Interesting. The three of them are getting rather acquainted with their bodies, but it seems in return their instincts are being replaced or have already been fully modified. Somewhat. They recognize sexual signals and sights that'd normally interest a pony (I'd accuse them of being cloppers, and certainly Brad is, but Joe is new to ponies so he shouldn't be affected if that was the case, and he is), but don't have the tolerance of being a pony nudist all their lives like everypony in Ponyville is.

How awkward.

I'm a bit concerned about Paul, but maybe having no body anymore means he isn't affected by hormones and thus doesn't miss anything. That's still a sad existence though.

Are we stuck here?

extra space

Paul is really owning his predicament, although the fact that he has to speak will lead to some severe meta-gaming.

And don't take this wrong, but...are all roleplayers so dirty-minded?

5903798 In my limited experience, at least half? Brad is based on a very specific person I know in the real world.

5903784 Joe watched Ian get washed and squirm in an obviously affected fashion. Add some imagination and Joe has enough to at least get the worst of all of nature's inventions, the unwanted erection.

I do hope you're enjoying this crazy story you've spawned!

5903811 I know this story is flagged mature, but I hope you differentiate between people like Brad, that let their exclusive organs do the thinking, and people like (I hope) Joe and Ian, who govern themselves.

5903826 They didn't jump on each other. Ian isn't itching to try things out as a pegasus mare, and Joe's trying to be a good guy, besides, that's Ian! Jumping him would be so very wrong, right?

Brad has his own problems.

5903829

Joe's trying to be a good guy, besides, that's Ian! Jumping him would be so very wrong, right?

Exactly. By the time they get used to that complication, they should also be used to their new bodies enough to take the urges with a grain of salt. It's not unreasonable that they might all eventually find romance/love/whatever Brad wants, but it would be very unlikely for it to be with each other.

"Well, it's kind of wierd. I can control ponies, but I'm not actually them. Watch. Suddenly, the door kicked open!" The door bashed inwards. "It was Daring Do! But she had the wrong room. She looked abashed."

"Oh, sorry." Daring Do quietly closed the door.

weird
Now I wonder who Daring Do was expecting to find. Does Ahuizotl have a room at this inn?

5903849 The powers of the GM are quite frightening. My mind immediately imagined this pitched battle going on two rooms down while they bedded down for the night.

5903851 Having lasting consequences for all of Paul's one-liners would be an interesting twist. If all of the events he causes continue to play out once he abandons them, it would put quite a heavy responsibility on him. If he is remotely ethical, it would also be an excellent way to hobble him so that he can't just Deus-ex-Machina every problem that comes up.

5903861 He did just turn Vinyl Scratch into an ancient vampire, as if she always had been.

5903864 Yes, his powers of backwards continuity are interesting. What I was thinking though, is where things go when he releases them. For example, he summons Daring Do for that door joke and then she leaves and goes to find the correct room. Paul stops controlling her at this point. Now suppose that a rule in this scenario is that everything is continuous (you pretty much need that rule to have anything resembling physics). After Paul stops driving, Daring Do continues her quest to find the right room and has a fight with Ahuizotl or that pony with the 5 o'clock shadow. In the morning, there are police on-scene in response to the innkeeper's call for help and no-one is allowed to leave until they are questioned. Or, Paul brings somepony into a scene to answer a question and they find out later that he was late to work and got fired as a result. If every time he uses someone as an NPC it has permanent consequences on their lives, it should make him feel guilty to use his power that way.

5903885 True, but we also want him to be able to do his job of shaking things up. That seems like a good idea for if he tries to 'soften' things up and helps the 'players' too much.

5903894 You could have him go back and forth looking for balance. He starts off wreaking havoc and just having a good time. Next, he realizes he accidentally hurt an innocent person indirectly and never wants to do anything for fear of making a mistake. Finally, he is forced to take action to save his friends, but uses his powers with a better understanding of the dreadful responsibility.

Equestria should do a decent job of "shaking things up" without any input, considering the first three seasons were one year.

5903907 Huh? Where is that confirmed?

5903921 In "Princess Twilight Sparkle" at the start of season 4, it is stated that the summer sun celebration Twi is practicing for is the first since Luna's return.

5903926 Live and learn!

5903930 Of course, that means that some of the slice-of-life episodes were out of order, but that's just as well, since you can wiggle out of any character regression that way *cough*Mare-do-Well*cough*

Do all three PCs hear all of Paul's narration, or only what affects them?

5903965 Paul is in one place at a time. If they are near, they can hear.

5903968 So once they all go to sleep, can he skip the boring part of the night just by saying, "the night passed uneventfully" rather than sleeping himself?

5903978 Yus he can! Or you know, something else.

5904007 If he wakes them up in the middle of the night with "roll perception" he is pushing the definition of "friend."

Hmm. Was Vinyl always a vampire, or were those DM instincts making things more interesting?

In any case, the reality of the situation is settling in. This is definitely going to be both awkward and interesting, especially in the absence of the featureless crotch phenomenon.

Typos did, in fact, happen:

I got sweet gig lined up.

There should be an "a" between these two words.

When I stepped off the toilet which doubled as a bidet.

Not a complete sentence. (Nor was that. ) What happened when s/he stepped off the toilet?

5903907
Good luck figuring out how they fit into that year...

5904483 All fixed! Once Paul says something it becomes always true. He has the frightful power of retcon.

Best story ever!! Ima go watch yogsquest now!!
*cough*...........This is a really good story, I'm looking forward to the next chapter. I'm so glad I kept this.....'tab' up, I think that's the right word, I'm on my iPod, so yeah. I might've missed the next chapter, and forget about the entire story :/.......

5904536 Why not track the story? What is your fave part?

5904483

Good luck figuring out how they fit into that year...

I heard a rumor that someone already did and published a timeline.

5903921
5904483
The new episode (S5E5) offers a nice justification for the sporadic winter in previous episodes.

5903849
brad wants hot sweaty mare on mare sex.

This is very interesting.

If this is life any of the campaigns I've ever played, all the enemies would be defeated in the most unorthodox and humiliating way possible.

5942847 Pies at dawn!

5942897

Handing a saddlebag full of non-magical explosives to an unseen servant.

"Deliver this saddlebag to the angry stallion in the black, tattered robes."

5903798
While I wouldn't let that kind of behavior out during a game, I have to admit if I found myself in this situation, I would want to experiment. I don't think I would be as aggressive about it as Brad, though. xD