The airfield that served Coltchester was small and rather basic, serving mostly official coalition traffic and the occasional set of pilgrims. The town itself was very pretty, picturesque and rural in the fading evening light. But it was overshadowed by great thunder-heads of dark clouds behind it, that loomed over the vast spire of the Moonlight Palace. A ghastly white corpse-light shone from the pale limestone and marble of the castle-like palace, a slim beam of moonlight sparkling off it making it seem to be the only thing there below the dark clouds.
Air-chariots were employed to carry the guests to the palace, over the treetops of a dense and dark wood. Flights of bats flew startled from the high trees, and huge dark ravens croaked and flew around the chariots.
“Why do you come here?” croaked one raven, flying to one side of each chariot.
“Turn back if you value your lives!” shrieked another of the black birds. Both were in fact, hired to act this little role, their sapient kind not from Equestria, but from another obscure part of Earth, and uncommon even here.
“Foals, flee!” cried the first, obviously having fun as she wheeled away and beat her wings furiously, as though she could not stand to be so near the palace. All an act, and delivered in a tone that was as playful as ominous.
The Princess had seen to it that the routes taken by the various air-chariots were 'scenic' enough that all the guests arrived together, forming a single group.
Over the woods, a deep red scorpion claw would snap out at the chariots, with no real warning, revealing the ominous shape of a full sized constallation-beast, like an ursa major, but in fact, a scorpio,, making a half-hearted effort to snap at the chariots.
The chariots, and their ghoulishly made up pullers, paused at a halting site a little way from the bottom of the hill, allowing the guests to go no further. “We dare go no further,” they would say if questioned, and promptly 'flee.'
The walk was not far, but there was yet another 'surprise' on it, as an orange earth pony sprang out at the guests on the path, bedraggled, with a look of apparent terror. “RUN AWAY!” she cried, and bounded down the path before jumping back into the bushes and quite effectively disappearing.
It was clear to look at the palace that in the daytime it would be a welcoming place, and the efforts to make it more imposing were only cosmetic, but an eerie silence permeated the huge structure, as though everypony had been sent away. The doors swung open to reveal a courtyard decorated in pumpkins and ominous bat shapes, at the end of which, a tall figure in a hooded cloak, pointed fangs glowing white, stood on a balcony, looking down on them all. The way up was obvious, an empty hall with tapestries of sable adding a sense of gloom to proceedings, and a stairway up leading to the room the figure had been seen in.
The North Dining Room of the Palace was the only one that was yet completed, and it was also the smallest, but quite exquisitely beautiful, and ideal for the centrepiece of a feast or party. A long table whose carven legs were made of deep black ebony dominated the room before expansive windows that looked out across a garden of night-blooming flowers. Velvet curtains of deepest purple decorated the room, and a ceiling of black and blue agate was picked out in golden traceries and white shining quartz to display the constellations in the autumn sky (In actuality, the whole ceiling could be broken down along almost invisible lines and moved to match the season).
From the balcony at the far end, the princess, covered in a black cloak walked over to her guests, her usual crown replaced with a far smaller coronet made of faux-gold and pearls, in the style of a continental count. Welcoming each in turn, and collectively, with a slight accent, “I am... Luna... and I bid you welcome to my home!” before moving on to greet each in turn, her fangs combined with a red lined cloak and sash worn across the chest upon which several bright decorations and insignia had been pinned giving the dracula costume an element of distinct its style. “I hope everypony didn't find the trip too tiring,” she said, saying nothing of her efforts to scare the group.
The table was decorated at its centre by a nef, a huge model boat, easily four feet long, made from elaborate authentic materials, reproducing a Middle Era Equestrian Carrack, sleek and quite unlike equivalent earth vessels, ropes and pullies (in this case, threads and minuscule brass pullies) were in evidence, but no rigging, as many of the crew would have been able to fly, and others had telekinetic abilities, little climbing had been involved. It carried no weapons, not only because there was little interest in violence among its makers, but also because there were no rivals worthy of arming ships against, leaving it a pure trading and exploration vessel. Around its poop decks were decks with luminescent ensorcelled silver markings, duplicated on this model too, to aid the ship’s fliers in taking off and landing in adverse weather if required. Tiny lamps hung from it, shards of quartz giving magical light from them, as the originals had to avoid fire. Although the ship was outdated now by some centuries, it clearly had advancements many human sailors would envy.
The tablecloth was a deep blue, streaks and shimmers giving it the surface of the sea, shimmering surface almost reflecting the stars high above on the ceiling of the dining room.
What could only be called a throne sat in the middle of one of the table’s long ends, carved from black granite and upholstered and trimmed in ebony, it was blacker than black, an elaborate curlpad-type chair that rose high up behind the occupant. The other chairs were less elaborate, but that was not saying much, and were clearly both expensive and unique. Most of the chairs were designed for equines, but there were several at the table for humans, and others were in a nearby lumber room to accommodate any species short of an adult dragon.
Before each place setting was an individual salt cellar of silver and glass, a holdover from a time when salt was the spice, and for most Equestrians, it remained an almost essential dietary supplement in any case.
The princess took her seat, looking around, inviting her guests to do likewise, when the necessary plesantries or objections were concluded, “I hope everyone is of a mind to indulge in a little fun, I have a game of sorts planned, and of course, quite a few other games planned, after dinner,” she said.
OOC: Intro-post part one, I probably won't be able to do much until tomorrow but I'll try and keep up, I hope that's given everypony enough to go on for writing up their arrival.
Air-chariots were employed to carry the guests to the palace, over the treetops of a dense and dark wood. Flights of bats flew startled from the high trees, and huge dark ravens croaked and flew around the chariots.
“Why do you come here?” croaked one raven, flying to one side of each chariot.
“Turn back if you value your lives!” shrieked another of the black birds. Both were in fact, hired to act this little role, their sapient kind not from Equestria, but from another obscure part of Earth, and uncommon even here.
“Foals, flee!” cried the first, obviously having fun as she wheeled away and beat her wings furiously, as though she could not stand to be so near the palace. All an act, and delivered in a tone that was as playful as ominous.
The Princess had seen to it that the routes taken by the various air-chariots were 'scenic' enough that all the guests arrived together, forming a single group.
Over the woods, a deep red scorpion claw would snap out at the chariots, with no real warning, revealing the ominous shape of a full sized constallation-beast, like an ursa major, but in fact, a scorpio,, making a half-hearted effort to snap at the chariots.
The chariots, and their ghoulishly made up pullers, paused at a halting site a little way from the bottom of the hill, allowing the guests to go no further. “We dare go no further,” they would say if questioned, and promptly 'flee.'
The walk was not far, but there was yet another 'surprise' on it, as an orange earth pony sprang out at the guests on the path, bedraggled, with a look of apparent terror. “RUN AWAY!” she cried, and bounded down the path before jumping back into the bushes and quite effectively disappearing.
It was clear to look at the palace that in the daytime it would be a welcoming place, and the efforts to make it more imposing were only cosmetic, but an eerie silence permeated the huge structure, as though everypony had been sent away. The doors swung open to reveal a courtyard decorated in pumpkins and ominous bat shapes, at the end of which, a tall figure in a hooded cloak, pointed fangs glowing white, stood on a balcony, looking down on them all. The way up was obvious, an empty hall with tapestries of sable adding a sense of gloom to proceedings, and a stairway up leading to the room the figure had been seen in.
The North Dining Room of the Palace was the only one that was yet completed, and it was also the smallest, but quite exquisitely beautiful, and ideal for the centrepiece of a feast or party. A long table whose carven legs were made of deep black ebony dominated the room before expansive windows that looked out across a garden of night-blooming flowers. Velvet curtains of deepest purple decorated the room, and a ceiling of black and blue agate was picked out in golden traceries and white shining quartz to display the constellations in the autumn sky (In actuality, the whole ceiling could be broken down along almost invisible lines and moved to match the season).
From the balcony at the far end, the princess, covered in a black cloak walked over to her guests, her usual crown replaced with a far smaller coronet made of faux-gold and pearls, in the style of a continental count. Welcoming each in turn, and collectively, with a slight accent, “I am... Luna... and I bid you welcome to my home!” before moving on to greet each in turn, her fangs combined with a red lined cloak and sash worn across the chest upon which several bright decorations and insignia had been pinned giving the dracula costume an element of distinct its style. “I hope everypony didn't find the trip too tiring,” she said, saying nothing of her efforts to scare the group.
The table was decorated at its centre by a nef, a huge model boat, easily four feet long, made from elaborate authentic materials, reproducing a Middle Era Equestrian Carrack, sleek and quite unlike equivalent earth vessels, ropes and pullies (in this case, threads and minuscule brass pullies) were in evidence, but no rigging, as many of the crew would have been able to fly, and others had telekinetic abilities, little climbing had been involved. It carried no weapons, not only because there was little interest in violence among its makers, but also because there were no rivals worthy of arming ships against, leaving it a pure trading and exploration vessel. Around its poop decks were decks with luminescent ensorcelled silver markings, duplicated on this model too, to aid the ship’s fliers in taking off and landing in adverse weather if required. Tiny lamps hung from it, shards of quartz giving magical light from them, as the originals had to avoid fire. Although the ship was outdated now by some centuries, it clearly had advancements many human sailors would envy.
The tablecloth was a deep blue, streaks and shimmers giving it the surface of the sea, shimmering surface almost reflecting the stars high above on the ceiling of the dining room.
What could only be called a throne sat in the middle of one of the table’s long ends, carved from black granite and upholstered and trimmed in ebony, it was blacker than black, an elaborate curlpad-type chair that rose high up behind the occupant. The other chairs were less elaborate, but that was not saying much, and were clearly both expensive and unique. Most of the chairs were designed for equines, but there were several at the table for humans, and others were in a nearby lumber room to accommodate any species short of an adult dragon.
Before each place setting was an individual salt cellar of silver and glass, a holdover from a time when salt was the spice, and for most Equestrians, it remained an almost essential dietary supplement in any case.
The princess took her seat, looking around, inviting her guests to do likewise, when the necessary plesantries or objections were concluded, “I hope everyone is of a mind to indulge in a little fun, I have a game of sorts planned, and of course, quite a few other games planned, after dinner,” she said.
OOC: Intro-post part one, I probably won't be able to do much until tomorrow but I'll try and keep up, I hope that's given everypony enough to go on for writing up their arrival.
