You are a Blank Flank - A Text Adventure

[Spider's Claw 213]

Sell the rock at the market.

 

You return to town. It's still night. The hell? I mean, really now. You had like half a page of daytime and it's been night for the other two and a half.

 

Absurd!

 

Of course, all markets and stores are closed at night.

[Linguz 140]

Go to sleep for the night until morning THEN sell the rock at the market.

[Kinvara 117]

>Tell Doctor Von Ponington that you wish to team up with him

Edited October 22, 2011 by Kinvara

[Spider's Claw 213]

Go to sleep for the night until morning THEN sell the rock at the market.

 

But you've got nowhere to stay, and you know if you sleep in the street the vampire will come and take you away! You can't.

 

>Tell Doctor Von Ponington that you wish to team up with him

 

You decide the best thing to do is form an alliance with Doctor von Ponington. He could probably keep you safe, right? Right. You start to leave St. Arion, but the path is blocked by the vampire!

 

"Hello there."

 

Natural Harmonia

Condition: Fine

Talent: Protagonist

Inventory (3/4): Broken Wooden Stake | Doctor von Ponington’s Journal | Rock

[Kinvara 117]

>Show Doctor von Ponington's journal to the vampire

[Linguz 140]

Throw the rock at the vampire.

[Spider's Claw 213]

Throw the rock at the vampire.

 

You throw the rock as hard as you can at the vampire. Predictably, she magically deflects it with hilarious easy. It's as if she didn't even have to try. And she probably didn't. You've never been very good at throwing. You're only good at being the designated protagonist. You have no other talents!

 

>Show Doctor von Ponington's journal to the vampire

 

If you cannot defeat the vampire, you will recruit her to your side. You open the journal to the entry concerning "St. Arion's vampire" and her hostage family. She reads it. Of course, this is not new information, seeing as she is the subject. But since you know too, she sees no harm in spilling the beans.

 

She is not a vampire. Von Ponington merely forces her to act like one, because a few months ago he kidnapped her family and threatened to add their body parts to his monster if she didn't comply with his demands (those demands being, of course, the "vampire" provides the doctor with a steady supply of ponies for his sick experiments). It's killing her, but the unicorn cannot try to fight. Von Ponington's magic science is stronger than hers is, and he has her family.

 

She says that maybe with your help and the help of Princess Minuet, she might be able to convince the royal family that Doctor von Ponington is incredibly, incredibly evil and they should probably kill him before he makes things even worse for St. Arion. The only problem is most of the royal family is so trusting of the doctor, ever since he cured the young Prince Tango.

 

The exposition is cut short as a stallion, presumably the good doctor, laughs like a mad scientist who just made things even worse for St. Arion. His laughter is about as loud as the thunder that came along with the lightning generated by his infernal machine.

 

THE VAMPIRE HAS FORCED HERSELF INTO YOUR PARTY.

WHAT WILL YOU NAME HER?

Edited October 22, 2011 by Spider's Claw

[Linguz 140]

I get to name her? Fine.

 

Look at her and detail her color scheme.

[The Great and Powerful Trixie 78]

> Dr. Acula

[Spider's Claw 213]

I get to name her? Fine.

 

Look at her and detail her color scheme.

 

The vampire explains that since she is a permanent party member, you get to name her. Like an RPG!

 

You suddenly realize that four out of five of the pictured characters wear coats or capes of some kind.

 

You suspect the writer might have a thing for capes and coats.

 

> Dr. Acula

 

Maybe. After all, before Doctor von Ponington showed up, she was the town's doctor. She tried her hardest, but she just couldn't cure the Prince. That's when the sciencepony showed up and completely discredited her.

 

But she doesn't know how she feels about "doctor" being in her name at all due to the stigma of being a "doctor" in fiction. Those sorts are always evil. Or well-meaning but unhinged inventors. She is neither.

[Linguz 140]

Midnight Blood

[Slendermane 477]

Ask the "Vampire" pony what her talents and abilities are. You will need to know this if she is to be a member of your party.

[Spider's Claw 213]

Ask the "Vampire" pony what her talents and abilities are. You will need to know this if she is to be a member of your party.

 

You tell her you refuse to name her until she elaborates upon her talents and abilities. She says she is MAGICAL, that's a pretty big deal there, mostly specializing in telekinesis and black magic, generally things that don't involve healing, and such. Unfortunately she has less item slots than you, but she is a squishy spellcaster. She shouldn't be carrying as much anyway.

 

She is demanding a name.

 

 

Natural Harmonia

Condition: Fine

Talent: Protagonist

Inventory (1/4): Broken Wooden Stake

 

The Pony Formerly Known as Vampire

Condition: Fine

Talent: Sorceress

Inventory (1/3): Plastic fangs

[Linguz 140]

Cassiopia. Evelynn. Morgana.

[Kinvara 117]

Morning Glory.

 

(What's the Story?)

[Slendermane 477]

Night Shade (it might go better if she was darker colored, but I like flower names.)

Edited October 23, 2011 by Slendermane

[Spider's Claw 213]

Morning Glory.

 

After numerous suggestions, you come up with one you like. A pretty name. A fitting one. An oasis in a sea of somewhat unfitting names.

 

Morning Glory.

 

She likes it. Coincidentally, it is her actual name. What luck! You tell everybody to chill out. Morning Glory is cool. She's not going to kill anyone. She's not a vampire. It's that evil, dastardly scientist in the castle that put her up to this.

 

One by one, the villagers come out of their homes and hiding places. Morning Glory explains that Doctor von Ponington kidnapped her family and forced her to kidnap the poor, unfortunate ponies of St. Arion. She explains that if the village wants to be safe again, everypony must storm the castle and, one way or the other, get rid of the doctor.

 

Some convincing later, the townspeople have rallied and started their journey to the hilltop, where they would proceed to break down the castle doors, march to the laboratory, and kick that sciencepony's behind. You and Morning Glory take the lead.

 

You reach the top of the hill. The large doors of the castle swing open. Two ponies walk outside. One of them is the doctor. The other...

 

The other is best described as a monstrosity stitched together from the parts of multiple ponies, all of varying colors. This pony is not wearing a cape or coat at all, so you can see its cutie mark, if you could call it that. Apparently the doctor didn't like the cutie mark of the pony he murdered for that part of his creation's body, and chose to cut that part of the flank away and replace it with another pony's hide. This cutie mark was rather simplistic: a crude drawing of Doctor von Ponington's stupid pretentious glasses.

 

The patchwork pony advances on the crowd. In under ten seconds, the entire population of St. Arion fled back to the town and went back to hiding in their homes. You and Morning Glory stand your ground.

 

This might be an incredibly stupid idea! Von Ponington agrees.

 

Natural Harmonia

Condition: Fine

Talent: Protagonist

Inventory (1/4): Broken Wooden Stake

 

Morning Glory

Condition: Fine

Talent: Magic

Inventory (1/3): Plastic fangs

Edited October 23, 2011 by Spider's Claw

[Kinvara 117]

>Stand your ground but do not attack Von Ponington's creation.

[Spider's Claw 213]

>Stand your ground but do not attack Von Ponington's creation.

 

Maybe the creation will be friendly. Maybe you can be nice to it and, with the magic of friendship, you can turn the monster on its master and make your job a thousand times easier.

 

You tell the beast you aren't going to fight it. Morning Glory tries to convince it that, should it betray Doctor von Ponington, it would be regarded as a hero. Besides, the doctor is probably an abusive master. The creature ignores both of you. The creature suddenly charges with surprising quickness, right into Morning Glory. She is tossed from the hilltop and sent tumbling down the hill.

 

"So now vhat? NOW are you goingk to run? Vitness ze power of ze great Ponystein!"

 

Natural Harmonia

Condition: Fine

Talent: Protagonist

Inventory (1/4): Broken Wooden Stake

 

Morning Glory

Condition: Caution

Talent: Magic

Inventory (1/3): Plastic fangs

[Linguz 140]

Grab Glory and get out of there. Find somepony who can fight somewhere nearby.

[Spider's Claw 213]

Grab Glory and get out of there. Find somepony who can fight somewhere nearby.

 

You flee down the hill and manage to catch Morning Glory before she suffers any serious damage from colliding with any of the large rocks on the hill while rolling down it. The two of you run back to St. Arion and try to convince the townsponies to come out again. Surely one of them can fight. And if not, all of them can fight together. This Ponystein couldn't win against all of St. Arion.

 

Ponystein and Doctor von Ponington are following, but slowly. They're about halfway down the hill.

 

The sun is finally beginning to rise after three and a half pages of night.

 

Natural Harmonia

Condition: Fine

Talent: Protagonist

Inventory (1/4): Broken Wooden Stake

 

Morning Glory

Condition: Caution

Talent: Magic

Inventory (1/3): Plastic fangs

Edited October 23, 2011 by Spider's Claw

[Linguz 140]

Will the sun to go faster. When that doesn't work, try to get the town to throw rocks at the doctor and his monster.

[Kinvara 117]

> Toss broken wooden stake at creation

[Spider's Claw 213]

Will the sun to go faster. When that doesn't work, try to get the town to throw rocks at the doctor and his monster.

 

You politely ask that the sun move a tiiiiny bit faster. It does.

 

THE MORNING SUN HAS VANQUISHED THE HORRIBLE NIGHT.

 

Unfortunately, the morning sun has not vanquished the horrible Ponystein and Doctor. They are advancing on you. You've managed to convince a small group of braver ponies to come from their homes. They all begin throwing rocks at von Ponington and the creature. The creature seems unharmed by the rocks, while Doctor von Ponington uses magic to deflect any rocks that might be coming in his direction.

 

> Toss broken wooden stake at creation

 

You throw the broken wooden stake at the monster, hoping said stake will function like a throwing knife and lodge itself in the beast and kill it. The monster is hit in the face with the rounded, cylindrical part of the stake rather than the sharp ends. Whoops!

 

Doctor von Ponington decides this has gone on long enough. Lightning strikes and his horn begins to glow. He raises his hoof and the ground begins to shake. The black rings on his front hoof glow a soft red. Ponystein slowly turns its head toward its master, unsure of what's happening. The doctor begins counting down.

 

"Ten... nein nine... eight... seven..."

 

You're not too sure what's going to happen when he gets to zero. All you know is the pony militia has once again abandoned you.

 

 

Natural Harmonia

Condition: Fine

Talent: Protagonist

Inventory (1/4): Broken Wooden Stake

 

Morning Glory

Condition: Caution

Talent: Magic

Inventory (1/3): Plastic fangs

[The Great and Powerful Trixie 78]

> MLIT WVCW T3KU SFZC