//------------------------------// // Chapter 5.5 - On History and Magic // Story: Seraphim // by Salacar //------------------------------// Seraphim Chapter 5.5 ~ On History and Magic ~     During my short stay in Old Stable I managed to gather a decent amount of information about Equestria, mostly through the various books and tomes I had borrowed from Ivory Scroll. I also did spend quite a bit of time with the scholarly unicorn, sharing knowledge with him and getting knowledge in return. All of it was interesting to me, but a few pieces were of especial importance. Some of these I have decided to share here, as almost all of it would turn out vital to my journeys in some way or another.   ---------------------------------------------------------------------     Discord: Roughly three thousand years ago, the spirit of chaos Discord ruled Equestria in what is now known as the Discordian Reign. Those years were plagued with constant chaos and disarray, no pony was safe from the mad spirit’s influence, and most ponies were miserable during this time. The number of recorded Chaotic Anomalies which appeared during his Reign is quite simply mindboggling, everything from flying pigs and dancing buffalo to cotton candy clouds, living trees and sudden shifts in the day/night cycle. Most of these Anomalies were quite harmless, merely a slight discomfort to the populace, but some of Discord’s changes and especially his creations were much more malicious in nature.   Notable of these creations were the chimerical creatures, such as the manticore and cockatrice which were reported to appear during this period. Other creatures believed to have been a by-product of his madness were the basilisk, hydra and gargoyle, among others. While no actual evidence exists for their creation, it is widely accepted knowledge that none of these creatures existed before the Discordian Reign.     Alicorns: These ‘winged unicorns’ are unique beings in that only two known members of the race are known to exist, these being the Royal Sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. If any other alicorns had previously lived in Equestria, the knowledge has been lost to the ages, and despite many inquiries through the years by notable scholars, Celestia and Luna have chosen to remain silent as to the fate of their species. What ‘is’ known about the Royal Sisters is that they first appeared at the end of the Discordian Reign. Alicorns are practically immortal, unable to die of old age and capable of shrugging away even the worst of mortal wounds, if they are beings created by Equestria for the purpose of bringing Harmony is unknown, but it is well-known that they posses the natural magic of all three pony races.   Personal Notes: These Alicorn sisters remind me quite a bit of the Ascended, it is possible that they had previously acted as Guardians to Equestria before being forced into interfering. If my hypothesis proves true it is very possible that they posses knowledge of Planar travel, and may turn out to be a way for me to return to Elysiyum.     The War of Madness: The name of the war between Discord and the Royal Sisters during the last part of the Discordian Reign. It lasted for almost an entire year, starting with the arrival of Celestia and Luna, and ending with the defeat and banishment of Discord at their hoofs, making use of very powerful Harmonic magic. Little is known about the war between these entities, the Royal Sisters have forbidden most research into it, and the only other being still ‘alive’ at this time is unable to share his knowledge of the period.     Equestrian Magic: The magic of Equestria is what is known as ‘Natural Magic’, and exists in a large number of Leylines of energy running bellow the surface of our world. Every creature in Equestria has a connection to these Leylines in some way or another, and the species with the strongest connections are capable of making use of it in ‘Internal’ and/or ‘External’ ways. The most commonly known wielders of Equestria’s Natural Magic are the various races of ponies, the griffins and dragons. A multitude of other magical creatures do exist however, and even the most harmless of beings may posses surprising magical aptitude.   Personal Notes: The concept of Natural Magic is not unknown to me; a lot of worlds where magic is very prominent are often worlds with their own type of Natural Magic. Perhaps I may discover a method with which to connect myself to Equestria’s natural leylines, this may fill the empty void of power which is my soul, allowing me use of my Ascended powers once more. Further research on the subject is required.     Earth Ponies: The most numerous race of ponies, Earth Ponies carry the strongest Internal magic of all ponykind. This Internal magic manifests itself in increased strength and endurance compared to Pegasi and Unicorns. It also gives them a special connection to the earth, resulting in a certain aptitude with nature, growing of crops, caring for animals and many other such affinities. The Earth Ponies with the strongest magic are also often capable of sensing the world around them in different ways, such as finding water underground; warning them of danger, and in some rare cases, even the ability to predict the future.     Pegasus Ponies: Pegasi are the second most numerous of ponies after Earth Ponies, they are capable of making use of Equestria’s Natural Magic in both Internal and External ways. Their Internal magic allows them the use of their wings for flight, as well as the ability to stand on and manipulate clouds. The External magic is more subtle than that of Unicorns, manifesting in their ability to control various weather phenomena, such as bringing rain or lightning out of clouds, creating localised storms, and even the skill to manipulate rainbows.   Personal Notes: In extension to my earlier notes about Equestria’s Natural Magic, it seems likely that the use of my wings may return to me if I managed to draw upon the Internal energy that the Pegasi make use of in their own flight.     Unicorn Ponies: The least common race of ponies, the Unicorns also posses the strongest connection to the Leylines of Equestria, capable of manifesting powerful External magical effects known simply as ‘spells’. They accomplish this by collecting the required magic, then forming it into complex patterns in their minds, and finally releasing the structured magic through their horns. Most unicorn magic pertains to their special talent, often resulting in any given unicorn only knowing perhaps less than a handful of spells, most common of which are the basic ‘telekinesis’ and ‘light’ spells, which are the only spells all unicorns are capable of learning easily.