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Who Needs Harmony?: An MLP Empire Quest

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Omake: Imposter Syndrome
  • Sidestory
    • Imposter Syndrome​

    Fake...
    Swift Mind walked the hallways of the Griffonstone Academy, head held high, bright smile on his face.
    He knew he was a fake. Oh sure, most of the other grad students had doubts about their own competence, but he actually was.

    Worthless    ...
    Swift Mind walked into a classroom, nodding to the few of his fellow students who had also arrived early.
    Sure he had graduated with top honors at Crystal University, but he had skated by, using his friendships with everyone to find the best tutors and copy notes on the days he was absent. Heck, Bleeding Heart had practically taught him the third chapter of Applied Thaumatology that week he had been bedridden with fever.

    Imposter    ...
    Swift Mind sat down in his seat beside Greytalon, who was pouring over data for mana to heat conversion ratios. Greytalon asked him a question about what equation he would use, and after a little thought Swift Mind suggested a slight alteration to the one Greytalon was laboring over. Greytalon's eyes lit up, and he started scribbling furiously.
    He knew that Greytalon would have figured out such an obvious change soon enough. This gesture only created gratitude from Greytalon, he knew Greytalon and everyone else would be fine without him. He lived in fear of the day when someone found out. Realized that he wasn't some brilliant crystal pony, that he had effectively been lying to them the entire time. To prevent that day from coming, he studied until he fell unconscious each night, driven to work ever harder through fear of the condemnation that would come if people found out who he really was, an imposter who played off of their sympathy and friendship to keep them from questioning how he was so seemingly perfect.

    Scum    ...
    Swift Mind took out his writing supplies as the rest of the class trickled in along with Professor Genevieve. He loaned a quill to Jade when he saw that she had forgotten hers.
    How could he live with himself? He hadn't suffered like everyone else from Crystal University, he was benefiting from the misguided sympathies of everyone in Griffonstone Academy. Even worse, he didn't stop it. He couldn't bring himself to tell them to save their sympathy for ponies more deserving than him. That would bring questions.

    Pathetic    ...
    Swift Mind took notes as Professor Genevieve began the lecture, sipping on his classmates' feelings of gratitude and admiration as he wrote.
    He could never tell them the truth...



    @Questor
    Decided to try my hand at the omake game. From what I've read, imposter syndrome affects many graduate students, making them feel as if they are less qualified than their peers. The changelings gave me the question, what if someone with imposter syndrome actually was an imposter (just of a different sort)?

    Edit:
    Yes, 'Swift Mind' is in fact very talented and intelligent. In case it needs clarification, italics are Swift Mind's thoughts. Also, this takes place some time in the future, after Crystal University is completed.
     
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  • Sidestory
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    I realised this last week but didn't have time to bring it up but, when Garrick inevitably dies/abdicates and Gawain ascends the throne we will suffer a public opinion loss of at least -1,-3 tops. Why? It represents the uncertainty that comes with a new ruler, while Gawain's stats and traits are great he's still unproven in the eyes of the Nobility and People. Once he's old enough we should give him some task to gain experience and minimize the penalty.
     
    Mark21800 said:
    I realised this last week but didn't have time to bring it up but, when Garrick inevitably dies/abdicates and Gawain ascends the throne we will suffer a public opinion loss of at least -1,-3 tops. Why? It represents the uncertainty that comes with a new ruler, while Gawain's stats and traits are great he's still unproven in the eyes of the Nobility and People. Once he's old enough we should give him some task to gain experience and minimize the penalty.
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    Of course! We haven't been investing our Cultural tech points into Majesty! We should do so now, to lower the Short Reign Penalty!

    ... or have the boy be a public figure before Garrick kicks the Sombra helmet?
     
    Mark21800 said:
    I realised this last week but didn't have time to bring it up but, when Garrick inevitably dies/abdicates and Gawain ascends the throne we will suffer a public opinion loss of at least -1,-3 tops. Why? It represents the uncertainty that comes with a new ruler, while Gawain's stats and traits are great he's still unproven in the eyes of the Nobility and People. Once he's old enough we should give him some task to gain experience and minimize the penalty.
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    Speaking of stats... poor gawain. Known for being a nerdy dork/Chad, yet learning is his absolutely lowest skill right now.

    Petition to give him a learning buff like 'archimedes' student' so his stats more align with his bookwormy-ness.
     
    Do not worry, when the -5 teen penalty goes away, he will still have more than ten in all stats, with none below 12. He will even have more stats than our King by a few points before we even invested in training, armor/weapons, and so on.

    He is going to be a godsend in the army-leading and diplomacy game, and we are going to be getting into those situations a lot it looks like. slightly better than his parents in Martial and diplomacy both.


    this:
    Martial: 14+2+2+1-5=14
    Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2-5=14
    Stewardship: 14+2-5=11
    Learning: 10+2-5=7
    Intrigue: 11+2-5=8

    turns into this:
    Martial: 14+2+2+1=19
    Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2=19
    Stewardship: 14+2=16
    Learning: 10+2=12
    Intrigue: 11+2=13
     
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    Zavvnao said:
    Do not worry, when the -5 teen penalty goes away, he will still have more than ten in all stats, with none below 12. He will even have more stats than our King by a few points before we even invested in training, armor/weapons, and so on.

    He is going to be a godsend in the army-leading and diplomacy game, and we are going to be getting into those situations a lot it looks like. slightly better than his parents in Martial and diplomacy both.


    thisL
    Martial: 14+2+2+1-5=14
    Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2-5=14
    Stewardship: 14+2-5=11
    Learning: 10+2-5=7
    Intrigue: 11+2-5=8

    turns into this:
    Martial: 14+2+2+1=19
    Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2=19
    Stewardship: 14+2=16
    Learning: 10+2=12
    Intrigue: 11+2=13
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    Virgin Teenager vs Chad Adult

    Also, Gawain can totally go read some books in his spare time, or hang out with that smart kid... unless it costs a whole year to tell our son "go read books, kid"!
     
    Zavvnao said:
    Do not worry, when the -5 teen penalty goes away, he will still have more than ten in all stats, with none below 12. He will even have more stats than our King by a few points before we even invested in training, armor/weapons, and so on.

    He is going to be a godsend in the army-leading and diplomacy game, and we are going to be getting into those situations a lot it looks like. slightly better than his parents in Martial and diplomacy both.


    thisL
    Martial: 14+2+2+1-5=14
    Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2-5=14
    Stewardship: 14+2-5=11
    Learning: 10+2-5=7
    Intrigue: 11+2-5=8

    turns into this:
    Martial: 14+2+2+1=19
    Diplomacy: 13+2+2+2=19
    Stewardship: 14+2=16
    Learning: 10+2=12
    Intrigue: 11+2=13
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    Yeah, but it just feels weird seeing learning as his lowest stat
     
    So I just had a thought on the push it somewhere else action, despite the fact that it's cheaper and faster than building up another wall I don't think we should do it because it's sort of a monument to the winter war.

    It's something like the Great Wall now. where our people can go see where we held the line against the biggest strongest most horrific enemy we've encountered.

    If we took the action to move the wall it could be seen as not appreciating the sacrifice of the soldiers who died defending it just to tear it down to move somewhere else.
     
    Plausitivity said:
    Virgin Teenager vs Chad Adult

    Also, Gawain can totally go read some books in his spare time, or hang out with that smart kid... unless it costs a whole year to tell our son "go read books, kid"!
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    You made me think of that mafia city meme, and I am not sure how to feel.

    We must get back to cute, wholesome omakes to purge this thought.

    Gaius Tyrannus said:
    True, we could always go Embers in the Dusk Approval. "The Emperor is Dead. Oh thank Emperor the Governor is still alive though.
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    It got to the point once that even the chaos cultist we slaughter in droves loved the Governor. We still slaughtered them as they where chaos cultist, but still.
     
    Lisain said:
    Yeah, but it just feels weird seeing learning as his lowest stat
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    we did raise him to be a diplomancer and not a scholar... come to think of it who did we pick to be a scholar in their schooling of all our kids?
    was it dragon sister?* because bird sister* was martially focused in her upbringing and I can't remember what crystal sister* was?

    *I suck with names and don't feel like digging for them because I am lazy
     
    SirKaid said:
    Look at it this way: he likes reading and studying but he's not naturally extraordinary at it. He's not as keen about warfare or diplomatic affairs but he has the knack for them in spades, plus we've been training him in them to make him even better at them.
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    Pretty much. There's all kinds of nerds, not just science ones. He's one of those diplomatic/military nerds, reads a bunch of treatises and historical epics I bet.
     
    Funny thought but, if our Royal couple manages to have/acquire ONE more child, that one is going to be the Spy Child, basically Double-O Kid.
     
    Plus, 10 in a stat isn't bad. 10 is "This person is competent at this job. Not extraordinary, not terrible, but competent."

    By comparison, 20 makes the person a renowned expert and 30 means they're the kind of legendary that people remember centuries after they die.

    Gawain's stats are good enough that even at his worst he can follow the conversation and at his best he can meaningfully contribute when he's in meetings with his experts. For a king, that's really all he needs.
     
    Okay more thoughts on Garrick and Gabriella having the chance to acquire more kids. If we knock over Maretonia or Libertalia, that's either 1 or 2 more adopted kids possibly. The possibilities are a stowaway child from the Libertalia mess and possibly some former enslaved kiddos (those of whom we are unable to find the families of, especially if Maretonia doesn't have a policy that prevents Family Separation among slaves) from when we knock over and/or possibly annex Maretonia.

    So that's a possibility of either an Earth Pony, a Pegasi, or a Unicorn from Maretonia, and maybe a Diamond Dog or something else from Libertalia.

    Look, I have no self control, we have four kids, but my heart and feels scream, MOAR. Let's collect them all!!

    (lol)
     
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    Markala said:
    Okay more thoughts on Garrick and Gabriella having the chance to acquire more kids. If we knock over Maretonia or Libertalia, that's either 1 or 2 more adopted kids possibly. The possibilities are a stowaway child from the Libertalia mess and possibly some former enslaved kiddos (those of whom we are unable to find the families of, especially if Maretonia doesn't have a policy that prevents Family Separation among slaves) from when we knock over and/or possibly annex Maretonia.

    So that's a possibility of either an Earth Pony, a Pegasi, or a Unicorn from Maretonia, and maybe a Diamond Dog or something else from Libertalia.

    Look, I have no self control, we have four kids, but my heart and feels scream, MOAR. Let's collect them all!!

    (lol)
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    can ya wait a little longer? till it's gawain's turn to go overboard on children? :V
     
    Microtec1 said:
    can ya wait a little longer? till it's gawain's turn to go overboard on children? :V
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    It's not overboard until we overtake the headcount of the HP Weasley family!

    Also like, imagine how much family-time Garrick'll have after Gawain takes the throne (preferably without Garrick biting it pls)! Perfect time to have/pay attention to adopted 2-3 more kids of varying species, plus we don't exactly know what the different species lifespans are, why should we assume they exactly mirror a human's?
     
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    Markala said:
    It's not overboard until we overtake the headcount of the HP Weasley family!

    Also like, imagine how much family-time Garrick'll have after Gawain takes the throne (preferably without Garrick biting it pls)! Perfect time to have/pay attention to adopted 2-3 more kids, plus we don't exactly know what the different species lifespans are, why should we assume they exactly mirror a human's?
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    We need word of god for that one. Hey @Questor , sorry if this has been asked before, but what is the average lifespan of the different races in the setting?
     
    Markala said:
    Look, I have no self control, we have four kids, but my heart and feels scream, MOAR. Let's collect them all!!
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    I'm going to have to say less is more here as if you put to many characters in a story they start to become less and less important as you spread screen time out over more and more people till they all just kinda become watered down and forgettable. I mean out of all our kids right now the only one with any real development is our son and to a lesser extant our dragon daughter. The other two have yet to say much of anything in any of the main story post and probably only have a paragraph of lines talking about them shared between both of them. Add to many and then our kids basically become nothing more then a stamp collection. Yeah it's kinda neat we have so many but as soon as you're done looking at them they are immediately forgotten.
     
    I think that we have more than enough kids as it is. After all, we still need time to take Overtimes and Imperial Priorities, and having too many kids makes that notion much harder to accomplish.
     
    Speaking of age I think there is chance that Federico is going to be biting it soon it's been close to 18 years since we met and he had a fully grown daughter also are diplo advisor is described as old to and its been 21 years.
     
    You know, after this, I think we reaaaally need to set up something for our war vets. Our last military advisor did note that a lot of griffons had lost limbs and such, so a vetran support program for them to continue martial tradition and help em out would be nice. But as we're on the edge of what seems to be another war, doubt we'll be able to do anything like that any time soon...
     
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