Friendship is Scaleless FAQ · 3:14am Sep 8th, 2015
As stated I thought I'd make a blog where I can list and answer the more general queries about the series. Again if you want to add to this, leave your question in the comments and I'll update the list as things progress
In no particular order:
Q: First Twilight dies, then immediately afterwards Pinkie Pie follows suit. Are you just going to start massacring the MLP cast one by one with each subsequent installment?
A: No, the back-to-back nature of Twilight and Pinkie Pie’s demises was merely a result of me having to shuffle events around after a few folk pre-emptively guessed what I was up to. Twilight was originally going to die a lot earlier but several folk voiced their discontent with the timing and the situation so I delayed it until I felt I could give her a proper send off. It then just happened to come right before Pinkie Pie’s little psychotic episode since that too was always going to happen. I do promise no other ponies will meet their dooms...for a while at least.
Q: But in true Dark Souls fashion others ARE going to die right?
A: Yes and no. As stated from the beginning, things aren’t going as they should on the DS side and now that’s made for a situation where no one has plot immunity (the few that had it anyway at least) but by the same token, no one’s demise is guaranteed anymore either. My rule of thumb for this series is that any character that features in it has just as much chance of making it through unscathed as they do meeting their gruesome end.
Q: Is (character from Dark Souls/MLP) going to show up at any point?
A: Depends. The series starts off at what would conceivably be the mid-point of a playthrough (since Seath can’t be fought until you obtain the Lordvessel and place it for one of the two Primordial Serpents). If a boss or NPC has to be killed in order to reach that point then they probably will not be making an appearance, save maybe for flashbacks. If, however, they’re an optional battle that can be encountered at any time in the game then yes, I may have them feature, provided they contribute something significant to the plot.
Q: What’s the deal with Seath remembering stuff that never happened in Dark Souls? How old is he meant to be?
A: My version of Seath is meant to be a combination of Seath the demigod from King’s Field and Seath the Scaleless from Dark Souls. In my behind the scenes chronology, Seath was conceived as his KS version, slain by the PC of King’s Field III and was then reincarnated as Seath the Scaleless, as such he has memories of the events from both series and perhaps a little of Pinkie Pie’s fourth wall awareness as a result. As to how old does this make him? Easily several thousand years old if not more.
Q: There seems to be a running theme of NPCs who don’t talk during the game suddenly gaining a voice when they go to Equestria. Why is that?
A: Truthfully it’s partly my own fear that silent characters aren’t as easy to identify with and partly to provide a more feasible means of conveying plot relevant information. Originally Seath was going to be the only mute NPC who talked, but folk found the Chosen Undead a bit off putting when she didn’t say anything so I finally caved and gave her a voice too. As for Manus, the Dark Souls lore hints he’s actually a lot more intelligent than he appears so, as with Seath, having him speak seemed the quickest and most efficient way to get that across. As to whether this trend will continue, probably. It's actually kind of fun letting the NPC's have their say on things.
Q: Okay, so what’s the deal with having NPC’s able to do things they can’t do in-game?
A: That…well, that you can chalk up to me learning about the process of fanfic writing as I go along. Truthfully I kind of regret doing that the more I think about it so, for the purists among you, I’ll probably stop doing it going forward.
Q: So if Sombra isn’t the main villain of this series, then who is?
A: You’ll find out, perhaps sooner rather than later if you’re paying close attention to the contents of each chapter.
Q: Can readers suggest plot points they'd like to see in the upcoming chapters?
A: Absolutely! I can't promise I'll accommodate all requests but, as stated above, I do love having more ideas to fuel my mind!
Q: Would you like a proofreader/editor?
A: It'd probably help. Most of the time I still find typos and grammatical boo-boos even in stories I've gone over multiple times. Another pair of eyes could only ensure that doesn't happen as often.
Q: Are fire keepers canon here? They're pretty important to estus distribution in the souls series.
A: Yes, and they will play into the story once the action moves back to Lordran.
Q: Are there going to be invasions by anything other than a darkwraith? Perhaps a gravelord servant?
A: Most likely. NG + rules do apply so anything that can get you killed during a second, third, fourth or fifth playthrough is fair game.
I have several questions to add to this list
1. Are pinkie and twilight going to cheese through the game? Ie; chaos zweihander+5
2. Are fire keepers canon here? Theyre pretty important to estus distribution in the souls series.
3. Are they going to be invaded by anything other than a darkwraith? Perhaps a gravelord servant?
Also great work so far! Cant wait to read more
3377511 First question kind of falls under the query about what's meant to have happened by this point in the game. I've added your other two though.
For the record, I can be an editor, I'm great with grammar.
If you're still looking for one, that is.
I have a question:
Since you've established that the villains are really f*cking with time and drawing in threats from DS3, are you going to take this to the extreme, and have characters or items from Demon's Souls or Bloodborne appear?
(Either could work, but the latter would bring a bunch of really unnerving implications if the Great Ones appeared.
I love Bloodborne, but I'm not sure how they would work in the context of the story.)
4867520
I'll admit I've been sorely tempted to do that. Demon's Souls may get a healthy nod (considering there are several theories that Boletaria and Lordran are actually two continents on the same world and their respective events happen simultaneously), but I will have to restrain myself from delving too deeply into Bloodborne. Might toss a mention of it, but you likely won't get to see the Great Ones and the Souls bosses team up for now.
Assuming I ever finish this saga though, then all bets are off.
4868163
I see. Thanks for answering my question.
While it's disappointing that Bloodborne might not appear, I do agree with your decision. Bloodborne is hard to fit into the Souls Timeline due to the difference between it and Dark Souls being more pronounced than Dark Souls and Demon's Souls.
(Although, if I could make a suggestion, I would like to see Patches get turned into a Spider as a call-forward.)
4868183
I'll see what I can do, though it likely may take a long while. XS
4868193
Completely understandable.
I mean, him just turning into a spider would come out of left field and make no sense.
It might take a while for the proper scenario, but I'm okay with that.
(I have thought of a minor way to reference Bloodborne that wouldn't be too in-your-face, if you want to use it.
Those messages that Seath and Pinkie See-"YOU DIED", "VICTORY ACHIEVED", and whatnot?
The in-universe explanation for them could be that they're tied to Insight. Have enough of it, and you start seeing the world the way it really is.
You don't have to use this idea, like I said: it's just an idea I had.)
4880201
Hmm, an idea it may be...but it could possibly be useful. Certainly might be what Seath, and a few others, would use to explain their own quasi-fourth wall awareness.
4880361
It would make sense.
(Also, I have had a non-canon Omake bouncing around in my head that I needed to share. I hope it's okay if I post it here:
"Seath?"
"Yes, my student?"
Twilight hesitated, averting her gaze. After a few moments, she finally spoke. "I was wondering why some of the enemy corpses from the last battle look partially eaten. I know Sif didn't do it, and I was with you last night, so you didn't -"
"That is a path thou should not go down, Twilight." Seath stated, cutting Twilight off. "There lies the path of insanity and eyes lining thy brain. Trust me: do not look into it, if thou value thy sanity."
Twilight looked startled at that statement. Seath continued. "Anywise, Twilight, thou needest not worry. It is naught but the work of a FREELOADER!" He shouted this last word at the roof.
(The Amygdala perched on the roof of the Duke's Archive ignored Seath, as it always did. It simply moved around to a more comfortable position.)
Twilight turned and looked at where her mentor had yelled in confusion, but she didn't see anything. (A niggling voice in her brain whispered that that was a good thing.) Something told her that Seath was right. (run do not look if we see them they'll see us too)
"Anyway, Twilight, I believe that we must go back inside. Thy friends have returned with a basilisk. We have much work ahead of us." And with that, Seath went back towards the entrance, shooting a filthy look at the roof (at the unseen THING, Twilight's mind supplied) before going back in.
Twilight nodded, looking at the roof with trepidation (run hide get out of here go back in before it notices us), before following her mentor inside.
+5 Insight attained.
This has literally been in my head all day.
I'll take it down if you want: I just needed to get it out of my system.)
4881235
It's perfectly fine for you to post ideas. I welcome any and all suggestions, even if I can't incorporate them all.
Honestly, I think the only thing I'd change is to include Laurence the First Vicar in that scene, somehow. When you think about it, he's basically the Bloodborne version of Seath, being a traitor to his kind (Provost Wilhelm even calls his departing the Byrgenwerth College a 'betrayal') who then founded a new supernatural art (using the blood as a medicinal tool) and ended up as a dragon-ish monstrosity who's final form has no legs.
4881264
That is a really good point, and now I'm regretting not giving him at least a mention.
(I honestly didn't think about Laurence. I just had the mental image of Seath calling an Amygdala a freeloader, and ran with it.
Although I might wind up writing a drabble with Seath and Laurence at a later point.)
On an unrelated note, I like how you've been incorporating parts of Dark Souls 2 into the story. I'm currently playing through it, and it's good to see hints towards what is to come.
You mentioned using the reincarnation aspect of DS2 at one or two points (I think: please correct me if I'm wrong), so I was curious if that was going to be elaborated on at a later chapter.
4884000
Yes it will be. In great depth across several chapters actually.
That's all I can say right now.
4884075
I look forward to it, then. This is bound to be fascinating.