Actually, since all other aspects of science and physics work fine if we just remove all the magic playing yo-yo with celestial bodies shouldn't the day/night cycles stabilize themselves?
Why do they do it manually in the first place? I read one story where it was to give Equestria the best weather and growing seasons possible or something.
Unless their planet is Tidal Locked.
Also, Discord can move them too. @Amnesiac I think it was just Unicorn Circle of Magi.
Actually, since all other aspects of science and physics work fine if we just remove all the magic playing yo-yo with celestial bodies shouldn't the day night cycles stabilize themselves?
Why do they do it manually in the first place? I read one story where it was to give Equestria the best weather and growing seasons possible or something.
Unless their planet is Tidal Locked.
Also, Discord can move them too. @Amnesiac I think it was just Unicorn Circle of Magi.
Actually, since all other aspects of science and physics work fine if we just remove all the magic playing yo-yo with celestial bodies shouldn't the day/night cycles stabilize themselves?
Why do they do it manually in the first place? I read one story where it was to give Equestria the best weather and growing seasons possible or something.
Unless their planet is Tidal Locked.
Also, Discord can move them too. @Amnesiac I think it was just Unicorn Circle of Magi.
I agreed that WE shouldnt Reach for the Bug Spray Just yet, since people Like Thorax, Ocellus And to a lesser extent Pharynx show that good Changelings are a thing canonically (My earlier worries about them having orchestrated Mareias death was more about protecting innocents, Not exterminating Changelings)
...speaking of Thorax, WE might wanna keep an eye Open for any exiled Olenian Royal heir getting unexpected backing And returning Home.
AS for TIA And Woona, I'd prefer that whole Nightmare Moon Business getting averted somehow before everything else.
But Is that because they are being magically controlled? Or is the planet just unbelievably dense/massive to have greater gravity? Or does the planet's naturally occurring magic act as a celestial magnet?
I agreed that WE shouldnt Reach for the Bug Spray Just yet, since people Like Thorax, Ocellus And to a lesser extent Pharynx show that good Changelings are a thing canonically (My earlier worries about them having orchestrated Mareias death was more about protecting innocents, Not exterminating Changelings)
...speaking of Thorax, WE might wanna keep an eye Open for any exiled Olenian Royal heute getting unexpected Hacking And returning Home.
AS for TIA And Woona, I'd prefer that while Nightmare Moon Business getting averted somehow before everything else.
But Is that because they are being magically controlled? Or is the planet just unbelievably dense/massive to have greater gravity? Or does the planet's naturally occurring magic act as a celestial magnet?
@Pittauro I'm fairly certain it is canon that before Celestia and Luna, when the pony tribes were still divided, the Sun and Moon were controlled by groups of unicorns working together.
They did, yes. And then come to the modern times, and it seems like that spell has been forgotten (or even deliberately removed from not-alicorn knowledge).
What i want is a fall-back plan, A failsafe, in case they become unable to perform their duty, or if one of them ends up going nightmare.
Actually, since all other aspects of science and physics work fine if we just remove all the magic playing yo-yo with celestial bodies shouldn't the day night cycles stabilize themselves?
Why do they do it manually in the first place? I read one story where it was to give Equestria the best weather and growing seasons possible or something.
Unless their planet is Tidal Locked.
"Discord did it" is usually a good explanation. Or maybe some other incredibly strong magical being even further in the past.
We don't even know if the sun is actually a star. It might very well be some kind of artificial magical construct, which would explain a lot and is a relatively common explanation in many fanfics.
I think it's reasonable to assume that mlp Sun is NOTHING like our Sun. Same for the stars.
The Moon.. well, it's probably closer AND smaller than ours, but it's not as outright impossible moving it as moving a giant star many time bigger than a planet around.
and about Discord, you might as well simply point what he CAN'T do than what he can. As of right now I'd say he has no access to time-travel, and maybe to mind-reading, and he's not omniscient as he CAN be tricked. He's also probably vulnerable to Orichalcum. Other than that it's difficult to really establish what his limits are.
He can basically do what he likes whenever he likes, though he's vulnerable to really powerfull magical artifacts like the Elements of Harmony, the Bewitching Bell, and Tirek's magic drain ability (once he reaches a level of strenght measurable in fucktons)
as we all would.. though it WOULD be interesting to face a fallen Alicorn.
Still, as long as we don't meet them it's out of our hands.
Equestria is probably beyond the frozen lands infested by the Windigos in the Caribou's continent, and I don't think we have a chance to reach it now. Maybe an Airship flying above the storm could make it, but we have other polities which we can contact more easily and that are far closer: The Abyssinian Cats, the Zebras, and whatever is south of Maretonia and west of the Yaks. And that's if we don't discover even MORE people/polities.
They did, yes. And then come to the modern times, and it seems like that spell has been forgotten (or even deliberately removed from not-alicorn knowledge).
What i want is a fall-back plan, A failsafe, in case they become unable to perform their duty, or if one of them ends up going nightmare.
"Discord did it" is usually a good explanation. Or maybe some other incredibly strong magical being even further in the past.
We don't even know if the sun is actually a star. It might very well be some kind of artificial magical construct, which would explain a lot and is a relatively common explanation in many fanfics.
I think it's reasonable to assume that mlp Sun is NOTHING like our Sun. Same for the stars.
The Moon.. well, it's probably closer AND smaller than ours, but it's not as outright impossible moving it as moving a giant star many time bigger than a planet around.
and about Discord, you might as well simply point what he CAN'T do than what he can. As of right now I'd say he has no access to time-travel, and maybe to mind-reading, and he's not omniscient as he CAN be tricked. He's also probably vulnerable to Orichalcum. Other than that it's difficult to really establish what his limits are.
He can basically do what he likes whenever he likes, though he's vulnerable to really powerfull magical artifacts like the Elements of Harmony, the Bewitching Bell, and Tirek's magic drain ability (once he reaches a level of strenght measurable in fucktons)
Discord definitely is weak to Orichalcum, If ITS the Same Material AS the one Chrysalis' throne is Made of...aside from that He is also allergic to Tatzelwurm secretions And orderifying/Commanderring His Home Dimension also messes him Up a Lot.
AS for the fancy Chair, If ITS Made of Orichalcum, that means that Changelings Magic is fundamentally different enough to Not BE affected...which is rather concerning
Discord definitely is weak to Orichalcum, If ITS the Same Material AS the one Chrysalis' throne is Made of...aside from that He is also allergic to Tatzelwurm secretions And orderifying/Commanderring His Home Dimension also messes him Up a Lot.
AS for the fancy Chair, If ITS Made of Orichalcum, that means that Changelings Magic is fundamentally different enough to Not BE affected...which is rather concerning
eh, changeling probably adapted to the Orichalcum. It's probably in their nature.
as we don't have a pet tatzelwurm () (and I'm actually not sure how effective it would even be. I could even imagine him FAKING the allergy), or a convenient access to dimension travel magic, Orichalcum is our only chance against him If we ever end up facing him.
now If we could just end up replicating the km wide Anti-magic field... It can't be JUST the effect of a big enough amount of Orichalcum, otherwise breaking the throne would NOT be enough to nullify the effects... There has to be a trick in how to use/craft the orichalcum.
...also IF orichalcum and that material are the same, we actually see Staswirl manipulating shards of it with tk (when he uses it to buff the palace's security in that episode with the twilight vs shining crown challenge), so there HAS to be a way to affect it with magic. Maybe it's just a matter of raw power, Starswirl is one of the strongest unicorns ever, and he was only manipulating a few shards after all. Or maybe he figured out a trick, like the Changeling did.
Or Questor might decide to ignore one or more of those things, and have the metal work differently
when it comes to the nightmare moon situation, it would be difficult to handle, and not obvious if in motion. It seems like a Dr. White and Dr. Wiley situation, one does a lot of work and little recognition, the other however gets the recognition. Luna was more in the background and grew to resent it, very much like Wiley, and the partner did not realize, and maybe even contributed in the schism. Wiley eventually decided to wreck havoc to try and find recognition, like how Luna tried to bring eternal night to try and show that she deserved respect.
Edit: In fact, in a theoretical total war Equestria faction, a good central mechanic is a fame system, that first provides bonuses to Celestia and the kingdom, but later, as it increments up, starts producing debuffs to the kingdom and Luna as well, until it hits a certain point where Luna becomes a highly buffed Nightmare Moon and splits the country in a great rebellion. When won, Luna is lost along with the elements becoming unusable until the bearers of harmony comes along, on top with Celectia facing nasty debuffs from depression which the player would need to contend with, while helping Celestia cope,( Also certain techs would be locked due to Luna being unavalible). Combined with a natural tendancy to go up, would make an interesting faction, that also reflects on it's history.
when it comes to the nightmare moon situation, it would be difficult to handle, and not obvious if in motion. It seems like a Dr. White and Dr. Wiley situation, one does a lot of work and little recognition, the other however gets the recognition. Luna was more in the background and grew to resent it, very much like Wiley, and the partner did not realize, and maybe even contributed in the schism. Wiley eventually decided to wreck havoc to try and find recognition, like how Luna tried to bring eternal night to try and show that she deserved respect.
well, we can't do anything about it until we reach and establish diplomatic contact with Equestria.
I think It's unlikely for it to happen for AT LEAST the next 10 turns. Possibly more.
Unless THEY come to us, of course.
Once we meet them and see what the situation is we can start planning.
For now... well, next 3-5 turns will probably be focused on Maretonia, from war to reconstruction. After that I'd really love to make contact with Zebrica.
We could use some alchemy/potioncrafting, it feels like something that would suit us. Also ritual magic maybe. Though I expect we'll have some trouble getting that kind of knowledge.
Having emerged from my cave of memes, I feel like I should add my two bits.
Yes. Do it. Yes.
That is all.
But in all seriousness, I do agree with the general consensus and opinions, but pragmatism has its place. Be careful that we do not become too pragmatic and cold in our suspicions.
Also, family time is greatly needed.
Edit: also, for reference, how old are our kids, actually?
We don't even know if the sun is actually a star. It might very well be some kind of artificial magical construct, which would explain a lot and is a relatively common explanation in many fanfics.
I'm a follower of this idea. The one fanfic that sold me on the idea was that it explained that the celestial objects in the sky are a 'construct generated by microscopic exotic energy particles strewn throughout the upper atmosphere. This creates an image of: the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky.' To me that would fit Celestia and Luna power levels. For contrary to many who would believe otherwise (Even myself) they are not powerful in canon. In the beginning they were special but the showrun had left them looking weak and useless.
Granted, canon does not exist in this quest for obvious reasons. So we can choose whatever we wish to believe.
I'm a follower of this idea. The one fanfic that sold me on the idea was that it explained that the celestial objects in the sky are a 'construct generated by microscopic exotic energy particles strewn throughout the upper atmosphere. This creates an image of: the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky.' To me that would fit Celestia and Luna power levels. For contrary to many who would believe otherwise (Even myself) they are not powerful in canon. In the beginning they were special but the showrun had left them looking weak and useless.
Granted, canon does not exist in this quest for obvious reasons. So we can choose whatever we wish to believe.
But what about how unicorns used to move the sun and the moon before celestia and Luna took over? (As in they were so powerful they could each do the work of dozens of powerful unicorn mages working together by themselves)
But what about how unicorns used to move the sun and the moon before celestia and Luna took over? (As in they were so powerful they could each do the work of dozens of powerful unicorn mages working together by themselves)
For contrary to many who would believe otherwise (Even myself) they are not powerful in canon. In the beginning they were special but the showrun had left them looking weak and useless.
Granted, canon does not exist in this quest for obvious reasons. So we can choose whatever we wish to believe.
nah, they ARE powerfull. It's just that they're probably not THAT MUCH more powerfull than, say, the strongest possible unicorn (like Starswirl, Twilight before ascension and Starlight). Maybe they're about as strong as Sombra at their best, more or less. Tirek cheated by draining magic by basically the entire Equestrian population, and Discord...well, he's Discord. He doesn't count.
The only foe against whom Celestia (and Luna) make a really bad impression is against Chrysalis, and that's kind of understandable. After all Chrysalis was well fed on Shining's love, she's a Queen herself (which we can presume is somewhat the equivalent of an Alicorn for the Changelings), and It's at least POSSIBLE that Celestia was holding back in fear of killing innocent bystanders. Any other time they were taken by surprise (like for the plunder vines or the changeling takeover)
That's about raw power though. Skill, training and special spells/abilities are also important. For example the alicorn princesses might very well be stronger than Sombra in terms of Raw Magic Power, but Sombra has some dangerous dark magic at his disposal. Canon has shown that Celestia KNOWS how to use dark magic, but we can safely presume she's nowhere near as good as Sombra, and there would be a big difference between someone willing to use dark magic while being cautious of its effects, and someone who uses it wholeheartedly non minding the (presumed) risks for the mind.
Also Sombra is technically an Umbrum (basically a shadow pony), so he probably has a stronger affinity for it.
Certainly we can't estimate their strenght by the sun/moon raising, as that's mostly ruined by that being their special talent.
Also, last point: while they probably have strong magic, I don't think it's ever been stated that they've been trained in how to fight. Maybe some comic chapter might say otherwise, but we've never seen Celestia or Luna show themselves experts of battle magic of any kind, or any other method of fighting.
But what about how unicorns used to move the sun and the moon before celestia and Luna took over? (As in they were so powerful they could each do the work of dozens of powerful unicorn mages working together by themselves)
Special talent. It doesn't seem too farfetched that their cutie mark basically makes them a few dozen times better AT THAT SPECIFIC THING than any other unicorn. Couple that with them being stronger than nearly any other unicorn in terms of magic power...
They probably don't even use the same spell the unicorn used, theirs could simply be a lot more efficient too, while the unicorns had to make do with a brute-force approach.
or, in other words: Discord is to a unicorn what Superman is to, say, Spiderman. (and, fittingly, he's weak to the Elements of Harmony, basically his kryptonite)
Celestia and Luna are to a unicorn (in terms of strenght) what a bear is to a man. Or maybe Spiderman to Batman. Much stronger, much sturdier, but not impossible to beat with the right tools/spells/approach.
Starswirl/Starlight were the equivalent of the best trained warrior with the best tools (spells) for what they did. They're Batman. Far from the level of Discord/Superman (unless they get kryptonite equivalent), buy they could likely beat a bear by being smart, prepared, well equipped and better skilled.
Special talent. It doesn't seem too farfetched that their cutie mark basically makes them a few dozen times better AT THAT SPECIFIC THING than any other unicorn. Couple that with them being stronger than nearly any other unicorn in terms of magic power...
They probably don't even use the same spell the unicorn used, theirs could simply be a lot more efficient too, while the unicorns had to make do with a brute-force approach
Maritime Minotaurs: With the establishment of a trade agreement between Gryphus and the Minotaur Republics, Minotaur Galleys and Griffon Caravels begin plying the waves between the two nations, bringing cargoes of exotic goods to the shores and markets of the Empire, particularly the port city of Aukland. Minotaur olive oil joins Neighponese tea and Canterburian wine in the pantries and cellars of the Imperial Nobility as the availability of Marble spawns new architectural trends, and a whole new culture becomes acquainted with the paper currency that the Empire has become famous for.
An example of a Minotaur Trade Vessel.
Soon, merchants of Neighpon begin reaching out to their bipedal counterparts from across the sea to arrange a trade route of their own, and by the end of the year the sea lanes between the three nations, dubbed the "golden triangle" by seafarers of all stripes, are occupied by dozens of ships carrying untold riches from port to port, netting hefty profits for all involved.
Qilin Emerald Outreach: Meanwhile in the Emerald Isles, the local Diamond Dog population has been experiencing an uptick in economic growth and a rise in standards of living as a result of their own trade agreement with the Neighponese, as well as the forging of growing economic ties between the two nations, the Dragon Emperor Koryū taking a page out of Emperor Golden-Feather's book and subsidizing merchants seeking to establish their own business interests in the neighboring territory. Some foreign observers have gone so far as to say that the whole plan of Neighponese investment is nearly identical to Gryphus' own investment in Libertalia, just scaled up to deal with a larger population.
A Diamond Dog Stonemason installs an Archway into a newly constructed Subterranean Estate.
Naturally, concerns have arisen regarding how the Caribou will react to the sudden enrichment of their neighbors, but few miss the fact that much of the economic development has taken place along the west coast of the Emerald Isles, where the Neighponese navy has begun to conduct an increasing number of exercises and patrols, ostensibly to ensure the protection of their own trade vessels. Whether their presence will be enough to deter the greed of raiders and pirates, only time will tell.
Pegicles' March to the Sea: After many months of minor skirmishes and border clashes between House White Star and House Storm, the stalemate shatters in spectacular fashion, as the bulk of the Storm Army, led by Pegicles himself, stages a series of lighting assaults, pushing deeper and deeper into House White Star territory, their offensive untethered from lines of supply as they aggressively forage for supplies, "requisitioning" food and other essentials from the locals at the point of a spear, occasionally burning the farms afterwards to deny House White Star the ability to do the same.
Initially, leaders and analysts amongst House White Star and your own intelligence services are confused by Pegicles' actions. He doesn't seem interested in taking or holding territory, in fact his army actively skirts around cities and other strategic locations, seeking to avoid being bogged down or losing his momentum by beginning a siege. In fact, for an invading force, the Storm army seems remarkably unconcerned with actually seeking out or fighting their enemies, in some cases outright avoiding coming into contact with the comparatively weaker and less organized forces of House White Star. They seem to seek to stay mobile purely for the sake of staying mobile, never halting in their seemingly pointless drive East.
It's not until Pegicles' army reaches the coast and a vortex starts to form that anyone realizes the significance of his actions.
House White Star is slow to respond; Duke Haygle committed much of his forces into a counterattack against the largely undefended holdings of House Storm, and the forces that he does have on hand aren't even technically his, but the bodyguards and retinues of nobles within his faction. By the time the would-be conquerors have turned themselves around to defend their own territory and the Duke has sorted out the chain of command problems within his own ranks, it's too late for them to do anything.
A hurricane slams against the walls of House White Star.
Much of Ravenburg's intelligence network goes silent for a time. This is understandable, as it's hard to pass along messages when most of the city you live in has been blown away or swept into the ocean. When the first messages start to come back in, the picture painted is...not pretty. Virtually the entire East Coast of Maretonia has been ravaged. White Star, Abolitionist, soldier and slave, Noble and burgher, the winds and tides did not discriminate. Thousands lie dead, either crushed by flying debris or lost amidst the floodwaters. Many are mercenaries or leaders of House White Star. But most are civilians, non-combatants caught up in a war not of their own making. Whether Pegicles deliberately targeted them or not is as unclear as it is irrelevant.
The economy of House White Star is, obviously, ruined. Crops have been lost, infrastructure destroyed, and half of the port city of Abila has been essentially swept away into the ocean, along with almost every ship at anchor in its harbor, effectively severing the Minotaur trade route and depriving House White Star of its greatest source of income. Numerous members of Duke Haygle's faction have perished, either due to the storm or the opportunistic strikes of Pegicles' soldiers as they tried to flee the rising floodwaters. Despite rumors claiming otherwise (no doubt spread by Pegicles himself), Duke Haygle himself manages to survive, as does Countess Cooper Top and a handful of other higher nobles. The latter survive largely through luck and the occasional bit of help from your own spies, while the former is sheltered by the mages of the Maretonian Colleges of Magic. And speaking of the Colleges...
Your agents can't give you a lot of info on exactly what happened, as no one is clear on the specifics, but when Pegicles' storm approached one of the College's largest arcane facilities shortly after devastating the port of Abila, a spear of magical energy suddenly formed and pierced through the wall and into the eye of the storm before exploding in a great flash of light.
The few eyewitness accounts describe Pegicles' hurricane abruptly fading away, the thousands of Pegasi within it falling through the clouds that had before bore their weight as the storm cell became little more than inert water vapor.
While the storm had been dealt with, Pegicles still possessed a major advantage over his disorganized foes, and rallied his forces to launch a proper attack against the devastated holdings of House White Star. The offensive saw House Storm make great gains against their enemies, with large swathes of territory falling under their control as the forces of House White Star were shoved back on all fronts. Duke Haygle and some of his more martially inclined colleagues do what they can to stem the tide, but their magic can only do so much in the face of such a furious assault across their entire frontline.
While the Storm offensive does eventually come to a halt, they do so only to consolidate their new holdings and reorganize their supply lines, a task complicated by continued raids from the Abolitionists. Ambrosia and her comrades have not been idle, their usual raids on noble supplylines supplementing attacks in the open against the reeling and overstretched forces of House White Star, expanding their own territory at the expense of their hated rival. Their gains pale in comparison to those made by Pegicles, but they are gains nonetheless.
As a new year dawns, Pegicles readies another round of assaults against House White Star, the divided holdings of Duke Haygle's followers now under siege as the Abolitionists stab at the logistical arteries of both sides, the Royal Guard still refusing to get involved. Many believe that it will take a miracle to prevent the army of House Storm from simply rolling over their opposition and uniting the lands of Maretonia under Pegicles rule.
