Random Idea #17 (Grimnoir Chronicles) · 7:38am Jan 31st, 2015
So I just finished reading a series, titled the "Grimnoir Chronicles," by Larry Corelia(?)
Long story short, Magic appears on Earth in the mid 1800's to no apparent reason for the average folk. In reality, some sort of space whale noodly thing gave humans magic, who "get stronger" over time, and when they die, harvest the energy. The reason for this is because it is on the run from a giant alien blob thing that wants to eat Earth.
One of the magical abilities are called Summoners, and they can summon these demon like things. It was said that these demons are the shades of those who were killed by the Enemy alien, long after the space whale thing ran from their dimension and into "ours"
Made me start wondering what would happen if, spoilers, humanity didn't win against the Enemy, and the space whale had to run once more. What would our shades be like? Would we retain our memories, or be mindless?
And is it possible to write a cool crossover with this concept? I sure as hell can't.
Well, if that thing appeared in the eighteen century but history remained mostly 'on track,' that would theoretically mean that some really impressive people might end up as 'shades.'
Imagine being able to summon and as much as ask questions of some of these:
Abraham Lincon.
Nicholas Tesla.
Gandi.
General Patton.
Oppenheimer.
Freaking hell, you've heard about this man?
standingpartnership.com/wp-content/uploads/Borlaug100_2_201403201317362.jpg
That man in the middle is Norman Borlaug, AKA the man that is estimated to have saved the lives of a billion people.
And he did this by crossbreeding more durable and higher yielding versions of our most common crops. It apparently drove him near insane with tedium, but it worked.
Now imagine that expertise whispering advice into the ear of, say, a certain farm pony.
img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131230100058/mlp/images/4/4d/Applejack_surrounded_by_the_apples_S4E07.png
To be fair, having knowlage and volunteering it are different things... and I doubt that one example would work well, even in a short story...
But yeah, I think that crossover could work really well, even if the basic premise is a bit bleak.
2759571
WW1 was extra shitty, for one. They had to fight zombies. Hitler got executed. Berlin is all but fucked forever since it is pretty much zombie city. Most people were still here, but they did make different choices and tech.
If ponies get this brand of magic, sooner than later their going to have to deal with dimension jumping Clthulu.
2759737
Interesting.
I will admit I'm a bit weak when it comes to WW 1, but The War To End All Wars being nastier sounds... less than fun.
2759743
Damn Germans just don't stay dead with all that revival aura being tossed everywhere, you know.
Also, these zombies start off mostly sane. Until the pain from their unhealing wounds drive them mad.
2759744
Ohh...
Least favorite type of undead, right there.
2759746
people in universe hate them and those who make them too.
It's Larry Correia. I've been following his online fiction since well before he ever self-published MHI.
Also, you start out with the most massive spoiler of all, then mention a spoiler at the end? Are you serious?
As to your idea, the summoned are generally bereft of all personality and ego. The more intelligent ones can be mindless butlers. The most powerful Summoner ever managed to pull an alien god out of the underworld, and lost control of it. However, it's debatable how much of the intelligence of the summoned was the original creature and how much was the Summoner's own id bleeding through and filling the summoned, as it is mentioned that the personality and beliefs of the Summoner tend to affect both what kind of creature is summoned and its appearance.
So, no, I don't think ponies could talk to Gandhi, or learn farming secrets, or anything else.
2759810
i have a difficult time separating description from plot summary, since I generally don't care about it.