Basic facts of the Equisverse · 2:13am Jun 8th, 2015
I decided a forward for my stories is needed to help explain how the AU works. Here it is, I'm putting it up as a blog because I dont know if you guys will get updates as I add it to my stories.
This story takes place in an alternate universe which is similar to the Cannon of Friendship is Magic, but differs in genera. Canon FiM is a family friendly Comedy within the genre of Mundane Fantastic Fantasy. Equisverce tales take place in an Equestria adapted into a hybrid of High Fantasy and Urban Fantasy. In simpler terms, this is what FiM would look like if it was written in 1986 by Ed Greenwood and R.A. Salvadore. Best known as the people who wrote these books.
This is a FiM where Alicorns are minor deities, where a pony might have to grab a table leg in hoof, rear up and defend their family from a pack of Timberwolf riding Diamond Dogs, where any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science, and that science is fantastic]. It’s a world where a normal mortal can become a god, and where amazing powers beyond that of normal ponies are sometimes found in the unlikeliest of places.
Now take that image and make it into something you can connect with this next part to form a single unit, because that’s half of this setting.
The other half of the equation is a fusion of the Space Opera and Humanities’ Wake genres. What? Oh no, the ponies didn’t have an apocalypse. Humans did, and Equestria sit’s atop the long gone capitol of Terran Empire. That’s not something very many ponies know, but Humans had their run, and their end resulted in ponykind’s beginnings.
Equestria is a better world, built on the ashes of the past. A past that used to sometimes pops up with a wondrous gift, or a deadly poison. A past that has resurfaced with a vengeance in the Era of Harmony in the years after Twilight Sparkle ascended. A past that came out of a temporal rift with six battleships and an army, lead by a monster of a man with the singular goal of returning to his own time.
That’s all backstory. Other parts of the dead Empire survived the eons since humans were removed from the universe. One of them may be ponykind’s ticket to prosperity and the stars, or it could be their end. Etherway, ponykind’s future will once again be shaped by humanity from beyond the grave.
As a result, that club wielding pony from before is backed up by her sister who grabbed their father's Psionic Spirit Blade from over the fireplace and their friend with the magically enhanced shuttlecraft to give the covering fire so their mom can safely cast a Circle of Protection. Then the day resumes as per normal after a brief moment of terror, probably with a trip to see the new play in town.
That’s the setting laid out for you. Here’s the basics you need to know info:
Magic A is Magic A - There is a defined way magic works in this setting. It’s quite sciency. Why? Because science can be used to explain anything, even magic. This means that magic works under certain rules which apply to everyone equally, just like physics. In other words: Sufficiently Analyzed Magic is indistinguishable from technology.
Equis - Is the name of the planet Equestria is on. It used to be called Earth in the extremely distant past. The modern world has a ton of different species on it. They don’t usually get along very well. Wars are common, battles are happening somewhere constantly. It’s the usual affair for a fantasy setting. It’s a planet, in space, orbiting the black dwarf which was Sol, in the Orion arm of the Milkyway. It’s sun is a magical construct in orbit around the planet.
Planes of Existence - Imagine that all of space and everything in it is a text file in a computer folder. There are other files also in that folder, which are just as big, and filled with all kinds of different things! These files interact with one another and form interconnected worlds. This is the universe, and the other files in the folder are called “planes”. Tartarus is one of these planes.
The Multiverse - So the universe is a folder in a computer right? Well the other folders in that folder are other universes too. The folder those folders are in is called the Multiverse. Travel between universes is possible, but all of these universes are similar, variants on one another in dramatic and/or subtle ways. It is a very bad idea to permanently bridge two universes in a multiverse. If you pull it off, you collapse both universes, forming a singular new one. If you fail the things that live in the Omniverse pop in and wipe your species out entirely to prevent you from destroying your universe by trying again like you probably will. A temporary portal between these universes is safe to use, and won't result in Opening a Can of Sealed Evil or Poking the Cosmic Keystone.
The Omniverse - So universes are folders, and a multiverse is a folder that contains those folders. The Omniverse is the folder which contains all the multiverses. No one is sure what it’s like and very very few people even know it’s a thing, but stuff lives there, like Death, Life, and other super powerful entities. Like the ones who wipe you out if you try to bridge universes.
Alicorns are gods - They have a physical body but do not age, are impervious to non-magical cold, heat, disease, do not age, are the absolute pinnacle of physical powers for their equivalent mortal species, and are bound to one aspect of reality which they are the physical embodiment of and thus have an understanding and ability in that field beyond the ability for a mortal to achieve. However, they are fallible, can be killed just like anything else, not omnipotent, and have the same weaknesses as mortals aside from that which is mentioned here.
Theocratic Monarchy - Equestria is a Theocratic Monarchy. Celestia, Luna, and other alicorns are the “supreme leaders”. The title “Princess” basically means Goddess, not “Daughter of King X the Y of Z.” There is a King and Queen of Equestria, but their power comes from Celestia and Luna’s trust in them to lead, for the most part the Princesses stay out of day-to-day rulings and concentrate on big-picture matters to guide their nation.
Religion - Equestria has a religion, sort of. There are no temples, no formal prayers, no rituals. Why? Because god lives over there, here’s a train ticket go say hi and ask nicely for what you want. Alicorn worship is less superstition, more paying respect and reverence for those ponies over there who keep the sun moving. SInce they actually exist, and are over there, this generally takes the form of mailing gifts, or going over to say thanks.
War - Equestria has had a few wars in recent times. Two of them. Back to back. While ponies have bounced back and are happy for the most part and infrastructure has recovered there are some changes. Notably the Royal Guard really upped recruitment rates and training regimens. Also every single pony knows some form of self defence.
The Arc - The Arc was a small fleet of human ships which was time displaced in a battle, going from the 26th century to well, a long ways in their future, arriving a few hundred years in Equestria’s past. Imagine someone built a crap ton of T-101’s and put human brains in them, mind slaved the lot of them, and used them to try and capture enough ponies and magical lore to send a battlefleet back in time. They were sent forward to the end of the universe by Twilight and co after a long, bloody conflict. Stupid magic nulling force fields.
The Tribunal - Ever wonder how Equestria remained peaceful, no wars, just the occasional monster or big bad attack for thousands of years? A shadow government called the Tribunal who would do any evil in the name of the greater good. Nopony, not even Celestia, knew they existed. THey maintained power using false history, faking news of the outside world, and duping other nations into thinking they were Equestria’s sanctioned security service. When finally discovered by Lyra Heartstrings, a civil war ensued, the Tribunal lost and was scattered across the world.
Changelings - Changelings are… nuanced. There are 12 hives of changelings named for the gemstones which match their eye and shell colors. Each hive has it’s own color. They are not a unified force, though they used to be and when they were the combined Swarm was a huge problem. Modern Changelings Hives are independent nations with their own cultures.
Ponies - The three common pony types are totally unchanged. Crystal ponies are simply a magically upgraded pony (double their magical talent), Iron Ponies are a dwarf earth pony subspecies which can go all pegasi on rock, and Thestrals (informally known as Batponies) are descended from pegasi and manipulate shadows instead of clouds (They can use this to make magical items unicorns can charge up).
Thaumaturgic Current - This is the electricity like energy which magic runs on. It’s basically electrical energy, but can be commanded with force of will if you have the right anatomy. There is more to it than that but I’m sure you don't care for the Maxwell’s Equation for magical current and a descriptor of string theory. Just know that pony civilization runs on it, and if it plugs into the wall, magical energy powers it not electrons.
Human Technology - Human tech available is from the 29th to 31st century. Why? Because everything else has turned to dust by now. Tech from this era occasionally survives as nanotechnology allows many devices to be self repairing. Most things are still active too because power generation technology in this era allowed humans to literally use the movement of quantum particles for energy generation. All low power devices gain their energy simply from existing in space. Tech is likely to be sapient, housing an AI within it. The AI is probably crazy in some manner due to the insane amount of time which as passed.
Enjoy the story!
Yep, I get you.
3131060 Sorry for the formatting issue, give her a refresh.
And thus, The Meepiverse was born.
3131067 Yes! That must be a thing!
3131062 It's cool dude.
Neat.
Man now I wanna read your stories!
3131072 It already is.
3131067 this is the way the world will end: not with a bang, but with a "Meep!"
3131086 Yes!
3131084 Here's the start of this crazyness! http://www.fimfiction.net/story/254480/across-the-sea-of-time
The nerd is strong in this one...
brb,taking a 20 min crash course on the string theory. ...
3131177 If you actualy are, that's pritty awesome becuase I actualy did work out a calories to mana calculator fo spellcasting vai unicorn magic...
3131221 damm, if I ever need to go science on someone's ass, I'll make sure to give you a call.
no strings on me. ..
Sweet. I'm just going to Return to Ravnica, then I shall go to Zendikar and release the Eldrazi gods unto the multiverse because yolo, then pop down to Tarkir and wait for the next set in MTG to come out so I know where to travel to next.
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science!"
- Agatha Heterodyne [source]
4194564 It's quite true. People realy don't know what science is. It's not our technology, it's the system which let us understand the universe well enough to MAKE that technology. If magic was real, the process of discovering how it worked and making spells would be SCIENCE! (Sorry hard fantasy folks. Everything is science fiction due to this fact :P)
I really like this setting. Most of it was headcanon already, but for that which wasn't, it is now.