Also we know Ruby and Gyne are proto-queens, what's the process for getting them started on making their own hives? Imperial changelings seem like the obvious counter to enemy changelings.
We don't know, we have no idea how to find out, it's definitely something we could use.
Where did you find that?
I kinda doubt there are real MLP-themed medival illuminated books out there.
I think you're underestimating the mlp fandom
Mostly they would be good at jobs griffons are doing, but night shift. Considering that we are quickly moving into a industrial revolution that is a godsend.
definitely a good point. Also we took that one action to have lights on at night, so we could quite literally get at least our biggest cities to be open 24/7...
And we can use it as a good example of what thestrals can bring to the Equestrians as well, which is likely to make us look good to Luna (unless she gets jealous at us I suppose).
Also having thestrals around at night would likely make cities safer too.
The Emperor of Commerce strikes again!
Good timing after the money sink we did last year.
after all that money spent in the war, and with the coming expenses for Maretonia, we're going to NEED all this income.
As well as the greatest spies on the planet.
Canterbury looks to be preparing for a holy war.
Luckily nothing in Equastria is too off if we only found feuding nobles, that's rather predictable.
I think we should give a good stern talk to the sisters (especially Celestia) for not mentioning the Thestrals.
"Why didn't you tell us about the FOURTH tribe living in your lands? You mentioned the NOMADIC BUFFALO, but not YOUR OWN CITIZENS?"
Luna gets sad/angry because she thinks we're about to insult the thestrals
"Come on, meat-eaters nocturnal bat-ponies?
That's so cool!" Luna gets happy
"If you don't want them we'll take them! They'd make a GREAT addition to our empire, and we have plenty of meat to share anyway" Luna starts to be jealous/possessive (no they're mine!)
But seriously, not mentioning the thestrals' existence is kind of a diplomatic faux pas, isn't it? We EXPLICITLY asked about all the races they knew of, and Thestrals are different enough that "they're actually cursed pegasi" is not an excuse! Especially if everyone sees them as basically a different tribe.
They're already nearly outcasts with Luna as their only real advocate. If she does go Nightmare Moon having a friendly nation that would be glad to take them in when the Equestrians inevitably push them out even harder would make for a damn good starting point.
If Luna goes Nightmare Moon (presuming Nightmare Moon is NOT an external entity possessing her, but basically still Luna but angrier/corrupted) and the conflict doesn't end in a single duel between the sisters, we'd be the natural mediators between them, really.
We might actually be more sympathetic to Luna than to Celestia, depending on the circumstances.
I have a question who's closer to the changeling Kingdom us or the sisters? I'm just wondering if we could have them deal with it because I'm sure they had to have fought at least one hive before.
Why would you be so sure of them? Right now Changeling are, supposedly, a secret race nobody knows of. It's definitely possible the sisters have no idea of their existence. We don't exactly know how old they are or THAT much about their past, and even in the comics Celestia only faces the changelings for the first time LONG after Luna's banishment.
In any case I think Equestria is technically closer to them, but it doesn't matter much because we're likely to hesitate to inform them of the Canterburian problem anyway, at least for now.
So would recruiting Thestrals fall under the Immigration Campaign action? It's one I've wanted to do for awhile since I want Yaks, Qilins, Kitsunes, Tanukis and Oni in our ranks for some time, but we were dealing with overpopulation for awhile so that was a no. Though I do think it's fine to do it now.
4 pony tribes, emerald dogs, the various neighpones races, yaks, (in theory buffaloes too, but I very much doubt we'd get any of those)...that action is becoming always more tempting.
And we now have magic schools too, so we're decently equipped for magic-using races as well.
There's definitely use for every race in the empire. The Ponies are the most useful due to the versatility and usefulness of their magics (agriculture, weather control, unicorn magic, night-shifts) but they're ALL goods.
Also being shown to be accepting of all those races in our lands is likely to get us an even better reputation with the various countries... though we should expect at least some of those immigrants to be spies. It's simply unavoidable.
I just love the imagery of our gift ever since we saw the Equestrian perspective of our culture. A gift of peace and friendship? Only the finest weapon, forged by the best artificers both mundane and magical and taking advantage of all the lessons of war the Empire has learned. What greater statement of peace can there be in arming another?
Like imagine a point where we're just giving the Princesses a pair of Runeswords as a gesture of peace.
I think Armor might be better for them, as they'd need to use TK to move the weapons, while they might prefer to use other kinds of combat magic instead.
Also a "defensive" gift might be a better fit for the Equestrian mentality than an instrument of death.
Or... orichalcum bindings, to use on their enemies to restrain them without killing them, might also be a good gift. Also a potential tool to use against Discord if he ever gets free.
Am I crazy for thinking that maybe we should be looking to make diplomatic contact with Phalanx? Yes she's impersonating a diety, but that's not actually a crime most places, and depending on your definition of such, she may in fact count. I mean she's got all of the powers she claims to, and is clearly willing to play the smart game of helping her devotees to help herself. A few nudges on domestic policy and PR, and I don't see a major issue with supporting a move into a more open relationship with her followers.
We dont really know enough about her, but she was willing to keep her territory monster infested because it helped her rule through fear.
basically what zxzx24 says. What we know doesn't give us a good first impression of her, and she's been shown to be pretty paranoid, so revealing our knowledge is risky and gives up our main advantage over her.
It would only make sense to do it if we had a good Plan B ready.
It's completely possible that the reaction to "we know" would be "attempt to kill us before we can share the knowledge".
So with that sword we just made, did we just forge a mother fucking runefang? God damn we are the dwarves of this world.
the best kind of dwarves: FLYING dwarves!
(the dogs can cover the more traditional "underground dwarves" variety)
Well Thestrals can probably feel more at home in Empire given that Gryphons are also carnivores
omnivores (or maybe carnivores. technically carnivores. we DO also eat plants.
An Obligate carnivor eats basically ONLY meat, and can't digest plants.
A carnivore CAN digest (some) plants (usually small quantities), but it's not enough to sustain them.
Omnivore can leave on either meat, plants, or a mix of both (though usually more plants than meat, really).
Celestia: I wonder how Luna is doing in the Gryphus Empire?
*Meanwhile in Gryphus*
Drunk Luna: The nightlife here is astonishing! We shall open up many a club of the night in Equastria!
Lunar Bodyguard: Yes, my princess. I shall make note of it.
Drunk Luna: We shall even import this wonderful alcohol made of mushrooms! There is only some small additions.
Lunar Bodyguard: What are those?
Drunk Luna: There will be more card games and ladies of the night.
Lunar Bodyguard: Ladies of the night?
Drunk Luna: Hookers, of every species.
oh no, she's going to make her own version of gryphus, but with blackjack and hookers! WE'RE DOOMED!
...wait, we already have Blackjack and hookers, right? We're saved!
Random drunk griffin : Ya mean Brothels?
So dose this make Luna lesbian or Bi?
hey, maybe she was thinking of her thestral guards and wanted to be nice to them
...You know, if we actually open immigration and get literally ALL known races in our kingdom, I wouldn't be surprised if Gryphus also started sex-tourism! Get a pony tonight, and a kitsune the next one!
...though, of course, we all know that the best ones would be the changelings if we ever get them to join us
With this academy constructed securing cheaper rune reagents just became even more important.
We really do need to look into how to farm some of the plants and crystals.
Well, we just started commercial relationships with Emerald Island and Equestria, so we should be able to get some from them at least (though it might requires more actions).
Other than that... yeah, crystal mines in the Protectorate and plant cultivation (preferably with the help of earth pony immigrants) would be nice too.
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