DOOM of Griffonstone!

by ShadowStar_IMHP

Intermission 4: Notes on Crystalline life, and Dragons.

Notes: Crystalline life forms

The crystalline life forms are not native to this world. They were in a chunk of debris from the rogue planet that disrupted Equis orbit. The impact site in the center of Equestria the crystals themselves form the center of Canterhorn.

Each cluster functions as a hive mind, the larger the crystal cluster the more intelligence it has. At what point does a cluster develops sentience and sapience I have yet to determined, nor do I know if each species develops differently.

Identified species and classifications.

1. Canterhorn cluster crystal species. This is primary still the original life form with evolutionary changes for Equis. The prime cluster is vastly intelligent but processing thoughts as we know them is very slow. Its native habitat was often cold and only endured heat when nearing a star. Adapted for long-term survival on an otherwise lifeless world this species spends countless years in suspended animation, similar to how tardigrades can endure long periods of inactivity.

   1. Tree of Harmony offshoot species, this cluster was altered by the Pillars of Equestria. They used a “seed” from the Canterhorn cluster and imbued it with their magic. Thought primary similar to the Canterhorn cluster, the Tree of Harmony Cluster is more consciously aware of the world around it, faster thought process, and able to store and even use magic. Feats the Canterhorn Cluster hasn’t demonstrated. Like any tree what is above ground is only part of the overall life. What is underground is a fast complex of crystal roots, that reach under Ponyville. (redacted information from notes given to Starlight: We see this root complex in Season 8 Episode 22 What lies Beneath. Another example is Twilight’s Castle grew from a branch of the Tree of Harmony root system. The destruction of the Tree trunk and branches would not kill the Roots it would just grow a new tree Trunk, possible Twilight’s Castle is such a second tree of Harmony.)
   2. Variation two Crystal Empire. At this time I have no examples of Crystal Empire Gems to study. Given the descriptions, I believe the Crystal Ponies also altered a “Seed” from the Canterhorn cluster to grow the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Heart functions much like an Element of Harmony. The Heart is imbued with new LOVE magic during the Crystaling ceremony. At this time this is still speculation.

2. Stone Clusters a version of the crystalline life form diverged greatly from the Canterhorn cluster. This variation lives in granite and other stones. The largest known cluster of this type is Holder’s Boulder. Unlike the Tree of Harmony species, this type does not demonstrate magical abilities, it does possess the ability to communicate to certain ponies. Holder’s Boulder maybe just selective on who it communicates to, or the members of the Pie family are unique and can just understand it.

   1. The Pie Family lives on a Rock farm growing this type of crystalline life, rolling the rocks from field to field spreads the microbes, as well as allow for greater genetic mixing of the microbe stock. The Pies also consume the microbes via Rock soup.

3. Black Crystal Clusters, just like how the Tree of Harmony Cluster was imbued with magic, Black Crystal Clusters are also affected by magic in more negative means. Appearing as dark black stone these black crystals can use the magic imbued in them to affect the outside world.

   1. Sombra black crystals, this form of crystalline life is forced to grow at a rapid pace. Feeding off the magic of Sombra they are both used as offensive and defensive weaponry by the Tyrant King. (redacted information from notes given to Starlight: A black crystal left alone can influence beings around it, inducing hallucinations of deep fear, to block magic, as seen when Shining Armor horn was infected in the cartoon.)
   2. (Redacted information from notes given to Starlight: Black Crystal Changeling Cluster. The ability block and absorb magic are somehow amplified in the cluster used as Crystalis throne. This cluster has a wide field of magical absorption only the magic Changelings use seem unaffected. It’s also possible that it kills all life in that area draining it of the very magic it needs to survive.)

4. Symbiotic Clusters. These clusters live on or in an Equis life form, as of this time I have identified one such life, as well as a second possible.

   1. The Cragadile seems to be a type of Crocodylidae, similar to a crocodile in appearance they however developed a rock-like armor. After studying the body of one such creature I have discovered the armor is a form of the Stone cluster type. It developed a symbiotic lifestyle with the Cragadiles providing extra armor and the Cragadiles act as a defensive, as well as means of transport.
   2. The second possible symbiotic pairing is the Crystal Ponies, at this time this is just speculations.

Natural Predators.

1. Dragons have developed into the natural predator of the Crystalline lifeforms. I originally believed that dragons were symbiotic with the Crystalin life, however, having studied the dragon Tinder I corrected my assumptions.

   1. Dragons hoarding is their version of rock farming. By having a stash of gems, they let the microbes multiply and grow, farming the microbes for future feedings.

   2. The Dragon Greed Growth is a defensive means of defending the Hoard from stronger Dragons. This quick growth helps younger weaker dragons fight off any threat to their food supply. Once the hoard been restored, or the perceived threat is gone the young dragon would revert to its original size.

      1. This however is instinctive and can be triggered by any greed and assumed threat to the Dragon’s hoard. (Redacted information from notes given to Starlight: For example someone taking a prized heart fire ruby from a baby dragon.)

2. Another Crystalline lifeform Preditor is the Dimond Dogs. Highly adapted to digging and their sense of smell have developed to detect large sources of gems.

   1. Unlike Dragons, they don’t horde or grow gems. Possessing minimal sapience intelligence. Dragons often threaten them and force them to dig up Gems, for themselves.

---

Dragon biology.

Dragons appear Predatory with their dagger-like teeth, armored hides, and sharp claws, the truth is these are not tools for hunting prey. Their diets are omnivorous, even more than humans.

The dagger-like teeth to cut and crush Crystal Gem Clusters, Sharp claws for digging dens as well as digging for gems.

They live in a very hostile environment compared to other carbon-based life, this is due to them having learned the heat of the volcanoes speeds up the growth of their primary food source, the crystalline life found in Equis gems. It's possible the fire breathing and higher body temperature of a dragon developed as natural means to increase the growth of the Crystalline life forms when natural heat sources aren't accessible.

Their stashes of gems grow as the microbes absorb heat (inferred radiation) much like how plants use sunlight. To resist the intense heat of the volcanoes, the dragons utilize the crystal structures of their primary food source. A dragon’s scales and hide are crystalline in makeup giving a dragon heat resistance. So much so they can easily endure the heat of lava flows.

There is a downside to this, if a dragon doesn’t consume enough crystalline life, they lose this protection. New scales come in weak and are easily broken. This is what happened to the young dragon Tinder I meet at the Ravenblood Den.

Side note: Tinder is recovering from Crystalline deficiency thanks to my supply I donated to her, for her swearing loyalty of course.

A dragon would continue to grow throughout their life. As they mature they enter long stretches of hibernation-like sleep. It is my belief they do this so their hoard of gems can grow large enough to provide a full meal.

Side Note: It very possible a dragon’s growth is directly tied to how often they get enough gems. This would explain why Spike is so small but has the same mental maturity as Tinder, and Smolder. This would take further study.

Author's Note:

A little fun post on how I imagine the Crystalline life, and how Dragons utilize them.

Comments

[Booster Spice]

One of the best write ups Ive seen about how Crystals and Dragons, though I prefer the variants where Dragons use the Mineral versions of carbon compounds instead of organic, like metal carbides, carbonyls etc, and include water the same reason lava can be relatively wet or dry, water inclusive minerals melt at lower temperatures and flow more easily? It would be intresting if they used a similar power source as PERN dragons psychic abilities, but that uses a whole bunch of obscure discoveries from the research labs and things a lot of people hate because they Cant be like that, etc.

Gem Microbes makes me think of Hermit Crabs and Crayfish or Corals, which are soft bodied and so pull minerals out of surrounding solution to form more secure cages of solid material, making Equestrian Gems effectively Silica, Alumina Coral instead of Limestone? And the classic trick of hiding diamonds in water, gives the transparent microbes floating in water bubble can fill a diamond foam crystal and make it look perfectly solid in return?

Hmm, Intresting, just looked up isotopes, and Pottasium has two stable forms. Making Pottasium Chloride crystals where the two isotopes represent 0 and 1 binary, lets you make extremely dense data storage with cheap, geologically stable materials for cosmological time scales? Although the readout non destructively takes a bit of advanced tech? Hmm, dunno, 5% difference in mass could be a 2% difference in chemical reaction rates in enzymes, enough to seperate read? Oh well, Doom has some really good tech, be intresting to see what his combinations of Rock Farmers and Dragons can lead to.

[Booster Spice]

10519993

Just remembered teh name of the book thats based on a similar idea, Alan Dean Foster, Sentenced To Prism. But that includes 4 dimentional fractal lifeforms as well.

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10519999
Agh mistakenly deleted my post. luckily I still had it on my tab.

Gem Microbes makes me think of Hermit Crabs and Crayfish or Corals, which are soft bodied and so pull minerals out of surrounding solution to form more secure cages of solid material, making Equestrian Gems effectively Silica, Alumina Coral instead of Limestone? And the classic trick of hiding diamonds in water, gives the transparent microbes floating in water bubble can fill a diamond foam crystal and make it look perfectly solid in return?

That how I imagine it. The microbes use crystal elements to build a protective shell around them, enough microbes you get a geometric shape this is why Equestria Gems look cut where on Earth a gem is more of an irregular mass. Truth is I haven't really given much thought to how Dragons utilize them, just that we see them eat gems and that they are highly resistant to heat. I also thought of the theory of Silicon-based life and applied similar ideas to the crystalline microbes.

On top of that, a crystal shell around the microbe could protect it from the cold of space and bend light to provide heat for the microbe to grow.

[Melody Song]

Ooh, cool information, I like the theories

[Animatorsnake]

Damn, you know this feels a lot like some real canon-material, no jokes

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10520564
Thank you!

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10520225
Thanks for spotting that error.

[paladinwolf]

Author's Note:

A little fun post on how I imagine the Crystalline life, and how Dragons utalize them.

utilize

thumbs.gfycat.com/SpiffyHauntingGuanaco-size_restricted.gif

[Alitaher003]

finally caught up!

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10535685
Just in time for the conquest of Equestria.

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10621025
Because I don’t know everything about Doctor Doom I cheated. This Doctor Doom is how Hans/Josh thinks he should be.

He remembers everything Hans/Josh read or seen as real. That why he doesn’t remember what steak tastes like or when he last had a shower. That’s information that wasn’t in the comics.

Same for comics Josh (or me) don’t know about doesn’t get added to this Doom’s mind. The primary source is the comics so no the movie versions aren’t included in the mental mix.

I mostly based this guy off of Emperor God Doom of the Secret Wars story with some additions. Not to mention my own interpretation.

On top of that he been evolving during the story becoming less aggressive.

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10621280
I don’t know I haven’t seen that movie.

Could be a hand waved cosmic energy, the comics F4 was cosmic rays. Or like you said primal energy. Have you tried a search on Marvel Database for info. Just follow the link it goes to the 2015 movie.

[ShadowStar_IMHP]

10621566
I’m writing Chapter 20 now. I don’t think I be doing any more intermissions and that theory doesn’t fit in what I have planned for the final act.

Work on it a bit more and post on Reddit. I encourage fun theories.

[Black--Soul]

This chapter reminds me of something i wrote but on Symbiotic host seaking host to benefit but your version is more refined and universal. I am in awe!