Not a chapter, but...

I made a change to the Foreword in the Prologue. Much more commentary on the story, origins of it, and things a reader can expect. I figured I'd put it up in a blog so those that are interested can give it a look and get a window into more of things to come, including a mention of a second antagonist that won't show up until book three. The main driving antagonist is still up in the air over when exactly I'll reveal him. It greatly depends upon how I decide to first introduce him, as there could be other reveals at the same time just from what characters are present. He won't appear in the first book, but depending upon getting a good idea for how, he might be revealed in the second. At the very least, he will make a major move to eliminate the Bearers at some point in the second book.

Still have work to do with my finishing Not A Dog. Then I can return to focusing mostly on Protecting Harmony again. My brain is burning with parts of the story I just have to tell in order to know peace.

The updated Foreword:

This author's note can be skipped. Just some comments on the story.

Foreword thingy:

There is a great deal under the surface of this story of mine. It's not for everyone, especially in the beginning, and there is a long way to go until it's over. The smallest things can be huge hints. Obvious things may not turn out to be very important. Things that appear may be false first impressions and greater or lesser after things settle again. This will have moments of rapidity and times of slowness. In a sense, the story is only just getting started with the events of chapter 15.

This isn't a story focused on only some human randomly appearing, there to save the day or something like that. He is only one piece of a greater puzzle and NOT capable of surviving alone. Legends will rise, history will be revealed. For fans of Rainbow Dash, know she will become a legend in her own right before this is over. Chapter 22 is the first direct sign of her destiny. The chapter is also very low on spoilers, if you want to have a peek into what the story, and quality of writing, is heading towards. In truth, I'll be trying to give each of the girls something substantial, even if not always dramatic. Perhaps with the intention of the song Iron by Within Temptation being thematic to where I'll take things.

I started this story with the intent to use some ideas I never see in other stories and asking a 'what if...' question I can't say until the chapter after the main antagonist of the story is revealed, though there is a second antagonist and archnemesis for my human OC to worry about as well. This first book is also where I taught myself how to write largely through force of experience. As such, I made a lot of blunders for quite a few chapters as I started figuring out a larger plan, but rather than take on a massive rewrite, I chose to take it as a challenge to fix the story into something better while still using the blunders as part of the story. I like to think this has made for some interesting reading, and it's certainly proving fun for me to re-read once in a while, which was my goal, considering I'm really just writing this story for myself, first and foremost. Heck, the human is patterned after my personality and interests as it is, but I'm kind of a kook, so don't think you know what to expect from that alone. Although, I am sure at least a few will facepalm as he adapts to being trapped in Equestria.

Forcing myself to adapt ideas I placed has resulted in something that has grown far larger than I originally intended. I also like to think the story will be rewarding for those that push through the awkwardness and Gary Stu-isms in the beginning to reach points where they start getting altered into new perspectives and take on very different meanings. I am not kidding when I said I took my mistakes and worked to make them something better later on. This first book has been a learning process and calling it 'Pathfinding' is as much about the story as it is about my writing skills.

Now, I'm developing history and unique perspectives on technology and social topics. I've already gotten in some Pegasi cultural sayings. Reasons will be given for things like how Pegasi ever matched the Unicorns and their magic in battle before the Unification. Same with the underlying purposes of Ponyville, Equestria, and why the Princesses weren't around when the nation was born. What the Tree of Harmony is truly for. After certain events take place, characters in the story will even begin playing music from both planets, though for obvious reasons I'm limited on music from Equus.

This is the story of how there can be times in history we face a terrible trial that costs us much in order to avert something unimaginably worse. What will eventually be revealed is something massive, with a lot of inspiration from comic books and epic storylines sometimes found there.

There is at least four more books to be added after this one is over. It may eventually add up to around a million words, but we'll have to see. At the very least, it will be several hundred thousand words by the end, telling a tale that spans across about two and a half years of time. Most of the story is told from my main OC's perspective and mind, with occasional breaks for things he wouldn't see or know. Despite early appearances and his in-head perspective, my OC isn't the primary focus of this story overall.

This is going to be a long journey.

Edit 3/26/2015: Minor edits and some little details.
Edit 5/29/2015: Updated the foreword thingy of this A/N.