Tangents of Equestria: An Excersise in World Building - Prologue

Well, after much encouragement to start posting "A Wild Pony in Equestria" in FiMFiction, I have finally decided to do so.

Further, I have decided to make use of FiMFiction's blog feature to aid me in constructing a proper setting for my stories here. Mostly as an aid in consistency. While "A Wild Pony in Equestria" won't necessarily take place in the same version of Equestria as any other MLP:FiM fic I end up writing, I'm probably going to recycle many of the same headcanon elements that creep in, such as the Wonderbolts being an elite branch of the Equestrian Air Guard, and the various local Weather Teams doubling as part of each communities local militia force where appropriate.

I may even end up asking if I can use specific headcanon elements introduced in the various stories I read. for example, I have very recently asked TheGoodDoctor if I could use the lethal version of butterflies he introduced in his story, "Butterflies." As he (or she, if my assumption proves incorrect) has done so, merely asking for credit, they are now a small part of my headcanon bestiary, and I have named them as flutterdies, with the grapes they share a symbiotic relationship with now known as Morpheus Grapes. So a bestiary entry (or submission for anyone offering their own ideas) for Tangents of Equestria may be as follows:

FLUTTERDIE
Flutterdies are a very dangerous breed of butterfly that can be found in and near the Everfree Forest, and are extremely rare anywhere else as they are dependent on the symbiotic relationship they share with the Morpheus Grape Vine. Unlike normal butterflies, which subsist solely on nectar throughout their entire lifecycle, Flutterdies have fully functional (and fairly strong) mandibles, as well as a proboscis capable of piercing flesh much like an oversized mosquito. While much of the year, flutterdies are no more dangerous than regular butterflies, subsisting mainly on nectar and very small prey during those periods, their true danger lies with their breeding cycle, which is tied to the productive season of the Morpheus Grape Vine. When the grapes of the Morpheus Vine are ripening, they let off a scent that signals the beginning of mating season for the flutterdies, so that by the time the grapes are ripe enough to attract large prey, the flutterdies are ready to gorge themselves and lay their eggs in a recently deceased large host body. Such as may be provided by an unsuspecting pony out to pick wild grapes, who might think nothing of being tickled by 'harmless' butterflies as they occasionally land and take off again.

Remember: By themselves, flutterdies are not a threat to anything much larger than a very small mouse or shrew. In fact, their poison cannot even begin to effect larger creatures without combining with the mild sedatives found in the scent (and juices) of Morpheus Grapes, which happens within the body of the victim. Death by flutterdie is by all known accounts, both painless and peaceful, with the victim often suddenly growing drowsey and settling down for "a quick nap" as they continue to be tickled by butterflies. It is not known precicely when flutterdies begin eating the victim or laying their eggs, but once the victim is completely still, the swarm settles in earnest, leaving a horrific corpse behind, already crawling with burrowing flutterdie maggots and tangled in tendrils from the nearby Morpheus Vine.

NOTE: While dangerous to gather, and not without side effects such as waking hallucinations and disturbed dreams, the sedative from the Morpheus Grape Vine is a particularly potent painkiller once properly refined, and is in use by some hospitals as such, particularly during the winter months when there is no risk of flutterdies injecting their half of the toxin...

Story Source: Butterflies
Creator: TheGoodDoctor

Anyway, other entries for Tangents of Equestria: An Exercise in World Building may contain geopolitical headcanons; speculations on various military services found within Equestria and the countries it interacts with; how the world works (both when ponies are involved and when they aren't); why the Everfree Forest is the way it is, and why ponies (and everypony else) should be afraid of it; and much much more.

Please, feel free to discuss, dispute, and make your own suggestions! Comentary and constructive criticism is always welcome, but flames shall be used to roast marshmallows!