• Member Since 7th Feb, 2014
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Starscribe


Stories about ponies are stories about people. Every challenge is an opportunity to change. My Patrons let me keep writing, at: https://www.patreon.com/RealStarscribe

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Since time immemorial, the Horn of Celestia has stood above the ancient northern glaciers. It is older than the Empire, older than Equestria itself. The tower carries many ancient legends, but the most credible is this: that during the time of strife, ponies sacrificed their greatest powers to come together into a single kingdom, committed to peace and friendship forevermore.

Lyra Heartstrings is convinced there is more to this story, and after years of preparation, she has arrived at the tower with an expedition of friends and fellow experts to discover the truth for herself. One way or another, she will discover the secrets concealed in the ancient horn, even if it costs her everything.


This story was written on my Patreon as a commission for HMage, but was one of the earliest casualties of the pandemic. As a result, only part 1 of 2 was written. There are roughly eleven chapters taking us to what was meant to be the halfway point of the story. At least for now, the story will end there--not as a painful cliffhanger, but before our heroes transition to the next phase of their adventure.

The story is now continuing again on a monthly basis.

Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail, cover by Zutcha. The works.

Chapters (19)
Comments ( 187 )

tormenting us with another amazing story but making us suffer with a hiatus once we get hooked your evil starscribe :pinkiehappy:

10538763
That's... Evvvviiilll.

I've actually been ignoring the new chapters on Child of Mine and Fine Print until it's complete or just until I cave and end up reading all the juicy new chapters hoping it won't end on a cliffhanger.

10538770
yeah i tried that but every week it get harder to resist reading

10538778
I've been waiting for eight weeks, my sanity is fading if not all but gone now.

You know what? At this point I have to ask who does your coverart. It's too good for me to ignore anymore.

10538801
As stated in the description, their name is Zutcha. https://www.deviantart.com/zutcha

10538801
yea is soo cute!!:raritystarry::heart:

To quote an old Herman's Hermits song, "Something tells me I'm into something good..."

Looking forward to this one, Star.

As a result, only part 1 of 2 was written. There are roughly eleven chapters taking us to what was meant to be the halfway point of the story. At least for now, the story will end there--not as a painful cliffhanger, but before our heroes transition to the next phase of their adventure.

Shame to hear, but I am gonna read this eagerly all the same. :twilightsmile:

I will be waiting for the next chapter now. 👀

I'm really intrigued!

There are no plans to continue beyond that at this point.

.....Fuck

Much as I love her, I do have to think that bringing Best Pony to an archeological dig for the sake of national security may not be the wisest move. Not this iteration of her, anyway. We'll see how that goes.

That was really just levitation, which was almost as far as her magic would go. There was no time to master complex spells when her world was overflowing with history ponies had no ideas about.

To be fair, Lyra was one of Twilight's classmates at CSGU. Though if she focused more on the equinities than applied magic, I suppose that works out.

In any case, looking forward to seeing as much of this as you can offer. :twilightsmile:

10538801
Yeah. Hi, That'll be me.

This story has great potential! Love the fact that Muffins/Ditzy is being shipped with Time Turner and the use of the background characters like Lyra and BonBon. Although I'd be cool to see Vinyl Scractch and Octavia also be in it but that's just my opinion.

Just going to predict that the greatest powers the old tribes once maintained were surrendered to power something that kept the Windigos from following them into modern Equestria.

So do they just know Daring Do is actually real? Maybe it's common knowledge for ponies in the archeology business? I think that would make for some funny exchanges and shenanigans.

Casualty as in laid off from job or casualty as in died? :(

10538763
Nah, it's not evil. It's just business.
Remember Star does this partly to make money. If he just "gives away" half a fic he sets precedent that allows others to demand the same thing. Just because he puts actual passion and effort into his work doesn't change that fact.

You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention. :moustache:

Looking forward to more of this story.

It's a spaceship? Interesting... interstellar perhaps?

A new adventure and I'm already hooked! Let's get this show on the road!

A colony ship. But what happened?

Lyra chuckled nervously, but she wasn’t that worried. These were ancient ponies, after all. They hadn’t put these traps here to kill their descendants when they finally arrived to claim what had been theirs. That just wouldn’t make any sense.

Of course no one ever really theorizes that the ancients were trying to prevent something from getting out. Or that they were even ponies in the first place. There's quite a number of sapient species in the world.

“It seems the spell claimed a few lives,” Bon Bon said from beside her. “None after today. We’ve just made the world safer. Assuming there isn’t some terrible horror we’re about to unleash trapped inside those walls.”

Exactly.

iji

> the Crystal Empire’s territory had once extended so far north it almost reached the sea

So was it like a Chile thing where there was another state in a narrow strip along the coast, or was it a Roman Empire thing where they hit a seemingly-impassable natural barrier and went "screw it, this is far enough".

You know, it hadn't occurred to me until now, but given that we have Lyra in a hoodie chasing after forbidden secrets from the depths of pony history, I should probably be more concerned. At least ponies remember who she is.

And there's the explosion. The first of many, perhaps? At least it's just a pressure wave.

I figured the Horn was a spaceship based on the cover. (And besides, this is Starscribe we're talking about. It'll be ancient astronauts, eldritch horrors, or both. :raritywink:) Definitely looking forward to seeing what they discover.

10539996
Seems a little small for a colony ship. More likely some type of scout.

10539696

[...] It's just business. Remember Star does this partly to make money.

Considering little compare between fiction and non-fiction texts I just did I definitely can't blame Starscribe. But there is well-known danger:

Art becomes problematic when money is the object, because in order to make money, the artist must “comply” with the mainstream pop culture & limits of the time. Wild experimentation would result in a financial disaster, so no risks are taken. But it’s that experimentation that propels both art & our world forward

src (some might like to read more from her)

10539696
That's why I put an explicit warning up front that the story would end early. Evil would be if I published the story and then just ran the readers into a brick wall when the chapters ran out.

Everyone reading here knows that the story won't get a part 2 (at least, not for now). I'd love to finish the story, but more than setting a precedent--there's only so many writing hours in the day. If I spent them writing something I wasn't getting paid for, then I wouldn't eat.

10540915
I got more of a "planet of the apes" feel.

Ancient structure. In a very remote, inhospitable location. Made from a long-lasting, noncorrosive metal. Legends of a great power sealed inside. Trees don't grow near it but there are strange shapes under the snow... chances of there being nukes/nuclear waste under there?

Ponies dropping dead from getting near could also fit with that, although it seems a bit...aggressive...for what should be still-contained radiologicals.

10546002
or just nuclear weapons

Antigrain warheads? Well, that is some very nasty firepower you now have at your hooves...

Well, the most dangerous tech in the world is now in the hands of four ponies. What a boon it is to have it brought (or rather returned) to Equestria. Still, I'm pretty sure some of the higher authorities would say leave it there. It's too dangerous. Can't say I wouldn't have the temptation to play at the world-domination game. The same would be said by more minds up top.

Their spells were so fine and well-worked that Lyra couldn’t even sense the magic flowing into the light that came on as they moved from one room to another.

Must be the magic of electrical lighting. Still, they do have electricity so it shouldn't be surprising to think an advanced civilization would have that as granted.

One of these isn’t different from the others. They’re all going to be full of valuable magic to bring back to Equestria.

One thing Lyra knew—the next set of monsters that tried invading Canterlot were bucked after they got back.

If you have no context on the proper and safe use of such tech, it just won't be them that'll be bucked.

Weapons: 33 Antigrain warheads, 18 metric tons FLAKK

First thing a lot of people would do is test these babies out.

“Most certainly,” the voice answered. “Welcome aboard the ISS Equestria. You must be the crew I’ve been waiting for.”

It wasn't aliens this time.

Well lyra gonna be in the history book after this

Lets see:

Interstellar Space Ship Equestria
Ponies fleeing from an old home, to a new one.
Ancient colonization site, that was later abandoned.
Ancient writing system, possibly changed because earth ponies couldn't handle it? Were the ancients only one of the types?

And, The Doctor -- err, Time Turner :-)

10542669
well it just a joke, at this point i read a shopping list if you uploaded it :pinkiehappy:

Must be the magic of electrical lighting. Still, they do have electricity so it shouldn't be surprising to think an advanced civilization would have that as granted.

They seem to expect ancient ponies to have more powerful magic, but not technology.

Of course, any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science.

10546002
maybe there's a leak , or the ponies process radiation differently and it affects them way faster

Oh, this could end very poorly indeed. At least the computer seems to have a sense of humor. We'll see what it thinks of the current circumstances.

Ésto se va a favoritos.

so, alicorn or human?

The computer is only dangerous because you don't understand what is happening

What is the ship's mission that it needs to be in orbit? :trixieshiftright:

This is getting much more interesting.

What is that ancient Swahili word that means 'we're in trouble now!'?

Oh, yes, that's it... OOPS!

Great chapter, Star!

Estoy intrigado.

In order to properly control this vessel, you will need to retrieve the mantle. This process can only be completed on Biology deck.

Well. Somepony's getting either a pair of wings or a pair of hands. Thank goodness for unicorn mutability (though I have to wonder why they were made to be so reconfigurablr.

Whatever the case, this will certainly get interesting. Hopefully the others don't try to wreck the place while the procedure is underway.

And this is why you don't play around with advanced tech. You have no idea whether something is trying to kill you or open a door for you.

“The captain in this vessel would have access to all our secrets. I could show you the history of our civilization, through the eyes of those who lived it.”

Judging by that "human" tag, ponies are either humanity's descendants, their bioconstructed servants, one of their uplifted races/protectorates, or the descendants of one of their victims. They're no way Lyra would have much hope understanding historical recordings unless the computer gives more context.

They’ll never pick me. If we leave, they’ll send someone else. All the big ponies who were too afraid to put their careers on the line. They let a ‘crackpot’ like me take the risk. And they’ll get the credit.

Those fears aren't unfounded. There's a good chance she'll be sidelined or outright ignored by a more ambitious researcher.

EQ4.04 sleeves were designed to be highly reconfigurable towards baseline.

And what exactly is baseline? Alicorn? Human?

Lyra wanted to struggle, wanted to call out to Bon Bon that she was sorry—she’d been wrong, Computer was dangerous. They should’ve run when they had the chance. But she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t even breathe.

Through the window, Lyra saw the fluffy edges of clouds as they passed, fading far behind them. Darkness crowded around her vision, then everything went black.

Down the rabbit hole. The truth will set you free.

O

I wasn't expecting it it take off I'll give you that.

10561700 AS soon as they had ended up on the bridge and the computer thought they were the crew it was expecting launch was given. Orbit is only the first step

Nothing like fear to drive one to non-wise decisions ... :derpytongue2:

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