Colourful ponies reacting to the horror of industrialized warfare.
This story will be in the the format of different ponies (and other creatures) in different locations reacting to news broadcasts and updates from radios (and other mediums) about the Great War occurring between human nations. Idea originally conceived on 5/4/2025, also my first attempt on HiE.
Cover image by me (style inspired by Centaura by Classicmasternoob), map in it by a friend. I am not sure if I am using the right tags so let me know of mistakes!
Grammar proofread is done by Quillbot + Chatgpt (its faster than me doing it manually), but do let me know of mistakes since Ai is unreliable compared to human experience, in my opinion.
"1908 AD (Anno Domini)—Equivalent to 1003 ALB (After Luna Banishment)
Cenbaphae (lit. "star-like formations" in Sylvestinian)—the continent of the Humans: a race of magicless, featherless, and partially furless bipedal mammals, averaging approximately 1.71 metres in height—or 3.42 hooves tall. Their elongated, lanky limbs end in peculiar minotaur-like appendages known as hands and feet, and their bodies, while uniform in structure, vary widely in pigmentation and appearance. Capable of both great deeds of good and monstrous evil. They are divided into myriad of nations—republics, kingdoms, empires and more—they are distinguished by diverse ethnicities and rich cultural tapestries, spread broadly across their homeland.
Their sudden arrival in our world was met with widespread anxiety—and no small amount of curiosity. A great magical storm accompanied their transmigration, stirring fears across Equus of a possible return of the Storm King. These concerns were only eased when Pony explorers, dispatched by the Alicorn Sisters, confirmed the existence of the new continent and the new strange race inhabiting it.
Thankfully, first contact proceeded peacefully. The Humans welcomed the ponies with friendship and cooperation, and before long, they were formally introduced to the world stage through Equestria. As trade routes opened, human technology spread like wildfire—transforming societies across the world almost overnight.
The Humans’ advanced mastery of metallurgy, engineering, and chemistry—combined with local magic—rapidly ushered in an age of sweeping industrialisation: an era of marvellous innovation, population growth, and deeply unsettling, rapid change.
Yet, Cenbaphae was far from the peaceful, technologically enlightened and magicless land many had imagined. Dubbed "a powder keg" by human historians, the continent simmered with long-standing rivalries, territorial disputes and imperial ambitions—like a keg of explosive powder, waiting to explode. It took only a single gunshot to ignite the conflagration—plunging the continent into a devastating conflict.
One that would reveal the darkest depths of industrialised warfare, the future of warfare—and expose the duality of man and creature alike. A war that would show just how monstrous even the most civilised, peace-seeking beings could become. Though it would be known by many names—The War to End All Wars, The Great Powder Keg—one would echo loudest across Equus and Cenbaphae alike:
~Opening chapter of 'Historical Equestrian Accounts of the Great War' by Lucky Archivist with the help of Canterlot Archives, 1013 ALB / 1918 AD
Featured on 12-14th of April 2025 as #2 & #1