The year is 1007 ALB, and the Griffonian Empire lies dying.
Suffering from a combination of major revolts, rampant corruption and power hungry griffons vying for power, the Empire's direct holdings have shrunk greatly from it's glory days.
With the health of current Emperor Grover V in very poor condition and his son being a mere child unable to rule, the Empire braces itself for another violent power struggle. Whoever wins the coming struggle, whether it be the religious conservatives under the guiding talon of Archon Eros VII or the ever wise cousin of Emperor Grover V Gabriella Eagleclaw will still have to contend with the task of healing an Empire long on the decline.
Facing it's darkest hour, many Griffons pray for the Empire, as many of them know only one thing is certain:
May Boreas save the Empire, for no one else can...
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The amazing cover art is done by none other than the ever so lovely mushroompone, make sure to throw some love their way! Not only are they incredibly talented at drawing, they're also pretty damn good at writing horsefics! So check em out, and tell em General Soarin sent ya!
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This story is inspired by the popular mod for Hearts of Iron 4 Equestria at War, especially it's content on the Griffon continent. Please note that while I will try my best to keep the story accurate to events and characters that are prominent in the mod, I will take some creative liberties in making sure that I can tell a proper story as at the end of the day, Hearts of Iron is a war simulator. However, don't let that stop you from playing the mod if you haven't already or getting your hands on the game, it's a fantastic mod made by ludicrously talented people that I highly recommend you check out!
I hope you enjoy, for this is my first time writing MLP related fanfiction in a long time. Also...a word of warning, this story is completely unedited as I have lost contact with many of my previous editing/proofreading friends in the fandom. So if you see any spelling or grammatical mistakes, please point it out so I can fix them!
Excellent start! I'm not familiar with the EaW mod myself, but you did a great job setting up the characters and the history. These are some really interesting characters - I'm super excited to see where you take them!
awesome chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter
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Ho Yes I have been waiting for a story like this for a long long time it would be incredibly depressing if it just stood there forever incomplete or worse canceled #Dutches Gabriella FTW
Btw If you play the Griffonian empire to the end of its focus tree [1021 I think it was] that would mean the archon is 93+20 YEARS old
10785093
Yeah, it's a bit nutty. I love what they did with Griffonia, but I don't think they thought about how characters age that much. They hint at it with Gabby retiring, but never quite get it so you get these ancient ass griffons living way longer than they should lmao
Oh I remember the times where I've played as the Griffon Empire on EaW, I'd be interested to know which path wins and how some news is reacted to by whoever is in charge. And if I do remember right, there's a third path that this could take but however it focuses more with the university country to its south going down a certain focus. I believe this is not going down that route so I'm quite eager to see just where this goes, and see through the eyes of the griffons in some situations too.
Yeet the child
Yay! My favorite nation! We need more stories about the Griffon Empire :)
Will be tracking this!
10785106
But if you take the 3rd not so secret path i will be incredibly disappointed with you
I was looking for a story that would show how to write about a war. I hope this continues, I really need some inspiration on this topic.
10785181
The Yale paths (the supremacist ones to be exact) are incredibly fun, however you are correct in the fact that they will not happen in this fic. This fic is focusing on the Imperial regents and the Empire
10786513
You heartless monster.
10786885
I'm glad that you're looking to this fic for inspiration on how warfare plays, but I'll have to caution you that actual warfare may take a while to actually portray. However, if you wish, you can DM me and I'll give you immediate tips on how to write warfare...I'm not a expert but I'll share with you the tips and tricks I use when writing war fics.
10787212
Personally, I just read and watch to learn mostly, which is why I hope this story continues.
10788066
Fair enough, I hope you enjoy what I cook up then!
nice! which Regent are you gonna pick? His Holiness Eros or her Majestrate Gabrilla?
10791662
Secret
A story about the Griffonian Empire? Based. Here's hoping I see my favorite Feathisian Duke
10792595
Man!!! I can’t wait to see your next chapter!!
awesome chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter
And so, the dogs pledge to assist Gabriella, Bronzehill will support her claim to be reagent of the Griffon empire... and meanwhile we shall see the other side of the story and how the Archon gathers allies.
All this does is make me eager to see who in the end will be the reagent, and what happens to cut a horrible path short. Because no matter who becomes reagent, they will make an attempt upon reforming everything, from the nobility to the education of the common grif, it will be quite interesting to see the things leading up to that.
10787212
I think you took my comment the wrong way i meant if you took the path where Grover gets shot then i will stop reading the story
10814149
I was making a reference to that event actually when I said "You heartless monster", because I remember that being red text in the button descriptor for the event. I might be wrong though, but I definitely understood what you were going for. I can spoil one thing for you right now though:
I will definitely NOT be going down the Dawnclaw route. There's already a story that deals with that on the site, and truth be told, I never played it. Warring literally all of Herzland at once is definitely not a challenge I really want to tackle, it sounds absolutely painful. Plus Grover is wholesome as fuck.
10816089
I think they changed it so all of the griffon nations in your faction declare war on you when you do that so that would mean like a 6v1 as starting griffon empire. P A I N
And no There's no red writing for the event and it isn't heartless monster. Im pretty sure anyways I've only done it once and then threw the save into fucking orbit
awesome chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter
This is a very interesting chapter to read, and very well worth the wait I'd say, plus it does line up quite well with how Romau usually goes with the Archon. All that's left is to see which way the scales tilt in the end.
Will either the Archon or the Duchess rule the Empire, or be overthrown by a general?
awesome chapter mate keep it up can't wait for the next chapter
I believe the next chapter will set the scene on the direction the empire will go, will the noble Dutchess have her sway over the youngling and remain there over her home? Or will Eros have a chance to bring together an empire? This is a rather interesting chapter indeed to set up what may happen.
Hmm, Gabriella feels a little bit OOC here, saying she has no interest in serving the nobility. While she despizes the lower nobility, she very firmly believes that the 'peers' should be the ones rulling the Empire.
Or maybe she is just saying that to get the Count on her side.