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[Personal Gamer]

If no one minds, could I request Safi the Zebra, but changed to Dawn Star the Pegasus? As for jobs, I'd prefer something delicate trade based, like Jeweler, Glassmaker, Potter or whatever you think would benefit the fort best. Broker might work, too, if you need one. Freija I plan to use as a 'primary NPC', mainly the one I talk to when not interacting with PCs, unless someone else takes her, then whatev. Would it be possible to get a look at his in game profile screen, and maybe Freija's too, if it's not too much trouble? (also, I considered putting this entry into a Spoiler tag, as it is a little long, but I couldn't figure out how. Sowwy)

For future reference, anything said in a RP post that isn't "in-character" is usually in green ("limegreen" or "green" in bbcode) text to avoid confusion. Light blue ("cyan" in bbcode) text is frequently used to describe anything physical about the journal or something that can't be expressed via journal entry text, such as there being drawings or damage to the page.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spoilers can be made with standard bbcode tags of "(spoiler)" and "(/spoiler)", using square brackets instead of parenthesis.

Regarding character careers, I think everyone's a construction worker, miner, food-obtainer, or hauler until we get nice things like workshops. 

By NPC and PC I'm assuming you mean Non-roleplayed characters and roleplayed characters, since they're all NPCs wandering around a fort, doing various tasks. You'd be currently considered as roleplaying both of the characters, since you're playing the roles of both. You should clarify and either say you're not claiming Freija and she's available still and you're just playing her as needed due to her being your spouse/partner, or that you've claimed her and would prefer if no other players would take her. Right now it sounds mostly like the former of the two options, but it's not entirely clear (the former would probably be best since there's very few characters available, and it's uncommon for people to take families as a primary character ‒ and you could always claim her if she remains unclaimed). You could also add a note saying that she's possibly available upon request (as a middle ground), and ask Telgin to put an asterisk in the OP for it.

[Personal Gamer]

Sorry, no backstory until I say so. It’s already written, but you get nothing until it’s revealed in RP.

   

[There were seemingly several missing pages ripped out before this one, and there're traces of what look to be water stains on the current page]

Lattice’s Diary, 9th Slate, 222

 The griffon ‒ the same one from yesterday ‒ seemed surprised to see me so soon, but he hardly complained. He marked on my map where the destination was and gave me instructions as to where to go after the caravan drops be off at an assembly location where I’ll meet to rest of the party.

 He seemed surprised at how I brought my own traveling supplies. I guess it isn’t that common. I guess they don’t get a lot of ponies capable of making their own out of quality supplies (I didn’t expect quality provisions from them). I knew that I had the supplies and skills to make a tent, bedroll, and jacket; I’d definitely be happier over the long journey with quality supplies. I also brought a map, fire-kit, knife, compass, canteen, and a waterproof pouch for my Diary and other things (Including a sentimental sewing kit I couldn’t live without). They were expensive, but since I liquidated most of my store I still have over a thousand bits left, in varied denominations. I also bought a small, metal case with a tumbler lock on it to store them in.

 I had him mark on my map where the outpost and rendezvous village were; I must admit I was concerned about how far south the outpost site seemed to be, doubly so since there’s little in the way of tailoring supplies. My map labeled the region “Cloverbuck”, but it didn’t have any settlement yet there. That makes sense, though, since a “new outpost” is new by definition. Not terribly surprising that they’d send me there when I asked for “far away from here”. They probably have less ponies willing to go there, considering it’s both cold and in the middle of nowhere.
 
 The caravan leaves tomorrow, and when I asked if I could stay for the night he said I could use one of the merchant rooms, and that if his boss had issue he’d cite the value of the kit items I didn’t need as covering the rent. Maybe I’ll see him again; he said his name was Jack Sharpbeak. He seemed nice enough, I guess.
 
 I met a few of the caravan members already; it’s a mixed race group (but there aren’t any buffalo), and some of them seem nice, but a few of them are really cold. The latter group makes me kinda nervous, but maybe it’s just me.

P.S. I realized I didn’t bring any medical supplies, which was silly of me. I snuck back to my shop (I left the property to my family, so it’s technically not mine anymore) and grabbed the paltry medical kit I kept; it’s mostly bandages and some salves, as well as a sling I made a few years ago. I’m hardly a trained doctor, but I like to think myself above average. Or at least average. Bandages aren’t very complicated either way.


Lattice’s Diary, 10th Slate, 222

 Well, this is it… my last morning in Buckington. The caravan is all set up and departing. The merchants and ... the guards seem nice enough ‒ or at least dedicated to their job ‒ even if they have different uniforms. Is that normal? I guess it makes sense for a large merchant organization to use multiple sources for caravan guards.
 
 Well, I guess this is it. The last day of my old life and the beginning of the new life ‒ no, my new life. I'm not going to let myself be bossed around, and there won't be any corrupt guards to act as thugs anymore. I hope...

 If that's the case I might just leave. I'll have to ask Jack if there are any other of the new trading posts nearby in case it fails horribly.


Lattice’s Diary, 11th Slate, 222

 Second day on that road now, and soon to be my second night. I don’t have anything terribly interesting to write about, other than that, while I have a nice enough bedroll to be asked where I got it (to which I thanked them for the compliment and said it was my own work), it’s still going to take some time to get used to sleeping on the ground. I only have a few hundred bits left of my old life, so I would welcome commissions if there were time. The caravan master said that I’d be waiting for a little while at the town the group will be launching from. Maybe I could do it then; more bits never hurt anypony. I’d only be able to do so much without my equipment, though.

I've got more outlined, but I'd need to sort out some minor RPing first. I just posted this now because I didn't want to be too out of order, and I want to make sure the character is defined for future reference, since I've been sitting on it for almost a week.

This is around a third of what comes before arriving, excluding the backstory. If you're wondering, she took the aforementioned pages with her, tucked in a secret place, and waiting to participate in a RP scene as appropriate.

I'd hate to double-post, but I'd rather not mix the two posts since they're quite different in content.
 

[Telgin]

If no one minds, could I request Safi the Zebra, but changed to Dawn Star the Pegasus? As for jobs, I'd prefer something delicate trade based, like Jeweler, Glassmaker, Potter or whatever you think would benefit the fort best. Broker might work, too, if you need one. Freija I plan to use as a 'primary NPC', mainly the one I talk to when not interacting with PCs, unless someone else takes her, then whatev. Would it be possible to get a look at his in game profile screen, and maybe Freija's too, if it's not too much trouble? (also, I considered putting this entry into a Spoiler tag, as it is a little long, but I couldn't figure out how. Sowwy)

Okay, he's yours, and unless something comes up I'll reserve Freija for you too.  I'll process your pony in game as soon as I get a chance. 

[Telgin]

Lucky Lands adjusted a crude jacket on her, all that she was able to get after the armorbearer had been killed and all. She had been waiting outside the main building for the longest time. Immigrant processing was always the longest part about heading to a small town to work there. Regardless, she waited until the last pony out had had a chat with the griffoness in charge. Trotting inside, she immediately began speaking. “I suppose I am the last pony, am I not?”

Isolde smiled weakly and set her papers aside.  “I think so, yes.  Sorry about the wait.”

“No worries, I prefer to let the… Others go first. Assuming you are going to be continuing our little bit of hiring from earlier, I am prepared to discuss that.” She trotted over to the desk and simply stood at the other end, making eye contact with her.

“If you’re interested, yes.”  Isolde brushed the feathers from her shoulder back and said, “I believe you expressed some interest earlier in working as a guard for the town?”

The unicorn chuckled. “Yes, you could say that.” Her horn lit up as she pulled a folder out of her jacket. “Everything contract wise is in here. ‘Tis already been paid for, but it couldn’t hurt for the pony in charge to look at.” She set the folder on the table, the corner of a document peeking out. “To be quite honest, this place is of little value to me as a pony, but under the threat of execution and or dishonor and various other things back home, I’m probably better following the contract.”

This wasn’t getting off to a great start.  Isolde can’t help but remember what Fargo warned her about as she began eyeing the document.  “Yeah… okay.  Um, hang on a second while I check this, okay?”

Looking through the document, it looks to be simply official sounding things conveying a rather simple message. Assuming what the unicorn has said before, the first year of service is covered by Coupledye -oh joy-, however it mentions nothing of the sort here. Along with that, it appears the unicorn is not above the law, however it makes no mention of if she is falsely accused… Along with this, there is also no mention of actually caring about what happens to anyone not of the outpost…

Isolde reread some bits of the contract a couple of times before she set it aside.  “I see.  This is a bit unusual in a few ways, so, if you don’t mind me asking… how exactly did you come to be employed by Coupledye like this?  It seems that your loyalty should be to them, right?”

“Quite. However, I do not tend to deal in politics. Perhaps they’re making sure this uh…” She pauses for a moment, considering her words. “Confederacy doesn’t turn into a greater power. If you have any questions towards them, I propose sending a letter. Besides that, I was hired and told to observe and protect when needed. If they were to march here and order me to return to rank and file soldiering, it will be them I listen to. Apologies, ma’am.”


There wasn’t much precedent for this sort of thing that Isolde was aware of, so she’s going to have to wing it.  “I see,” she repeats.  “You’ll have to excuse me if that seems a bit… concerning.  Don’t get me wrong.  Free labor isn’t something I’m keen to turn down, but knowing that you’re not exactly committed to working for us is a bit of a snag.  Especially considering what services you’re offering here.”

She feigns a frown. “Well that just makes me feel special.” Her expression returned to the more expressionless face. “The chances of that happening are very low, however I do have to make one little clarification. Should your Confederacy put someone higher in the pyramid than you, I am sworn to protect them over you and so on until you reach the top.” She chuckles. “Though, that’s unlikely to happen. Place’ll be burnt out in a decade at most.” She mumbled to herself before shaking her head slightly. “For brevity’s sake, I am to be one hundred percent loyal to you unless actions you take fall against my contract or against the wishes of Coupledye.”

This really wasn’t encouraging Isolde to accept Lucky as an armed guard, but curiosity is getting the best of her.  “If they hired you I would expect no less.  How would I know if we’re doing something out here against Coupledye’s wishes?  And what happens if we do?”

Lucky simply shrugged here. “To be quite honest, Ma’am, I don’t know. My best guess would simply be mobilizing the forces for an attack, raiding caravans, seizing goods without pay, et cetera. You’d have to send a courier out to Coupledye for an exact answer.”

“After what you’ve told me I think I will be,” the griffon answers.  This was actually a more than a bit concerning.  It sounded almost hostile from Coupledye, even if it was possibly just Lucky’s interpretation and wording at work.  “In any case, I assume that means that if I, say, dismissed you that I might be inviting more trouble from Coupledye?”

She shrugs once more. “Five years at minimum if you’re paranoid. Besides that, do so at your own risk. I myself don’t care how long you keep me around so long as I am not mistreated and that I am paid.”

Isolde quickly jots down to send a letter to Coupledye with their first caravan demanding an explanation for this.  Or… one back to HQ to do the same for her.  “I don’t intend to see you mistreated by anyone, and if your first year is really covered then that solves those two issues.”  She folds her arms.  “I’ll be honest.  I don’t know what to do with you if all of this is true.  I think I’m going to have to send some letters and wait for responses before I can say for sure, which is going to take a while as you might appreciate.  In the mean time, you can stay here and make use of any facilities we have.  If you want, you can talk to Kiume about protecting the town, but I’m going to leave it up to him just what you’ll be doing.”  She raises an eyebrow.  “Is that acceptable?”

She nods. “Yes, just ensure that everything that is detailed in the contract is followed. I’d rather not get a delay on my pay because of a technicality.”

“Of course.  Don’t worry about that,” Isolde assures her, putting the contract atop her small stack of paperwork to review later.  This was going to be a fantastic headache to deal with later.

“Glad you understand. I suppose there isn’t any sort of barracks or private sleeping quarters at the moment? I could not see anything, but who knows what the bat was digging out.”

The griffon shakes her head.  “Afraid not.  What you see is all we have so far: a shelter with shared bunks.  We’re working hard on improving that in the coming months, but it’s all we have.”

“Alright, well, I shall take what you have for now. I suppose all you need now is personal information, transfer of citizenships, et cetera?”

“Anything you can give me,” Isolde says, trying not to sound weary.

[jaxler]

Fargo's obligatory journal.

15th of felsite

Today I left town with a group of migrants heading to for an outpost. They couldn't pay me much, but it was all the could afford and I've been in this town for too long without any work. I couldn't exactly say no seeing how I don't much money left, so any work is better than none. At least they're willing to feed me during the trip, so it's not all bad. It's probably for the best I come along too, I've heard of highwaymen harassing unarmed people on roads around here, and they'd stand a good risk of getting hit without anyone with a weapon around to scare off any problem makers.

16th of felsite
It's been a single day, and I already have problems with this "Lucky Lands" unicorn that's coming along with the group. She looks at me as if I am an animal and is as polite as a homeless drunkard. She at least doesn't seem to talk much (thankfully), but I hate working with people like this. She's a mercenary too. For all the bad a soldier does at least they have a cause. A mercenary is all the bad of a soldier with none of the few redeeming qualities, and now I have to work deal with one for the next month or so.

17th of felsite
Some random hobos showed up on the side of the path today. They were all beaten up and covered in mud and looked horrible and the like, had a nice sob story too. I've been at this job long enough to know the risks of hitch hikers and beggars. If you've been hit once you learn quick not to trust random people you meet on the road. I hate how those who take advantage of the good will of others make it impossible to offer kindess without fear of being taken advantage off. I tried to talk some sense into the migrants about how they could be thieves but they were so naive. They decided to let them join us on our journey regardless of my advice. I do not like this. Now I have to keep an eye on our surroundings, deal with the lazy mercenary (Which I have came to learn has her own armor bearer who's akin to a slave from what I can piece together. I swear she keeps getting better and better) and now I to keep an eye on the group I'm supposed to protect.

20th of felsite
I'm having a hard time with this Lucky Lands person. I cannot trust her to keep guard of the group. She seems to feel like she holds no responsibility for them even though she is perfectly fine eating their food and sitting by their fire. I do not trust her to keep a sharp eye on this group. I feel like her lack of diligence is going to get the better of us soon.

25th of felsite
I hate this job. I nodded off for five minutes and I am woken up by a scream. I let things go unguarded for just a little bit and someone is gone. All we could do was run like damned cowards. I hate this. There no justice here, only a dead body left behind to rot.

To make things worse Lucky seems as if she isn't even phased by this. The pony who died was her armor bearer too damn it! She talks as if it was an unavoidable part of traveling but I've been escorting people out in the wild and guarding caravans for years and I rarely see any death. I cannot handle this pony foal...

28th of felsite
I've not been sleeping much. I don't trust the mare to protect anything here. She lost her armor, even more reason not to trust her to be able to do a thing. I can't let my guard down for a second. Those bandits who put down the armor bearer could still be out there, trailing us like wolfs in hunt. I'm not sure we've moved fast enough to lose them if they were following.

This wouldn't be so bad if lucky lands could keep that mouth of her's shut and actually work. Her words are sharp like knives and she isn't clever enough to dull them with wit. I cannot help but wish she was the one hit by an arrow.

I'm getting to old for this...

1st of hematite
We finally got to the "town", only turns out this place is more of a large shelter in the woods than a real town. At least they have a bed and free food, so it's already better than the last place I was at. Regardless though, from what I've seen they have very few guards and there is no wall. I fear this place is unprepared for any sort of banditry. I talked with the lady who runs this town. She tried to downplay their position, but I really do think in the back of her mind she knows how vulnerable she and her people are. It is a good thing too, as I was able to talk her into giving me a job guarding this place. She said wont be able to pay me for a while, but honestly it is little concern to me. What I'm really worried about is what could happen to the people here if they had no one to protect them, and I also feel like I should work for me food, seeing as I'm stuck here for a while until a caravan or something shows.

Anyways, I finally can rest now that I know there are other guards who are competent.(They have beds too! glorious beds! After being stuck sleeping on the ground for a month this heaven!) Hell, the first thing I did after talking with Isolde was sleep until it was dark out...

2nd of hematite
I've spent my first day on the job walking around trying to meet people and get a feel for the town. Everyone seems friendly enough... save for one. I don't like the looks of this "Jack Pine" person. I swear I've seen him before. Oh yes, I know have. I plan on having a little talk with him. I don't want him causing any troubles.

[Kryptid]

3rd Hematite, 222

The aromas in the sole establishment in Shadytrails were enticing this morning, if repetitive. There wasn’t much in the way of food variety to be home-grown yet, but Silver Rush didn’t mind too much. His current staple was a bowl of cream of wheat, complimented with a blueberry muffin and a glass of strawberry juice. The bat-pony almost marvelled at how large and puffy Shortstack could bake those muffins.

After acquiring his edibles, Silver eyed an open chair next to one of the relative newcomers: a light brown unicorn with tangerine irises. Can’t hurt to say hello, right? I wonder what her story is? Whistling a tune before taking his seat in the wooden chair beside the mare, the fanged stallion opens with a fairly mundane question, “Beautiful morning, isn’t it?” 

The unicorn quickly looked up from her food and at the stallion next to her. “Yes, quite… Is there a reason you’re here?” She asks, taking no clues at all that he simply wanted to talk. Her food was boring enough, a few minutes of awkward silence in between bites would just make it worse and all.

He senses that his question has not received a warm welcome, but Silver is not deterred so easily. After swallowing a bit of his muffin, he continues, “Oh, it’s just that I prefer not to eat alone. That, and it’s also a habit of mine to get to know those who share their home with me.” He chuckles and waves a hoof up towards the ceiling, reaffirming that all the current residents do, in fact, share a house at this moment in time. “The name’s Silver Rush. I don’t believe I caught your name when you first showed up.”

She nods idly, not really listening to everything he says. “Yes…” She mumbles, taking a bite of her whatever -she had not really taken much care in getting her share of the food. However, the question about her name caught her ear immediately. “Oh. Yes… Lucky Lands. I suppose the griffoness in charge of this dump hasn’t informed the populace?”

The bat-pony’s ears flinch upon hearing his new home referred to as a dump, but he chalks the rude comment up to her simply not being used to the way things are here yet. “Well, she did, but I don’t recall her mentioning names specifically. If Ms. Hookbill had done so, I must not have heard.” He pauses for a moment to take down some spoons of his creamed wheat, thinking about Lucky Land’s attitude. This one’s a tough nut to crack. “So, where did you call home before you ventured out to this ‘dump’?”

She shrugs. “Various camps, quite a few military outposts. Many places. Sure, I have a hometown, buuut considering you asked me…” She takes another bite of her food, taking the time to think for a second. “Iiiii think you should divulge the information yourself.”

“Sure thing! I come from Hackamore Basin. Ever heard of it? I wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t. It’s a pretty small town and it’s even more sparsely populated right now due to the local lead mines shutting down. Actually, that’s why I’m here myself: looking for employment to replace my old mining job.” He takes an enjoyable swig of red juice and throws another question or two at his neighbor, “So, you said something about the military? Are you a soldier yourself or maybe married to one? Commendable career choice.”

She pulls back slightly as the bat pony takes a swig, sighing. “Yes… If you hadn’t noticed, I am a mercenary on hire. I assume that says all that needs to be said about my profession. If you want specifics, you’ll have to make that known.”

Stopping short when he prepared to take in another spoon, he mulls over that term. Mercenary? Surely Ms. Hookbill wouldn’t have allowed somepony in who was dangerous? Perhaps I shouldn’t be too quick to judge her, though. Maybe she just wants to help us. “I suppose all the gritty details aren’t really necessary. I do wonder, did Ms. Hookbill hire your services, Ms. Lands? To help aid the local guard...?” He then stumbles onward with a half-hearted joke, “...or should I sleep with one eye open tonight? Hehehe.”

She chuckles. “Noooo, noo… I was hired by a third party in this. Iiii’m not allowed to divulge the information in my contract though. Apologies for that.” She takes another bite of her food. “I’m sure you’re dying to know.”

The gray-coated stallion relaxes a bit after hearing her take the joke in stride, “Oh that’s quite alright, heh. I respect confidentiality.” He decides to turn the conversation away from the potentially morbid subject, “Any friends join you on your journey here?”

“This griffon by the name of Fargo… At least, that’s the only one I would call a friend to be brutally honest.” She chuckles. “Damn griffon was near crazy with boredom by the time we got close to the town. Should’ve seen ‘im.” Lucky begins, chuckling to herself as she recounts to story in her head. “Beesides that… The other ponies in the trip didn’t interest me. Either they weren’t sociable or… Or I didn’t like them much.”

He finished his muffin as she spoke, recalling a large eagle-lion in their company, “I think I may know who you are talking about. That really big guy? Hard to miss.” Silver washes the baked good down with more of the strawberry squeezings as he addresses her last statement, “Understandable. Not all ponies seem to be compatible. I do try my best to hammer down positive relationships with those I encounter, but there’s one guy here that just doesn’t want anything to do with me: one Mr. Jack Pine. He’s a little on the short side and needs a good shave. Couldn’t mistake him for anypony else. Not sure what he has against me.”

She shrugs, setting the crude bowl down on an empty seat next to them. “This.. Jack Pine? I do not believe I’ve met him… And, to be quite blunt, some ponies just plain don’t like others.”

“Yeah, I think he’s like that. Everypony else around here is fairly nice so far as I can tell.” The copper-eyed equine finishes off his bowl as well, “Well, it was nice talking to you, Ms. Lands! Time for me to head off and start my shift. Ore doesn’t dig itself up!”

“Uh… Yes… Have fun.” She mumbles as her horn lights up. “Pick up your mess next time…” She mumbles as she collects the discarded bowls and cups.

“I was going to…but um, thanks.” He shrugs as he watches the mare retrieve his used dishes.

[jaxler]

As the forest won’t de-forest itself, Pine Jack is again out on the edges of camp, logging down a couple thick logs. Special requests for logs that can gap the leg deep ‘river’ this time. It seems the new migrants never learned the doggy paddle and Isolde and Patina want him to solve help the problem with lumber for a bridge.

Pine Jack leans on his axe and takes a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow. Then something above him give him an unexpected relieving bit of shade ...

The object casting the large shadow over Pine spoke out “Hello there my friend.” It then walked in front of the lumberjack. In front of him stood a griffon who was large even for his kind. He was wearing some mail made of bronze and had a halberd on his back and a shield strapped to one of his forelegs. “Mind if we talk a little?”

Pine Jack quirks a brow at him. He doesn't have many friends to start, and this new stranger sure ain’t one of them. He gives an annoyed little huff. “Sure, long as you’re comfortable walking and talking in a sec. A quota is still a quota. You’re one of the new migrants right?”

“Yes, yes. I’m indeed one of the new guys.” He was smiling, “And I don’t mind at all.” He made sure to still stand in front of the pony, and kept his eyes on him. “And, if you don’t mind me asking, how long have you been working here?”

“Been working here the past few months... Isolde claw picked me for the job. What you want me to whip out my credentials?” He slumps off his axe and moves to the next tree needing felling.

“Yes, I can see she has good choice in her workers.” He said, waiting until the pony had his back turned. “You know, I was a caravan guard a few years ago. It was good business for a while and made good money.” He kept waiting, wanting the woodcutter to swing his axe.
 

“Oh, good for you. Worked the Mist Valley Trade Road or the South Coast Circuit? Still wonder’in why you’re tellin’ me this enthralling information.” He says, winding up for a swing.

He kept speaking waiting for just the right moment to act. “It’s just... I think I’ve met you on the job before. Thought I’d come by and see things would suddenly click together-” As if on cue, the moment Fargo finished his sentence was punctuated by a sudden blunt pain all over jack pine's side as well as a great force bashing into him.

The wind is knocked out of him and he’s sent prone, axe skittering away from his telekinetic grip.

*Omf!* “The hell?” He angrily cries out through the pain in his side and the sudden disorientation.

Fargo lowered his shield after successfully bashing the pony to the ground with it. He then picked up the metal axe and threw it away as if it were made of wood, hoping to get it far away enough to be out of the range of the pony’s magic. “Shut up. I know exactly what you are.” He walked so he stood over the pony, and looked him dead in the eye.

“I’m clean! I’ve been out of the game for six years! Six years doin’ honest!” Jack Pine says, shakily getting to his hooves, and stumbling. “And if you’re expectin’ me to come to an epiphany an’ suddenly realize who you are? Grovlin’ with an apology? I’m sorry, but I’ve robbed a lot of caravans, I’ll need another detail or twenty.” He painfully exhales out.

“Do I look like I want an apology?” He said, before reaching down with his claws. “Your kind kill and steal as if the world yous.” He got his talon’s around the pony’s neck. It was tight, but not enough to choke the pony. “I’ve seen my fellow men die to your kind, and it’s my job to keep this town safe.” He had no way of knowing if the unicorn wasn't lying about going clean, so he chose believe it was a lie.

“Yeah?” He choked out uncomfortably. “Sympathies for ya, but never harmed a soul. Never! And not plainin’ on it!”

“Sure...” Fargo then started to lift the pony in the air, looking him coldly in the eye as he did so. “I don’t care about what you did, just what you are.” His claws tightened a little, and dig a little into the back of his neck. “Tell me what you plan on doing here.” First his group of travelers get attacked by bandits, and now he finds one among the town’s folk? He’s probably just a spy or something.

“Chopping wood, benefiting society. I’m done with that life, done look’in over my shoulders for ... “ Pine narrows his eyes at him as well. “ ... psychopaths with a grudge.”

“I am not that thing, my friend.” He starts to tighten his grip making it hard for Jack to breathe, his claws digging in deeper and starting to pierce the skin on the back of pine’s neck. “Now, tell me what you're doing here.” He spoke calmly, and leaned in towards Pine, still looking him right in the eye.

“Ask - Isolde - for - my - record -” Jack Pine gasps. “or - kill - me - go - ahead.”

Fargo kept tightening his grip, “Tell me!” That was the first time he’d let any anger show in him. He was practically choking him out. By now his talon’s were really digging in. For Jack pine it would feel as if the bird was trying to break his windpipe.

“Es-cape ...” Pine nearly whispers out, unable to breath and drifting in and out of consciousness.

The bird kept him like this for a few more moments, before suddenly loosening his grip on the pony. His claws were still dug into him though. “Damnit...” He figured if Jack was lying he’d have cracked if he was afraid of death. He didn’t though... Either this pony was really dedicated to not screwing his other bandits over, or he was telling the truth. “Tell me. Does Isolde know about your past? Do all of them know?” He waited for the stallion to catch his breath before responding.

After a minute, regaining his composure.“It’s in my public record if they want to know. Three caravans, three years. Three years busting my balls in the frozen tundra for this Company for the charge! And I was so damn good they hired me on payroll after!”   

“I asked you a question. I very much expected an answer.” He tightened his grip again, though not nearly as much as before.

“No! Isolde, she might. She handled background checks ... other than that they got no reason to ...” Pine says in as earnest a tone he can for being crushed in the throat

“Alright.” loosened his grip again. “Here’s what’s going to happen then. You tell nobody about what happened here, and I don’t let it fly that you are-” he caught himself “were, a filthy a bandit and if you give me any reason to think you've lied to me here, or that you're a threat to the town, I’ll let them know, or even worse, you’ll disappear.”

Pine Jack gives him a slight solidary nod, as much as Fargo’s grip could allow, to tell him it’s been duly noted.

Fargo nodded as well. “Very good.” He then finally let go of Jack, letting him fall to the ground. He’d probably feel a lot better now that he didn't have griffon talon’s dug into his neck. “It was good talking with you.”

Pine Jack just scrambles back from the griffon, gasping.

“I’m sorry for choking you within an inch of your life, but please understand my concerns.” He said, starting to walk away, not bothering to help the pony up.

Pine Jack just rubs his throat with his hoof, coming to terms with what exactly just happened. After a couple minutes goes to his axe, which was thrown so hard it was embedded in a trunk. Ripping it back out,he bitterly asides "With good, friendly, loving neighbors like these, who the hell needs enemies?"

[Iceblaster]

2nd Hematite, 222

It was midday and the unicorn Patina Dreams was busy in her workshopspace, she had a lump of stone on her table, and was carefully chipping away at it with a chisel and hammer held aloft by her magical touch. She had a book next to her open which she referenced before each strike.

A shimmer of light comes off this mare, hitting Lucky Lands in the eye, the source, the unicorn mare’s gold. She had a circlet around her head, pierced by her horn, and bracelets around both forelegs. Such opulent wealth had no business being in such a place as Shadytrails.

Lucky blinks for a moment after nearly being blinded. “Gah… That stuff yours?” She asks, still blinking, turning slightly.

Patina blushes, “Oh.. I’m sorry, did it shine in your eye… I just cleaned them this morning. Sorry… but yes, they are mine.”

The unicorn nods and her vision unblurs itself moments later. “So… You own these?” She asks, looking at the various jewels, admiring them -even if she didn’t want to admit it. “They’re quite expensive looking…”

Patina nods looking at her right bracelet, “I assume so… they were gifts though, and I’ve never had them appraised.”

Lucky shrugs. “They look nice… A bit uh… too nice to be a luxury to a common pony.” She chuckles. “You get dragged to this dump through contracts and stuff too?”

The young unicorn places her hammer and chisel down on the table, “Oh… well… this is the first time I’ve ever been on a job quite like this. But… Mistress Isolde took me in and gave me work when I really needed it… so here I am.”

“Oh. So the griffoness cares for you? A mother figure, I assume?” She asks, backing up slightly from the table, turning to face her fully.

“Mhmm, no… not like that. Just a… patron. She has money and resources, and I have skills she wants and needs… so I offered to serve her, and she accepted,” Patina gestures to the half finished wood and stone sawmill behind her.

“Ah… Well, I assume you’re being paid well for all of this? Such high quality work deserves high quality pay.” Lucky asks, examining the sawmill as she speaks.

“Paid?” Patina looks genuinely confused by the notion.

Lucky sighs, turning to face her. “Money, gold… The thing that turns the world.”

“Oh… I don’t know. Maybe in a year or two, when we have everything set up, and things to trade with other places, I could get a stipend… but we never discussed it. I trust Mistress Isolde will give us what we need to get by.”

“Ah. Well, if the griffon decides to avoid paying, I suppose you’ll be needing some form of pay? Most ponies don’t work for no pay.” She trots closer to Patina, keeping a respectable distance between the two.

Patina looks a bit uncomfortable, “I don’t… I mean… Mistress Isolde is very kind. You just got here, so you wouldn’t know that, but she is. She isn’t going to just toss me back out on the street.”

She shrugs. “Juuust saying and all.” She lifts a hoof, looking down towards it. “Should you ever need some money, I can let you borrow some from my pay. Provided you can pay it back and all.”

“Oh. That is very generous of you,” Patina says happily, “I will remember your offer if I need it, but I don’t believe I will. Thank you anyway.”

She nods. “Anyways… You work with masonry and all this, yes? Oor is it a hobby?”

Patina nods proudly, “I am a trained architect and mason… but my true passion is for my art. Metal crafting, stone carving… The sand here is good for making glass… I haven’t done that before, but when the sawmill is working, I might give it a try too. If Mistress Isolde says I can.”

Lucky nods before chuckling. “Any reason you call her Mistress? I’m sure the griffon won’t mind being talked to without any honorific, no?”

“Is Mistress the wrong honorific?” Patina looks embarrassed, “I’m sorry, it seemed like the one that best fit her position.”

Lucky shakes her head. “Nooo, nooo. Mistress sounds too formal… At least for now. Wait until she hobnobs with the wealthy. Then use Mistress.” She chuckles.

“Until… but… isn’t she already wealthy? She’s organized this whole expedition,” Patina says with some surprise.

“The wealth is most likely in the debts she has by now.” She explains. “The cost to outfit and maintain something, even if it’s this small, would be too much to handle with one person’s payroll. Maybe she is wealthy enough to handle the costs with no debts, but in my opinion?” She chuckles, raising her hoof again, inspecting the underside. “She’s swimming in debts.”

“I… see…” Patina says with the voice of somepony that has just realized they may have made a terrible mistake, “But… still, Shadytrails should be very profitable for her in the long run. Right?”

She shrugs. “Probably. Don’t know enough about the intended purpose besides some Confederacy backing her.”

“Oh? Didn’t she tell you when she interviewed all of you?” Patina asks.

Lucky shakes her head. “Nah. It was mainly me explaining the terms of my hiring.”

“Oh… well, we are situated right on a crossroads of at least two trade routes. We’ll be able to offer a place to rest and things to trade to merchants passing through this area… once we are step up of course… which requires me to get this blasted saw mill working… it’d be so much easier if I had some steel…”

“Ah… Well… Interesting. Unsure if it’ll make the money required.” She says before shrugging. “I suppose the bat should get to work then, eh?”

“Silver Rush? Well, he did find some lead and silver ore already, just no iron yet,” Patina gets a dreamy look in her eye, “but think, we are sitting right here on a motherload of silver… I can’t wait to get at it. Trust me, when we are ready, ponies will come from all over to trade for the things we make here.”

She nods. “I trust the ponies in charge to succeed, however I am required at minimum to stay here for five years, regardless of what happens soo… We’ll see how it plays out in that time, eh?”

“I suppose so… Oh gods, I’ve been so rude, I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself, my name is Patina Dreams,” the unicorn mare says suddenly realizing she doesn’t know the name of her conversation partner.

The other mare raises her hoof, chuckling at the mare’s sudden guilt. “Noo, noo. It’s fine. Lucky Lands. Pleasure to meet you.”

Patina holds out a hoof towards Lucky, “Pleasure to meet you too, Lucky Lands.”

Lucky returns the gesture, nodding before quickly removing her hoof. “If you excuse me, I have some business I need to handle. Talk to you later?”

Patina nods, “Yep, I have a sawmill to finish anyway. I’ll see you at dinner, if not before. Talk to you later.”

Lucky turns and nods, trotting off to who knows where.

[Personal Gamer]

A few people are privy to the backstory, now, but there's still no public disclosure ... Yet. 

   

Lattice’s Diary, 13th Slate, 222

 Buckington finally disappeared over the horizon behind us as we traveled today; and already I feel better. As they say, “Out of sight, out of mind” and it holds true here. Otherwise most of the caravan has ignored me with the exception of necessary conversation like the route of travel and supply management. Unfortunately, one of the guards ‒ a unicorn mare named Lucky Lands ‒ has been … unpleasant to be around. I understand that my first impression back in Buckington wasn’t the best since I spent the whole time worrying and looking over my shoulder, but it’s not like I’m going to kill her as she sleeps or anything to remotely justify how she’s just oozing passive hostility. It could be worse, if the attitude she holds for her armor-bearer is anything to go off of. Is she oblivious to or just uncaring of the angry glares she gets from him? I hope she doesn’t accompany the group to Shadytrails, at least if she doesn’t shape up her attitude.

 Tomorrow we’re going to pass through the Hooved Mountains, after which we’ll be arriving at a town.


Lattice’s Diary, 17th Slate, 222

 It was a welcome change to be able to sleep on an actual bed. It wasn’t up to par with what I was used to, but it was leagues better than a tent outside. Lucky Lands is still being an insufferable companion, and while she’s a little better now, it’s not a significant improvement. So far, I do what I can to avoid her, but there’s only so much place to stand in the caravan. I don't know what I'll do if she comes along to the outpost.


Lattice’s Diary, 23rd Slate, 222

 We arrived at a sleepy little hamlet called “Farmville”. Which is a stupid name for it, since they don’t grow a lot of food. At all. They do export a good amount of wood, though, if the cleared forests are any indication. It’d have been nice if some of it went to use in building an inn, since all they had was a (barely) sheltered pavilion. I guess it’s better than nothing. I pitched my tent away from Lucky’s. I wanted to see if I could get some time without being bombarded by disdain. A mare can dream, right?


Lattice’s Diary, 1st Felsite, 222

 The start of my first full month since I left. It's been frustrating dealing with the passive hostility Lucky is far too willing to display, but it's still preferable to having stayed in Buckington. Otherwise, things are looking good. I also overheard that Lucky is contracted primarily by Coupledye, and is just traveling with them out of mutual convenience until she reaches her destination. It's good to know she isn't headed to the Cloverbuck outpost.


Lattice’s Diary, 6th Felsite, 222

 The caravan master said we’d be arriving in Glennsdale tomorrow, and that it was the final stop with them for any headed to the newly-named Shadytrails. Much to my absolute dismay (and extreme frustration), Lucky Lands was accompanying, as was her servant. I'm feeling a little numb inside now that what I'd thought was a firm sign that my least-favorite caravaneer wasn't going to be a long-term issue, is instead indicative of the royal family taking interest in my new hope home hope. While that was originally a slip of quill, this means so much more to me than just a home; moreso than perhaps anywhere I've lives before, so I decided to change it back.

 We were told that we were probably going to be the first to reach the rendezvous and that we would be leaving for Shadytrails on the 15th of Felsite. I guess the three of us were the only non-local ponies going, since there’s just over a week allowing for them to arrive. I just hope there’s a place to stay  ‒ away from that insufferable clod pretending to be a mercenary ‒ I’m beyond sick of my tent. I may have worked hard on it and would claim it to be one of the highest quality, but you can’t argue with a bed. It’s not like I’ll need a lot of bits in a newly-established outpost.

 I’m surprised they need a seamstress, but I guess it’s important since it’s so cold. When a reputable seamstress offers services and simply wants to be “far from here” as the sole condition, it makes sense, even if I won’t be needed too much for making clothes for everyponybody].

[exodius1]

Ha! I have returned from the eternal darkness of the internets! To Bay12 Forums I mean, not this thread/series... I am rather new here. I am posting before I managed to read anything plot related yet, you guys seem rather... efficient at this. A few questions, if you do not mind:

-What game version is this?
-What Mod is this?
-How does wielding of weapons/tools work with ponies? I presume griffins have hand-like claws, but what does grasp on the equines?
-Do Fliers actually fly or are wings just cosmetic/additional target for enemies?
-Is the 1st person diary entry the only way to contribute to the plot, or are other written/spoken forms acceptable, like 3rd person narration of one's pony's/other activities?
-How tight the reign of the OP is here? I mean, there are some who include all suggestions and there are assholes like me who are control freaks and tolerate no de-railement from the planned course, within reason that is.

I shall wait with request for a PC until at least some of the above questions are answered... Feel free to ignore me though, if that is your wish.

[Telgin]

I don't mind answering a few questions. 

What game version is this?

0.40.24 - The most recent version publicly available.

What Mod is this?

It's a personally made mod that stems from Nidokoenig's old My Little Pony mod, which was originally made for 0.31.25.  For the most part it's a lightweight mod, which is a contrast to the other general purpose pony mod made by Sorcerer.  There are mostly only canon creatures in the mod, none of the noncanon stuff from Nido's mod, and none of the new reactions, buildings and research stuff from Sorcerer's mod.

If you're interested I can link a copy of it in the OP.

How does wielding of weapons/tools work with ponies? I presume griffins have hand-like claws, but what does grasp on the equines?

Griffons use their forelegs to grasp, yes.  Ponies, zebras and horses (Saddle Arabians) use their mouths to grasp, but unicorns also use their horns.  Note that since DF still has bugginess that allows a single grasper to hold more than one thing, ponies can happily equip a weapon and shield in their mouth with no trouble.  I intend to keep the loadouts sensible though, so only unicorns and griffons will have shields.

Do Fliers actually fly or are wings just cosmetic/additional target for enemies?

They do fly, but there are problems with it as you might imagine.  Trees are horrible things that will trap pegasi and griffons left and right if you're not careful to mark their branches as restricted traffic areas.

Is the 1st person diary entry the only way to contribute to the plot, or are other written/spoken forms acceptable, like 3rd person narration of one's pony's/other activities?

First person diaries are the tradition, but as you've probably noticed we do write a lot of RP scenes which are in third person.  Even if you only want to write one yourself about your character, without playing with someone else, that's fine with me.  I used to do that all of the time in other forts.

How tight the reign of the OP is here? I mean, there are some who include all suggestions and there are assholes like me who are control freaks and tolerate no de-railement from the planned course, within reason that is.

Even with the clarification I'm not entirely positive what you're asking here.  Are you asking how open I am to suggestions on the plot, backstory and world?  As long as you're not suggesting something wildly inappropriate or directly contradictory then I'm usually okay with it.  If in doubt, asking (maybe over PM) is a safe way to approach it.

One thing to keep in mind is that Dawnpick and Duskfields are previous games set in the same universe, so some things have already been defined there.  I try to keep it loose and open, but some things might be hard to change or explain away as a result.

[exodius1]

Thank you for the speedy answer.

Time for requests I guess, if it is all the same for you, and if you do not mind another question, as I sadly have no time/patience/eyes to read through, how much? 100+ pages of backstory? How are alicorns treated? For I have a little idea for a backstory for a character I want to request... If it does not sit well, I will rewrite it accordingly... Just a fair warning before I join in, I am what you can call a meddler, in my own stories I like keeping people on their toes, keep them guessing, keep them... paranoid... at least in-character^^

Spoiler: Proposed Backstory (click to show/hide)

A Pegasus from a militaristically minded family decided that he needs to do something to earn some prestige/notoriety, as would befit one of his lineage. And thus he/she grabs his/her spear/pike/other polearm (not sure what weapons are in the mod you see) and foolishly challenges one of the ruling alicorns to a single combat. After said alicorn wipes the whole courtyard with him/her as a warning to anyone else stupid enough to do such a monumentally idiotic thing the Pegasus is exiled from the land to the new settlement of Clusterbuck... Like adding a salt to the injury if you will...

Not the most complex backstory if you ask me, but should establish few things about a character and what role I want him/her to play... yes, I am fine with either gender, although I am a horrible writer, worse yet when it comes to writing female characters so choose that at your peril.

As to the Mod in the OP thing.. that would be lovely, I did not manage to get the more outlandish MLP mods to work, but if you have one pre-installed I guess I should be able to enjoy that.

And indeed I meant how much player input you are willing to take in... Sorry, English is my second language, and I am as eloquent as a run over hedgehog, and half as charismatic, if you can believe that^^

[Amorack]

20th Slate

There's little to say lately, as things have been pleasant and peaceful. Sometimes having little to say is a blessing, I've heard it said. While my work in the fields continue, I've been looking for herbs with the doctor, though not beside him. He seems to often roost in high places, that alas, I can't follow him to. That I could, I would follow and try to lift his spirits if they need it...if not with words, then by the image of a zebra trying to climb a tree.

10th Felsite

Icy ground gives way
To relentless search for stone
Fading warmth brings hope

I heard tell earlier that Silver Rush finally accomplished his goal, and found not only stone, but precious metals as well. I was very happy to hear, and had to congratulate him. Now that it can be done, I'll be Patina's first patron, if she would be able to make me some new tools.

1st Hematite

Ah, how kind fortune can be! Just today, I was toiling away under the spring sun, picking the juiciest crop of berries I've seen in all my years. The blues and reds amongst green stalks was a sight prettier than a meadow! ...And more pleasing to the thunderous rumbling in my stomach. Despite it, I almost began to feel discouraged, seeing the endless ranks of bushes and alfalfa shoots before me and to my flanks. In my ambition to feed the town myself, I'd sewn the seeds of my own failure! For I am only a single mare- quite a mare at that, many agree- but alone nonetheless amidst my prey and predators.

I might have faltered then, lain in the soil for an afternoon nap, for even in legends of great heroes, no mare stands against an army on her own. Suddenly, the goddess of Fortune came to me and lifted my head with her sweet hoof, and pointed it towards a wonderful sight. Our peach-pinioned protector and princess of prosperity, Isolde, marching at the head of a column of ponies and griffons, come to reinforce me in my struggle, and share in the spoils!

I know now how the beleaguered soldiers in songs of pitched battle felt, seeing allies come to their aid just when times are bleakest. Perhaps I'll tell such a story in the hall tonight, as I can think of no better welcome to Shadytrails. And maybe afterward, Silver Rush wouldn't mind a duet?

[Amorack]

Sorry to double-post, but I think I can at least partially answer the question, Exodius, until Telgin is back on.

Time for requests I guess, if it is all the same for you, and if you do not mind another question, as I sadly have no time/patience/eyes to read through, how much? 100+ pages of backstory?

Funny enough, that's probably a huge understatement. I think Duskfields was 20 forum pages or so, but with each one having many, many pages of text. One of them over 30, IIRC. Then Dawnpick was the same way but with 300 pages... And if you included Glitterglen too in that, well, you would be reading for a very long time.

How are alicorns treated?

Dawnpick had two people with alicorn characters, but as of Duskfields (the last fortress in this setting) they were no longer in the mod as migrants or available to be claimed (but still did and do exist in the canon). In Shadytrails, I'm fairly sure that's still the case.

[jaxler]

Fargo had only been with the group for a few days, but he was quick to get to his new job. He’d spend most of his time walking laps around all the areas ponies often were, like the meeting hall or the work spaces. He very much focused on the job at hand, and was vigilant for any sign of a threat to the town’s folk. Right now he was making his way over to the mining pit and was. There were few trees around as they’d been felled, though there were an abundance of shrubs and low lying plants.

Gunther didn’t like the look of some of the new comers to arrive at Shadytrails. Oh sure, there had been ponies amongst their numbers and that was all well and good (Just added more to the emergency food stockpiles after all) but amongst the newcomers was a rather big griffin follow. A solder if what little he had seen so far had suggested. Despite his own discomfit that the presence of a much more physically adept member of his own species was causing him, Gunther decided to suck it up and at least meet the fellow… and get an idea of his intentions for the future.

Approaching the solder, Gunther waved to get his attention. “Hey, you mind if I join you for a bit?”
   
Fargo stood still for a moment when he heard someone call out to him turned to face whoever spoke out. He noticed it was one of the people he recognized from the meeting space. “Hello there, friend.” He thought about Gunther’s question just a moment before responding. “And no I would not mind at all.” He figured since he hadn’t seen anything dangerous, and things had been calm around here from what he’d heard, he probably afford a short conversation without anything bad happening.

Accepting the invitation, Gunther fell in line beside the somewhat bigger Fargo. Keeping his breathing under control and resisting the completely natural urge to flop over onto his back and present his belly to the much larger griffin, the doctor asked “So how are you finding our little… well, not really town… more like several shacks that we call Shadytrails?”

“It is better than being on the road, but I was honestly under the impression this place would be an actual town when I agreed to come here.” He just started to walk again, continuing his patrol. “Still though, it could be much worse, and you guys have a decent cook which always helps.” He also could finally sleep for more than a few hours now that he didn’t have to worry about Lucky Lands being able to keep guard on her own, but he didn’t feel like sharing that last bit with a stranger.

Gunther couldn’t help but nod in agreement. Shortstack was a safe topic of discussion after all. “I have to admit, despite the lack of hands that mare knows how to turn just about anything into a hearty meal. Have you had the pleasure of meeting her yourself yet?” Following the solder in his patrol, Gunther did make sure to keep an eye out for any plants or herbs he might have missed earlier.

“I haven’t had the pleasure of talking with her, though I do appreciate her cooking.” Just as Gunther made sure keep an eye out for plants Fargo also focused on being productive as they talked. He tried to focus as much as he could on looking for any signs of trouble while still being able to take part in the conversation.

Gunther nodded his head a little even if he wasn’t exactly looking in Fargo’s direction. Those plants could get just about anywhere after all. “So what are you plans for the future? Continuing to work here until a better opportunity pops up down the line?” He guessed.

“Really depends. I’m stuck here for a while so I figured I’d make the best of it, but I am looking for some sort of long term employment.” He shrugged and looked at Gunther. “This place might be that, but it really depends on a lot of things.”

“Such as?” The doctor asked, his curiosity currently beating out the hints of dread in his voice.

“Payment, whether or not you need my service, if I can work with the terms of service and my co workers. Also Isolde and Kiume needs to be pleased enough with my service to be willing to hire my for a long time.” He didn’t seem to pick up on any malice.

“Fair enough.” There really wasn’t much more that could be said on the matter really. Not without sounding like a completely paranoid wreck of a griffin anyway. Acting as if he spotted something in the distance, Gunther politely said “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you but if you’ll excuse me, I need to check something out. I’ll see you around… Hopefully not on my table.”

“Very well, see you late-, wait what?” He said, seeming rather confused by bit confused by what gunther said. “You are indeed joking, are you not?” He glared at Gunther for a moment. He couldn’t tell if the griffon was serious or not.

Gunther couldn’t help but smirk innocently at Fargo’s reaction. “I’m the town’s doctor. I would hate for you to wind up on my operating table. What did you think I meant?”

“I’ve yet to take a good hit after years of service as a soldier and as a guard. I promise you won’t be seeing me on the table.” He smiled a little. “If anything I’d be worried about your other town guards.”

 Gunther couldn’t help but smirk a little. “So that’s it! The secret of being a good guard is being afraid of visiting the doctor’s office. Well, I have to admit as far as motivation to train goes its a surprisingly good one. But still, I should be off. I’ll see you around Fargo.” Turning towards where he had spotted that plant before, Gunther offered the guard a wave as he set off to greener pastures.

Fargo waved back, before starting to walk away. He was surprised Gunther knew his name, which made things awkward on account of the fact that Fargo didn’t know gunther’s. Regardless though he just let him get back to work as Fargo continued his patrol.