Please discuss the options the kelpies and Equestrians have in the most recent chapters of ECQ&tAE here, not the story. I ask this because several other readers have indicated that the genocide discussion is making them uncomfortable about commenting about the story.

Here, go ahead and talk about what your opinions are about the kelpies and Equestrians, but I ask participants to abide by the Fimfiction FAQ rules which basically say "Don't be a dick" and to recognize that just because one disagrees with something, doesn't mean that he or she is wrong.

If you do get angry because someone has an opinion about something, please take a moment to consider what you are going to say before posting. We're here to discuss, not to insult or accuse each other.

And if someone does decide to be a jerk. I'm going to have to take action as the moderator of this thread that may include blocking and banning for a set amount of time. Which I think is fairly reasonable.

Yours sincerely,
vren55

We still think it's a really sucky aspect that they require sapient beings. I'm really hoping it's just that they haven't developed the means to extract that energy without consuming the target creature,in the manner of the changelings for example.

5254589 Indeed, but what worries me is the apparent total lack of remorse or drive to find alternatives among the kelpienators.

Other thing that worries me is people arguing that isolating the sea dwellers in the sea would equal genocide, as if kelpienators had an inherent right to chew other species' brains out while preventing them from doing so it's horrible because then they have to eat reach other and we can't have that? I just don't get his simply preventing them from eating surface dwellers is a moral issue at all.

My only worry is that it will HAVE to come down to genocide, simply just to stop the war at all. We'll see what happens when Tython meets with Alternia...but at this point, the war is almost just an excuse to stock the kelpies' larders. Given their past with Samudra, it's doubtful they'd accept any sort of alteration to remove their need for sapient meat, even if there was one, simply out of mistrust. However, Tethys can't simply let the Equestrians go back to abiding by the treaty either, since that would mean eventually the kelpies would have to go back to eating seaponies again, and that would start the civil war all over again...

My personal guess right now, is that given the reveal that the three seapony tribes do for the ocean what the pony tribes do for the land, is that these 'old ones' will turn out to be the reason kelpies eat sapients, in that they're probably giant destructive ocean monsters that the kelpies were intended to keep under control.

I believe genocide is a horrible thing to do but if an entire species starts a war for certin thing then sometimes genocide is the right thing to do. But should always be the LAST resort

It's never right for one sentient race to feed on another. There needs to be something done in the way of research by both sides that would alleviate that need. I can see why the Equestrians and Changelings would consider genocide as the only other alternative. There is NO WAY that offering a live tribute will ever be palatable to them. Who do you pick to sacrifice? That would be totally unacceptable. Even offering up the incurably insane and death row prisoners would most likely not be enough. And again, where would it stop?

That goes back to the genocide. The surface dwellers could develop poisons that work on the sea dwellers only and deploy them from the sky. But, as was stated, the control the sea dwellers have on the ocean currents would end and cause the weather of the ocean to become random. Even the pegasi could not control that much weather. The oceans are a mighty engine in driving weather control. England would be an ice ball if not for the warm water from the gulf coast heading that way. An alternative needs to be found to feed the Kelpies in a way to avoid them eating sentient beings.

I am kinda surprised that they need living subjects, not meat from them. I thought that they were going to last 5 years with the bodies that they colected from the war. So does it means that they keep ponies captives as live stock?
Without reach the genocide, wouldnt it more fair to demand a live tribute in exchange? I mean, 5k ponies for 5k kelpies,

5323249
The problem is ideals. A monarchy is only a monarchy and not a tyrany so long as it keeps the best interest of it's people at heart. Equestria is also a land founded on trust and friendship, demanding that five-thousand ponies sacrifice themselves is something completly unthinkable in the mind of a normal Equestrian, not to mention something beyond sickining for one of their monarchs to contimplate even if it is for the greater good.

Truthfully, they'd be better spent attempting to find a way to get around the Kelpies' need to eat live sentients, as it would bring a more long-lasting peace than simply marching Equestrian citizens into the sea to be slaughtered.

Since I'm unable to post comments for the story without any explanation given...

Caused to a -> caused a
The Great One is Come -> The Great One has Come

... Giving Tethys all this power while banking entirely on kelpienator honour, information about which comes primarily from a random seapony, is surely not going to backfire horribly .

Since I can't even post on the AMA blog with no announcement it reason given:

To the three princesses in charge: are you considering asking for further reparations for ask the soldiers and citizens lost in the conflict?

To the changeling Queens: which one of you is the most powerful one and do you have abilities unique to each of you?

To Chryssie's daughter: how are you doing with your prosthetic? And have you considered having a horn prosthetic implanted in place of the missing part, made of highly arcane conductive metal?

To authors: would you consider, if you block someone from posting comments on a story, to actually tell them about that and provide a reason?

5254209
My own opinion is quite the simple one really. If it's between them or me I choose me. EVERY TIME.

If in the end the question boils down to which will you choose: Equestria or Aquestria then Equestria. EVERY TIME.

They should all die THE OLD GODS WILL RISE

6507854
Hang on let me get my commissar cap and bolt pistol.

5254209
In light of rereading the final act, I resend parts of my statements in light of plot and to avoid causing problems on a sore topic.

as of chapter 16: Tethys should be killed with extreme prejudice and the rest of the kelpies should be detained to see if they can survive off of more normal food. Otherwise Genocide for them as well.
Edit on Chapter 18: Opinion unchanged. Still unchanged on 19.
Chapter 21 edit: Positions reversed if she holds her word.
Final Edit: I'm not exactly happy she escaped all consequences but it looks like things are working out and everyone still alive can be saved and the kelpies can be fixed.