I mean, the whole point of the Peregrine Line was to put a fortress on any pass across the mountains into the Crystal Empire. Should the Crystal Empire lands ever be restored, each and every one of these fortresses is almost certain to naturally grow into a small or not so small trading town, especially since Griffon settlements are all fortified anyways. I mean, they won't be huge since trading with the CE by ship will stay more effective than dragging things over frozen mountains, but still.
Well, yeah, but if you wanted to transport passengers, then train would be the way to go. Ships are just coastal, and while blimps could work, those may or may not work in certain kinds of weather. Going for inland territories, trains seem pretty much needed to connect the two.
I just can't wait until we reach a point of technological development where we can construct settlements adjacent to modern urban settlements in style/functionality and are rolling is so much money that we can build fully planned efficient cities with all the delicious green space and infrastructure and sufficiency and walkability and properly developed rural surroundings and mixed usespace and modularity and beautiful aesthetics and all that yummy yummy goodness that is cities designed not like crap.
Seriously, y'all do not know the half of how much that is my ultimate goal and desire here. that eventually all of our major urban centers can be if not perfect than better than naturally feasible cities.
It's a while off yet but we're pulling up on the requisites like trains and crop rotations and having way more money than we know what to do with.
I'm already sitting here fantisizing about the oppourtunity and challenges presented by our environment and the nature of our constituent species like gryphons, diamond dogs, dragons, etc. and it is just so utterly fucking awesome just imagining how our perfect cities can be.
Also, let's be real here, this is what magic is really for. I mean sure, casting fireball and fist is cool and all but we know the real shit is in the magical concrete that we can grow stuff on without major consideration for structural integrety, the magical pavement we can paint on buildings to give unwinged persons that extra element of verticality, the enchanted crops and mushrooms to lower the requirements of the rural adjacency to provide for the cities and preserve food products from farther away, the goddamn bigger on the inside transport infrastructure to prevent the need for personal vehicles and improve our ability to maintain walkability at scale, etc.
We all know that's the real use for magic here.
god these cities will be so fucking beautiful when we get to make them.
Also, let's be real here, this is what magic is really for. I mean sure, casting fireball and fist is cool and all but we know the real shit is in the magical concrete that we can grow stuff on without major consideration for structural integrety, the magical pavement we can paint on buildings to give unwinged persons that extra element of verticality, the enchanted crops and mushrooms to lower the requirements of the rural adjacency to provide for the cities and preserve food products from farther away, the goddamn bigger on the inside transport infrastructure to prevent the need for personal vehicles and improve our ability to maintain walkability at scale, etc.
We all know that's the real use for magic here.
god these cities will be so fucking beautiful when we get to make them.
We're a bit far from that level of versatile magic though. Right now our magic is limited to...well, flight and the dogs' digging talents (if they're at least partly magical).
Even if we get neighponeses' and yaks' immigrants we still only have firebending, illusion magic and the strength of Oni and Yaks', and maybe some limited clarvoyance from the rare yak shaman. And whatever the crystal ponies can do.
...maybe we can try to raise crystal cities in a few years?
It will be a while before we unlock more advanced abilities, though the book might help. And maybe, if we make contact with Equestria or Zebrica..
We're a bit far from that level of versatile magic though. Right now our magic is limited to...well, flight and the dogs' digging talents (if they're at least partly magical).
Even if we get neighponeses' and yaks' immigrants we still only have firebending, illusion magic and the strength of Oni and Yaks', and maybe some limited clarvoyance from the rare yak shaman. And whatever the crystal ponies can do.
...maybe we can try to raise crystal cities in a few years?
It will be a while before we unlock more advanced abilities, though the book might help. And maybe, if we make contact with Equestria or Zebrica..
Yup, it'll be a while away and it'll need a lot more research, magical and nonmagical, not to mention we're not rolling in that much dough yet.
Plus like you said most of the magical potential is locked behind people we don't have access too yet, though I hope the neighponhave a bit more. I mean, even with what we have though the potential practical applications are huge. I mean, imagine the use of clairvoyance in public maintenence and policing or illusions for things like entertainment, lighting, and aesthetic. Those aren't little things yo.
But I mean, we're edging up on the earlier prerequisites just enough that I can perfectly taste it. Like, these engines are clearly the start of public transportation, the crop rotation is the begginning of efficient rural perimeters and urban sufficiency, we're not really touching the magic yet but it's magic nuff said, etc. We're going to get there and it will be glorious.
imagine the use of clairvoyance in public maintenence and policing or illusions for things like entertainment, lighting, and aesthetic. Those aren't little things yo.
I had already thought about your illusion's idea (imagine a musical with illusory special effects!!), though we probably won't be able to use clarvoyance like that.
It seems really limited AND uncontrollable sadly, and we can't even be sure there would be immigrants who develop that gift. After all I doubt actual shamans will decide to leave their lands, so IF we get some yaks that develop it they'll probably have to start from scratch, without instructions.
IF we know of any magical plants in our lands we might try to develop some basic alchemy/potion craft/chemistry, but it's unlikely we'd be able to do much without somewhere to start from.
The most promising paths to study magic we have right now are the Booktm and crystal magic, though the last would require to start studying whatever survived of the crystal empire's libraries, and some experimentation with whatever abilities the crystal ponies start to show in the next few years (I remember that Sombra pretty much deleted any magical knowledge from the ponies' minds...).
I still dream of crystal golems working in both fields and mines (and other heavy work)! We could get automation before even getting electricity!
I had already thought about your illusion's idea (imagine a musical with illusory special effects!!), though we probably won't be able to use clarvoyance like that.
It seems really limited AND uncontrollable sadly, and we can't even be sure there would be immigrants who develop that gift. After all I doubt actual shamans will decide to leave their lands, so IF we get some yaks that develop it they'll probably have to start from scratch, without instructions.
IF we know of any magical plants in our lands we might try to develop some basic alchemy/potion craft/chemistry, but it's unlikely we'd be able to do much without somewhere to start from.
I hadn't even considered that hells bells, that's like the most obvious thing and I actually looked over it. Damn, I gotta get my imagination on like, doing fantasy stuff with the fantasy stuff and here I am all I can think of is magical GMOs.
Like, imagine the potential of magical potions in medicine and for labour intensive jobs or first responders, hell, imagine the recreational potential of nonaddictive magical drugs.
We need magic pot- I mean cauldrons. Cauldrons. We need magic cauldrons!
The most promising paths to study magic we have right now are the Booktm and crystal magic, though the last would require to start studying whatever survived of the crystal empire's libraries, and some experimentation with whatever abilities the crystal ponies start to show in the next few years (I remember that Sombra pretty much deleted any magical knowledge from the ponies' minds...).
I'm not with The Booktm but so much yes on studying the crystal magic. So much hope for breaktrhoughsin architecture and construction and material with that not to mention general utility stuff like glowing crystals that float. Also can't wait for crystal pony magic see what non crystal related things they come up with.
YES! Like, it super depends on how complex we can make crystal automata but even really simple stuff is super hella useful like field tilling and grain harvesting that only really require the ability to move in a straight line and if we can make really complex automata? Say goodbye to physical labour altogether fam, we got better things to do.
I hadn't even considered that hells bells, that's like the most obvious thing and I actually looked over it. Damn, I gotta get my imagination on like, doing fantasy stuff with the fantasy stuff and here I am all I can think of is magical GMOs.
This reminds me of something from Harry potter. The Weasley twins sold some kind of "15 minutes long lucid dreams" potions. Something like that would be amazing if possible. It's basically virtual reality!
Found it!
. The Patented Daydream Charm was a magicalitem created by Fred and George Weasley, sold at their shop Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley. Virtually undetectable, they were able to produce a very realistic daydream lasting for thirty minutes. Side effects of the product included drooling and/or dazed expression. They were not sold to customers under the age of sixteen[1], and like all Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products, they were strictly banned from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by CaretakerArgus Filch.
...Harry potter magic is so broken when you really think about it...
On a secondary note, I always wondered why Discord never considered opening a luna park in canon mlp. Best place/way for him to go crazy with his powers in a socially approved way.
This reminds me of something from Harry potter. The Weasley twins sold some kind of "15 minutes long lucid dreams" potions. Something like that would be amazing if possible. It's basically virtual reality!
Found it! ...Harry potter magic is so broken when you really think about it...
On a secondary note, I always wondered why Discord never considered opening a luna park in canon mlp. Best place/way for him to go crazy with his powers in a socially approved way.
Probably keeps getting the straight chaotic, chaotic evil, and chaotic stupid wires mixed up. You're suppossedto take two but he keeps skipping the first for the second and ending up taking the last alongside.
The Crystal City is an...interesting place. At first glance, it is a place of ruin. Despite the efforts of its inhabitants and the assistance of Griffons and Dogs alike, many buildings still bear the scars of war. Piles of rubble, shards of shattered architecture, buildings with missing walls or great voids where a cannonball or rampaging troll carved a path of destruction through them. But upon closer inspection, it is clear that progress is being made. The piles of rubble are a result of the ongoing clean-up efforts, hundreds of Crystal Ponies laboring around the clock in an attempt to return their home to a semblance of its former glory, shifting debris piece by piece into large piles to be collected and removed in bulk by the numerous carts making their way through the cratered streets. While the city isn't pretty right now, it's a great deal better than it was just after Sombra's defeat.
At least the bodies have all been cleared away. The funeral pyres had burned for weeks and needed countless shipments of wood from Gryphus to fuel them, but none dared question the necessity of giving the dead a proper cremation. Never again would a Crystal Pony be dumped by the roadside to be claimed by the snow and frost. With how many died under Sombra, they'll probably be digging up corpses for years to come. But at least no others will join them. There have been murmurs of the construction of a memorial for the dead, in their memory. Only murmurs though. There is still much work to be done before the city can be considered functional again, and such a project practically considered. But it will be rebuilt, of that there is no question.
For despite their scars, the Crystal Ponies are possessed of a determined energy to emerge from the shadow of Sombra, to not allow his actions to diminish them or prevent them from moving forward. They will never again be slaves, not to Sombra or his memory or anyone else. You can't help but feel inspired by their attitude, their drive to carry on. They remind you of your own people, in a way.
You turn away from the balcony, walking back through the empty halls of the Crystal Palace. You were not here to sight-see, though you had made a point of "showing the flag" as it were, visiting the clean-up crews or talking to the Imperial volunteers present in the city. You were here to decide the fate of the Crystal Ponies. An entire race of people with their fate in your talons. Its times like this that you feel the full weight of your crown upon you, the burden of duty resting squarely upon your shoulders.
The Knights assigned as your bodyguard for this journey beyond the Empire's "official" borders open the door to the "council chambers", a disused room within the palace hastily repurposed to act as a meeting place for this historic event. Within sits a collection of some of the most powerful and influential people in the known world, barring yourself, all of whom stand and salute or bow before you wave off their gestures of respect. Having people bowing to you at every turn got old a few weeks after you became king, you've long since gotten sick of it.
You take your seat at the head of the oblong table, the Griffonian wood standing in stark contrast to the crystalline architecture. You make eye contact with each of the other beings at the table, thanking each of them for attending. As if they'd have something more important to do.
To your right sits Toshikazu Kase, the Qilin representative for the Kingdom of Neighpon. Despite his stated desire to be present at such a momentous event, Kōryū could not make the journey himself. Apparently, one of the heavenly dragons had awoken briefly, necessitating your fellow Emperor's presence. That, combined with a sudden storm in the seas off the coast, had made it impossible for him to reach the Crystal City in time. As such, one of his trusted courtiers, who had already been present in Gryphus to oversee trade between your nations, was made to serve as his delegate.
To your left sits the wizened yet quietly imposing form of Elva von Cleef, your indispensable head Diplomat. Though her talons have dulled and her feathers have begun to fall out from age, she retains her sharp mind and even sharper tongue. She had been the one to arrange this meeting in the first place, so it was only natural that she be present.
Finally, directly across from you, seated upon his haunches with only a threadbare mat to separate his fur from the floor, is Ivory Rook, the de-facto Mayor of the Crystal City, and the closest thing the Crystal Ponies have to a ruler at present. One of the first slaves to be liberated, he'd naturally assumed a leadership role amongst the other escapees, eventually assisting with the liberation of others and acting as one of your advisors and guides during the final battle against Sombra. His fellow equines had subsequently elected him their leader and spokespony in a hasty and largely informal vote, though you suspect he only accepted because nopony else was really in the running.
Introductions and pleasantries dealt with, you cut to the chase.
"We're gathered here today to decide the future of the Crystal Empire. It's territory, it's people, it's very existence as a state, all will be determined here today."
You give a steel-eyed glance to everyone in the room.
"I expect all of us to treat these proceedings with the appropriate respect and decorum befitting such a momentous decision."
Your piece said, you allow yourself to relax a tiny amount, officially declaring the meeting begun and allowing the three others to speak.
What follows is several hours of discussion, proposals and negotiations. The Crystal Ponies want Imperial assistance in rebuilding their homeland, but also want to exercise a modicum of independence. If they have to choose between independence and assistance, they'll choose the latter, but it's clear that Ivory Rook doesn't want to have to be the one to make that choice and make his people subordinate to another powerful monarch. They know they can't survive without foreign aid, but a high price for such aid will likely breed resentment amongst them.
The Neighponese have their own interests and desires as well. While they had joined the war effort without any expectation of a reward or prize, that doesn't mean they wouldn't like something for their trouble. Though the lands of the Crystal Empire are not ideal for colonization in the wake of the Windigoes' effects on the land, everyone fully expects this state of affairs to change over time, and the Neighponese leadership have been discussing "outward expansion" to provide resources and living space for their slowly growing population. Giving them a portion of the currently unoccupied crystal territory would go a long way towards pleasing them. Alternatively, if such a desire is too burdensome to be met, they would also appreciate a naval base on the Eastern Coast. The sea is a big place, and if they're going to exert control over it (as their defense policy dictates) they're going to need such bases to expand their navy's influence and control. But while it's true that much of the land outside the Crystal City is uninhabited, the Crystal Ponies may be hesitant to simply give up parts of their official territory.
Then there's Elva. Though she doesn't say anything about it in the meeting itself, she had counseled you that the Imperial nobility, as well as some segments of the general public, were expecting to get something significant out of these negotiations. They had sacrificed much to win the war, sacrifices measured in both lives and treasure, and many wanted a "return on their investment" (though almost none would dare to phrase it in such a callous manner). In an ideal world, the destruction of a great evil and the liberation of a whole race of people would be enough. But this is not an ideal world. If you don't walk out of this meeting with something significant, more than a few Griffons are going to be upset with you.
And of course, hanging over all your heads (both literally and figuratively, the object in question having somehow relocated itself to the spot the Windigoes had once occupied near the peak of the Crystal Palace tower) was the matter of the Crystal Heart. An object of great cultural and historic significance to the Crystal Ponies while simultaneously a massively powerful arcane artifact, it's future status is also up for debate.
A number of proposals, plans and compromises are presented over the course of the hours-long meeting. As the sun begins to dip below the horizon and the arguments begin to wind down, all eyes turn to you. In the end, you have the final say. The Crystal Ponies are in no place to make demands, and neither are the Neighponese. They'll accept whatever decision you make, though they may be displeased with such choices.
The Question of Crystal Statehood
[ ] Full Independence: Aid will be provided with no strings attached. The Crystal Empire will remain a fully independent nation with full autonomy. While the Crystal Ponies themselves will be more than happy with this decision, your own population may not be. A trade partner and ally, while better than a hostile neighbor, won't enrich the Empire and its people as much as the wealth of lands and resources you would gain as a result of the other choices.
[ ] Protectorate: Aid will be provided on the condition of the Crystal Empire becoming a Protectorate of Gryphus. While the Crystal Ponies will be allowed a degree of autonomy over their own affairs, they will be considered a part of the Empire. A portion of their tax revenue will be paid to you, and they will be protected from outside aggression by the might of the Imperial Military. The vast majority of Crystal Ponies would be content with this, not believing themselves capable of standing on their own hooves so soon after their liberation from Sombra, and seeing the assistance gained as being well worth the price of some of their autonomy. And while some of the particularly ambitious members of your nobility may grumble a bit, most of your own people will likely see this arrangement as beneficial. Though it should be noted that the attitudes of the Crystal Ponies may change with time, either seeking independence or further integration into the Empire itself. Something to think about at any rate.
[ ] Partial Annexation: One of the compromises that was formed and discussed at the meeting itself. The Crystal Empire will be annexed by Gryphus, but not necessarily in perpetuity. In 20 years, a referendum will be held amongst the residents of the Crystal Empire to determine whether they wish to remain subjects of the Empire, or become their own sovereign state. Both the Crystal Ponies and the Griffons of the Empire are likely to be content with this...for the foreseeable future. Elva warns you that this plan is basically "kicking the can down the road" and delaying a decision that it might be better to make now. While she won't be there to witness it, she can easily foresee such a vote being a dramatic and contentious thing that may divide the Crystal Ponies and lead to political conflict. Still, it may be the best way to ensure everyone gets what they want, even if temporarily.
[ ] Full Annexation: The simplest option. The Crystal Empire and all of its lands will be absorbed into the Empire of Gryphus. All Crystal Ponies will become Imperial citizens, and their lands will be administered as just another province of the Empire. While this will earn you much goodwill and approval amongst your own people, the Crystal Ponies themselves will likely not take such a decision well. Should you prove to be a benevolent ruler, you're sure you can win most of them over in time, but it may be an uphill battle, and some locals will always be opposed to "foreign imperialism".
The Neighponese Reward
[ ] Victory is Reward Enough: If they wanted a reward for their participation in the war then they should have said so beforehand. Their only goal in the war was to see the destruction of a hostile neighbor which would have come to threaten them in time. They succeeded in their quest and achieved their goal, they should be content with that rather than getting greedy once they realized they could profit from such a conflict. While Kōryū will accept this, some of his people might not be so understanding.
[ ] Naval Base: A plot of land along the Eastern Coast will be "leased" to the Neighponese for the next century. While the Crystal Empire will retain ultimate sovereignty over the land, the Kingdom of Neighpon will exercise complete control and jurisdiction over the land itself. The land will be used solely for military purposes, and will not engage in resource extraction or serve as a civilian settlement. While neither party will be particularly happy with this compromise, neither will particularly disapprove. Some few Crystal Ponies actually like the idea of having a foreign military base nearby to serve as a deterrent to any foreign aggression.
[ ] Neighponese Colonization: The lands that the Neighponese are eyeing for colonization have no population, no infrastructure, nothing but a line on a map to show that it is a part of the Crystal Empire. You see no reason they shouldn't have the opportunity to make use of the land. While this will greatly please Kōryū and his people, the Crystal Ponies might not be so happy about their territory being seized by a foreign power, regardless of the fact that they aren't using it.
[ ] Passing the Buck: This is not your decision to make. Let the Crystal Ponies and Neighponese negotiate an arrangement between themselves. This won't upset anyone, but it won't get you into anyone's good graces either. (May only be chosen with Full Independence).
The Crystal Heart
[ ] In the care of the Crystal Ponies: The Crystal Heart belongs to the Crystal Ponies. It's as simple as that. This won't prevent you from studying or even potentially making use of the heart yourself, but you won't be able to do anything without the Crystal Ponies' permission.
[ ] Joint Custody: While the Heart will remain within the Crystal Empire, it will be under the shared control of the Crystal Empire and the Empire of Gryphus. This will allow you to study and make use of the Heart more or less freely, though the Crystal Ponies reserve the right to protest a particular course of action if they feel it threatens the Heart itself. Most Crystal Ponies would be perfectly fine with such an arrangement. So long as the Crystal Heart remains in the Crystal City and continues to serve as the guardian of its inhabitants, they are fine with whatever experiments you may decide to run on it.
[ ] Relocation to Gryphus: The Crystal Heart shall be relocated to the Imperial heartland, and it shall be regarded as the sole property of the Empire of Gryphus as a valuable strategic asset and unique magical artifact. Rook tells you point-blank that this course of action will almost certainly result in a massive riot, seeing as how you're basically stealing the single most valuable object in the Crystal Empire that is practically worshipped by many of its inhabitants. Still, it's not like they can actually stop you from taking it...
(There will be a two hour moratorium to allow for discussion.)
I could see voting for full independence or protectorate, no to Colonization (anything else could be Ok), and leaving the crystal heart to the Crystal Ponies.
temporary annexation followed by a referendum. The Crystal empire will be part of our empire for X number of years during which the ponies will enjoy full citizenship. at the end of this time referendum will be conducted during which the Crystals Ponies will decdie their fate for themselves with all parties honoring that choice.
[ ] Protectorate: Aid will be provided on the condition of the Crystal Empire becoming a Protectorate of Gryphus. While the Crystal Ponies will be allowed a degree of autonomy over their own affairs, they will be considered a part of the Empire. A portion of their tax revenue will be paid to you, and they will be protected from outside aggression by the might of the Imperial Military. The vast majority of Crystal Ponies would be content with this, not believing themselves capable of standing on their own hooves so soon after their liberation from Sombra, and seeing the assistance gained as being well worth the price of some of their autonomy. And while some of the particularly ambitious members of your nobility may grumble a bit, most of your own people will likely see this arrangement as beneficial. Though it should be noted that the attitudes of the Crystal Ponies may change with time, either seeking independence or further integration into the Empire itself. Something to think about at any rate.
[ ] Naval Base: A plot of land along the Eastern Coast will be "leased" to the Neighponese for the next century. While the Crystal Empire will retain ultimate sovereignty over the land, the Kingdom of Neighpon will exercise complete control and jurisdiction over the land itself. The land will be used solely for military purposes, and will not engage in resource extraction or serve as a civilian settlement. While neither party will be particularly happy with this compromise, neither will particularly disapprove. Some few Crystal Ponies actually like the idea of having a foreign military base nearby to serve as a deterrent to any foreign aggression.
[ ] Joint Custody: While the Heart will remain within the Crystal Empire, it will be under the shared control of the Crystal Empire and the Empire of Gryphus. This will allow you to study and make use of the Heart more or less freely, though the Crystal Ponies reserve the right to protest a particular course of action if they feel it threatens the Heart itself. Most Crystal Ponies would be perfectly fine with such an arrangement. So long as the Crystal Heart remains in the Crystal City and continues to serve as the guardian of its inhabitants, they are fine with whatever experiments you may decide to run on it.
Protectorate as I believe with the correct set of actions we can further incline the Crystal ponies to integrate with us, more so as they see how we treat those we took in as refugees as full equals in our empire. And with the wealth and prosperity of our lands I can see those that are rebuilding wishing to partake in that. And them asking for joining later should avoid any resentment down the road. To continue with this Joint Custody makes them continue to work with us and hopefully lay the groundwork for full joining.
Naval Base, deeper ties to Neighpone without ticking off the crystal ponies.
Temporary annexation has a chance to brew negative sentiment and kicks the can down 20 years, while protectorate means that if things change sooner we could see a potential integration then.
Protectorate, as they are not in a good position and, well, we did kinda fight a full war to rescue them. Naval Base, as a precursor to future negotiation as to the possibility of land purchases ala the Louisiana Purchase. And Joint Custody, as a good compromise.
Partial annexing, allowing the Colonization, and shared control with the option to move the Heart if the Empire gets invaded to keep it from falling into the hands of enemies.
We are not giving the ponies independent rule right now they have no chance on their own. And we are not a charity we can only do so much before our people start resenting it. The Colonization is what the Neighpon want and there is no reason to deny them that. They need to expand and aquire new lands so they can grow larger and be a better Ally to all of us including the Ponies. We shall be the Crystal Empire's shield on the land and the Neighpon shall be their shield from the seas.
Protecterate seems good, the crystal ponies will need assistence to get back on their feet and we can work on improving the situation over time. It gives all the sides enough to tide them over and lets us influence where it goes afterwards, so even if the CP do decide to go independent later they'd still have a close connection with us.
Naval base keeps people from being particularly offended and opens the door for further negotiations and interactions. With much less chance of explosive disagreement than the other options. Forcing new authority in after Sombra would likely not go over well, at all, and it's better not to burn our good-will here.
Joint jurisdiction is probably the best option for the heart. There's a lot that we can learn about/from it and the Crystal Ponies aren't particularly against this.
how about Protectorate with the referendum after x years? part of the reason i want the referendum to happen is that it gives the common pony a good degree of self determination while also allowing us to act as needed to rebuild them. not to mention if the ponies fully join the empire it will be their choice rather then something decided by the politicians.
edit: about the naval base could we grant permission to build Trading point along side it? it would make reconstruction easier if we have a friendly port to ship supplies through.
My vote would be for for Protectorate, Colonization, and leaving the Crystal Heart in the Care of the Crystal Ponies (that should offset the Colonization well enough, (and in all honesty we need the Neighponese more in the short term, last but not least for rebuilding the Crystal Empire) plus we can still protect the Crystal Heart from outside invaders with our local military assets.
The Naval base is not a good enough action. We can't please everyone and if the Neighpon can't expand here they are going to have to go farther afield. That means that not only is their defenses going to get spread thin to farther regions it also means we can get dragged into wars that are outside our current strategic interests since if another kingdom attacks the colonies we are Obligated to go to their defense. The ponies can handle giving up land that they cannot use or start to repair for generations to people that died saving them and who can heal the land.
1. Outright assimilating the Crystal Ponies brings the risk of their fragile glass house that is their culture collapsing.
2. I feel any further gains for Neighpon would be higher than their actual contribution was, sad to say.
3. I feel that as our protectorate, we should also have access to the heart. Further, The Crystal Heart can apparently use love-energy from griffon-muggles, meaning that emotional energy from a griffon can theoretically be turned into magical energy.
If we manage to figure out a way to create much weaker mockeries of the Crystal Heart in the future, we could potentially, actually, unlock magic that griffons could power/use.
That being said, I'm also considering partial annexation...
I'm all for leaving the Heart to them, as I don't see any major uses for it when we don't really understand it yet, and this will show that we are taking the Crystal Ponies seriously. Besides, if another massive magical threat like Sombra where we need it pops up, they may well be willing to use it to defend the world.
The only thing is that in full Crystal custody, they may well wouldn't want to relocate it strategically or use it as a strategic weapon, but giving full custody over feels right and it might buy us enough crystal goodwill to get away with full annexation, even. We're treating our refugees as well as we possibly can, yanno. We might be able to swing it, which would be a major coup.
The Naval base is not a good enough action. We can't please everyone and if the Neighpon can't expand here they are going to have to go farther afield. That means that not only is their defenses going to get spread thin to farther regions it also means we can get dragged into wars that are outside our current strategic interests since if another kingdom attacks the colonies we are Obligated to go to their defense. The ponies can handle giving up land that they cannot use or start to repair for generations to people that died saving them and who can heal the land.
), though we probably won't be able to use clarvoyance like that.
