Now a blog about worldbuilding · 5:56pm Oct 13th, 2012
I think the last time I made a serious blog, some people got some feels.
Does this work?
No? Okay.
Basically, you all know my Whisper Sun, Silent Moon story, and even Sword Hammer Stallion hints at a larger world that ponies find mysterious and dangerous. I've been wanting to do a worldbuilding epic for quite some time. I have bajillions of ideas, obviously, but unfortunately I will only have time to work on one as I make headway with all my other stories. I don't know when this one will come out, but it's sure to be a doozy when I do. To keep everyone from getting excited I will make no promises this time, except that the idea itself is awesome. Even my pre-reader Razgriz liked it, and when the guy who is supposed to not gush about your stories says he likes it, then I think it's a good idea.
I can tell you it will not be about the epic Nightmare War mentioned in Whisper Sun, though I have awesome ideas for that too.
When I do my worldbuilding, I like to keep some things secret even from myself. I will never know all there is to know about this world, otherwise I might get bored with it when there are too few blank spaces. I try to make things fantastical without being utterly incomprehensible. I do not know how my specific version of the Equestrian World was created, nor do I really want to. There are myths and legends that reach out to me, but none of them are true, yet all of them contain grains of truth. I make up stories that I think ponies would if they were living in that world, what kind of characters they might dream up in their spare time. You see, it's not knowing that sometimes really is the best way to know something. It encourages you to keep diving in, to keep moving forward. In every relationship there should be a sense of yearning, of desire to know more. Without that, what's really the point? We advance only by learning, and we learn because we want to, and we want to because we don't know something. I have that relationship with every story. There is always a wider world outside the windows of the house, within the minds of my characters.
My Little Metro's backstory, the Great War that started it all, where Celestia and Luna are, will probably never be revealed. I can say with certainty that Lockbox is simply not strong or lucky enough to pry that knowledge out of the shadows. I know how it went down for the most part, but even I have withheld the details from myself. Why? Because that's not the point of the story, which is specifically Lockbox's journey. The only way to make it make sense is to make Lockbox an alicorn and have him travel every corner of the world to uncover every lost secret. He won't do that, don't worry.
But it's good to know that something did happen anyway, even if nobody knows what, because it frames the story. It helps let you know that this place can function on its own, even without a writer to write about it.
For some reason, what intrigues me most is Luna and her Nightmare Moon incarnation. I think even Lauren Faust implied there was some kind of possession aspect, like her own emotions became so strong they took her over. So that's how I conceived of the Nightmares, and how I think a lot of authors conceived of them. They represent the ultimate unknown: they come from the id, the subconscious, the dark places in our own minds even we will never be fully aware of. They are the ultimate villains because they can come from ourselves (ourselves being ponies). They have no rhyme or reason as to why they hate and wish to dominate. They are the true, actual embodiment of such evil feelings. I like to think the world Nightmare Moon wished to bring about was Luna's worst nightmare, but when she fell to the dark side, she became her own Nightmare and attempted to act out those spiteful emotions. I really love that idea.
So, I wanted to ask.
What do you all like to think as far as worldbuilding/headcanon goes? Celestia and Luna are gods and have been around forever? Regular ponies who lucked on their powers? Elements are older than them, were created by them? Discord and Celestia used to be in wuv? Is Equestria eternally peaceful, or are there kingdoms out there jealous of the influence Celly and Luna have? Is Equestria all that safe apart from the Everfree Forest, or do you take a chance when you step off the beaten path anywhere?
I'm curious.
I have only 3 things to say, and they are all rather random...
Thanks to a certain writer on this site, I've come to see Equestria as a country inside a large world, and that it's basically like Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey novels (hard to explain).
Beliefs about Luna and Celestia? Possibly created by a higher power to watch over the world.
Also, I believe the Everfree forest is one of the few natural areas that is dangerous, but perhaps there are secret societies that carry out illegal operations?
I think Celestia and Luna created The world and gave it to ponies. The ponies worked together in distrust so the Alicorn sisters made Equestria for the ponies to find (this is the hearth warming eve story). Once more ponies were ruled by other ponies, not the Alicorns. Somewhere in that dynasty, A prince fell in love with an alicorn and made a love potion (this is the hearts and hooves day story) and Discord attacked. Because they were lost in each others eyes, it was an easy victory for Discord. He ruled centuries in an insane tyranny of chaos. It was then when the Alicorn sisters returned, forged the elements of harmony to defeat Discord. Upon his fall, the Alicorns finally ruled personally over their kingdom instead of trusting it with the Canterlot royalty and nobility.
I have two headcanons: one for the series, one for my own large-scale fanfiction
On the show, I think Celestia and Luna both used three of the elements of Harmony against Discord, overloading themselves with magic and thus became immortal. I've never liked the idea of Alicorn = immortal, which is why I love Cadence, who seems to grow old as any regular pony.
On my own large-scale fic I have it that Celestia and Luna along with a few other ponies summoned weapons with godly power to defend Equestria from the invasion of Tartarus, and that's how they became immortal
Regarding Equestrian loyalty, I have this theory:
Since the creation of pony kind, the Alicorns have ruled over the other three species. Basically, an alicorn can mate with either another alicorn or a regular pony, though the offspring is always an alicorn. When the offspring is born into royalty, the foal is taught about how to raise the sun and moon, how royalty works, etc. When the heir comes of age, the current leader passes the crown onto him/her and "ascends" to the heavens, where he/she sit next to the Goddess.
So I can't gush over awesome ideas? It's not like I'd preread stuff I don't like.
Anyway, as far as my headcanon goes... Words cannot properly describe what goes on in my head. However I will try my damndest in the form of a 17k one-shot I hope to finish soon regarding Celestia and Discord.
420682 One of us has to keep our heads out of the clouds man!
Nah, I'm kidding. You can gush all you like.
Until S3 happens, I'm going with Celestia and Luna being willed into existence at some point. Maaaaaybe they were regular ponies, and Cadence is like them, the first alicorn born (or who survived!) in thousands of years, doomed to an existence of watching everyone she loves, starting with her husband, wither and die before her eyes. I like to think she deserves it.
I'm sorry, I got down with the Cadence-hate; what were we talking about again? :B
It is really interesting. I always love to read worldbuildings story.
For example, I totally enjoyed your "Whisper Sun, Silent Moon".
For Canon (Including some information of NYCC about season 3, information from EqD).
In season 1, Luna/Celestia may be considered as all powerful and knowledge goddesses involed in worldbuilding.
After season 2, Luna/Celestia may be considered as guardian of Equestria (they may be immortal or semi-god or goddesses but not worldbuilder)
From the limited information of season 3, Luna/Celestia may be the bringer and bearer of Harmony to the unpeaceful land Equestria.
The official canon: Royal Sisters (Including Luna's NMM form) Ethereal Mane is contributed by the connection of celestial bodies.
Maybe their immortal lives were given by the role of controling the celestial bodies?
The royal sisters may be
1. The daughters or messagers of WorldCreating God. They were sent to bring harmony and protect this land.
2. The alicorn sisters were influenced by EoH and became immortal and are able to control celestial bodies (just like your fiction)
This is a very interesting issue. Someone told that, The Director of MLP-FiM, Meghan, is a history-nerd and study for myths of many culture.
(Sometimes we ref Luna/Celestia to Artemis/Apollo or Selene/Helious or Ying/Yang even Hrimfaxi(Nott)/Skinfaxi(Dag))
She said she love to write about the history about royal sisters and old Equestria.
My alicorn/Celestia and Luna headcanon is quite different from most – similar in some respects to the events of Whisper Sun.
– Alicorns are basically genetic mutation pony Jesuses. Once in a long, long while, a normal pony family of one of the three races has an alicorn child (or even more rarely, two) and that child goes on to do great things, either good or evil. Cadance, Luna and Celestia are all examples of this.
– Most alicorns have normal lifespans (so Cadance won't watch Shining grow old and die without her), but Celestia and Luna are immortal or at least very long-lived because they discovered the Elements of Harmony and defeated Discord, and the Elements/universe chose them to be the rulers of Equestria and stewards of the celestial bodies.
– Equestria has no "gods" in the sense that we have gods. I just don't see ponies as really having religion that's at all similar to ours.
Of course, this all stands to be revised come season three.
Personally I really like the origins of Equestria as told by this fanfic and use it as my headcanon: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W9BSQJT5Ol6-R-4egiOuC-ZBfAHfDHCAhKO9xi611kA/edit?hl=en&authkey=COHc_rAF&pli=1#
I like the post-apocalyptic Earth/ pony society having its origins in the remains of human society explanation; it makes Equestria seem more founded and "realistic", or at least plausible with a healthy mix of scientifically questionable magic and very real human nature. It can also be used to explain why so many things in Equestria are very familiar to us, even things that don't seem to fit pony anatomy or otherwise make much sense. They're simply the way things have been done for a long, long time, way back before anypony remembers. Only Celestia and Luna keep between them the secret that they weren't always alone...