Who Needs Harmony?: An MLP Empire Quest

[Questor]

Spoiler: Garrick Golden-Feather

Name: Garrick Golden-Feather



Age: 57

Titles: Emperor of Gryphus, King of Griffonia, Inheritor of the Imperial House of Gryphus, The Unifier, Great Winged Alpha, The Lightbringer, The Liberator, the King of the North.

Description: Before your wife got her talons on you, you were a fairly typical example of the Griffon species. An unmistakably masculine build, a strong, prominent beak, feathers and fur that seem to be perpetually well-groomed, and a pair of piercing amber eyes hiding a fierce intelligence. Not anymore though. Oh, you still have all those qualities, they're just overshadowed by the massive amount of muscle you've put on since you started your wife's "enhanced training regimen". Your wings can lift dumbbells, and your legs are like tree-trunks supporting a barrel chest rippling with abdominal muscles. In short, you have the build of a person who has been lifting heavy objects his entire life.


Martial: 9+2+1+2=14

Diplomacy: 14+2+2=18

Stewardship: 13+2=15

Learning: 16+2=18

Intrigue: 11+2=13

• Trait-Attractive: You are a very handsome fellow. +2 Diplomacy, better spousal relationship
• Trait-Genius: Smart doesn't even begin to describe you. +2 all skills
• Trait-Strong: Working out with your wife has done great things for your body. +2 Martial

Inventory:

• Blade of the King: an ornate and deadly sword you had forged for yourself after being crowned King of Griffonia. +1 Martial
• Runic Royal Armor: Serving to protect you as well as display your royal status to onlookers, this armor is both durable and aesthetically pleasing. With Merlin's assistance, it has been enhanced with runic magic, making it even more durable.

• Orichalcum Sword: A blade made of an extremely durable, magic resistant metal

• Sendak Manuscript: Recovered from the Archives of the Shadow King Sombra, this strange book is bound in the treated flesh of monsters and is written in numerous unknown tongues. It contains diagrams that seem to reference everything from the movements of stellar bodies to the biology of plants and animals to the complex physics of magical phenomenon. It's origins remain a mystery.

Spoiler: Gabriella Golden-Feather

Wife: Gabriella Golden-Feather


Opinion of You: 10/10

Age: 56

Martial: 15+1+2=18
Diplomacy: 11+1=12
Stewardship: 8+1=9
Learning: 13+1=14
Intrigue: 10+1=11

Trait: Strong - Born stronger than most. (+2 Martial)
Trait: Experienced - Has been a mercenary for several years, ranging across the lands of the former Empire. Knows much about the world. (+1 All Stats)

Spoiler: Gawain Golden-Feather

Son: Gawain Golden-Feather


Age: 26

Martial: 14+2+2+1=19
Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2=19
Stewardship: 14+2=16
Learning: 10+2=12
Intrigue: 11+2=13

Status: Designated Heir. Will become player character in event of Parent's Deaths.
Trait: Strong-Born stronger than most. (+2 Martial)
Trait: Attractive-A handsome fellow. (+2 Diplomacy, better spousal relationship)
Trait: Genius-Smart doesn't begin to describe him. (+2 All Stats)
Trait: Game Master-Years of playing games of strategy and wits with members of the Imperial Court has honed his sense of strategy and taught him how to read others. (+1 Martial, +2 Diplomacy)

Spoiler: Gwyndlyn Golden-Feather

(Adopted) Daughter: Gwyndlyn Golden-Feather

Age: 22

Martial: 15+4-4=15
Diplomacy: 9
Stewardship: 6+2=8
Learning: 8+1=9
Intrigue: 9+1=10

Status: Adolescent-Malus to Martial stat.
Status-Designated Regent: In the event that no heir is capable of taking the throne, or in the event the rightful ruler is otherwise unavailable, she will take control of the kingdom until the situation can be resolved.
Trait: Dragon-A fire breathing reptile. (+4 Martial)
Trait: Gardener-Years of studying and caring for plants has taught her much in the realm of botany, and has instilled in her an understanding of how hard work and patience can yield great dividends. (+2 Stewardship, +1 Learning, +1 Intrigue)

Spoiler: Gilda Golden-Feather

Daughter: Gilda Golden-Feather

Age: 19

Martial: 8+4=12
Diplomacy: 11+2=13
Stewardship: 11
Learning: 7
Intrigue: 6

Trait: Beautiful- A stellar example of feminine grace. (+2 Diplomacy)
Duelist: An experienced master of one-on-one combat who spars against others as a hobby. (+4 Martial)

Spoiler: Gleaming Pearl Golden-Feather

Daughter: Gleaming Pearl Golden-Feather

Age: 20

Martial: 7+2=9
Diplomacy: 10+2=12
Stewardship: 12
Learning: 5+2=7
Intrigue: 8

Trait: Beautiful-A stellar example of feminine grace. (+2 Diplomacy)
Trait: Studious-Knows her way around the written word. (+2 Learning)
Adopted: Permanently last in the line of Royal Succession.
Crystalmancer: A prodigy in the arcane art of Crystal Manipulation, able to turn a few pebbles into a forest of glittering spires. (+2 Martial)

 

[Questor]

Economy

Treasury Reserves: 7,924

Net Income: 13,555

Yearly Income: 15,915

-Tax Revenue: 6625
-Farming Income: 3900
-Mining Income: 1400
-Logging Income: 200
-Trade Income: 3800

Yearly Expenditures: 2,370

-Army Upkeep: 540
-Navy Upkeep: 190
-Office of Disease Control: 10
-Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 10
-Ministry of Information: 10
-Crystal University: 10
-Peregrine Line: 100
-Hardbeak Line: 300
-YakYakistan Orichalcum Imports: 500
-Naval Shipyards: 600
-Maretonian Refugees: 100


Military

Imperial Army: Professional soldiers, paid and supplied by you. 500 soldier battalions cost 100 gold each to raise or replace. Additionally, Imperial Army soldiers have an upkeep cost of 100 gold per every ten thousand soldiers.

Imperial Army Morale: 80/100 (Strong)

Imperial Army Numbers: 53,856

-25,00 Warriors: Armed with a sword or hand-axe and shield, these Griffons make up the bulk of your army.

-12,500 Polearms: For keeping your enemy at arms length or taking down opponents larger than a Griffon.

-12,500 Arbalists: Griffons armed with crossbows, capable of punching through armor from quite a distance away.

-3000 Diamond Dogs: Armed with a variety of swords, maces, war axes, and other weapons suitable for close-quarters, Diamond Dogs are masters of subterranean combat, and are well suited to ambush tactics.

-856 Artillerists: Responsible for the transport, maintenance and operation of heavy weaponry, these Gryphons and Dogs are highly trained in their chosen field of ranged combat.

-28 Mobile Ballistae: Massively oversized mechanical bows that fire bolts big enough to pierce through tree trunks from vast distances.

-59 Cannons: Firing iron balls through the power of explosive black powder, these metal siege engines are one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal.

-20 Flame Projectors: A product of Archimedes's "liquid fire", these static contraptions can shoot jets of flaming liquid vast distances, burning all in their path.



Knightly Orders (Self Maintained): In the old Empire, Knightly Orders were typically made up of Griffons of noble birth who joined a fraternal militant organization dedicated to martial excellence, honor, and a number of various edicts of moral strength. These great warriors dedicated themselves to the Emperor and the protection of the common Gryph. Tragically, few of these brave souls survived the reign of Discord. But a new breed of Knights now seeks to serve as your sword and shield, and will rally to your banner whenever you may need them.


The Black Watch
1 Watch Commander Konrad Hardbeak
24 Black Knights (Black Steel Armor and Weapons)


The Knights Lion
1 Grandmaster Konrad Hardbeak, "The Kingslayer" (Orichalcum Katana, Runic Armor)
35 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
250 Imperial Knights
300 Squires
600 Griffons-at-Arms
200 Diamond Knights
Citadel: The Lion's Den, Griffonia

The Knights Talon
1 Grandmaster Colombroni Pigeonio (Orichalcum Blade, Runic Armor)
25 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
300 Imperial Knights
250 Squires
500 Griffons-at-Arms
200 Diamond Knights
Citadel: The Crow's Nest, Wingbardy

The Knights Panther
1 Grandmaster Adrian Dawnquill (Orichalcum Blade, Runic Armor)
30 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
250 Imperial Knights
300 Squires
600 Griffons-at-Arms
200 Diamond Knights
Citadel: The Black Fortress, Aquileia

The Crystal Guardians
1 Grandmaster Glimmer Shine (Black Steel Blade, Runic Armor)
10 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
100 Crystal Knights
120 Crystal Squires
200 Ponies-at-Arms
Citadel: The Ivory Keep, Crystal City



Imperial Navy: The vessels that guard your coastlines and patrol the oceans. Crewed by career sailors, they have an upkeep of three gold per ship, per year.

20 Cogs (Bolt-Throwers)
37 Carracks (Cannons)



Auxiliaries: Auxiliary units are forces not part of a Knightly Order or the Imperial Army and Navy that can be brought into battle alongside both of the former groups. They can be made up of allied nation units suborned to you, units drawn up from the militia, and mercenary outfits.



Politics

Nobility Opinion: 10/10 (All Hail the Glorious Emperor!).

General Public Opinion: 9.5/10 (Hail to the Emperor!).

Protectorate Opinion: 9.5/10 (Hail Golden-Feather the Brave and Glorious!)



Religion

Ancient Imperial Pantheism: Followers of the Polytheistic religion once practiced by the Griffons of the Old Empire, these citizens worship a Pantheon of gods and goddesses emphasizing honor, duty, and order. Though its popularity reached a record low during the reign of Discord, it has never truly died out, and has in fact seen a recent resurgence in several Imperial Cities.
Influence Level: 1.6 (No Benefits)

Disciples of the Crystal Heart: The dominant belief system of the Crystal Ponies with a growing number of Griffon and Diamond Dog adherents, the Disciples of the Crystal Heart believe that the eponymous artifact was crafted by the divine as a gift to mortals, a belief that your own scientific observations have only served to reinforce. While the Disciples were once pacifistic, the rise of Sombra and the revelation of Maretonia's slave culture has led to a reversal of this old policy, and the followers of the Crystal Heart are now as militant as those of any other major religion.
Influence Level: 3.0 (Strengthened Crystal Heart, Minor Runic Literacy)

Neighponese Spiritualism: Also known as Kami-no-Michi, the indigenous religion of Neighpon revolves around the veneration of countless nature spirits which inhabit and embody various facets of the landscape. The Qilin believe that these spirits can have a benevolent or destructive influence upon the material world, and must be appeased with worship and sacrifice. Neighponese spiritualism is unusual in that not only does it lack a specific moral code or organized religious hierarchy, but is considered compatible with other religious beliefs, with many of its adherents also subscribing to another faith.
Influence Level: .4 (No Benefits)

YakYakistani Shamanism: The animist beliefs of the Yaks stress the veneration of nature and ancestor worship. Sharing many similarities with both Imperial Pantheism and Neighponese Spiritualism, Shamans serve as both the leaders of the faith as well as intercessors between the physical and spiritual world. While it has found few adherents amongst Griffons and Diamond Dogs, almost all Yaks subscribe to its beliefs, regardless of their nationality or geographic location.
Influence Level: 1.7 (Small Boost to YakYakistani Relations)

Church of the Lady of the Lakes: The third religion introduced from a foreign people, and the only one to have an organized hierarchy with a foreign head of state serving as the leader of the faith. Worship of the Lady can be traced to the earliest days of the modern Kingdom of Canterbury, where it is claimed that she appeared to the first King of Canterbury, blessing him with the strength to unite the disparate peoples of the realm and fight back against the countless beasts that infested it. To this day, she is venerated across the Kingdom of Canterbury, and even in a select few areas outside it, including communities within your Empire. Recently, it has been revealed to you that the religion is a front for the machinations of the Changeling Queen Phalanx, who has taken upon the guise of a Goddess to rule Canterbury from the shadows.
Influence Level: .5 (No Benefits)

The Imperial Cult: Perhaps the most unusual of the faiths to have taken root in the Empire, the followers of the Imperial Cult embrace the radical belief that the Emperor and the Imperial family are divine beings made flesh, destined to lead the people of the world to greatness. While you personally are a bit uncomfortable with being worshipped as a divine figure, you can't deny it has its benefits.
Influence Level: .8 (No Benefits)



Roll Bonuses
Scatter-Shot: Bonus to Certain Cannon Rolls
Blasting Jelly: +5 to Certain Explosive Rolls
Camouflage 101: +5 to Certain Intrigue/Army Rolls
Specialized Anti-Magic Training: Bonuses to Certain Combat Rolls
Imperial War Memorial: Army Morale may not fall below 20, Militia count as Regulars when defending Core Territory

 

[Questor]

Diplomatic Relations

Kingdom of Neighpon: 8.0/10 (Steadfast Ally)
Kingdom of Canterbury: 7.5/10 (Respected Allies)
Libertalia: 6.5 (Business Partners)
YakYakistan: 8.5/10 (Good Neighbors)
Minotaur Republics: 6.0/10 (Trading Partner)
Emerald Isles: 7.0/10 (Dog-Friend)
Kingdom of Equestria: 7/10 (Grateful Friends)


Persons of Interest
Garibaldi Talonuelli: Formerly the Duke of Wingbardy, now the Grand Duke of Wingbardy, Talonuelli is a beloved public figure in his home province and an experienced administrator. After saving his city and people from Brochard's attempted invasion and negotiating his province's vassalage over a few drinks, you'd like to think you can count him among your friends.

Federico Montefeathertro: Duke of the (former) City-State of Urbirdo, and your Father-in Law. He might just be the friendliest of the former Feathersians, having agreed to back you and your kingdom without question or condition during the Brochard Crisis, and hiring a mercenary outfit as a belated wedding gift. You're reasonably certain he likes you, as much as In-Laws can like each other anyway.

Koryū Ryuō: The draconic Emperor of the Island Kingdom of Neighpon. Having agreed to assist you in the war against the Shadow King and making fast friends with your adoptive daughter, you consider him a decent fellow who you can trust to keep his word, and a valuable ally against any destructive forces the world can throw at you.

Minamoto Tadakatsu: Shogun of Neighpon. Born to peasant farmers, he's more than earned his place as the most powerful Samurai amongst the Qilin. After he lead the Neighponese contingent during the Invasion of the Crystal Empire and kindly instructed you in the myriad varieties and intricacies of tea on the campaign trail, you've come to respect the more-than-century-old warrior.

Konrad Hardbeak, "The Kingslayer": Grandmaster of the Knights Lion and Hero of the Empire. Beheaded Brochard the pretender, crippled Sombra the shadow king twice over, and received the very first Imperial Medal of Honor. Despite it all, he is surprisingly humble, insisting in vain that he was, and is, merely doing his duty to the Empire, and to you. He is the very model of an Imperial Knight.

Ivory Rook: Consul of the Crystal Protectorate and head of the Crystal Assembly. One of the first of the Crystal Ponies to be freed from Sombra's mind control, Rook has taken to his position of authority reluctantly, more out of a desire to help his people than any desire for power. Nevertheless, he's proven a charismatic leader and an able administrator, dedicated to doing right by his people, no matter what the cost.

Isabelle Brissette: Relatives of the infamous Brochard dynasty, Isabelle and the Brissette family have been ostracized by the Imperial Nobility, reduced to a shadow of their former influence and prosperity, though by some miracle they still cling to some of their lands. Isabelle herself is a painfully shy little thing, unused to having friends willing to look past her lineage. Gawain hopes to show her that her ancestry does not define her, and that she is more than her uncle's legacy.

Ki Seong: Daughter of the Neighponese ambassador to the Empire of Gryphus, Ki Seong has spent the past several years living in a nation far from the land of her birth, and, much like her father, is committed to being a shining example of Neighpon and conducting herself in an honorable manner at all times. That being said, Gawain suspects she enjoys the opportunity to "let her hair down" amongst others of similarly elevated status, where she will not have to worry as much about what others think of her.

Sebastian Rainfeather: A quiet and somewhat socially awkward young Gryph, Sebastian is an avowed scholar and the heir to the noble house of Rainfeather. Due to his somewhat sheltered upbringing, he, like Gawain, has struggled to make friends, something that Gawain seeks to remedy. For his part, the young Rainfeather is simply glad to have a chess partner his own age who can keep up with him.

Hoofbeard: A former slave turned Pirate Captain, now a respected and influential figure amongst the inhabitants of the island nation of Libertalia. He has agreed to help you and your people, seeing in you a chance to improve Libertalia and stick it to Maretonia's slaveholding class.

King Rutherford: The charismatic Yak responsible for the unification of the numerous Yak clans into a singular, unified Kingdom. From what you've heard, he is exactly what you'd expect a Yak King to be like.

Rose: A Changeling, member of a race of shapeshifting emotivores. Defected to you when your agents nearly stumbled upon the Hive of Queen Phalanx and the conspiracy at the heart of Canterbury and the Church of the Lady of the Lake.

 

[Questor]

Core Mechanic:
Basic Roll: d100 + Bonuses > Target Number
Critical: Roll 90+
Natural Critical: Roll 90+ without Bonus
Natural Critical > Critical

Turns:
This quest is played over a series of turns which are divided between Normal and Special Turns. Normal Turns revolve around the regular operations of your nation while Special Turns regard special events such as battles and diplomatic negotiations. Each turn players will vote for a specified number of Actions, some actions require a certain Target Number to pass and/or a Resource and/or Special Resource Cost. Unless otherwise noted assume votes are by-plan.

Omake Policy:
To encourage player involvement (and to counteract Tsun-Dice) I am offering bonuses to rolls at the choice of Omake Writers. The bonus rewarded is arbitrary as I have no set scoring chart, but rule of thumb is: longer and better written means higher reward.

Edit: Due to concerns raised regarding the potential "game breaking" nature of Omake bonuses, only two Omake bonuses may be applied Per Action Per Turn.

 

[Questor]

This is where the Omake and image reward bonuses will be tallied and accounted for.

Hannibal at the Other Side of the Gates: +10
Adjusting Perspectives: +10
Alcohol, Cannons and Calculus: +20
Sombra's No Good Icy Day: +10
Hedging your bets: +10
An Old Bird: +10
Centuries after the Age of Goldenfeather: +10
Diamond in the Ruff: +15
A New Home: +10
Hannibal at the Eastern Gate: +15
The Matter of Heart: +15
Medical Triumph: +10
A Pirate's Life for Me: +10
Late Night Adventures: +10
A Luncheon Between Two Shadows: +20
Letters to an Emperor, part 1: +20
Progress: +10
An Uneasy Future: +10
Faith in the Emperor: +10
A Change in Perspective: +10
Epic Rap Battles of Griffonia: +15
Holidays of Gryphus: +10
When the Sky Fell: +15
An Observation of Talonball: +15
We Will Not Be Slaves Again!: +10
A Dream for Fools: +15
Hardbeak Vs Bohemond: +20
The Consequences of Worship: +10
Memories of the Seas: +10
A Day at the Market: +10
Dark Clouds, Dark Things: +10
Of Names and Packs: +10
Grimm Tales, Volume 1: +10
A Mailed Griffin: +10
Bloody Strange: +10
Back in Marethon: +10
An Odd Word: +20
Grimm Tales: +10
Moon Mad: +10
A Calm After the Storm: +20
An Old Bird, Part 2: +10
A Ground View: +10
The Maretonian Royal Guard: +10
Spies, Lies, and Apple Pie: +10
Fire and Fury: +10
Black Wings, Red Ground: +10
Portrait of the Royal Family: +20
Total War Disharmony-Faction Selection: +15
The Lands of Our Empire: +10
Total War Disharmony Let's Play Ep. 1: +10
Many, Many Years Later, in a Land Far, Far Away: +10
Total War Disharmony-Changeling faction Intro: +10
Total War Disharmony-Equestria factions Intro: +10
Are Sea Shanties Still Sea Shanties Above the Clouds?: +10
New and Old: +10
Tales From Goblet-Chan: +10
Wrath of the Guard: +10
Total War: Disharmony Legacy Edition Factions: +10
Let's play Total War: Disharmony-The Griffonian campaign, Ep 2: +15
Straightforward Words: +10
The Measure of Truth: +15
Ronin: +10
Total War: Disharmony Legacy Edition Elements Of Harmony Basic Guide: +10
Weight of Reunion: +10
Many Years From Now, Part 2: +15
A Princess Picking Her Passion: +10
Alternate Start Faction: Batponies: +10
Alternate Start Faction: Thrace: +10
Griffonia Preperatory Academy: +10
Imperial Army Recruitment Poster: +15
A Heavy Duty: +10
Render Unto Haygle: +15
Who's the Monster?: +10
Total War Disharmony-Equestrian Factions: +10
Stellaris: Empire of Gryphus Build: +5
Omake: A Father's Reluctance: +10
FGO: The Emperor Of Feathers: +15
FGO: The Maiden of Roses: +10
Rutherford's Reconsideration: +10
Total War Disharmony: The Kingdom of the EverFree: +10
Total War Disharmony: Beasts and Where You Find Them: +10
FGO: Warrior Empress: +10
FGO: The Master of Whispers: +10
High Functioning: +15
Gilded Prince, Gilded Cage: +25
Total War Disharmony: The Northern Jarldoms: +10
Travels of a Knight to Be, Parts 1&2: +20
Travels of a Knight to Be, Part 3: +10
Devil Dogs: +10
Equestria Stellaris Build: +5
Under the Snow: +10
Intro to Fallouthammer 1K: +5
Celestia Remembers: +10
Empire of Gryphus Encyclopedia Entry: +20
The Guns of Gryphus: +15
Castles in the Sky: +10
Empire Defense Force: +10
March of the Empire: +5
A Treatise on the Political Structure of the Minotaur Republics: +10
Hammer Falls: +5
More Flag Designs: +15
The Imperial City of Gryphusberg: +15
Nega-Quest 2: +15
The Battle of Wingbardy, 6AD: +20
#1 Rule of Time Travel: Don't: +10
A Draconequus' Curiosity: +10
Musings of Discord on Fate: +5
We were Kings: +10
An Account of the First Griffon Empire: +10
To Slavery an End, and to Wealth, Increase: +10


Let me know if I've missed anything or if you'd like your bonus to apply for a particular action or be held in reserve.

 

[Questor]

What do the Caribou know about other lands?

How many kingdoms do the Caribou have?

Are the Caribou religious?

What was life for the Caribou like under Discord's rule?

What would it take for someone to unite all the Caribou into one group?

What foods do they grow?

What do the caribou eat?

Click to shrink...

1. They are of course very familiar with the Emerald Isles, considering how often their raiders have assaulted its holdings...until the recent colonization of part of its shores by a particularly ambitious chieftain complicated that situation politically.

During your diplomats time amongst the Caribou, they asked for their knowledge of other cultures, if they had encountered any. The Kings and Dukes expressed little knowledge, their focus and attention upon matters closer to home, but the sea-faring merchants of the coastal settlements spun tales of vast grasslands and burning deserts in the lands beyond the grey mountains that form a border between Olenia and whatever lies to their South. Supposedly these lands are inhabited by a great many races, from black and white Equines to felines that walk upon two legs. Attempts to trade with these peoples were initiated, but were more often than not ruined when a band of aspiring Vikingers got wind of the new lands and decided to pay them a visit.

The potential trade partners weren't very welcoming of Caribou after that.

As for the lands that lie to their East...

They speak of a mighty blizzard that blows eternally, of winds that cut like knives as the air itself turns to ice in one's lungs. They speak of a people that live beyond this barrier, like and unlike the Caribou in ways none can properly articulate. Their origins and nature are a mystery, but plenty of speculation and rumors exist, for if any Caribou has traveled through the blizzard, then they have never returned.


2. There are four primary Petty Kingdoms, with a number of smaller counties and baronies beneath them. It is not unheard of for a count, baron or chieftain to switch their allegiance from one king to another if they feel it suits them, but this almost always ends in a war between the aforementioned kings, so this occurs rarely.

3. They worship a Pantheon of god's not too dissimilar from that of the Ancient Empire's, with a little bit of Neighponese-style nature spirits thrown in. They are rather curious in that they rarely outright reject the existence of another culture's deities, usually accepting them as aspects or "lost relatives" of their own gods. Many Caribou are spiritual rather than religious, and while there are plenty of shrines, temples and holy places scattered throughout Olenia, there isn't any religious hierarchy uniting or coordinating them. In addition, it is not unheard of for particularly religious Caribou who have chosen to devote themselves to a singular god of the pantheon to engage in conflict with those who have pledged their lives and service to "the wrong Diety", though this is rare and most other Caribou look down on such behavior.

4. The Caribou, like all other cultures, suffered under Discord, though if their oral tradition is to be believed they suffered more than others. Legend says that all Caribou were once united into a single, prosperous kingdom, blessed with fertile fields and warm waters. Then Discord came, altering the land and turning the people against each other. Now they are fragmented, their cold and harsh lands a bitter reminder of all that they have lost...or so their stories go. As far as you can tell, they don't keep many written records. Regardless, they survived under Discord's rule and most other races did: hiding from his attention and riding out the storm of madness that engulfed the world in those years of insanity.

5. It would take a true Hero to unite the varying kingdoms and cults that make up Olenia, as deadly upon the field of battle as they are adept in the halls of power and intrigue. It would need to be a truly legendary figure, one whose name would echo throughout time even before vying for the grandest of thrones.

6&7. Due to the fact that they live in fantasy Scandinavia...very little. Enough to feed themselves, sure, but there's a reason they always went after the granaries and store houses of the Emerald Isle Diamond Dogs. Thankfully what foods they do grow are hardy, and they are both capable of and willing to eat grass, though they aren't capable of subsisting off of that entirely for long periods. Turnips, Onions, Cabbages, Leeks, Barley, and other hardy food crops are staples of Caribou diets, and some even raise chickens and geese for their eggs.

 

[Questor]

It is important to realize that the differences between Griffons and Equestrians are not limited to biology or magical ability. The two groups possess very different views of how the world works.

To the Ponies of Equestria, the world is naturally peaceful and harmonious. If something or somewhere in the world is not in a state of peace and harmony, it is a result of outside tampering or some manner of corruptive influence. Discord is so horrifying to them (essentially an Eldritch abomination in the purest sense of the term) because in their eyes he was a violation of nature, an aberration that turned the world into a dangerous and chaotic place.

To get an idea of what this looks like in practice, one only need watch the very first episode of the show. The Mane Six describe the Everfree Forest, a place where the weather can't be controlled, plants grow on their own, and the animals take care of themselves, as unnatural.

Yet almost paradoxically, they possess a great respect and veneration for nature, albeit in what appears to be a very simplistic manner (trees good, polluting industry bad). When Twilight was traveling through time and witnessing all of the horrible futures that would have befallen Equestria had the Mane Six never met, one of them was one where the Flim Flam brothers had (apparently, we only got an eight second look at this particular future) constructed an economic empire. Twilight (and we, the viewers) witness heavy machinery being used to uproot and cut down whole forests, while in the distance, the smokestacks of factories fill the air with smog.

Consider that this timeline is shown alongside ones where Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon conquer Equestria. Implying that, in the eyes of Twilight, an Equestrian, that such an industrialized future is comparable to ones where her people are ruled over by tyrants.

The Griffons, by contrast, would look upon such an industrialized world with approval. This is because they see the world as dangerous and chaotic by default. Discord was not an aberration, he simply turned the unforgiving hostility of nature up to 11. To the Griffons of the Empire, the natural world is a thing to be combated, the cultural result of their homeland being filled with vicious predators that preyed upon them for countless generations. If something is peaceful or harmonious, it is only so because sentient beings made it that way through deliberate effort.

A bunch of Griffons leveling a forest to make way for a new rail line are not simply laborers working to earn their pay, or even industrious workers engaged in a beneficial act of construction, but soldiers in a war against a hostile, uncaring universe, destroying a potential haven for the monsters that used to prey upon them and their children.

Now, this is not to say that Griffons are a bunch of Captain Planet villains who will dump toxic waste into the ocean or choke the skies with smoke to "stick it to Mother Nature." In fact, the Empire has numerous laws that regulate how industries conduct themselves, from fishing quotas to a ban on the dumping of industrial byproducts into the nation's rivers. However, these laws only exist for the sake of the Griffons themselves. The fishing quotas are there to ensure they do not deplete their food supply, and they do not wish to drink from rivers tainted by toxic chemicals, or fly through skies choked by smoke. If there existed an action that would severely harm nature, but would be exclusively beneficial to sapient beings, Griffons would not only perform it, but feel a moral obligation to do so.

If it were announced that Manticores had gone extinct, Ponies would mourn the loss of an entire species, the death of a piece of the natural world that they could never get back. If any Griffons would be saddened, it would only be because they couldn't hunt the things anymore.

One must also remember that while Ponies are herbivores, Griffins are predators: half-lion, half-bird of prey. And their mindsets reflect this. Griffons tend to be quicker to consider violence as a potential solution to perceived problems, and tend to behave more individualistically than Ponies, with a higher rate of loners and introverts than the community oriented Equestrians.

With all of this in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that Griffons possess a more martially inclined culture than Ponies. They are literally born with weapons built into their bodies, their talons sharp enough to sever an artery or tear through flesh. It is a common joke amongst soldiers and mercenaries that the only way to completely disarm a Griffon is to literally dis-arm them.

Hunting, a common pastime of Imperial Nobility and a means for citizens in rural areas to add extra food to their larders, is an almost foreign concept to most Equestrians. On occasion mobs of ponies or, in recent days, platoons of Equestrian Royal Guard, will sweep the wilderness to put down a manticore, cockatrice, or hydra that has been responsible for the deaths of their fellow equines, but the idea of doing such a thing as a form of recreation is completely alien to them.

Both Imperial Law and Equestrian Law hold murder to be among the worst crimes, but the courts of Gryphus tend to view acts of non-lethal physical violence more leniently than their Equestrian counterparts. Bar brawls and fistfights, not uncommon occurrences in the cities of the Empire, often aren't even prosecuted by the state if no citizens express the desire to press charges, which typically only happens if the fight in question resulted in a permanent, crippling injury. Griffons who press assault charges over a black eye are typically viewed with the same scorn as humans who sue a restaurant because a waiter spilled soup on them. To Griffons, theft is generally regarded as a greater crime than assault, while for the Ponies, the opposite is true.

And while neither Griffons nor Equestrians see war as something to be glorified or celebrated, with many Ponies seeing it as a last resort that should only be considered once all other options have been exhausted, only the Griffons see armed conflict as both inevitable and ultimately unavoidable. And despite, or perhaps because of so many Imperial families having lost loved ones to the fires of war, there does exist a certain romanticization of war and combat in Imperial Culture. Those who serve, be they knights, sailors or common soldiers, are adored and seen as heroes by the civilian population, and even the idea of dying in battle is looked upon with a certain degree of fondness. If the best way to die is of old age surrounded by loved ones, then the second best way is on the field of battle surrounded by your brothers and sisters in arms, giving your life for the nation and those you fight to protect, be they your family, your comrades or the Emperor.

While this is also true to a lesser extent in Equestria, they have not yet had this belief challenged by a massive, nation-spanning conflict like the Winter War. Any armed clashes they have witnessed were between individual Counts, Dukes and Barons in the days before the Alicorn Sisters unified the nation, with skirmishes smaller in scale and scope than the Battle of Wingbardy, codes of conduct between the warring factions, and casualty counts that never exceeded the low hundreds. Their understanding of war is thus quite limited.

The two nations even have differing ideas regarding the divide between the Nobility and the Common people.

The Griffon view of nobility, like so many other things, was irrevocably changed by the Winter War. At the Battle of Redstone, and the Peregrines, and the Storming of the Crystal City, nobles and commoners fought and bled side by side on the front lines. When the battles ended and the dead were accounted for, many nobles, officers and knights alike, were among them. They were cremated upon the same pyres as the lowest enlisted soldier or militiagryph, and when it came time to promote surviving non-commissioned officers to replace them, many commoners, battle hardened veterans, suddenly found themselves possessing equal or greater ranks in the military than members of the nobility. At first, this chafed at their sense of superiority...but as the war dragged on, and the promoted commoners proved themselves equal in skill and bravery time and again, in some cases saving the lives of their noble counterparts, the commoners earned their respect and admiration, if grudgingly.

This, combined with the settlement and establishment of the new province of Kestrella necessitating the elevation of numerous commoners to the ranks of the nobility to administer it (more than one of which was a Diamond Dog), the Post-Discordian economic boom leading to many merchants and bankers building up levels of wealth previously only held by Nobles, and rapid industrialization producing a burgeoning middle class of city-dwelling burghers, resulted in many of the social barriers between the Nobility and the common people being greatly weakened. There still exists a social divide, but it is much less than it was a few decades ago.

By contrast, the Equestrians, who have not experienced an equivalent war, sudden economic boom or rapid industrialization since the end of the Discordian Era, are still very much an agrarian, feudal society divided along class lines, with fewer opportunities for social mobility.

These are just some of the differences between the Empire and Equestria that are likely to result in confusion and culture clash at some point in the future.