'How Clocktower Society Finds Its Members' and the 'Heart Song Novel' Rumour. · 11:17am Sep 4th, 2016
So this was a big point of controversy, I realize, how Clocktower Society members get found and brought into the fold. Recall how Rarity mentions the prevailing belief is that it's based on the readership of Heart Song's BDSM novels?
Here's something straight from the horse's mouth.
“Welcome to Rapture Station. Please ensure you have all your belongings before alighting the carriage. Enjoy your stay at Clocktower Equestria West.” The speakers announced as the carriage slid out of the corkscrew and into a waiting station platform. There was a loud pneumatic hiss as the bulkhead depressed and swung downwards.
“I’ve always been curious about one thing.” Coloratura suddenly said as they stepped off onto the station platform. “I know you find potential Society members with the help of that kinky story writer and her sales records. But what about us Genderwise members? How did you find us, especially when many of us put a lot of effort into not being found out?”
Cadence’s smile turned playful. “Can you promise to keep a secret?”
Coloratura nodded, solemnly.
“The kinky story writer thing is just a rumour, though it is no coincidence that some ponies first begin to develop an interest after they give them a read,” Cadence whispered with undisguised glee, “The truth is, the Fire of Devotion senses budding devotion. It shows me glimpses of those who belong in the Society, their names, their whereabouts. I would then assign ponies to find them and offer them an invitation.”
“So it chose me?” Coloratura murmured, thoughtfully.
“It did. It was quite insistent about you, actually,” Cadence chuckled. “Now I think I can see why. I’m glad it led me to you.” She smiled endearingly at Coloratura’s bashful blush.
Don't worry, you will hear Cadence say the same thing in the main story at some point. Something along the lines of one of the members being sent out as an agent to recruit a dragon lord.
"So, he read Heart Song's novel?"
"Does he look like he reads?"
"Uh, wait, then why do you think he'd be interested?"
I just thought I'd post this snippet from Razzle Dazzle, Extra Sprinkles so you can get the news hot off the press. By the way, it's a great story with optional clop with some new Society lore, a majority of which is in the Epilogue, part 1. I'm starting to sound like a pushy car salesman here but I do recommend it (and I actually found the optional clop surprisingly hot despite not being into homosexual male subs in the slightest).
"So that is how it works... this information is gold. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do. This 'Flame of Devotion' could be helpful in the future."
Comma.
Period.
I just had a flash reading this. Twilight's Cutie Mark Friendship in peril 3D map of Equestria. The one that spots trouble, and selects the right two friends to fix the problem.
Given the Society's obviously advanced, in certain narrow boundaries, magic and tech, is it too hard to think that Twilight's table is not unique, and that the Society has had a version of it for thousands of years. One that instead of indicating the Cutie marks of the ponies to be sent out trouble shooting, it indicates the cutie marks of the ponies who would make good Society members.
It is in fact a user interface for the Fire of Devotion. A different aspect of the fire is what powers Twilight's friendship table.
Knew something kept bothering me, in your story its Love Song, in this section (didnt read Razzle Dazzle, Extra Sprinkles yet) its obviously Heart Strong, different name for the same author in different regions maybe?
Hmm... the whole book thing being more of an exaggerated rumor makes sense, but overall I think maybe I still preferred the notion that most people join up because a friend whose already a member recommends and endorses them.
Not that there's anything wrong with the occasional bit of magical insight helping to identify potential members that might be more secretive or reclusive. If Twilight has her cutie map to alert her of friendship problems, it certainly makes as much since for Cadance as the princes of LOVE to have access to something providing her with similar insights where her intervention is needed most.
I'm still a little hesitant to dive into this particular fic at the moment. It's certainly got me more than a little curios, but I've just not been in the right kind of experimental mood lately. Over the years, however, I've certainly been surprised in the same way myself by multiple stories featuring all kinky fetishes and relationship angles which I originally thought I'd never enjoy, or even outright scoffed at as being far too perversely disgusting. Even as I've steadily broadened the scope of my own personal horizons, not every new experience leads to a new permeant kink and instead just becomes the occasional one-off exception.
In the end, I think it mostly always comes down to that what's HOT has a lot more to do with how a story is written rather than what it's about.