I'll post my draft as well, so I can hopefully get some feedback.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OcsWmaEOS969g6sYiZ-Y-KK33-9ZbRb5nS20o3KCfXM/edit?usp=sharing

6616162

This one isn't necessarily colluding with anything, but the concept of exploding worms appears in the Silica Worms entry, and the idea of dying through magic is neat, but also reminds me a bit of the thaumoplankton linked above (reacting to magic and so on). I like the idea of it exploding to wondrous shit, rather than it exploding to magical shit -- would it be possible to focus on that, rather?

Oh, yes, that was actually meant to be part of the point, which I guess I conveyed poorly? I was going to lean on the fact that ponies (as well as griffins and many other associated beings) are inherently magical, that is, inherently wondrous, and thus they and the magic and wonder they bring with them are inimical to the boreworm. That's the entire thrust; that there's a whole species of mundane creature that the terribly wondrous world of Equestria sort of... pushed to the side as it expanded into it. Metaphors!

Also, seeing how the silica worm also explodes, and how worms are also kind of getting too numerous, if you could change this to something else

I deliberately picked a worm precisely BECAUSE there were so many other worms, as I also wanted to imply that some researchers theorize that in an effort to avoid extinction the boreworm evolved into many other species capable of surviving in the new world they found themselves in. I figured I might as well play off the fact that there are a lot of worms.

I'd like to continue in that vein, but if that's a hard veto would the Endangered Borefrog work?

If you'll indulge me reserving a second entry:

Smelter, the Living Hoard

Legendary dragon made of treasure.
300-400 words.
One of the few longstanding dragon myths, Smelter is said to have amassed such a wealth and have possessed such greed that, upon his death, his spirit instinctively clutched at his hoard, inhabiting it in the process. This, then, is the dragon's proof that you really can take it with you.

If this being a single mythological figure is too specific, I can make it more generalized, as well. Then again, Borges included Cerberus and Scylla, so...

Here is my draft of the Lumimoose. I went slightly over my stated 300-400 word count (470, according to GDocs), mostly because I wanted to expand the "interview" section to actual dialogue, and due to adding the idea of a contemporary scientist speculating about the creature. Hope it is ok.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D32GVf6lMAEpKmbfR0VRae0SwM6I7eouZP3urb-eazg/edit?usp=sharing

I'm going to be giving out a lot more nos than yeses right now — we need a little breathing room to chew through the editing queue, so some good ideas I'm hanging onto for later just so we can control the pace of our work. A no, however, is polite to give up front, so you can pitch us something different. :)

6616815
[Sameling]
Unfortunately, we're already deluged with both insect entries, and entries mostly notable for preying on ponies. I'd also have concerns here about the strong overlap with changelings (despite their altered diet). Anything else you're interested in writing about?

6616907
[Laffabout]
The anthology's in-universe publication date is about 40 years before the show, and part of that is that we're primarily aiming for myth, legend, and history rather than contemporary happenings. Do you think you could make this concept work if the pony you were writing about was a historical or mythical figure? If so, go ahead and edit the pitch, and I'd be interested to see where it goes.

6617014
[Angel Thug Bunny]
Let's freeze this particular pitch for the later canon round

6617415
Thanks for working with us on keeping the anthology wide-ranging. At first I wasn't sure what to make of a monkey that spins webs, although it hit me a second later: "Oh. It's a spider monkey." Pff.

I like the mythological focus here and I'm curious to see what you do with it. Accepted!

6617434
Unfortunately, we're already swimming in insect entries and heavy on cloud-based entries. Anything else you're interested in writing about?

6617806
Given your explanation of this particular worm being a reflection on our crowd of other annelids, and my like for the concept in general (specifically its vulnerability to wonder, as you explained), let's accept this and get you going on it — and use this opportunity to draw a hard line on further insects until we get a broader base of other creatures.

6614028
[the Mite-Not]
I do like the Schrodinger theme here and the pun, but I've been going back and forth on this one as overlapping other entries — and by this point, we're just swimming in insects and parasites. Probably the best thing I can do at this point is ask if there's anything else you'd be interested in pitching. Right now, vertebrates — especially if they're mythical/legendary monsters, and aren't specifically predators on ponies (especially if they're basically harmless!) — are one of the things we're surprisingly short on, along with individual monsters (rather than species).

6614708
[Simulacrumites]
Nice concept, same problem: drowning in insects.

Finally, before I head to sleep, let me note for the thread: It turns out Aragon and I launched the project at something of an awkward time. We discovered yesterday that we're both, independently and coincidentally, travelling from Thursday to Sunday with limited Internet time.

We'll both push forward with submission edits as we can, but will be a little less responsive here until our return. Thank you for your patience!

6617850

Actually, one more for the road.

Talewart Toads

Nature's living, hopping history textbooks.
<300 words
The backs of adult Talewart Toads can be opened like a book, revealing a series of thin organic structures resembling paper. On these 'pages' are natural markings which take the form of writing, chronicling in detail an event or events which have previously taken place. Interestingly, while accounts of this creature exist prior to Celestia taking the throne (and cite the structure on the toad's back as more resembling a scroll than a book), no Talewart Toad concerning the events surrounding that period has ever been documented.

6617842
Too bad, had most of it worked out in my head. I'll start thinking up another one

Wood Peccary

ill-tempered vegetative herbivore (and cannibal)

maybe 200 words

Considered the natural prey for vegetative predators such as timber wolves and tiger lilies, wood peccaries, for all their herbivorous natures, are still dangerous with their thorny tusks and cactus-like hide.

6617798
I drew this.

• Masked artisan monster
• 300 - 500 words
• Qblelqewm have skeletal limbs and lumpy bodies, and seem entirely misshapen except for their face, which each covers with a different but pleasing mask. They're seen in lonely places, working intensely on private projects, which they abandon when finished. They have a particular fondness for gems, especially opals, which they will craft one glint at a time.

Inspired by Zaid

Since this seems to be where they're getting posted, my draft for the harp-weavers.

Psychoceramid

Living ceramic vase
150 ~ 250 words
It grows in well shaded places close to other pieces of pottery, emulating the style of other vases around it. After it is fully grown, it will start repeating phrases back to the ponies around it, similar to a parrot. It is not very smart, but it can detect which phrases irritate ponies the most. Eventually, a pony will get pissed off enough to break it. This will kill the Psychoceramid, but in turn will release its spores, allowing the species to spread.

Pyrelilies
Insects masquerading as flowers

150~350 words
Contrary to their epithet, the pyrelily is not a flower at all, but is in fact a type of insect that masquerades as its eponymous name. The depth and hue of these insects can range quite wildly, from a soft orange, to a deep vermilion, to varying shades of violet. It's been claimed by some soldiers that on nights following bloody battles, the fields would appear as if claimed by fire, and by day a field of flowers would remain.

Crystal roller/Crystal woollie
Rolling mollusc encased in crystal

150-200 words

A muscular mollusc evolved in volcanic pools. Lives in symbiosis with a polyp that grows crystal spikes outwards from the mollusc's living tissue.
At a certain point in their life cycle, rollers migrate over land, rolling by selectively pushing spikes outwards to push themselves forward. Partly responsible for seeding Equestria's sediment with gems. Hunted to near extinction by dragons, who consider them a delicacy.
May have been thought to be related to bushwoolies at some point, despite not being mammalian.

EDIT: Posted a mollusc, THEN saw the post about the dearth of vertebrates. Not giving up on the roller just yet, but I'll start thinking in that direction from now

I'll work on the Peryton this weekend, though I thought I would run this by you guys as well. I expect a 'no' since there are too many insects already, but you don't get anything if you don't ask.

Fable (aka White Lie)

• Description: Oh it’s a spider, dammit.
• Word count: 300-500
• Surprising Facts: Known as the White Lie in its youngest and most visible stage, the Fable feeds on a victim’s guilt and fear by sowing the compulsion to lie with its surprisingly potent magic, triggered by the breaking of its nearly invisible web of silken strands. Its magic is initially most effective on the foals of inattentive or oblivious parents – especially when the creature is in its youngest stages – but the fully formed adult Fable will attach itself to its compulsively lying host, camouflaging itself at the roots of the pony’s mane where it can strongly influence and feed on a pony’s negative emotional state.

Ah, why the heck not? If the Whispering Bellow thing doesn't work out, I'll at least have options after the Xokolotl.

• Five-Word Summary: One shot makes mutton kebab.
• Estimated Word Count: Roughly 200 (short entry)
• Unique Fact: What at first looks like a decorated bighorn sheep turns out to be an ungulant bearing two moveable crossbows on its head. Normally docile, this bizarre sheep-like animal will - if angered - aim its natural armament at the enemy. If said enemy doesn't take the hint, they get a double-whammy multi-arrow barrage in the face.
• Additional Comments: Desert Crossbows are believed by many to be the origin of the occasionally used modern crossbow, but this is a folk theory at best with little empirical support. They also often emit a strange red beam out of one eye. Contrary to popular opinion, this is not to help them aim better at night, since they use it during the day and can aim perfectly without its use. Instead, the beam is meant to intimidate an opponent at a distance; firing arrows needlessly is against the Crossbow's best interests.

Wait a minute, were we meant to post our Google Docs here too? I just sent the PM and that was it.

6621692
It wasn't declared, but it's a good a way as any to get group feedback.

6621749

Ah, gotcha. I'll post a hyperlink here then. Knock thyselves out, fellow peeps:

Screw it, let's go full brain-dump.

• Suicidally Thrill-Seeking Batrachian
• 200 words
• The raining of frogs is commonly explained as a remnant of Discord's influence on the world, but Peony the Elder documented the phenomenon even in Pre-Unification times. The actual cause is proof of the old adage that the truth is often stranger than chaos.

• Self-cooking birds; also explosive
• 100-200 words
• A chance crossbreed between the common Meleagris gallopavo and a phoenix, the Selfroast Turkey has developed a unique symbiotic relationship with its local predators thanks to the latent fire magics that activate differently depending on the manner of its death.

• Manifests to comfort the despairing
• 300 words
• To act in accordance with one's cutie mark is to live the full joy of life, and to be unable is an existence of torment. But ponies, through age or injury or social disapproval, are too often relegated to this slow death of spirit. It is said that those near the end of life, for whom friends, family and purpose have long disappeared, may be visited by a ghost of their cutie mark, to talk of the better times.

• Because someone had to
• 200-300 words
• Opportunistic and morally unsavoury hunters nearly drove the narwhal to extinction for its scissors before they remembered that ponies couldn't actually use them.

Word Count: 450-ish

Surprising Fact: Despite appearing in the legends and mythologies of nearly every advanced civilization, there are very few agreed upon facts about the Raalbast, if it exists at all. The only recurring features that the legends agree on is that it is very long, very fast, and never stops moving.

Evensong Specters

• harmonious songs given form
• <200 words
• Like many others, [old singer] noticed "instrumental backing without source" and "faint images, dancing to the harmonies" during, and sometimes lingering after spontaneous musical performances. Her claim that these were "corporeal harmony spirits struggling to stay coherent beings under an onslaught of dissonant ambient noise" largely was ignored by scholars of the time, until [some explorer] discovered a tribe of [old singer's] evensong specters occupying a deep cavern in the frozen north. According to his expedition log they played their own grand symphony on instruments made of ice, were delighted when he joined them on his flute, but quickly evicted him from their cavern after he hit a wrong note.

They've put up a tent in my head since I read about this project, but I've seen a couple entries playing with music already. If this isn't one too many they can probably be somehow related to Orbiting Kettle's syncopats..
6614308

Since this one 6614652 is an insect, and apparently you're getting a lot of them... well, I'll leave it out there, because I like the idea, and you might still be willing to entertain it, but I'll try for a few more to see if any of them would fill out a more well-rounded roster. Do any of these fill a needed niche?

Name: Airobic Bacterium
Summary: Symbiotic microbes enable pegasus flight
Word Count: ~300
Factoid: An evolutionary replacement for vigorous wing preening, these bacteria metabolize material that builds up on feathers and inhibits the flow of magic enabling flight, and modern pegasi have become dependent on them; unfortunately, about 1 in 25,000 pegasi have a natural immunity to them

Name: Bumbleweed
Summary: Semi-sapient plant looking for friends
Word Count: ~250
Factoid: These herd-dwelling plants can assume the likeness of any creature they've encountered, but they prefer ponies and will simulate a crowd of them to lure one into a social situation and feed off its voice, which is harmless to the pony. They are often the source of the "marefriend I met on vacation and who lives far away" reports offered by adolescents.

Name: Animal once described by P.T. Barn
Summary: Mythical lizards that create illusions
Word Count: ~350
Factoid: Chameleon-like lizards that band together to create mirages to preferentially draw small prey or lead pones to safety—one P.T. Barn claimed to have captured and tamed a group of the mythical beasts to perform at his shows, but shortly after the Nightmare Moon myth arose, he recanted and denied any knowledge of their existence.

I'm back! Sorry for the sudden silence; I've been away from my home -- and my computer -- for the last week or so. I'm just coming here now to check how the thread is going, 'cause I hadn't settled up yet.

I'll edit between tomorrow and the day next, so keep entries incoming (though keep in mind, as more and more entries come, we get more prissy, because you have more competition; make sure to check Horizon's guide.

6617858

I'm afraid this one is a no. While the idea is great -- and I like that it's a toad! Thank God for the lack of insects -- we already have the bookworm and the semiotic moth as things that work with history and words and secrets and shit. It's not absolutely identical, but it's definitely in the same metaphysical space, and with two entries in there already, better to err on the side of safety.

6618093

Accepted!

6619364

...Weird shit, but alright, this one passes. Go at it, let's see where you go.

6619522

This one's on hold till your first entry is done with the editing and whatnot. Sorry if we haven't checked the first one out yet -- horizon and I were both kinda busy; bit of patiente and we'll get to it.

6620652

I'm drawing a hard line against instect or arthropods at the moment, so this one's a no.

6621670

All entries on hold till we get around to your xolotlol entry (I don't know if Horizon has looked at it yet, but I haven't, so lemme check it first).

6622245

On hold till sulkworm is done.

6623704

Ditto; hold something something other entries something something I'm checking the excel as we speak. We'll get back to all these entries once everything is sorted out? But I'm not gonna lie: just came back here, and I wanna wrap up the thread before I start editing to make sure there are no loose, uh.

Threads.

Y'all get me.

6624771

On hold till the entry already written is done -- boy I'm being mean in this post aren't I.

6624547

I'm really, really sorry -- but this is a no, too. Overlaps with the other musical animals, and there's a lot of overpopulation there (over PM someone submitted an entry that's sadly similar to that one, like, a week ago or so; for personal reasons they didn't want to post in here and we never got around to announce it, sorry).

I think that's all? That's all. Tomorrow it'll be a hard-editing day so if you've sent your entry already, wait for the comments! We'll try to be as helpful as possible and only moderately annoying.

Aragón out!

6624547
I do want to encourage you (and others who got a no) to submit another idea, though!

It's hard being an editor sometimes, and seeing ideas that clearly have some good thought put into them — and knowing that at this moment, that one particular story doesn't meet our needs, and knowing that sending a rejection for that reason might still get taken as a sign of lack of interest. It's not! We're thrilled that we're getting people's minds going; we just need entries a little further afield, so that we don't start stacking up duplicates.

6625543
It's cool. The work as a whole has to come first. I'll definitely get back to you two if I come up with something else I'm excited about.

6625524

So:

6626203
You're good to go! I did one more pass for formatting on Peregranite, but it was quite solid in terms of content

Requested edits made. Ready for inspection:

6626660

OK!

Finished the edits for my first entry, so I'm here to reserve a second one.

Description
Lives in the stems of garden plants

Word Count
150 - 250

Fact
Shy and gentle, these small creatures are usually found swimming in the stems of garden plants. Can be communicated via singing to the plants they're inhabiting, though only the masters of the art could utilize it to ensure their gardens are the healthiest and most beautiful in all of the continent.

Given the recent guidelines, let's try this again with Tiger Lilies Mk.2, now with half the calories and all the flavor.

Question: What if I have an idea for a canon creature, but the entry is explicitly inaccurate based on what we know from canon, yet would make sense in the context that this is written in-universe some decades before canon events?

6628446
Sorry for the latency -- all it takes is for horizon and I to assure each other that "oh no, absolutely, I'm free now, I can spend the whole weekend at the computer taking care of the anthology" for the fucking Universe to throw as much shit at us as inhumanly possible. For like the third time in a row I say that I'm gonna go and edit the shit out of some entries as soon as I get back to the laptop and can access the excel; let's see if this one FUCKING STICKS.

That aside, regarding your question -- so far canon creatures are out, no matter what. The idea of describing something that's completely inaccurate to the canon of the show is interesting, but horizon and I have like, a structure in mind for this shit, and I feel much more comfortable if we make no exceptions because if we do -- where do we draw the line?

Once we let people do canon shit, then yeah, you can pitch this idea. So far, though, I'm afraid I'll have to give you a no.

6631713
Understandable. I meant, of course, once we get to the canon creatures. I know it sounds odd, but there's some rather clever reasons and it'll make a lot more sense once you hear the pitch (somewhen in the future).

Entry for The Peryton is completed.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12fKxl_oxAi_WrE2dK7tM0D5q6wK1P_nw7OIHYs4yB9s/edit?usp=sharing

Some new references I've used:
Prances Birding (CE 821-890), famed explorer, scholar, translator, linguist, spy, and feather collector.
Based on: Sir Richard Francis Burton

Ptalon the Wise, ancient griffon philosopher and famed teacher of Aristrottle.
Based on: Plato

The Great Library of Al’Ecsandrei
By extension: Al’Ecsandre the Great, founder of the Zebrican coastal city of Al’Ecsandrei
Based on: The Great Library of Alexandria, Alexander the Great
These are all a tangential reference to Al'Ecsei

Still not sure:

Cats with gastrointestinal knitting abilities.

200-300 Words.

Though the copycat is outwardly indistinguishable from ordinary house cats, the hairballs it produces are, inexplicably, fully-formed replications of various fabric products. Check your laundry basket for an unaccountable extra sock every so often to verify if your beloved pet is actually a copycat.

The Wish Golem

• a sentient lump of wishes
• 100 - 150 words
• After decades of trying to build animated pony machines useful for more than basic farm work, archmage Starcatcher managed to create the first documented artificial consciousness by infusing a statue with residue of past ponies' wishes collected from the magic field of Heyley's Comet. The wish golem stayed in its creators service until it decided to act on its yearning for 'a good harvest' and become a farmer.

6621749
I started giving group feedback and was told to knock it off, so... maybe not?

6641662
I'd say continue. I've been desperately waiting for any sort of feedback from anyone for nearly two weeks. The mods/organizers are busy (which is understandable; real life has to take priority) so who else can we all turn to but each other? I have two more entries effectively fully written, but they haven't even been approved yet because no one is doing reviews, critiques, or criticisms on the existing entries.

6641691
The best I can do is give mechanical/stylistic guidance, but the admins don't want me giving feedback on content, for the most part, because they don't want anyone taking my word as official. So I don't want to spend time making suggestions, only to have the author later told to ignore those, which has already happened. Really, all I'm willing to do right now is a proofreading sweep, and even that is of limited value when everyone's likely going to be asked to rewrite passages to bring it in line with the source material.

And re: waiting on feedback, I was one of the earliest to submit a draft, and nobody's looked at mine yet, whereas some have had their entries rechecked, cleared, and authorized to start a second, so I well know that some people will do a lot of waiting.

6641691

I've been desperately waiting for any sort of feedback from anyone for nearly two weeks.

Shit, what? I'm super sorry to hear that. I'm looking at the story tracker and it seems that I marked you as "edited by horizon", but if you tell me that you haven't actually gotten feedback, that's a mistake on our part. Sorry! I'm looking into your thing right now to make up for that.

6634904
Fuck it, I actually like it a lot. I'm wondering if you should add line-breaks after each quotation? But yeah, that one works, it goes up.

6638450
Huh. Intriguing. This one makes it -- post the GDocs here as soon as you get it done.

6635266
This one makes it too! The name's pretty fun, too, I'm weak to puns. Will be waiting for the entry.

6644152
Thanks for the feedback, though you unfortunately went to the link to the original draft.
The whole thing was reworked from scratch after the "Glowing Green Rodent" example.
The correct version was reposted later and can be found here: Tiger Lilies Mk.2

6644270
God dammit.

Well, I'll change the link in the story tracker too, no problem. I've started with the second version, though I'll continue a bit later today since duty calls --give me two hours or so.