Jump to content

Ponies & Dragons - Episode 1: A Tail of Two Cities


Starburst

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 787
  • Created
  • Last Reply

As Curtains climbed aboard, his magpie-senses were all a tingle. Avarice overrides terror. In an instant, he had in his mind the first draft of a scheme involving the employment of a unicorn, some cheap ivory baubles, a canoe and chocolate pudding. But that's for later, he reasoned. Time to focus on the task at hand, which to him, seemed to be acting as bait.

"We're to lead them off course with the promise of a bigger score? It's clever. I hope nothing horrible happens."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"A scouting mission like that could take days, which is an amount of time I imagine we can't afford. If we have one, I'd like to see any maps of the surrounding region. A... chasm or something. Cliffs, bluffs, gorges and similar nonsense where we're boxed in. That's where it would be best to strike, should we pass through one."

He trusted these two, to be sure. They seemed like honest ponyfolk. This is why he really hoped he didn't sound like he was talking from experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Not really," Bramble disagreed. "Caravans move slowly... a single pony on foot can move much faster. And we don't have to look at the entire region - just follow the road to Canterlot... and we don't need to make sure the entire road is clear, just the section that the caravan is going to pass by in five minutes."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Ho ho ho.. Yes." Filt says, not giving much information at all about his plans. A hoof does rise up to push his glasses up his nose. The nightmare begins moving towards ponyville. Maintaining a speed faster than a typical caravan. "It should take a few hours to arrive. You have a bit of time on your hands."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bramble looked distrustfully towards Filt, with a soft frown. Then he raised his head and let out a long, low howl, letting it linger in the air before looking back to Filt. "My good sir ... are you sure you need us at all? I mean, you seem to have this all worked out, and no need to let us know what to expect ... I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Celestia wouldn't have asked me in my dreams to perform the task if she didn't believe I wasn't capable of doing so." Filt said. packing tobacco into a pipe before lighting it with a match, puffing out rings of smoke.

"And I believe that you three are far more competent than your outward appearances would lead me to believe."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A less polite pony would have rolled his eyes and thrown all sorts of doubt and bitterness into the conversation, asking where the Sun's benevolence was when a young foal's heart was thrown into the chaotic life of crime. Curtain Call however kept his peace and thought instead about the task at hand, the possible nature of these bandits and how deadly a foe the Nightmare could be. Also, he noticed that his mouth still burned slightly from the Firebrew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After midday passes, the group and the golden cart arrives in Ponyville. Upon arriving many colorful ponies are fitting barding and armaments to the volunteers to pull the caravan. One of the stallions hails Filt, they speak for a while, and Filt nods, returning to the cart. "Alright, we'll be leaving now. The plan is that we're going to be cannon fodder. When the bandits ambush our cart we capture them and travel alongside the Caravan to its destination in Canterlot."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bramble nodded, and looked to Ironmane. "Ironmane, once we get out of town, could you take over pulling my cart, Blossom's been bringing it along, and she'll leave it for us on the road to Canterlot. Then she and I can run ahead of the golden cart, through the woods, and see if we can't spot the ambush before it happens." He glances over to Curtain Call. "Blossom and I can take the left if you think you can move silently through the woods on the right?"

He ponders a moment. "If I see an ambush ahead of you, I'll make a birdcall like so:" He gives a flippant little bird whistle. "Curtain, you should have your own signal, so they know what side to expect it from."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ironmane smiles fondly at Bramble, nodding. "Excellent plan as always, Bramble Rose. When I hear the signal, I will join whichever of you has spotted the ambush, and we will lay these ruffians low." She thinks for a moment. "I have not your facility at imitating woodland calls, Bramble Rose. Perhaps you and Curtain Call--" she inclines her head to the Earth Pony "can practice with me on the way there?" She looks back and forth between the two, hopefully. "Otherwise I shall have to shriek 'For the Princess!' which is not particularly subtle."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The caravan slows to a halt after about an hour, and that gives everyone time to catch a breath of fresh air and begin working on locating the potential ambush. To the left is the beginnings of a large mountain range, and to the right is a small dirt path, which eventually leads onward to Filt's tavern and the rest of the town. You can estimate that you're maybe a mile away from where your journey originated.

( Stealth and Search checks please )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...