..."

[Tree Song]

1 hour ago, Props ValRoa said:

"Never heard of it." the strange mare grunted as she would return to her work. Whatever she was doing, she seemed unwilling to disclose what she was doing to the two Equestrian ponies. Her armor, upon closer inspection - was far more advanced than Equestrian armor.

Getting information from that pony wasn't going well, so Tree Song tried a different approach.

"Whatcha doin'?" She asked casually. "Can we help?"

[Forest Storm]

"Fine then, we won't disturb you any longer. Goodbye, perhaps our paths will cross in the future." Forest Storm didn't want to press the mare for information, and it probably wouldn't work anyway. She didn't even introduce herself to them...

"See you!" Tree Song said cheerfully, and waved her hoof again.

They would search the surrounding area for anything unusual, while keeping an eye on the vehicle, in case the mysterious pony wants to launch it again. In that case they should observe in which direction it flies.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

The two ponies set up a camp near the vehicle, and prepared to spend the night there. Forest Storm was drawing a sketch of the armored pony and her craft in his notebook, to be used in his future report to Princess Celestia. Tree Song went to search for edible berries and herbs.

They wouldn't both sleep at the same time. They would keep watch in case they get attacked or another unexpected thing happens.

[Forest Storm]

It was Forest Storm's watch. Alarmed by the sounds of combat, he gently woke up Tree Song.

"We're about to meet the other side of this war. I have a feeling it's even less pleasant than the first one..." The druid said with a sinister tone in his voice.

They would both stand guard, ready to face whatever these strange spheres were going to do to them.

[Forest Storm]

There wasn't much time to think. In that split second Forest Storm decided that it's best for them to split. He would be the one to risk getting brought to that craft, while his apprentice should remain free.

"Run!" He shouted, and used his magic to create a very strong gust of wind, hoping it would be enough to push Tree Song out of the ray that was moving her upward. If it works, she will try to run and hide from their pursuers.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

Forest Storm looked around the inside of the craft, hoping to find out who operates it.

Meanwhile, Tree Song was running as fast as she could to escape the spheres. She would use terrain features, such as rocks and shrubs, to try to hide from them, and run in the direction of the forest line at the foot of the mountains. She should be able to use her magic powers to make the trees help her escape.

[Tree Song]

"What do you want?" Forest Storm asked the mechanical pony. He didn't know what to expect from her, but he was ready for anything.

---

After reaching the treeline, Tree Song began her chant. It wasn't like ordinary singing, it was a strange, captivating, trance-like sound. Using her natural talent, she was only able to communicate with plants, but the druid training allowed her to do more: to control them and make them grow, shrink or move rapidly. Using this ability, she made the forest open the way in front of her, and close it behind her, creating obstacles for the spheres and slowing them down considerably.

She realized the ship was following her as well. She was tired, and not sure if she would be able to escape it. But then she noticed something that could help her: a cave entrance.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

Slavery... Well, if there's slave trade going on, there must be a center of civilization nearby. I guess I'll be taken there soon, and find out what it's like...

That's what Forest Storm thought. But he didn't say anything, silently awaiting his fate. Or maybe an opportunity to escape, if it presents itself...

---

Tree Song entered the cave, and spotted some large stones lying on the ground. Luckily, she didn't forget to put her saddlebags on after waking up in the camp, so she had some potions with her. One of them was a strength potion. She drank it, and picked up one of the stones. She was ready to throw it at the spheres, should they enter the cave after her.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

Tree Song threw the stone with all her potion-enhanced strength and managed to damage one of the spheres, but the other one started pursuing her faster, so she didn't have enough time to pick up another stone. She decided to flee deeper into the cave. Meanwhile, the pilot left the craft, intending to capture the mare by herself. Forest Storm would try to summon lightning and hit the mechanical pony with it, hoping that metal armor would be susceptible to it.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

Tree Song ran at full speed to the depths of the cave, hoping that there was some sort of monster in it. With her druid training, she should be able to avoid it and direct its rage towards her pursuer...

---

A little disappointed with the effect of his magic, Forest Storm hoped that it shocked the metal pony at least a little, which he would use as an opportunity to avoid her attack and sneak past her to escape the craft, if possible.

[Silly Druid 6,983]

Forest Storm, seeing there was nothing else he could do, did as instructed and stopped resisting. Perhaps an opportunity to escape would present itself later. He was worried about Tree Song though.

---

Tree Song, desperate to escape the sphere, used another potion from her arsenal, this time it was an invisibility potion. She hoped it would prevent the sphere from locating her. And in case the sphere gets close to her, she would buck it violently with her hind legs, which should be quite devastating, as the strength potion was still in effect. She didn't know about her other pursuer though...