Chapter 21: Celestia
The next few hours of travel were less eventful for Velar than he would have expected. Once the doctor had arrived and inspected his wounds, Starlight explained that she would take some much-needed rest. She would return here once they arrived in Canterlot, to help with his transfer to the hospital there.
“How long am I going to be like this?” he asked, to the pony he trusted, not the doctor.
Starlight only shrugged. “I’ve never seen someone get a bullet in the chest before. Not until the doctors say it’s safe for you to move around. I know they put in two-dozen thaumic sutures to hold your gut together—that’s more than if you’d had open-heart surgery.”
“Heart surgery. You mean… killed?” Velar couldn’t quite comprehend what she was implying. Heart wounds were fatal, he knew that.
“No, it’s…” Starlight struggled for words, the same way she often did whenever she had something that radically separated their cultures to try and explain. “Well, sometimes a foal’s heart isn’t shaped right. Sometimes older ponies have trouble with their hearts. An open-heart surgery is when doctors cut the pony open, then stop the heart so they can work on it. They use a complicated spell to keep the pony’s blood moving… and you have no idea what I’m talking about.”
Velar was indeed staring at her with incredulity, but not because he hadn’t heard her. “There’s no way. I know that Equestrian ponies are capable of magic, but that… that’s impossible. You couldn’t cut someone to the heart and expect them to survive.”
“That’s what your necromancer said about healing your shot to the stomach,” Starlight answered, a little of her old wit returning to her voice. “But here you are.”
“We can heal it just fine,” he argued. “It’s just… there’s a price. A price I wasn’t willing to pay. I appreciate the old magic, but I was raised in house Virtue. There’s no virtue in asking someone else to die for me.”
Starlight looked away from him. It looked like she was on the edge of tears, though Velar couldn’t imagine why. “No, there isn’t. You did the right thing.” She left, then.
Velar got a few more visitors in the next few days. Mostly doctors and nurses. They would wash him, or feed him, or check on his bandages, and be surprisingly polite about the whole thing. He caught a few dark remarks about necromancy here and there, generally mixed with whispered praise for having refused it. He learned from one nurse that it had been a matter of some pride for the surgeon, who had worked for no less than twenty-two straight hours sewing his insides back up.
Velar asked to see the stallion to thank him in person, as was the virtuous thing to do. Eventually the unicorn arrived—almost as tall as a griffon but probably a forth the weight, looking like not enough pony stretched over too many bones. “I owe you a debt of blood,” Velar said, as soon as he arrived. “For your service to me and house Velar. I intend to repay.”
The doctor, Stables, shook his head incredulously. “If you want to pay me back, when you go back to that city, you can tell the other barbarians that we aren’t living in the dark ages anymore. Tell them they can keep their blood in their bodies and still get the treatment they need.” He left without much else exchanged between them, leaving Velar dissatisfied. That was insufficient repayment, to be sure. He would have to find some other way—something to give to the doctor or at least Equestria in general worth the weight of an heir’s life. His father would probably know the way.
But Velar couldn’t get in touch with him. The mail service, like everything else between Equestria and Accipio, had been suspended until every remaining pony in griffon territory was released. Where Starlight Glimmer had been polite and understanding, Princess Celestia was ruthless and absolute. She required nothing less than submission on the matter of her subjects. Velar wondered what her demands had been, wondered what his royal parents would do, but he could not ask.
That left him in a difficult position in more ways than that, and he knew it. Technically, griffons were being required to return to the territory they’d been given, and would not be able to leave again until they proved that they personally owned no pony slaves. Velar owned nothing personally, but his house must have owned thousands of slaves. Some of them were bound to be ponies. He knew of a few pegasus messengers that his father employed to deliver the most urgent communication between his generals. Their ability to do so even through the most dangerous weather made them even better for it than griffon messengers would be.
And now they weren’t going to be allowed in his household anymore, because some Equestrian princess who didn’t understand their ways thought an arbitrary word on the end of their name meant they weren’t respected? The ponies were so ignorant it infuriated him. They were so powerful—they could apparently even repair a damaged heart without killing the one who suffered—yet they didn’t understand the most basic way to tie a society together.
He even tried to explain it to Starlight Glimmer when she next came to visit, using much more detail and patience than he ever had before. It was a subject not suited for polite conversation, but they’d long since gone beyond that.
“Look—being called a slave is just another way for a non-relative to have a place in a great house. A pony who lived in Accipio alone could be a freeman, but that would mean no representation in big decisions, no protection from new laws, no ability to do business with most of the houses that would be their best clients.
“So he could join one of those houses—sell himself and his services. Suddenly he’d be represented. He’d have a lord to look out for his interests, to protect him from unfair laws, to negotiate contracts with other clients. If you forced us to free him, his life would get worse, not better. I know you’re well-meaning… but you haven’t thought about what you’re asking for will actually do.”
Starlight Glimmer had been unmoved. “Maybe there are some like that,” she said. “But are you telling me every slave in Accipio likes where they are? Are you really going to say the ones mucking gutters and digging ditches want to be there?”
The answer to that question was obvious, and they both knew it. It wasn’t an argument he could win.
The Stalwart Stratus stopped more than once, though no one would tell Velar why or how long it would be until they arrived. He could see guards outside his door, too—they weren’t standing right outside, but they were always visible, always within reach. The ponies who watched him did so as though they were afraid he might change his mind and try to fight his way out at any moment.
He didn’t, obviously. They hadn’t broken the treaty—neither side had, though the ponies seemed to have some disagreement on that point. So far as he knew, his father had no intention of breaking it either. When they gave their word, that was the end. Ponies were strange creatures—to Velar, finding out whether a prisoner was going to try and escape was as simple as asking them. If they wouldn’t answer, or said that they would, you guarded them. Otherwise, you could save resources and they could save face.
Even a house Vengeance bird could be trusted to keep their word, so far as the words they used. Manipulating you into thinking they had promised more than they actually did, however…
Are we any better? We basically did that to Equestria to stop from giving up our pony slaves.
After a few more days and a few more stops, Velar got his first visitor who wasn’t a doctor or Starlight Glimmer.
She entered completely unannounced, without fanfare or guards. Princess Celestia strode through his door, flanked by a few frightened-looking soldiers who were soon shut on the other side. Princess Celestia hadn’t brought anyone with her. No advisors, no guards.
It was a very griffon thing to do, and Velar found he instantly respected her for it. What kind of weakling would need guards to see a bird who had been stitched together by magic and still owed you a life debt? Not Princess Celestia.
Velar tried to sit up in his bed, or at least look a little more respectable. He couldn’t sit up—even if he wasn’t tied down anymore, he was still weak. Motion that was too sudden was very likely to tear something.
Princess Celestia saw his attempt, and raised a dismissive wing. “No need, Prince Velar. I understand the injuries you have suffered. The greatest respect you can give me is to tell the truth.”
“I always do that,” he said, without malice. “There’s no virtue in deception. A lie warps the world we live in, and eventually warps the one who tells it. Only what is true is virtuous.” He didn’t bother correcting her about his name—ponies seemed to need their titles. It would probably be easier for her if she thought he had one too.
Princess Celestia didn’t say anything to that, not for a long time. Eventually she sat back on her haunches, sighing deeply. “It is a shame we have come to this. I had hoped—your father seemed so determined for peace. He seemed determined to cooperate with Equestria. This is the story Starlight Glimmer told me.”
“It’s the truth!” he exclaimed, without hesitation. “We’ve followed all of your instructions! We’ve done everything we could to make sure the treaty was implemented faithfully!”
Princess Celestia glared at him. “You promised me the truth, Velar. Yet already you say things I know cannot be true. You did not implement the treaty faithfully—you tricked us into accepting something that Equestria simply can’t abide. We were so concerned with supervising the climate that we neglected the weakest and most defenseless members of our species. This is a mistake we intend to correct, promptly.”
“I fear you may need to go to war for it, Princess,” Velar said, his voice as flat as anything else he’d said so far. It wasn’t a threat. “The citizens of Accipio have already given up the majority of their wealth. For many families, a single slave would be all they owned. The result of many years of struggling and saving. Asking a family like mine to give up one slave in fifty is nothing. But what if that slave is all they have?”
Princess Celestia was as unmoved as he was. “War is something Equestria does not desire. But we refuse to accept this condition for our ponies. Our society protects its members.” She met his eyes with a glare. “We have already suspended trade with all griffon territory, and recalled every pony working there. We have sent back every griffon who was visiting Equestria. Will these measures be sufficient to convince your father to part with his slaves?”
Velar shook his head. “You could march into his house and ask him to give up one of its rooms, and you would have more success.”
“That’s what you expected of us,” Celestia replied. “Equestria gave you what you asked. We wish to resolve this peacefully, if we can. A war is something neither side can afford. Every laborer who is killing isn’t growing food, and harvests are slim. How many slaves do you think there are, across all griffon territory?”
Velar thought about it. “Perhaps… ten thousand. In each of the clans’ territory. Four times that across every city.”
“Forty thousand,” Princess Celestia repeated, looking away. “It is a good thing my subjects do not know of this. They would not give me the choice of war, Velar. I don’t think griffons appreciate how unacceptable this is. I know from Starlight Glimmer that you are wiser than you seem, or at least your family is. Find me a way to prevent a war.”
“Buy them?” Velar suggested.
The Equestrian princess turned away from him, obviously frustrated. “We considered that. But your prices for slaves aren’t based on the market, they’re arbitrary. Apparently chosen to make it impossible for any of them to earn their freedom. Buying that many would cost more than a city. Even if we had the gold in all the treasuries of Equestria, more than that would starve as a result. It is not possible.”
Velar shook his head. “You asked for the truth, Princess of Equestria. I tell you the truth—the great houses will not give up their slaves for nothing. If you want them that badly, you must take them. It is the only way.”
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So he's not as oblivious and stupid as he acts-
Nevermind.
Well... There will be lots of verbal hoof/claw twisting in the future I think.
Well, a bunch of teleporting unicorns should be able to make a pretty effective underground railroad. And hey, now both sides can pretend they're sticking to the letter of the agreement while ignoring the intent.
Slavery as a system would work if people were not bastards, but if people were not bastards it would also not be a necessary system. It is far too rife for abuse, no matter how many laws you put on it to try to prevent those abuses; by the time you put in enough laws to stop it from being abused, it's not slavery anymore.
The question is how long will it take for the griffons to realize this?
Also why isn't Celestia coming down on the Griffons for breaking the OTHER part of the treaty: NO GUNS!?
8837768
She's probably not bringing it up because she knows the houses will claim some singular Griffins snuck in firearms on their own, and none of the houses had anything to do with it, and are frankly offended by such an accusation.
The defense for slavery seems to be that their laws and power systems are so fundamentally broken that trying to go it as a freeman is basically impossible. Because all of the power is concentrated among the great houses, and the law actively discriminates against a freeman.
...that's hardly a ringing endorsement for the current system, even when it's working as intended.
I fell a bit annoyed about how polarizing is this story: ponies = too nice; griphons = too stupid evil (even the few non evil gryphons are still kinda stupid).
Is too much to ask for a few racist equestrians politicians suggesting gryphons must be expelled after freeing their slaves, or conquered "for their own good"... all while giving several valid points?
What about a few open minded gryphons philosophers o teachers trying to break up or change the traditions they thing are hindrances for their society, for good or for bad?
Wow Velar, you are so blinded by your culture. Is keeping pony slaves really worth all this hassle. You are already on trouble enough that some house broke the no guns but this a big one. And note, they are only asking for the pony slaves not all. Something they could have asked. At this point many would be saying they should have let the empire die when the the volcano blew.
8837768
Never. Thats the entire social justification for slavery.
If there are "laws" regulating slavery, why WOULDN'T you be a slave owner? You're following the "law"! You're a "good guy"! There are "laws" preventing you from doing "bad things"! Therefore, as long as you follow the "law", you can do anything you want to your slaves and still be a "good guy"!
As for the story itself, each chapter is a real hit or miss.
If push came to shove, Celestia could always write Ember and ask her to stop by and have a word with the gryphons.
Were the griffins ever faced with a war of attrition?
Even if they could launch an assault they don't have the ressources for a prolonged war.
They may end up in the same position germany found itself in Russia during the second world war.
Equestria has a far greater population and better medicine to save wounded soldiers even from black powder weapons like in Velars case.
The griffins may have more experienced troops but germany had those too and still failed.
They like being slaves so much, nobody enters the gladiator ring to earn their freedom!
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8837849
8837706
Facepalm: The Musical. That's Velar's current situation. He's slowly getting better, though.
8837714
Better than necktwisting and stabbing.
8837768
It's quite clear that the gun is the work of a rogue faction. Investigation is needed to ensure it wasn't brought about by the ruling house but you can't blame the ruling power anymore than you can blame a government for the actions of a terrorist attack.
8837851
Not so much really. Remember the ponies are only riled up about pony slavery. It's not a general condemnation of slavery but self-interest. They are TOLERANT of slavery. That shows they are either pragmatic at best (to avoid war) or racist at worst. The griffons for all their flaws haven't stabbed the Equestrians in the back. As it was said they manipulated the Equestrians into thinking they were giving more than they were required of. Shifty yes but not treaty breaking. Now we can get to the interesting part. Diplomacy.
8837851
Continuing on the Griffons are pretty masterful in the art of deception in diplomacy. They managed to trick the equestrians (whom they consider master diplomats themselves).
They are narrow-minded and ignorant but they are pragmatic. With diplomacy they might be able to extract more from the Equestrians using the pony slaves as a bargaining chip.
What if the griffons kill all the pony slaves before they can be rescued or use them as hostages?
There is no good way out of this situation. Even if the ponies 'win', it would cripple them going forward.
Noticeable here is also that he only talks about the ponies who sell themselves into slavery.
But how many ponies moved from Equestria to Accipio just to sell themselves into slavery? How many, rather than moving there and selling themselves, were captured and sold there?
Velar has been dancing around the subject of captured slaves for some time now.
8837726
Steal slaves and bring them to The North where slavery is outlawed and every body is free!
Escape to The North!
For Liberty and Equality!
8838003
A deal would work out.
Exchange the slaves for goods or other resources. Favors maybe.
The ponies get what they want. The griffons won't be humiliated and get something out of it. Everyone wins.
8838041
That's true. I wonder if the ponies that do sell themselves willingly are exempt?
8838140
The first question you should ask is "why would any pony move to Accipio if their only future there is to sell themselves into slavery?" Because I'm pretty sure the answer to that is "they wouldn't", which means those pony slaves got into Accipio through other means.
8838151
There are so many ways to take and interpret the statement of one selling themselves, some more nefarious than others.
But then there's another question to consider. How many pony slaves were actually sold into such by their families, perhaps while they were still foals?
8838151
Those desperate enough probably would. There may also be ponies born in accipio that do not trust the equestrians.
8838207
That's a possibility too.
8837883
Some enter the ring for freedom. Others enter the ring to earn glory to themselves and their house as well.
Objectively, the griffons are following the treaty. They just don't understand why this is so upsetting to the Equestrians.
8837878
It's not ww2. Think cold war.
The griffons will lose but they can flip the table and drive the equestrians to the edge even with all their advantages. Simply because the equestrians cannot effectively balance their resources between feeding themselves and preparing for war due to the eruption.
Its mutually assured destruction.
8838133
Celestia already explained that it's not possible. Accipio won't allow it. They're setting the prices deliberately too high to buy them freedom. And that's not even going into how untrustworthy Accipio has been so far.
8838291
Velar is starting to realise why they're upset. He's getting the first glimpes behind the façade of his people's arrogance to see the self-serving deceptions for what they are.
Also, how does that make it any better? Not all of them go there to win freedom, well, no wonder, only a tiny bunch actually get freedom. You can look forward to some rewards if you win "your" house honour, but you're still a slave. You can't leave.
If the slaves are supposedly so content being slaves, then surely they wouldn't choose to leave for Equestria if given the choice. Hey, I know! Let's ask them! If Velar is right, surely none of them would want to leave!
8838041
Then there's the children of slaves to consider. What happens to a foal born to pony slaves in Accipio? Is it enslaved in turn? Are they raised as free citizens in orphanages? I can't see the latter option happening, to be honest. My gut tells me they're made slaves just like their parents. And I want to see Velar pressed on this. He only wants to see what's comfortable to him, but the more he learns, the more he gets a hint that what they're doing is actually terrible.
8838378
Pay for the slaves not with money but something else. Expertise, other resources. And they're untrustworthy depending on how well the treaty binds them. They won't stab you in the back but you make sure your treaty is locked up tight.
In regards to arrogance and self serving delusions we've only really seen velars naive view of things. His father may have a different view. He's definitely not as ignorant or arrogant as his son. I suspect he's playing politics to get what he wants.
No, slaves don't benefit from helping their house. Then again, it's hard to quantify the personal benefits to risking your life in a military operation other than patriotism unless your nation is literally at deaths door. It's ingroup-outgroup politics.
"Primitive Equestrian magic."
How about the land you griffons are squatting on at the moment. Whatever you paid for it already was clearly not enough.
8837828
The treaty wasn't "none of the major houses can bring guns", it was "no guns, period". Individuals sneaking guns into the new territory are still violating the treaty, even if it isn't the griffon society as a whole violating it.
Wow! Velar really can't see the wood from trees, can he.
Should be "fourth".
Hmm. A glimmer in the darkness, if nothing else.
8837849
I think that that's a very good summation. By Velar's own admission, there are massive advantages to being in a noble house:
But the implication here is that a freeman would not have access to any of these things. A freeman would have no representation, no protection from unfair laws, and evidently would have difficulty in negotiating contracts or protecting their interests as well -- and by what we've seen, there'd be no way of obtaining these things for someone without the political clout of the nobility. Accipio is a society where all the power, all the ability to effect change, is concentrated in the great houses. By incident or by design, free, clanless people have no possible way to improve their lot or protect themselves -- the only way to achieve any significant measure of safety and ability to navigate society is to be part of a house, and the only way to be part of a house if you aren't born into it is to sell yourself into slavery.
So, yes -- Velar is right in his claim that it's often in a freeman's best interests to become a slave. This isn't very difficult to bring about, when society seems so determined to coerce freemen into that choice.
8838041
One thing I remember from chapter five is Captain Heading discussing House Vengeance's habits in regards to foreigners:
This is pretty obviously a situation where the slaves become slaves because they've been forced into it through brute force, and also obviously a situation that falls within the letter of the law if it is permitted to happen with any regularity. Even if -- and that's a very big if -- the Accipian institution of slavery started with all the good and noble intentions that Velar claims, it's clear that that is not how it actually happens.
8838620
The question is whether the gun was brought in under the ruling house's blessing. Given that it was used in an attempt to assassinate the heir of said house, it's probably safe to say it wasn't which means the legitimate authority intended to honor that part of the treaty. It was a rogue faction.
Besides, it's silly to start a war with a country over the actions of what they themselves consider a terrorist. Especially against a country that can drag you to hell with them if things go south.
It might be a violation but Celestia is clearing overlooking it. She isn't lawful stupid. She's being practical.
8838303
It's just me, but if I were writing this situation, I'd go about finding a way to get Ember involved, and by extension the dragon nation. Maybe just have her come out and explain to the gryphons that, as allies to Equestria, they're ready to lend whatever assistance is necessary to resolve the situation in a way that benefits them. Just utterly bluff the living fuck out of the birds.
8838646
Yeah that last part brings up a question I had. Velar talks about slaves being able to buy themselves out of slavery (even though as Celestia pointed out, that's not how it really ends up working.)
So how do they rationalize that part of it when someone is captured while, as the example you gave, doing their job? What do they have to pay off? There's no debt they collected, they're not trying to be 'represented' in one of the houses, they're stolen from their lives and their families for the heinous crime of not being a Griffin.
8838706
Heck if I know. Wasn't it said that accipio conquered everyone else but Equestria? If not, the griffons could probably convince griffonstone to help fight the dragons considering their increasing influence there and somewhat shaky relations between the two resulting from that school incident (if that happened in this timeline).
Ah Sunbutt, I hadn’t realized how much I missed you and your silk hiding steel.
Yeah, Accipian culture kind of sucks compared to the experience of most people reading this (probably), but this chapter drove home that they and Equestria are just set in wildly divergent ways. At least Celestia and Velar can be halfway civil about such a seemingly hopeless subject.
8838837
Probably not. Apparently, the Yaks are conquered by the Griffins in this timeline, and I feel like there wouldn't be an independent nation of Hippogriffs in this situation either.
If your government system is crappy enough that an unaffiliated freeman's only means of survival is to become a slave, that's not a system worth upholding.
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That would mean they were born into slavery, which... really doesn't help Velar's "but it's their own choice" argument.
8838291
Oh they're not stupid, they understand Equestria's grievances plenty. Velar might not, but Velar is still young and hasn't been in the field of international politics as his parents have been so his cultural view is limited to Accipio. But ultimately what he points out is true: Releasing all pony slaves would gut gryphon society, so there was no way for them to acquiescence to Equestria's demands and they resorted to playing the 'technically we didn't lie' game in order to protect their society.
8838655
Said gun was part of the equipment of a tournament of one of the main houses. That means either incompetence or intent from one of those houses, neither of which is a good sign. Celestia might not make it a public issue, but if they have one working gun they can easily have more so it is something she has to prepare for.
8839146
If upholding that system keeps peace in a crisis then it may be a necessary evil.
8838890
It's not hopeless. Real life earth had diplomatic situations far FAR worse than this and we've got out of it. They just need to compromise.
8839401
Yeah that first part is definitely true. Damn velar's naive views. Though I do want to know how his father thinks. It gives better insight on the ruling authority's reasons for this.
If releasing those slaves is so damaging then it would be make sense why they're going through the "we didn't lie" argument. They needed the equestrians to be as receptive as possible. But it was so dangerous and this is the result. It might have been better off for starlight to have overlooked this regardless of her personal and legal obligation to report it. It may not be nice but at least everyone is coming out alive.
As for the gun...
Equestria cannot prepare for that if it's true that they have more. They must avoid war. They are so afraid of it that it was banned in the treaty. That means it's an effective tool against ponies. The griffons may not appreciate the displeasure equestrians have for keeping pony slaves but the equestrians dont appreciate the sort of killing power griffons probably have and are clearly growing at this point. It's not a thing you can effectively enforce in a treaty anymore. That you can take action against. Not when they can push you off the edge.
8839451
On the contrary, Starlight messaging a breach of the treaty, even 'only' in the spirit, was absolutely necessary. Not just for the ethical point of not wanting Ponies to remain enslaved any longer, but because not doing so when the breach was clearly discovered would send a sign that this is something acceptable to do and would result in Accipio repeating the action. What would the next 'technically we didn't lie' breach be? Something with guns? Raiding Equestrian storehouses for food? Capturing new pony slaves? Invading Equestrian territory? Slippery slopes are dangerous for a reason.
8839463
I know. It's a balancing act between avoiding appeasement and avoiding war. It would have been much easier for the equestrians if the eruption didn't happen. But as it stands, the griffons greatest enemy turned out to be its greatest ally. They can flip the table and end everyone through starvation.
There are no easy solutions here. There may possibly be no moral ones either.
The griffins first mistake is that theyre so DEPENDANT on slaves to do ANYTHING
Their second was their deception when it came to giving up the pony slaves
Lets not forget that apparently someone snuck some of their firearms in as well, and thats going to only make things WORSE
8839532
The gryphon's ally? I'd argue the opposite. War requires funds, food and resources. Soldiers need to be paid, weapons need ammunition and parts to be maintained and both soldiers and the workers producing said ammunition and parts need to eat. Accipio has none of these in abundance. Yes, guns are dangerous, even to ponies given how Equestria sees them as a threat. But a gun can run out of bullets or gunpowder. Its pieces degrade as they re used and need to be maintained or replaced. To wage war when you have no infrastructure to support that war is to wage a losing war before you even got started. And Accipio's infrastructure is currently either buried under rock and lava or still being constructed.
Equestria doesn't want war because as Celestia rightly points out war is going to be costly on both sides regardless of who wins, and Equestria wants to avoid loss of life in any way possible. But if the gryphons go to war, they will have to strike hard and fast and take as much as they can in the initial struggle, hopefully destroying enough as they do so of what they can't capture to delay Equestria. Because if they get stalled and it turns into a war of attrition, the gryphons will not have the infrastructure to keep going.
8839451
Until the volcanic eruption, there was no crisis that could be justifying this slavery. The griffons were just running around, conquering the known world and also being a crappy enough society that you can't actually live a sustainable life if you don't have the right surname. Besides, how does incentivizing the sacrifice of all one's rights keep peace? It leads to a demoralized and unmotivated population that you're also malnourishing and treating like garbage.
8840010
I meant the eruption is an ally in as a tool of diplomacy and negotiation. War is more or less a murder-suicide pact. No one wins. If the eruption didn't occur but for some reason the griffons still needed to flee to equestria then yes, equestria can force the griffons however they please. But the fact that the eruption happened means that war is unacceptable in everything but the most desperate of circumstances. War is suicidal for everyone. But the threat of war itself is a good negotiating tool for the griffons.
8840021
Of course there's no justification for slavery before the crisis. It's an evil empire. But think about it. If the emperor releases those slaves in exchange for a return of the status quo before the ultimatum, then it will be seen as a loss and humiliation for the griffons. The emperor's already on thin ice with his people. It won't take long before a challenger might actually win and take over. And then a stupid war starts. But the Equestrian people won't accept anything less than the slaves release.
They need to trade something for the slaves. The griffons are holding a grenade without a pin. Intimidation is not likely to work. Besides, the Equestrians are already sacrificing their morals for peace. Just ask the nonpony slaves. It's a dysfunctional system for sure. But in these times adhering to your morals may possibly make things worse.
8840266
To a degree. As we see in this chapter, there limits to how far ponies will go to avoid war. And knowing Accipio keeps over forty thousand pony slaves is noted by Celestia to be enough to push them beyond those limits. The gryphons seem intent on playing this game by their rules, but it looks like Equestria is going to start putting down some rules of their own.
Plus, while Velar and his isolated knowledge and a zebra slave are admittedly a poor sample group, the gryphons don't seem to have as good a grasp on Equestria's magical and technological level as they think. The eagerness for war for some parties may be partially driven by culture, but there seems to be a great deal of overconfidence as well. If -and this is a big if- Equestria is more powerful than the gryphons realize, then a might end up far worse for the gryphons than they currently realize.
8840442
To be honest we don't really have a good grasp on how resilient equestria is now even with their technological and magical advantages. All we know they're the only ones in the world to repel the griffons and a future war will see the destruction of new accipio and some unknown amount of damage to equestria that's at the least severe enough to give Celestia chills. I'd like to see more clarification of the results of such a war.
The emperor apparently thinks its worth the risk to upset them. I really want his perspective on the matter. Velar is just a child. The emperor understands. Out of everyone he should know how an equestrian thinks. He isn't as arrogant as the other griffons. What's his plan? Also if the griffons do go to war he should be in charge. No arrogant suicidal mass wave attacks for him!
And losing 40000 slaves. Don't know the population numbers but I doubt it will fare well with accipio. No one's gonna throw away 40000 of anything without getting something in return. Especially in these times.
8840705
They "threw 40,000 pony slaves away" when they were given pony land to squat on during a volcanic apocalypse. It was part of the price of said land in the first place. Don't get me wrong though, you're right in that the griffins are effectively holding a live grenade in this situation they've created. But that they are expecting to spend at least ten years, quite probably longer, sitting smug, stern, and defiant with 40,000 pony slaves against the spirit of the treaty, and the will of their hosts, is absurd.
A conflict is, unfortunately, all but inevitable, and it's entirely on the heads of the griffins. I've said this previously, but I need to say it again: The griffins are going to lose badly if/when the grenade goes off. Equestria will likewise win badly, but they'll win. And when the volcanic ash settles and the climate normalizes, the only griffins left will be those that surrendered.
8840705
The Emperor likely did it with the idea of political stability in mind. House Vengeance already was dead set against this treaty and poised to just invade Equestria and take what they needed. Caving in to the demand to release over 40.000 slaves would have given Vengeance tremendous support.
But unless this is part of a greater plan, this has now backfired tremendously and is backing the gryphons of Accipio into a corner.
And while the existence of a live gun has so far gone unmentioned, I'm pretty sure Celestia isn't just tossing the incident aside. Oh sure, the houses can jump high and low claiming it was the act of a rogue, but after just showing they are fully willing to deceive Equestria why would anyone believe them? Hell why should anyone believe them?
8841322
8840705
Do note how forty-thousand slaves doesn't have to mean forty-thousand pony slaves. It could also be hearing Newcippio keeps forty-thousand slaves of any kind, on top of weaseling their way out of releasing what ponies they keep captive, is enough to push Equestria to war.
As for the Emperor being smarter than his son... maybe. Velar was established as having undergone an unusually sophisticated degree of education. Maybe what glimpses of insight he shows truly is the height of that. That he seems incapable/unwilling to understand that setting up a system where everything non-Griffon can be enslaved in a whim and only Griffon slaves have a real shot at buying themselves free is deeply upsetting to anything not a Griffon tells us a lot about how self-centered and self-serving their worldview is.
You know, I really want Starlight to ask Velar something; namely, if she should be enslaved by the Griffons. I want to hear him answer that. Because if he says yes, it shows slavery is more important than friendship to him. If he says no, then the followup would be 'why not'? What makes Starlight more special than all those other pony slaves?