The Deeryads (A Background)

I recently noticed this "blog" feature, and decided to turn it into my thought vault, and at the same time I thought, "Why not get something out of it?" And so, this is officially going to be where I establish my own universe (mostly) - the Daughters' universe. How's that work? Basically, I just write down stuff here like backgrounds, histories, excetera. First of said stuff is a simple outline for the mystical antlered race, the Deeryads. Partly because I need to define my creations, and partly because I need to write something to try and get rid of the ever - present writer's block. This part's in bold just for the heck of it, and to highlight these characters: TL;DR.

"...Deeryads are an ancient race, predating the founding of Equestria by one or two millennia. They are equine in form, built with around one and a half times the size of a pony. They boast no marks upon their bodies except those that they receive from others when they achieve something. Their coats are earthy in color, as opposed to ponies who can be any color. Their legs are a little more slender than a pony's, and their tails are longer. They have no winged variants; all of them have antlers, except for the newborn and the old, for their antlers slowly die when they age past their primes.

Deeryad magic is similar to earth pony magic, except for the fact that it is a consciously used, tangible and communal magic. They call upon the power of nature to aid them, and they are capable of sharing their strength and using magic as one. However, since their magic is not latent like that of an earth pony, it gives them no physical attributes. Their base physical strength is slightly below an average earth pony.

Around the time that Equestria was founded, the Deeryads faced extinction from an unknown event. No clear information has surfaced about what caused them to go down from their seat as the predominant race, but it is known that only a very small fraction of the original race survived. The survivors fled far from the outskirts of Equestria, to a secluded forest valley, where they were free from external influence. However, the recent Dragon Migration that passed through their lands forced them to flee once again, unknowingly headed back to their ancestral lands that are now pony lands.

Traditionally, they live off plant life like normal ponies but some are drawn to the magic of blood, sustaining themselves by draining the remnant life essence of deceased creatures. Those that do so are subsequently exiled from their tribes in most cases. Some of the wiser tribe chieftains execute them, for Deeryad magic is more easily influenced by external factors. Absorbing the magic that flows in the blood of other living beings enhances their strength, and to leave them alive is to give them freedom to pursue a life of slaughter to fuel their growth.

Many tribes are autonomous, their days of unity as a massive empire long gone. Their ancient cities have been lost to time, but some remnants stay alive. Most ruins are similar to those mentioned in the popular Daring Do novellas. Scholars say that said ruins were the basis for the books, an idea reinforced by the writer's background as a pony with experience in archaeology. However, there are key differences which include trap density, lethality, presence of safe paths, and other security features. Authentic Deeryad cities are housed in massive structures, which may or may not be above ground, although underground cities always have methods to expose their farms to the skies.

Deeryad technology was very advanced, and their old homes bear testament to their skill. Foremost amongst their great developments are their architectural creations. Each city structure, which most would call a temple, contains a self - sustaining farm, even those in the darkest underground depths. For subterranean dwellings, the cavity in which the structure stands has a plate above it, imbued with magic derived from each and every dweller living below it. The magic that the Deeryads channeled into the disc allows it to simulate the skies, thus eliminating the need for Pegasus weather control. It constantly took magical sustenance from the residents, and in return gave them all they needed from above ground even when they were deep under.

They were also skilled workers of stone, fashioning and sculpting objects that would long outlive their empire. In addition to their crafting abilities, they also displayed plenty of interest and involvement in entertainment arts such as music. Many of their songs are still carved upon their walls, forever written in stone until some external force would erase it from the pages of history.

Within each of their cities is a matrix, a web of magic interlacing the stones of their walls and homes. It was more predominant in underground cities as it was more important to make the air breathable, although it was still present in surface cities to customize the immediate atmosphere to their needs and wants. Ambient temperature, humidity and other air conditions were micromanaged by Deeryad leadership.

Deeryads were led by tribunals, composed of eleven of the most respected, wise, and powerful Deeryads in a particular city. Even as an empire each city was autonomous, and only the Engrandeng Hurado, or the Grand Conclave in modern Equestrian had any overreaching authority. At the top of the empire itself was the May - Yari, the Emperor. The only time that the Deeryad empire convenes as a whole was when the May - Yari died and thus left the throne empty. There was no such thing as dynasty in the Deeryad system. The May - Yari could only be put in place by the deer themselves.

Around forty - seven years before Equestria was inhabited, parts of it were inhabited by the Deeryads. The capital of the empire itself was somewhere in the southwestern parts of Equestria, the great city of Sah - Ganna standing tall, only as tall as the tallest of the trees in the forest it was in, but that was only the exposed height, for much more than half of it was buried underground. It flourished as it was situated above a rich source of marble and jade, and its farms produced plenty of crop for the city. There were subterranean roads leading to nearby cities, allowing for an effective market and healthy trade.

During this time period the May - Yari was one named Khaela, and his rule went sour quickly. Forty - four years before the pony settlement, his stern yet fair rule became one of madness, and almost overnight the entire empire fell into war. Only eight months passed before three - fourths of the empire had perished, although what became of their remains is still mystery. Some speculated that they became the Necruus, and there is evidence to support the theory, but nothing definitive has come to light. The reason for the sudden downfall is also cause for speculation, although no theory has been accepted for lack of any evidence, circumstantial or otherwise. Common consensus is that the Deeryads were engulfed in unrest long before the upheaval, stemming from the (relative) inequality of life amongst the cities.

Sah - Ganna fell thirty - eight years before pony civilization, marking the end of both the war and the civilization, and the Deeryad Empire became a few bands of survivors. They were driven out of their ancestral lands, and they resettled in the thick woods far beyond Equestrian reach. Despite still possessing the knowledge of their empire, they lived with only bare necessities. Over a thousand years they passed on their ancient knowledge and kept it unused, hidden, fearing how it might upset the new balance they found.

Their new lifestyle changed their magic, turning it into the form seen today. Their old magic was similar to a hybrid earth pony - unicorn magic. A thousand years of simple, close tribal lives changed it into the communal, primal magic they employ. Refusing to tap into their magic to simplify everything, they developed greater agricultural prowess. The earthbound portion of their magic was the one that they used actively, since they needed it to survive and thrive in the hostile lands they had. Magic was only used to allow survival, not comfort. Any comforts they had came from manual labor, providing them with greater strength than their ancestors, although earth ponies still were ahead of them in the strength curve.

Tribes lived in relative seclusion, but regularly they would meet with each other, strengthening ties in order to avoid a future cataclysmic war. They elected no May - Yari, instead deciding to share power of rule equally. The Engrandeng Hurado was reformed, without a leader, all of them equals in rule. The Hurado was situated in what we know as the Ebonwood Forest, several hundred miles south - southwest of Equestria. The tribes themselves took their own lands, although none went more than a hundred miles away from the Ebonwood.

Some tribes stood out by merit of specialization. There are many tribes, and them settling considerable distances from each other allowed them to develop their own cultures. Many such tribes have been named by researchers - from the Sas - Ahkas of the Golden Plains who excelled beyond their kin when it came to agriculture, to the Saph - Lad of the Shimmering Sea who turned their entire village into a single massive boat floating on the waters, there were minor differences. Even if they all hailed from the same past, isolation split them into different distinct populations with unique lifestyles.

Present day, the Deeryads remain as secluded as ever, but recent events have forced them back into the lands that they once called home. The unexplained simultaneous awakening of the many dragons in the world unfortunately passed through their new homes, razing them. Few died although they were all displaced, their forest now an ashen land. What drove them to run back to their old lands is often dismissed as the logical thing, but their unnaturally accurate path back merits further looking into. Could it have been instinct or memory, or some other design? Whatever it was, it somehow clumped the scattered Deeryads together..."

-The Deeryads: A Closer Look, Vol. 2 by Professors History Book, Retrospect, and Quill Point, pages 11 - 17.