Stainless Steel Fox

After saying not to jump the queue, I'm now waiting for Sturmmann and ShadowStorm88 to respond before I reply.

(OOC: I know I don't get on as often as the rest of you, but can we keep the from putting up too many posts in the mean time?) The pegasus mare was properly respectful, but the pony in the grey jacket was overly familiar, and how crass to immediately talk of coin. His mare companion was properly embarrassed by such gauche behaviour, but tried to cover for him. Fairly obviously. Still, he had the notebook, so he would ignore such shenanigans. After all, what could you expect from a lower class pony? He lifted the book reverentially, his magic caressing the clasp, which as he'd expected clicked open at the touch of his telekiesis. He opened it carefully, finding, as he expected, notes and diagrams clearly written in a fine and familiar cursive horn writing style. He started to read... "Muggo' is right. We want to know what you're gonna pay." Well now, that was just rude! Blueblood's offended expression made his opinion clear. The dopy looking grey pegasus wasn't even able to drink a simple glass of wine without spraying half the table, let alone approach any negotiation in a civilised manner. He had come prepared to pay a finders fee, but after this reception and display of near thuggery he was half minded to walk straight out! But it was the other half, the part that intensely wanted to know the circumstances of the find, that stopped him. "We're just kiddin', b'y. It belongs to ya, right an' fair." he said with a sincere smile. "An' that's where it'll stay." he added, taking a sip of wine from his own glass, though he was never a huge fan of it himself. Still, it was a drink, and he was a bit thirsty. "I know how much a family heirloom's worth, an' ya can't count it out in bits. If that book belongs to yer family, it's yers. Can't put a price on that even if ya tried." That was a slight improvement. "Well, if you will restrain your mercenary compatriot from leaping upon me and hauling me up in the air to shake me loose from every bit I posess, maybe I can confirm this is a family heirloom, and determine if this is worth my time." Actually, he was already sure, but he wanted to have a chance to read. A few pages was enough, it was not only his father's horn writing, but his phrasing and style too. He laid it down carefully, and considered. He had it's brother in his own inside jacket pocket, but he would never reveal that to anyone. How to get information from them without seeming too interested and revealing his dirty little secret. A proper noble wouldn't hang on details of some common pony's trek... He shook his head. Maybe a small advance was appropriate. His horn glowed again, and a moneybag was pulled from the depths of a designer saddlebag. A stack of bits levitated from it and onto the table. "Three huindred bits. It is indeed one of my father's exploration journals. Consider it a finders fee. And I will double it if you describe the circumstances in which you fouund it." (OOC: Fish or cut bait time. I left the circumstances of his disappeance vague so that it could fit in with whatever story was going to use it. So choose Bezonian; are we to freeze out horns off on the steppes of the northern badlands, or sweat our way across the savannahs and jungles of Uyanazi?)

The Duke had dressed in a fairly casual manner (by his standards) in a white shirt and grey tweed jacket with gold buttons. A sporty red cravat.tie set off the outfit, and a red rose adorned the buttonhole of the hornstitched jacket breast pocket. Hie mane and tail wereas usually immaculate, and his manner dignified and aloof. "Lieutenant Firewalker?" He could see the journal, and it looked like the real thing, but while he was desperate to check it, it would never do to seem too eager or excited. "I see you have the notebook you mentioned. Shall we dispense with the customary effusions of excitment at meeting me in person and adjourn to one of the tables? I wish to examine the artifact more closely."

Prince Blueblood dismissed his chariot. The guards would return in a few hours, as he wanted the opportunity to explore after he finsihed his business. The ticket he'd been sent came in usefula fter all, as it gave him the chance to visit unofficially. To use his priivilege as Royal Patron would require informing the Society Chairman and a whole lot of fussing about as they arranged to greet him. Normally that would have been hay and oats to him, but in this case he wanted to get to the main matter. However, the attandant's stammered, "P... Prince Blueblood! It's an honour... I'll inform the Chairman at once..." Did give him a pleasant little glow inside. He waved it off with a hoof. "I'm here as a private citizen, not in my official capacity. I'd prefer it if you kept quiet. I am likely to be extremely busy. If I need the Chairman, I shall call for him later." He wended his way through the crowds. Quite a few of Canterlot's elite were here, along with the more common ponies. There were a few raised eyebrows, but it wasn't like this was a working conference. The VIP lounge would provide some excellent refreshments, and a few of the nobility and great maganates sponsored expeditions, so they had reason to be there. He graciously recieved the few acknowledgements he recieved, but refused to be drawn into a conversation. He knew his way around, having been here before, and navigation had always been a talent of his. Besides the Uyanazi room was close to the main entrance, easy to find even if you were coming here for the first time. He made his way inside, appreciating the tribal masks that lined the walls, and the zebra carvings and artwork. The place was quiter than the main hall, and had alcoves with padded cushions and low tables, carved from dark Uyanazi hardwoods, to sit at. A buffet was set up at one end of the room, but it was common fare, he would wait and go get horse'dervres at the VIP lounge if he wanted anything. He looked around, wondering which of the mares was Firewalker. Though he knew her name and affilaitions, he didn't know her on sight.

@ tacobob: Could you redact one thing. Prince Blueblood doesn't gamble. He has several vices, but visiting gaming halls isn't one of them. He goes to fancy parties and soirees and sporting events.

I ran out of time myself, having been writing over lunch. I'll add a letter. I suggest moving right along to the Uyanazi room, which I suspect will be one of the public rooms off the main area, decorated with zebra style native furnishings (Fetish masks on the walls, bamboo or rattan furniture, woven mat covers on the sitting cushions).

(OOC: Just to clarify, I'm out until this RP gets to a suitable point.)

As soon as his eyes hit the words 'insignia of the Duchy of Canter', it took all his considerable aplomb not to drop the letter as his magic faltered for a moment. He concentrated for a moment, and from an inside pocket on his morning coat came a similar notebook, bound in leather bark and inscribed with the Ducal coat of arms. He had all of them, except for one, the one his father had on him during his last expedition. Could it be? Could some random pony have discovered his father's missing journal, and some trace of his fathers last expedition? His mother had done her best to destroy most of the momentoes of his father's exploring career, on the basis that a proper noble had no business galivanting off to the far corners of the world. He still remembered the icy cold denunciation of his cutie mark as being unworthy of a noble, being wrong... He shook off the unpleasant memories. The few things he'd saved, like his father's journals, or collected, like the Daring Doo novels, were his dirty little secret. So it was unlikely in the extreme that it was some kind of hoax. No-one knew about this, and publically he was far too cultured and dignified to step onto grass that hadn't been hooficured into a surface that would shame a billiards table. He read eagerly through the rest of the letter. An ex-REA officer? Wait, wasn't there a Fire Walker in that cadet line... a mare if he remembered correctly. And he usually did, the minutiae of Canterlot society and it's denizens was as key to his job as the knowledge of Canterlot's winding streets was to a hackney pony. The tone of the letter was suitably respectful, but she clearly hadn't done her homework. As Royal Patron of the Society, he had a standing invitation to such things, though admittedly, the necessity of maintaining a distance from anything that could be considered work, especially to do with exploration, meant that he couldn't usually attend such things, unless there was some social or staus connection. However, for this bit of news he would make an exception. He tucked away his father's notebook, laid down the note, and picked up parchement and pen to compose a reply. Lieutenant Firewalker, I shall be pleased to meet you in the Uyanazi room at the start of the event. If the book is what I believe it to be, it may well be of interest to myself. Prince Blueblood, 53rd Duke of Canter, Guardian of the Princesses, Defender of the Weak.

In short, no. getting into the royal Ppalace, unless you're Twilight with her 'access all areas' permission is hard, and to get to the private quarters of any of the family is harder. What I expected was a letter describing who they are, what they were doing and what they found, and inviting him to meet them, maybe at the Explorers Society headquarters in one of the publkic sitting rooms or somewhere. Or a hotel, or a restaurant (they might as well get a nice meal out of it).

Link to actual RP I leave it up to you guys to decide what you want to say to intrigue him in. I made the assumption that as adventurers, at least one of you would have a membership in the Royal Exploration Society. The dues aren't exactly huge, and it gives you access to a library with the most up to date maps and information, a newsletter, and access to contacts, not to mention a reasonable place to stay. It may well have branches in other major cities as well as Canterlot.

Prince Blueblood was in his study leafing through his personal corespondance. His appointments secretary handled the invitations and social engagements, but there were still a few letters that couldn't be handled under existing orders, and they got passed up to the Prince. A lot got immediately filed in the nearest waste paper basket, but some were at least amusing. The one he now held in the grip of his horn was more mysterious. The return address was the Royal Exploration Society here in Canterlot, which was probably why it had gotten through to him, and a small golden stamp in one corner showed it had been passed by palace security for prank spells and effects. While he was the royal patron of the Society, he preferred to keep his involvemenrt, at least officially, at the tip of his horn. A letter opener was enfolded in his horn's glow and rose up to slit open the letter. Pulling out the standard sheet of Society headed notepaper, he perused the contents.

The problem with that is, it would have required Blueblood to already set things up, and he hasn't. Could you have taken some other job that didn't pan out, and in the process found the book by accident. Recognising, or researching the Ducal seal, they realise it might be worth something to Blueblood and go to see him to see if they can make a quick bit. From there we can proceeed as you suggested. It avoids me having to have BVlueblood arrange anything before hand. I'd prefer this thing to hit him cold.

Where's Ushanti? I know Uyanazi, the land of the zebras. But either the Badlands or Uyanazi are good as far as I'm concerned. But we need a trigger, a reason for Blueblood to start the quest in the first place. And we need a reason to crowbar the Blue Blunder out of Canterlot and to Fillydelphia. Or get the rest of the party to Canterlot to meet with him. If one of your characters is an explorer or trader, or someone with reason to have been out in whatever hinterland the RP will primarily take place in, I think we can do both. Blueblood the Elder kept diaries of his expeditions, Blueblood carries the next to last one with him at all times as a momento. If an adventurer found the one he'd started just before he set off on his last mission, it would be the first sign as to where he was lost, and if it had been in some sort of waterproofed pouch that had partially failed, or under some proofing spell. There might just be enough information to give cryptic hints as to where he went, without making it easy for an expedition to follow him. It could be easily identified without opening it, as his notebooks were horn-made of tooled leatherbark, and had the insignia odf the Duchy of Canter (a white castle with a solar and lunar cutie-mark in the upper left and right corners respectively), closed with a clasp. Inside it would be full of horn-written notes on high quality bonded paper. Due to exposure and whatever damage, some would be unreadable, but the notes would clearly be in Blueblood 52's horn-writing style. It might be enchanted so that only Blueblood or his mother could open the clasp. So one of the other player characters finds it, brings it back and contacts the Duke, as it has the Ducal symbol and can't be opened. If the player is based in Fillydelphia, it might intrigue the Duke into coming there to see it. I am so thinking the opening to Last Crusade or Raiders. This would be an awesome mission for Daring Doo. (He has all her books, you know, though you'd pull his horn out by the roots before he'd admit it.) Does that strike people as a decent set-up? I'm willing to go with something else, but I warn you, undeerr normal circumstances, Blueblood is pretty hard to shift.

(OOC: @Lux. I guess you jumped in because you though Blueblood was out. Fair enough, but I still have to make an exit post.) A big, eager grin spread even wider across Sweetie Belle's face as she heard that the gorgeous prince was single. "Wellllll," she said, rubbing one lil' hoof across the floor, "Maybe you'll run into a nice special somepony while you're here in Ponyville." She cleared her throat. (OOC: Oh Celestia, the filly has a crush on Blueblood. BTW Utterly adorable picture! ) However unlikely that seemed, finding a mare of suitable status and taste in a provincial little backwater like this, there were proprieties to be obseved. Besides, ponies spontaneously wishing him well weren't exactly common so he refrained from smirking at her naivity. Instead he gave her a polite nod. "Anything is possible, I suppose. I look forward to seeing you again." With that he made his way out of the door, looking around for his chariot.

I'm in. Check my character description to see just how perfect this would be for him. As for quest ideas, what does Blueblood value? Some rare orchid or other flower as a birthday gift for his mother might take the group to far Uyanazi or the Gallopagos Islands. Since looking good is so important to him, some vital ingredient for stallion cosmetics maybe? His father, the 51st Duke Blueblood was a great explorer, lost on an expedition without trace about a decade ago. If there was some evidence that it might be possible to find him, or even what happened to him, he would move Cloudsdale, Canterlot and Tartarus to do so. Those are the 'far off lands' style quests, which would also work as my version of Blueblood has an ulterior motive, one that he won't actually admit to himself.

After a long relaxing soak that really took the ache out of his muscles, and a substantial (if carefully calorifcally balanced) dinner, Blueblood lay prone on his suite's chaise lounge, wearing a finely embroidered and quilted dressing gown with his ducal symbol on it's flanks. 'The Art of Chivarie' hovered in front of him, and a tray with a steaming cup of cocoa with marshmallows sat on the low table beside him. He manifested a ball of light just beyond the tip of his horn as a reading lamp and dug in, turning the ancient pages with care. The book was a treasure trove! There were explanations of rules of ettiquette that had passed down to modern times as pure tradition, accounts of famous unicorns and their deeds that exemplified certain laws and customs, so many things the modern nobility took for granted. The marshmallows melted into the cocoa unheeded as it cooled down (and that was in itself remarkable, as it was a treat the diet consious unicorn rarely allowed himself) so fascinated was he by the contents of the ancient book. Even more surprising, there was a section dealing specifically with his family. It had even been marked by an ancient scrap of parchment, which fluttered to the floor as he opened the page. It was remarkable. His title as Defender of the Princesses came from the fact that his ultimate ancestor had been the Duke of Canter and therefore commander in chief of the royal castle. Effectively, he had handled the task of administering and protecting Canter and it's environs, leaving the Princesses free to rule the rest of Equestria. Which also meant he was ultimately responsible for the Princesses safety too. He'd always believed that the title was merely honorary, and extra piece of fruit salad to garnish his name, but there it was. Some quick cross-checking showed that the modern version didn't repeal it, and a further check of some history books showed that the transfer of responsibility to the present Honor Guard was by special order and by permission of the then Duke of Canter, not by statute. Since 'The Art of Chivalrie' _was_ a part of Common Law, that meant that theoretically he could go up to Shining Armour or any of the guards of the Princesses protective details and give them orders. Not that he'd attempt it, the Captain of the Guard made him nervous, and his recent marriage to Princess Cadence made him part of the Royal family (though micro-metrically lower than Bluebood as it was by marriage). Still it was amusing, and the unicorn grinned as he imagined being able to drop that little titbit at his next soiree. That would be... Suddenly he stopped dead as he read the next paragraph, and his reading light flared and guttered out as he lost control of his magic. The book dropped, and he barely recovered in time to catch it before it thudded onto the chaise-lounge. He forced himself to calm down and re-read the offending paragraph. "An the Duke of Canter, as Defendere of the Princesses shalt be the Mightyest Knight on Lyfe. That being, he shalt defend his honoure from all besmirchment or calumny. Should his skill in combat be impugned, he must defend it by the giving and recieving of blows upon the field of honoure. No substitution may be made, and should he fail in this endevoure, his title is forfeit, to be given at the Princeses' pleasure to his challenger or such other as they deem worthy of it." Uh oh. One of Lanceguard's taunts had been that he was unworthy of his title, and that meant... Oh no!

"Oh, thank you, your highness! I try really hard to act proper like my big sister Rarity! I'll place your time at eleven, then, and make certain that there is a light snack waiting to tide you over in case you are late for your lunch!" "Thank you, that would be delightful." Blueblood responded, oblivious to the hearts floating around the younger filly. "So, is ... there a very special somepony who you'll need to be coordinating your outfit with, then?" she asked, very casually, leaning forward with her eyes sparkling. "No, not at the moment." He replied. Though the question showed she was thinking of the bigger picture, it was also something of a sore subject. Suitably deferential mare-friends were hard to find. Though his status meant there were always noble mares who wanted to be seen with him, they tended to leave for the most ridiculous of reasons fairly quickly.

The little filly's helpfulness and cheery manner was a great relief, especially compared to her older sister. In fact, Blueblood could scarcely believe they were from the same family. "Half past ten or eleven would be better," he replied. "I have to come down to Ponyville from Canterlot, and even with a fast chariot that takes almost an hour. And may I just say in passing that it's a delight to deal with some-pony who acts with due care and proper etiquette." He carefully didn't look over to the 'fashionista' who was already working on another customer. Well, at least he had navigated his way through this place without being the subject of Assault By Caking.

Despite the armour weighing him down, Blueblood was almost walking on air. It took all his considerable control not to sqeee like a little filly. Everything was going according to plan. Now for a long bath, and a meal, after he'd gotten out of this armour. He arrived at his private chambers and rang for one of the servants. He ordered a light dinner from the kitchens to be brought up in half an hour, and for a bath to be drawn in his private bathroom. He begun to strip his caparison and armour only to discover that underneath it, he smelled, no smelled wasn't strong enough, he reeked. The underpadding smelled of sweat and iron, and he did too when he stripped it off. He got a second servant to take the caparison and underpadding away to be washed and readied for tomorrow, and to tell the kitchens to deliver his meal in an hour. It was going to take time to scrub this fug out of his coat. The hauberk and armour pieces had been laid to one side, and he started to put them back on the ponyquin. Since he was going to have to wear this, and continue the training, he'd need to get them polished up too... Suddenly he noticed something he hadn't before on the ponyquin, the castle and cutie-marks of the ducal emblem placed on it's chest of all places. He touched it with a hoof, wondering why it was there and soon found out. A cunningly concealed drawer popped open, it's seams invisible until then, and in it was a book. It was old, but well made, and it had the legend, 'The Arte of Chivalrie' on the spine. Blueblood lifted it out of it's recess reverentially. He'd read the modern, abridged version of course, practically memorised it, as it was the basis of the rules which governed the nobility, and had been incorporated into the common law for centuries. But this looked to be an original, unabridged version. Which was impossible, if there'd been a copy anywhere he'd have moved Cloudsdale and Canterlot both to get his horn on it. Even the Royal Canterlot archives didn't have a copy. Well, it looked like he had some light reading for after dinner. However it had started, it looked to be turning out to be a good day after all.

Blueblood considered the admission that he was right a partial win in the arena of social combat. As he'd expected though, she'd insisted that she needed the extra day, which he'd expected, whether it was true or not. Time to withdraw gracefully. "Very well, I shall have to rearrange my exceptionally busy schedule, but I will return the day after tomorrow to look at your designs. Considering that this is a matter of the highest importance, I wouldn't want you to rush your work and produce something unwearable." "Now, is there anything more I may help you with?" she asked, just to add a note of finality. "No, I believe that is all. Formal stallion-ware appropriate for an air-ship launch, one to enhance and complement my own presence. Now I must go, I have a great deal left to do today. Farewell." He headed for the door, noting approvingly that Sweetie Belle was walking slowly and serving her new customers more carefully, though with the same enthusiasm. He only hoped they appreciated that his advice had helped her, though from the group he didn't hold out much hope. He waited until she'd served the pushy dark unicorn, and then spoke to her. "Young lady, I require an appointment for the day after tomorrow. Something in the late morning would be best." There was no way he was going to cut short his post workout bath and mane styling.

"I'm really glad every-ponies safe." Cloudius breathed a sigh of relief, then frown3ed at Silverbolt. "Though you should have left saving me to the ponies who weren't hurt. I made that cloud support bed for a reason!" He couldn't hold it though, and chuckled. "I guess that whole do or die mentality comes with the wings. Pegasi, more bravery than brains the lot of us." He rested back in his bed, taking another bite of his apple and swallowing before continuing. "I guess I never explained what I was doing, did I? You guys deserve an explanation after all you went through. Basically, I figured since it was a cloud, and that's what I'm best at, I might be able to affect it. On top was the safest place while I used my talent to connect with it. Once I started, I wasn't going to be able to dodge." He shook his head. "I don't know how it started, but I can guess. The Everfree Forest creates it's own clouds, moisture in the air just condenses by itself, without a pegasus helping it along. I think the cloud may have gotten mixed up with the magic of the place in this case, and it started to be aware of it's own growth. Obviously, it wanted to go on living, which meant growing. Up to a point, I guess it would have sustained itself off the magic and moisture over the forest, but then it started feeling hungry. "That started some kind of vicious cycle. Hunger made it scared and frantic to find more 'food', and the more active it got the faster it used up magic, making it even hungrier. It wasn't evil, just hungry and scared, like a starving wild animal. I have to wonder if it would have made it to Cloudsdale before it died of starvation. Maybe not, I'm glad we didn't have to find out." "At first I'd intended to stop it at all costs, disrupt the cycle with my own magic by reshaping the key areas, but that would have killed it, and I couldn't do that or rather not just that. It was a living thing, and however it came about it deserved to go on living. So When I pushed my magic into it, I put in two twists. The first disrupted the magical flows as I'd intended, but the second re-established them at a lower level. That's what really took it out of me. But if I did it right, it should have lived on, though it will never grow beyond a cumulous mediocritis, and it should be able to survive in the Everfree without hunting extra clouds." He looked around. "You guys saw it, after I'd finished, how did it look?"

Cloudius's mouth was full of toffee coated apple, so his "Pixie Parcel? You came too?" was a bit muffled. He worked his way ponyfully through the mouthful of chewyness, and then spoke properly. "Wow... thank you for coming here every-pony..." Then he looked worried. "Are Firefly and Firework okay? For that matter i don't know much of anything that went on after i blacked out. Is everyone safe?"

I had the same thought, and I know I put it somewhere in Proposed Lore. Bedouin camels with burnooses and white robes, and cities with domes and minarettes who say 'Salam' and call people 'Effendi'. (To any Middle Eastern bronies, no offense intended. I'm English, and I've never worn a bowler hat, taken part in a football riot, or even gone to a football (soccer) game, morrris danced, or said 'I say!' as an exclamation. I do however drink massive amounts of tea.) I think it would heavily draw on sources like the Disney version of Aladdin for look and style.

"Whoa! If you keep injuring yourself like that, you'll be back there!" Cloudius exclaimed. He looked longingly at the caramel apples. "Those are from Sweet Apple Acres, aren't they? Yes, yes please!"

Cloudius looked up as the door to his room opened, and his face brightened as he saw Silverbolt and Sky Flare enter. "Hi guys! It's good to see you!" He examined Silverbolt with a careful eye, "Even if you look like you should be in the bed next to me!"