Good day all! Welcome to the third story showcase! After the success of the previous two, we are here for you with another great fic! No time to waste, so let's get into the thick of things!

Today's primary criteria: Popularity

Equestria At War: The Death of Harmony

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Scars from the ancient Lunar Rebellion open, and Equestria threatens to tear itself apart as the batponies fight for their place among the tribes. Meanwhile, dark clouds gather in the Changeling lands, and everypony can sense that the thousand years of peace are about to end in fire and lead. Can friendship survive the violence of the 11th century, or will Equestria succumb to hatred?

Story rating: Mature

Story tags: Gore, Violence, Death, Profanity, Dark, Drama, Thriller, Alternate Universe

Character tags: Rarity, Luna, Changelings, Bat Pony

Basic premise: There's much to say about The Death of Harmony. It's been a staple of the EaW fanfic community since its publicition, and for good reason. It starts in 1007 ALB, and the currently-published stuff mainly focuses on Luna and her supporters, primarily Selenite and Rarity, as they launch a campaign to improve the rights of batponies (or thestrals) across Equestria. The fic is currently just past the referendum, and without spoiling too much, let's just say it was an interesting referendum for sure.

There are many characters and POVs in this fic, which is one of its strengths; another strength would be the deeply-person focused way the story is written: while the wider politics of the world are certainly mentioned, they do not (yet) play a major role in the story. As such, even someone who is relatively new to EaW, I think, will be able to enjoy this story. Of course, the future may yet tell a different tale, for the story is not nearly done yet. But since I (sadly) lack any form of precognition or clairvoyance, I cannot as of yet say how the story will unfold. In any case, each character certainly feels unique and different from the others, and each faces their own internal struggles even without the troubles and tribulations of EaW's world weighing down their shoulders. This all is expertly told by the author.

Final words: As said before, The Death of Harmony is renowned within both the EaW fanfic community and the EaW community proper, and for good reason. It tells a great story that almost feels like it is part of the game itself, or should be at any rate. Admittedly, the author being a Senior Writer on the mod's dev team may contribute to this feeling, but that does not take away from the fic at all.

Updates are semi-regular, but the author usually announces them over on the EaW Discord a few days before they go live, and they also hold a live reading of the latest chapter a few days after publication. In conclusion, this fic has my recommendation, and definitely serves as a good starting point if you want to get into EaW fics.

Useful links:
Reddit Crosspost
Previous Showcase
Reddit Informative Post
Fimfiction Informative Post

Definitely a slow-burn, deep dive into character development without being overwhelming for a new reader!

Saw it on the reddit post, but not here: Next showcase will be Word Count

Yooooo so glad to have been showcased here! :D :D :D