Quest for Harmony

The ride out to Vaemore was a long one – the Rainbooms had to stop and camp on their ride from Hartben for a few days in between along the way. And as they camped and rode, (Rarity Dexterity roll 14 – Weaver’s DC 8) Rarity continued working on her special project for the girls. (Sunset Shimmer Perception roll 12) Sunset only got a few fleeting glances of what the project itself was – as Rarity clearly really wanted it to be a surprise for when it was finished – but she saw enough to see that one of them was some piece of clothing.

All the while as they rode, Sunset herself had been concerned about the various warlock patrons of this world conducting a bidding war for her soul – over the last few days, she’d been visited in her dreams by three more such possible patrons; a Kraken from the depths of the ocean angry at her and the others for stopping the sahuagin in Hartben and wanting her soul as recompense, offering command of the seas in exchange, a spirit of shadows that offered her a wicked black sword if she followed his wishes and a fiery-winged angel – apparently a servant of Pelor – who offered her heavenly fire and sanctified forgiveness for her past sins.

Needless to say, Sunset spurned the Kraken's offer out of hand as it wasn’t so much a bid as a demand, but she was still on the fence about the shadow spirit; the sword looked cool enough to tempt her for a moment, but after remembering what she’d heard from Princess Twilight about Stygian – and what he’d done as the Pony of Shadows – she was hesitant to accept it, so she asked the spirit if she could get back to them. As for the angel, she considered the offer but told him that she already had a host of fire powers at her disposal and that her own forgiveness – and that of her friends – for what she’d done was all she needed. The angel took it well and retracted his offer gracefully but promised to watch over her either way and lend special assistance to her and the others through Rainbow Dash once she officially joined Pelor’s clergy in Olncarut.

All the while, she was conflicted over the possibility of another visit from Glasya; both dreading whatever twisted game the archdevil had in mind for her and curious about her reaction to Sunset’s knowledge about the bidding war. As far as she saw it, most of the bids she’d received had been at least somewhat tempting, but she wasn’t entirely sure which one to pick, if any.

Soon enough, they entered a valley with a pretty good-looking view of the quaint village down below… despite how grim it looked. (Rainbow Dash Insight roll 14) Rainbow looked cautiously down the hill at the village – which was dead quiet in the valley – and tugged her horse’s reins to stop her mount, prompting Applejack to do the same with the reins of the carriage horses. “Somethin’ wrong, sugarcube?”

“It’s quiet. And I just got a really bad feeling.” Rainbow said carefully.

“What kind?” Fluttershy asked in worry.

“Not sure. Call it a hunch.” Rainbow remarked.

“Do you sense anything?” Rarity asked.

(Twilight Sparkle Arcana roll 13) Twilight shook her head. “No, we’re too far away for that to work.” she pointed out before glancing at Fluttershy. “But I do have an idea.” Fluttershy just squeaked in worry at this remark, trying to hide behind her shield a bit.

“Oh, um… I don’t know, Twilight.” she objected quietly. “I haven’t actually used that spell before; I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“Are you kidding? You’ve done it enough times without magic; of course it’ll work with it.” Rainbow pointed out with a smirk.

“Really Darling, there’s no need to phrase it so cruelly like that.” Rarity remarked.

“Hey, I’m just saying; she’s probably the sneakiest out of all of us,” Rainbow remarked. “With that spell, they’ll never see us.”

“I guess it is our best shot.” Sunset shrugged, looking over at Fluttershy. “Think you can handle it?”

“Um… I- I think so…” Fluttershy said nervously.

“We’d better leave our rides here for now. We’ll scout on foot and come back for ‘em when we’re good and ready.” Applejack suggested as she climbed down from the wagon. The others followed her lead and all dismounted, tying the horses to a nearby tree before they moved carefully down the hill.

As they drew closer, the town appeared more and more unwelcoming – the overcast sky didn’t lend itself all that well to the atmosphere (Sunset Shimmer Perception roll 14), especially as Sunset looked around and saw what looked like sentries near the entrance, with strange red marks painted on their faces that she couldn’t quite make out… but felt vaguely familiar for some reason, as if she’d seen it somewhere before, (Sunset Shimmer History roll 9) but she couldn’t put her finger on where.

Still, it was enough of a sign for her to hold her fist up and stop the others. “Guards. And they don’t look friendly.” she notified.

Twilight quickly moved forward and looked carefully (Twilight Sparkle Perception roll 17), seeing the guards and their painted faces more clearly – an ornate display of triangles painted very roughly in red. “Oh no…” she said nervously as she ducked down.

“What is it?” Rainbow asked.

“That’s the mark of Asmodeus. The town’s been taken over by a cult.” Twilight informed.

(Sunset Shimmer History roll 23) That made Sunset realize it – during her research about the archdevils, she’d seen the name Asmodeus before and learned he was Glasya’s father, Overlord of all the Nine Hells. Quite reasonably, she was terrified that if she went exposed through a town commandeered by a cult of archdevil worshipers, they may try to capture her for Glasya. “Looks like it’s time for the spell.” she insisted quietly.

“Right. Let’s go get our rides.” Rainbow nodded and carefully led the group back up the hill.

(Full Party Stealth roll – Sunset Shimmer 13, Twilight Sparkle 19, Spike 22, Rainbow Dash [Dis. due to Chainmail] Nat 20 or 14, Rarity 17, Applejack 11, Pinkie Pie 18, Fluttershy 16) By some great luck, Rainbow was able to keep her armor from rattling even the slightest bit, leaving her almost completely undetected already, but unfortunately, the sound of Applejack’s javelins clanking against her hammer drew the attention of one of the guards. “Who goes there?” he called, quickly leaving his post to follow the noise.

“Back to the wagon, quick,” Sunset said quietly. The group quickly moved and raced up the slope before quickly jumping into the wagon. “Shh!” The whole group went deathly silent as they listened. The footsteps of the guard grew closer and closer as the girls could hear their hearts pounding in their ears, barely able to hear the guard as he stopped.

“Come out of there.” the guard demanded. “Declare yourself in the name of the Reigning Serpent.” None of the girls moved… except Rarity, who subtly drew one of her daggers.

“What are you doing?” Twilight mouthed to her in fear.

“What must be done.” Rarity mouthed back… though her hands were shaking; she knew full well that it was one thing to kill an opponent in the heat of battle, but to do it like this – from their blind spot when they weren’t expecting it – scared her; she was a seamstress, not an assassin. But she knew it was her only option – as the guard moved around to the front of the wagon to peer inside (Rarity Attack roll [Finesse, Dueling Style] w/ Dagger 15 – Guard AC 14 – Damage Roll 7 – Guard -7 – 4HP), she grabbed his head and pulled it into the wagon, covering his mouth as she stabbed him in the shoulder (Rarity uses Action Surge – Rarity Attack roll [Finesse, Dueling Style] w/ Dagger 17 – Guard AC 14 – Damage Roll 9 – Guard -9 – -5HP), then again through his back, leaving him to crumple in the wagon.

“Whoa,” Rainbow remarked as Rarity (Rarity Strength roll 14) strained to haul the body into the wagon, doing her best not to get blood anywhere. “That was ice cold, Rarity.”

“Yes well, sometimes that’s what’s necessary.” Rarity shrugged as she started searching the body.

“What are you doing?” Rainbow asked, somewhat put off by her behavior.

“Well, he must have some sort of relevant information.” Rarity shrugged as she searched. All she found was a small coin purse and a scroll written in a jagged script she couldn’t read. “Hmm. This is interesting.”

Sunset slipped over next to her and examined the writing. “Looks like Infernal script.”

“Can you translate it?” Twilight asked.

“I can try.” Sunset shrugged as she looked at the note. It made her head hurt to read the almost scribbled language, but she figured it out after a minute. “Looks like orders from a higher-up in the cult. ‘The next round of blades will arrive from the tunnels in the western hills at sundown in three days. They must be prepared before’…” She hesitated with wide eyes before she read the next part. “…‘before the Lord of the Ruby Rod shall bring his will down upon the city of blasphemers’.”

Rainbow grew worried at the sound of that as she looked back at her map. “The only city for miles is Olncarut,” she noted, her eyes widening in worry. “And there’s another town on the way there.”

“That’s why they’ve been gathering weapons.” Twilight rationalized as she looked back down at the village. “The cult is preparing for a holy war against the city.”

“And the other town is likely to get caught up in it as they move.” Rarity added.

“Then we’ve gotta warn them,” Rainbow noted as she moved to climb out of the wagon. She dragged the guard’s corpse out with her and dropped it on the ground next to the wagon before she saddled up on her horse. “But we’re still gonna have to pass through the village to get there.”

“Looks like it’s time for that spell, sugarcube,” Applejack remarked to Fluttershy.

The wood elf grew nervous about all this pressure being put on her but knew it was necessary so she raised her staff. (Fluttershy casts Pass Without Trace 2nd Level) A small whirl of shadows billowed from her holly crown to the head of her staff before radiating around the group and their mounts, rendering them completely undetectable. “This is so awesome,” Rainbow remarked as she looked at the veil of darkness around them.

(Twilight Sparkle Arcana roll 14) “Just keep quiet and move quickly all together. This spell only lasts up to an hour.” Twilight advised.

“Then we’d better get ridin’.” Applejack nodded as she adjusted her hat. “Hyah!” She snapped the reins and sent the wagon’s horses charging forward down the hill with Rainbow goading her own mount ahead as well, leaving no trail behind them as they rode.

As the group rode through town, they slowed down and looked around at the town through their invisibility… and what they saw was sickening; the streets were littered with the dead who had presumably resisted the cult upon their arrival, cultists armed with blades and bludgeons on every corner, and wicked mages and clerics anointing new converts by painting Asmodeus’s symbol on their faces before they were given armor and weapons.

As they rode, Sunset did her best not to think about the archdevil trying to claw her way into commanding her… but the more she tried not to think about it, the more she felt Glasya’s whip stinging her back. “My daughter is a fool to attempt to force you to pact with her.” That dark male voice in her mind alarmed Sunset. (Sunset Shimmer Insight roll 16) She was almost tempted to ask who it was, but she knew she didn’t have to – somehow, she knew it was Asmodeus; her presence to his followers must have been allowing him access to her mind. “Then again, she never was a very good liar. How long did she think her little charade with that false soul would work? Who told you the truth; one of the Court of Aerenal? Well, it doesn’t matter – what matters is my bid, which I ask you consider above my daughter’s and anyone else’s. Whatever Glasya offers you, I’ll match and exceed it. Act as my hand on the mortal plane and you will have power beyond your wildest dreams.”

Sunset just clutched her elven ears and tried to block him out as they rode onward, trying her hardest to forget or ignore her power-hungry demon side from the Fall Formal, despite how much it was clawing to escape and accept the archdevils’ offers. Her friends looked at her struggling in concern as they rode onward through the village, still completely undetected by the forces of the cult thanks to the spell… though it was clear Fluttershy was struggling to maintain it. “We’re gonna need to pick up the pace. And fast.” Twilight insisted.

“Will they be able to detect us if we speed up?” Rarity asked.

“No, I think we’re okay. Just stick close, Rainbow.” Twilight instructed.

“Right back at ya. Hyah!” Rainbow laughed as she snapped her horse’s reins, sending it galloping onward. Applejack goaded the wagon horses similarly onward to keep up with her. The ride out of town was rough and a few times, Fluttershy almost lost her concentration on her spell, but finally, they had ridden clear of the danger zone and out of town, (Fluttershy dispels Pass Without Trace) at which point Fluttershy broke her spell and slumped down against the carriage, the shadows whirling away from the team as they rode.

Sunset sighed in relief as Asmodeus’s voice finally faded from her mind, allowing her to release her ears as he looked behind her toward the town… and the wheel and hoof-prints from their mounts only became visible from just outside the town perimeter, along with the Archdevil’s fiendish presence. “We have to get to the next town and raise the alarm, fast,” she advised.

“Agreed. How much farther, Dash?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow quickly pulled out the map and looked at it as they rode. (Rainbow Dash Wisdom roll 13) She saw the next town on the map after Vaemore was called Tadoba, and quickly consulted the scale of the map. “Mm… a few miles. If we’re lucky, we’ll make it there before the cult realizes their buddy is dead,” she noted. “Which, again, ice cold, Rarity.”

“No kidding. If we do end up multiclassing, maybe you’re gonna end up going into rogue.” Twilight remarked.

“Well, that certainly has a strange appeal to it.” Rarity shrugged as she went back to her sewing project. “But let’s just leave that for later, shall we? Until then, perhaps a bit more speed?”

“Comin’ up. Hyah!” Applejack smiled and snapped the reins, speeding the horses up further as Rainbow rode alongside, the countryside thundering by as they rode.

Sunset watched out the back of the wagon as they rode onward, a strange latent sense of Asmodeus’s presence still there in the back of her mind that she tried to push out. Still, it was enough to help her make one decision very firmly; no matter what, she would never accept devil magic.