Line #1 FanFic/VenenumIocus


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/venenum_iocus_0.jpg]]
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3	The sequel to ''Fanfic/TheWeed'', and part of ''Fanfic/TheWeedverse'', ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/310638/venenum-iocus Venenum Iocus]]'' depicts the continuing adventures of Tarnished Teapot and Maud Pie as they settle further into married life.
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5	After surviving a deadly volcanic eruption in the previous story, Tarnished and Maud are approached by Twilight Sparkle, who has them investigate another magic hotspot: The Scariest Cave In Equestria. They end up meeting old and new allies in the Stiff Upper Lip society, and participate in a fight for the fate of Equestria as Grogar the necromancer seeks to further his own goals.
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8	!!Venenum Iocus contains examples of:
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10	* AnArmAndALeg: Chief Dig Dag is literally disarmed by Flamingo.
11	* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:The petrified, half-corrupted alicorn in the Centaur city has been trapped with his agony and madness for millennia. The heroes can't even put him out of his misery]].
12	* AntiMagic: Nullwood has this effect on things nearby [[spoiler:making it an excellent material to construct a box for Grogar's Crown]].
13	%%* ArtifactOfDoom: The Crown Of Corruption.
14	* AstralProjection: A skill Tarnish picks up and [[spoiler:how Celestia provides assistance during the climax]].
15	* TheAtoner: Tree Hugger's father was a wealthy railroad magnate whose business practices led to the corruption and destruction of much of Equestria's environment. However, [[HeelFaceTurn he became an environmentalist who helped undo much of the damage]] after realizing that Tree Hugger would end up inheriting a CrapsackWorld once he died.
16	* AwesomeButImpractical: The Egg-type caravans, for most ponies, due to sheer cost. But when you're being funded by [[UnclePennybags Tree Hugger]], it's suddenly a lot more viable.
17	* BabyFactory:
18	** The females enslaved by Dig Dag became this for their race, being kept from having an education so all they would do is make more babies.
19	** [[spoiler:The Greater Alicorns were genetically altered to become this to repopulate after the disaster the Centaurs foresaw]].
20	%%* BadassAdorable: Kabuki.
21	* BadassBoast:
22	** When Tarnish attempts to refute Celestia's claim that she would take him into her school were he still a colt, by saying that he is dangerous, she has only one thing to say:
23	---> '''Celestia:''' So am I.
24	** Later on, Flamingo gets [[NoIndoorVoice much less calm one]] during the climax.
25	---> '''Flamingo:''' BAD DARKNESS! BAD! GO AWAY! I AM THE ELEMENT OF PINKNESS! I AM SENT BY THE '''TREE''' AND I WILL PURGE YOU! YOUR DARKNESS IS NO MATCH FOR MY PINKNESS, YOU BIG MEANIE!
26	* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: After Tarnish snarks off at Celestia once too often in a frustrating conversation, she [[{{Invoked}} invokes]] this trope to try and get even, bringing him to the soul of [[BigFriendlyDog Grrr]].
27	* BigDamnHeroes: Tarnish and Maud rescue Trixie from being enslaved by Diamond Dogs.
28	* BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: [[spoiler:They destroy Grogar's crown, but at the cost of Maledico's orb]].
29	* TheCavalry: [[spoiler:Celestia sends Philomena to drive off Grogar's shadows and allow Tarnish to escape the Cave]].
30	* ChekhovsGun: The saddlebags Tarnish scavenges from right at the beginning of ''Fanfic/TheWeed''? They're now discovered to be a BagOfHolding.
31	* ComplainingAboutRescuesTheyDontLike: Apparently some of the "fellas" that Cranberry has rescued took exception to being rescued by a mare.
32	* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Celestia threatens to feed Tarnish buttery scones and tea when he [[spoiler:refuses to reveal Maledico]].
33	-->'''Celestia:''' Surely you can tell me just a little... or else it will be the cream cheese tarts! No doubt, those will shave years off of your life, years that you will miss!
34	* CoolCar: The Egg, the basic structure is made from airship-grade aluminium, and it has more storage space than older carts while being a significant amount lighter as well as containing living accommodations (including, to Tarnish's delight, a sink). Unfortunately, [[AwesomeButImpractical most ponies can't afford it due to sheer cost]].
35	* TheCorruption: [[spoiler:The Black Star twists anything its power touches]].
36	* CueTheSun: {{Downplayed}}, Celestia delays the sunset to buy Tarnish time [[spoiler:to destroy the Crown]].
37	* CultureJustifiesAnything: Dig Dag attempts to claim that he has a right to preserve his culture, even when that culture involves slavery.
38	* CutenessProximity: Octavia when she encounters Long Ears, much to his distress.
39	* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Helianthus is disintegrated by a Nullwood door. Fortunately, it just destroys her body, kicking her soul into the Astral until Celestia can make her another one. Later on, Philomena is shredded by Grogar's shadows, but being a phoenix, it doesn't really do much]].
40	* DispelMagic: Anything passing through a Nullwood door is subject to this effect.
41	* DueToTheDead:
42	** The heroes take care to bury the bones of the spectral guardian. A common tradition in an Earth Pony funeral is to dance on the grave, mirroring springtime traditions of dancing on the planted seeds to pack down the earth.
43	** Diamond Dogs burn their dead in the forges, believing the souls of good dogs to join the Everflame and make the forge's products stronger to help their descendants survive.
44	* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler:Grogar is working for them, and they provided the Black Star that forms the heart of his Crown]].
45	* EleventhHourSuperpower: [[spoiler:Flamingo is able to manifest as a spirit and take the fight directly to Grogar's shadows during the climax]].
46	* EmotionBomb: A fear-based one is in the entrance to the Scariest Cave.
47	* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: [[spoiler:The Centaurs foresaw one, and did what they could to help the world survive it. Later, improperly destroying the Crown Of Corruption could result in one, if the heroes are lucky]].
48	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Tree Hugger describes Tarnish's aura as being more rooted to earth than aether, foreshadowing [[spoiler:the reveal of his being a Druid]].
49	* GratuitousLatin: The story title, ''Venenum Iocus'', is also the scientific name of poison joke.
50	* GroinAttack: Used to revive Tarnish after he nearly drowns. He spends the next few chapters complaining about it.
51	* GoneHorriblyWrong: The Timber Wolves [[spoiler:were created by the Centaurs as a defense mechanism, but their magic got corrupted, turning them into the monsters of the modern day]].
52	* GreenThumb: Tarnish, while sleeping outside in the Pie farm with Maud, causes poison joke flowers to spontaneously grow around him.
53	* HeroicRROD: Tarnish is left with quite a bit of trauma from narrowly escaping a volcanic eruption. He even rewatched the film he caught of it, just so he could make sense of things.
54	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Maledico sacrifices what is left of his existence to destroy the Crown of Corruption]].
55	* HeroicWillpower: [[spoiler:The only way Tarnish is able to carry Grogar's Crown out of the cave so it can be destroyed]].
56	* HeroWithBadPublicity: Because of the events of ''Fanfic/TheWeed'', Tarnish has become known as "The Most Dangerous Unicorn in Equestria" in certain sections of the media, with those same groups calling for his institutionalization and/or [[TheyWouldCutYouUp experimentation]]. Twilight Sparkle swears she'll protect Tarnish, though, and assures him most of it's just bluster.
57	* MatingDance: Tarnish and Maud, and Vinyl and Octavia have one at the Society ball. An interesting one because the dance starts with the pairs as Maud/Octavia and Vinyl/Tarnish and is somewhat risque due to Vinyl trying to provoke Octavia, but it's not until they actually swap to their romantic partners that it really turns into this trope.
58	* MagicAIsMagicA: The Scariest Cave not following this trope frustrates the heroes in the early stages of their investigation, and tips them off that there's something weird going on.
59	* MoodWhiplash: After an intimate and emotional discussion of rape by the group, [[spoiler: Helianthus teleports into their campfire]].
60	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Minori taught Dig Dag how to be both smart and strong, and he instead turned against her, enslaving her and the other females of his tribe.
61	* PrecisionFStrike: Maud, describing the dark side of high society to Tarnish.
62	* PowerPerversionPotential: Maud appreciates the potential for this that Tarnish's {{Voodoo Doll}}s permit.
63	* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: Dig Dag was Minori's student, and learned how to be smart and strong. He later used his newfound knowledge to gain power, and enslave the females of his tribe, including his former teacher.
64	* RescueRomance: Vinyl and Octavia became friends when an unscrupulous stallion conned Vinyl into thinking he could give her a job, but instead tried to force her into prostitution. Octavia beat him to a pulp and they fled to Las Pegasus.
65	* RingOfPower: [[spoiler:The heroes find a powerful Ring of Elemental Authority in an abandoned ruin, granting the user power over fire relative to their natural power as a unicorn. Vinyl ends up taking it]].
66	* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler:The cave contains the bound essence of Grogar and his crown]].
67	* ShesBack: Pinkie Pie is in a depression after learning her coltfriend only wanted to sleep with her because she was the Element of Laughter. But a telegram from Cheese Sandwich, requesting her help, puts her back on track.
68	* SheCleansUpNicely: The sight of Tarnish, once Habby Dasher has seen to him, is enough to strike Maud dumb and make her drop her wine glass in shock. Maud's formal gown later has a similarly stupefying effect on Tarnish.
69	* ShootTheDog: The Stranger considers her slaughter of the defeated Diamond Dogs this, and attempts to convince Tarnish of the rightfulness of her cause.
70	* ShowerOfLove: Seeing the facilities at their Society apartment gives both [[HappilyMarried Maud and Tarnish]] ideas.
71	* ThereIsOnlyOneBed: "A quaint Trottingham tradition", due to the rampant poverty in the area, and a significant part of Vinyl and Octavia's early relationship. Becomes something of a RunningGag with the pair later ending up with guests in their bed, completely innocently (Octavia likes the sense of togetherness, although some bad experiences have led to trust issues).
72	* TheyWouldCutYouUp: Discussed with regards to Tarnish, but Twilight says that she wouldn't permit it, and most of it is just bluster to look like the talkers are ''doing'' something.
73	* TrackingDevice: How Vinyl and Octavia find Tarnish and Maud, there's a spell on the book Vinyl gave Tarnish that lets her track it.
74	* VomitIndiscretionShot: Tarnish has an entirely understandable response to the treatment needed for Trixie's infected leg.
75	* VoodooDoll: Tarnish learns how to make these, but in a nod to the folklore roots of the trope, using them for hexes is considered taboo. He later uses one to heal Trixie, and [[spoiler: seriously considers hexing The Stranger, and ends up using Sneezeberry extract to drive her off. Even that earns him a lecture from a more experienced worker]].
76	* WeakenedByTheLight: The Ghastlies in the upper levels of the Scariest Cave begin burning when exposed to sunlight, fortunately for Tarnish and Flamingo. [[spoiler:Later on, Grogar's shadows cannot harass Tarnish once he leaves the Cave]].
77	* WhatDidIDoLastNight: Tarnish waking up after the Society ball in bed with Vinyl and Octavia, as well as Maud. [[spoiler:Nothing untoward happened]].
78	* WhatTheHellHero: Tarnish gets a lecture in the Astral from [[spoiler:a zebra shaman for using Hoodoo to bring harm]].
79	* YinYangBomb: An act of epic destruction and an act beautiful creation are both required to [[spoiler: safely[[note]]sort of[[/note]] destroy the Black Star at the heart of Grogar's crown]].

Context FanFic / VenenumIocus