Of Kingdoms and Cutie-Marks: Developer Notes Entry 1- Changelings

So, with a Skitch in Time right on track to head towards it's next chapter release, I've been hammering away at it's squeal, Of Kingdoms and Cutie-Marks. Dealing with the fallout of a Skitch in Time both on Skitch's personal level and on an international level, I've decided to start dealing with and fleshing out my take on the world outside of Equestria proper.

So, with that in mind, let's talk Changelings!

While the shape shifting children of Queen Chrysalis do make awesome villains I am a huge fan of the fics Irony of Applejack and The Advent of Applejack and the reformed Changelings contained within. (Incidentally, if anyone reading this blog post hasn't read those fics yet, I highly recommend you do so. *Arnold voice* Do it! Do it now!)

So, enters the Free Hive of Venexia.

Fifty years prior to the events of Friendship is Magic (Parts 1 and 2), the younger sister of Queen Chrysalis known as Queen Magnolia chaffed under her elder sister's rule. She was displeased with the brutal tactics for harvesting love that Chrysalis used. There were better and easier ways that wouldn't turn the world against them. Chrysalis would have struck Magnolia down but she was popular enough among the drones to make that impractical.

However resentment turned into arguments, arguments turned into battles and soon battles turned into out and out rebellion. Magnolia and her followers were forced to flee from their hives and deep into the jungles while Chrysalis' troops gave chase. Magnolia and her followers certainly would have been destroyed if not for some timely intervention from Celestia.

Deciding to take a chance that helping Magnolia would lead to long term friendship and partnership, Celestia and detachment of pegasi from Cloudsdale launched a daring raid to support the beleaguered Changelings. Grateful for the support, Magnolia became a willing ally of the celestial monarch. Since then, they've settled on a large jungle island at the mouth of a river estuary and built a hive that is more city than standard Changeling hive.

The character of the city is half way between the merchant city state of Venice and a budding socialist state. They export tropical produce, and have a vibrant tourist industry centred around building budding love between young couples that they can harvest safely. All drones help support the state, and the state ensures the safety of it's drones.

Had Skitch not been injected into the timeline, Queen Magnolia would have been the one to drop the warning to Celestia at the start of "A Canterlot Wedding."

The Free Hive of Venexia. Loved and hated, they are an interesting player in this universe.

Next time, The North Griffon Confederation.