Page 261 - To the Boring End

Don’t worry, this session won’t be coming to an abrupt stop. It’s just going to drift away from Swarm of the Century…

Actually, I did have this whole episode planned out as an arc. See, the Parasprite Swarm wouldn’t do very much damage at all to the PCs, but instead they’d have an ability where they’d drain the players’ healing surges - their ability TO be healed - along with interfering with their rest and gobbling up all the food. Pinkie Pie’s search for the instruments would be interpreted as her character “taking 20” on her complex Streetwise task, which the other characters would consider to be too long to do and therefore too risky, instead favoring a more direct approach. Fluttershy would’ve kept one parasprite because she wasn’t quite savvy enough to realize that they reproduced asexually.

But then I thought it’d be funnier if Twilight derailed the whole thing.

Applejack: Heh heh. I know THAT look.
DM: …Gaaaaahhh. CUT TO: The next afternoon.
Twilight Sparkle: W-What? Why the huge time skip?
DM: Princess Celestia arrives in Ponyville at long last, riding on a golden chariot pulled by a squad of royal guards. She touches down just outside the town, where the six of you are there to greet her.
Princess Celestia: Oh, Twilight! Good. I was hearing reports of infestation in this region, but Ponyville seems to be perfectly safe! Looks like my visit will be completely casual and uneventful.
(beat)
Twilight Sparkle: Oh. I did it again, didn’t I?
DM: YEAH. Could you hand me that stress ball, please?