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Alex Warlorn


Just your average Brony who happened upon an idea that might actually turn out to be clever enough for guys to love.

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Oct
5th
2017

Pony POV Series World Building 101: Gods and Legends · 3:40am Oct 5th, 2017

Written by Godzillawolf.

For those that believe the gods do not watch the affairs of mortals and give their aid when needed, one must look no further than the legends of old.

In the halls of Earth Pony legends, there are few greater paragons of strength than Rockhoof, the stallion who saved his home village from a volcano through his might alone...but that might came from a miracle after all.

As he struggled to move earth and stone to divert the incoming tide of volcanic destruction, his heart called to any force that would listen. Determined and dedicated to save the place he called home, even at the cost of his own life if that was what it took.

His heart's plea found its way to Abbatissa, Goddess of Prayer, who as per her duty, sent it to the deity who's domain he was calling upon: Leo, the 11th, Strength. Concept of Power Given Purpose and Unstoppable Force.

The stallion's determination and desire for the strength save his people resonated with the Concept of Strength itself. He called for power not for his own sake or for his desire to join the ranks of the Mighty Helm, but for a truly noble and selfless purpose, and Leo listened. With the Concept of Miracles (existing forward and backwards as is the nature of the Pillars of Creation) standing at his side, Leo granted a portion of his unstoppable might to Rockhoof, giving him strength and power beyond even the strongest mortal Earth Ponies. And was very pleased with the good use he put it towards. Enough that Leo did not take the power back when the deed was done, seeing Rockhoof as worthy to walk in Leo's presence all the days of his life.

Rockhoof may have strayed now and again, but never disappointed his patron deity. Even when he allowed his fortune to go to his head and cause him to grow fat, he realized the error of his ways in time and worked hard to right his course. Of course Leo still did not hold his hoof while doing so, but he never abandoned him.

The story of Mistmane was an odd one from the point of view of the divine. Morning Star was, as one would expect from him, effectively on both sides of the myth. Mistmane was the most beautiful mare of her time, and thus found favor in the Alicorn of Beauty's eyes. She was, in terms of a unicorn mare's appearance, one of the few beings Morning Star could find no fault. Quite the opposite, in fact: he was offended that she was expected to REFINE her powerful magical abilities, preferring instead she simply be granted them so she could be truly perfect in all regards. Magic and Knowledge refused.

However, Sable Spirit was quite the opposite. Morning Star saw her as a perfect example to give his siblings to justify his view on mortals: greedy, vindictive, vain, proud, and envious. Someone who'd let their kingdom fall to ruin for their own vanity. Naturally, he never told his siblings of the whispers she'd heard from him. She was all Morning Star despised about mortal life, and he never hesitated to bring her name up as such.

Then...Mistmane bested her, Morning Star for a brief moment grinned, seeing it as a miniature representation of how perfection should stamp out imperfection...Then was left speechless. His perfect paragon of beauty sacrificed it to restore her kingdom and her friend's beauty. Redeeming his perfect example of mortal life's inherent imperfection.

On that day, Mistmane did not only please Pensilis, God of Sacrifice and Redemption, greatly, she did something few in all of history ever did: close shut the mouth of Evil Himself, if only for the briefest of moments.

What's more...Morning Star was never capable of properly speaking of her after that. After all, while she was now old and ugly...she still did great works in Beauty's name, traveling far and wide leaving beauty in her wake, and Morning Star was unwilling to admit defeat...but also unable to contradict himself by condemning one that added so much of him to the world even as she fought so greatly against his other half.

Lastly, there is the tale of Flash Magnus, ancestor of a certain Flash Sentry. Long ago, Turris, the God of Unbreakable Defense, found himself pleased with a particular mortal knight. So much so that he granted him a divinely blessed shield known as Netitus, one that no flame, mortal or divine, short of the omnipotent fires of His Mother Herself could burn. Even Tiamat, Primordial Fire herself, could not so much as singe it. Tiamat would often accuse Turris of it being one of several things done to keep her and her breed in check. Turris never gave an answer, nor could Tiamat force one from him. It was this shield that would one day be used by Flash Magnus.

Not only that...a rainbow maned goddess, having traveled back along time's river to see her inspiration, found herself flying with and granting her boon to the legendary Paragon of Loyalty unseen. After all, she was Loyalty incarnate, what else could one expect?

Comments ( 1 )

This is a great piece of world building. I think it makes a very good argument, and fits the tone of the original legends of magic very nicely.

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