The package is unfamiliar, but the name matches that of an old airship, lost in a military disaster some eight centuries ago. The pen-knife slides across the tight binding, and a sheaf of documents spills forth . . .
The Kathiawari Mare is a training exercise administered to command-track cadets at the Royal Equestrian Military Academy, as well as select students of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. At its core, the exercise is designed to test the character of graduates and prospective officers and evaluate their command, combat, and diplomatic performance when faced with a traditional ‘no-win scenario.’ For more than eight-hundred years, various iterations of the Kathiawari Mare have served as a cornerstone of military and magical education, and the exact nature of the test has generally been kept a secret to ensure an even playing field for all takers.
However, as recent changes to the nature of the test have rendered these concerns obsolete, it is the joint opinion of the Royal Historical Archive, the Equestrian High Command, and their Highnesses the Princesses that the historical and educational value of the test demands it be discussed in greater detail with the students of the schools aforementioned.
This document, and the series of reports attached, is to be provided to select members of faculty at both the Royal Equestrian Military Academy and Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, for the purposes of review and incorporation into relevant aspects of curriculum. Historical Background
The historical event upon which the scenario is based—the Battle of Three-River Pass—touched off the Third Griffonia-Equestria War of 232-246, and is considered one of the greatest military disasters of Equestrian history. Mounting border tensions and the hawkish attitudes of the Griffonian government had worsened relations drastically between the two states, and in the early spring of 232, King Frostfeather of Griffonia sent a battalion of elite skirmishers to the Border Regions in the hope of finally pressing Equestria to war.
The commanders of this force chose Three-River Pass, a narrow, steep-walled gorge very similar in topography to the rocky crags of their homeland, to lay their trap. Their campfires attracted the attention of one of the airships patrolling the border, the Kathiawari Mare, which was subsequently ambushed and brought down by the Griffons. They then proceeded to torture the communications officer of the Mare—a Unicorn telepath, as was standard practise for the time—until her thought-screams echoed out for miles to other forces stationed in the area.
Within two hours, three additional airships and a Pegasus squadron on manoeuvres—a force totalling some four-hundred regulars—arrived at Three-River Pass, and launched an all-out assault on the estimated six-score Griffons encamped there. Despite the considerable Equestrian numerical advantage, guerrilla tactics and a commanding knowledge of the terrain allowed the Griffon force to ground all three vessels and kill or capture fully two-thirds of the attacking force. Further communications officers were taken and tortured, but subsequent reinforcements were leery of venturing too close to the Pass, opting instead to hold the Griffons in a siege for more than a week. The situation was finally resolved when Princess Celestia herself arrived on the field and scoured the Pass with solar magics, annihilating both the Griffons and the few remaining hostages from the Kathiawari Mare.
The remainder of the war was a drawn-out and violent affair, but no single engagement drew even a tenth as much blood as was spilled in Three-River Pass. Incensed by the callous slaughter of their brothers and sisters, and spurred on by an attempted coup that rent the Griffon royal family at a critical moment, the Equestrian army eventually pushed the Griffons back to the very gates of their capital, and forced them to sue for peace. Test History and Mechanisms
The first iteration of the Kathiawari Mare scenario, a series of supplemental asymmetric warfare exercises tailored to Equestrian-unfriendly terrain, was formally introduced to the curriculum of the REMA in 254, with a specific focus on methods of disengagement and countertactics relating to subversion of friendly materiel. This generally involved physical manoeuvres by detachments of cadets, and was treated as little more than a field exercise to be drilled, like any other.
Over time, however, the Griffon Empire, suffering from economic collapse and political dissension as a result of the war, became much less of an immediate threat, and tailored counterstrategy became less militarily relevant. Likewise, the academic value of the Kathiawari Mare, as well as the ethical and political ramifications of the actions taken at Three-River, became a subject of significant debate among academicians and military strategists alike. Sensing that the lessons learned in the battle might be lost to history should the test be discontinued, Princess Celestia herself outlined a revised set of guidelines for the Kathiawari Mare, allowing it to be applied to a wider range of potential situations while maintaining the same dilemma of the ‘no-win scenario’.
Using specially-scribed scrolls penned annually in consultation with Princess Celestia herself, the test is administered by way of spell-induced extrasensory stimulation—both proctors and examinee (or ‘candidate’) enter a shared constructed pseudo-reality wherein the examinee is faced with some variation on the original Kathiawari Mare hostage situation. While the spell itself dictates the general parameters of the scenario, the exact details of any given trial are determined by the examinee’s subconscious, with proctors acting as a normalising force against extreme cases. The examinee is then expected to handle a tailored no-win scenario, their results determined on a weighted scale judging strategic and tactical thinking, command capability, moral and ethical considerations, and the military and socio-political ramifications of the outcome as predicted by the simulacrum.
Though the particulars of the exam have evolved significantly over time—and now occupy a broader spectrum than ever before, thanks to the personalised nature of the current iteration—one constant remains: the student has no prior warning as to the nature of the exam, and is obliged to react to a steadily-worsening situation as it unfolds. Any foreknowledge or inherent understanding of the exercise fundamentally subverts any ability to objectively judge the student’s character and command ability.
This is also the reason for the recent shift to personally-tailored exam materials: students of the Latter Antiquity—particularly those whose studies have focussed on Post-Banishment military history—are likely to be familiar with Three-River Pass and amend their strategy accordingly.
Formal Notice
This classified information (‘Material’) is being provided to you (‘Recipient’) ‘as-is’ and with certain expectations of confidentiality, as recognised and administrated by the Ministry of Intelligence, the Royal Historical Archives, and the Royal Offices of the Sun and Moon (collectively, ‘the Government’). The Government acknowledges its full faith and trust in Recipient by the dissemination of this Material, and proposes a binding magical contract (‘Contract’) in line with the Statutes Relating to Sensitive Information as Held by the State (E.L.C. 38, §5.A.7).
By close examination, opening, or seal-breaking of any attachment contained herein, Recipient acknowledges their responsibilities under said Contract and assents to their inclusion therein. By acceptance of the Contract, Recipient swears and confirms to the Government that any and all sensitive information contained in the Material (which may be edited, compressed, reconsidered, or otherwise amended by the Government at its sole discretion) will not be shared, disseminated, translated, transmitted, or otherwise reproduced in any form, tangible or intangible, which potentially compromises the names, identities, persons, or records of any individual named herein. Nonidentifying elements of the Material may be reproduced by Recipient for the purposes of lecture planning, in-person and remote instruction, and military exercises. Under no circumstances is the Recipient to share any element of the Material outside of approved channels.
Failure to abide by any or all of these prescriptions will be considered assault with intent to grievous harm by Recipient toward any or all of the individuals whose results appear herein. This will result in the triggering of a primed Tier 0/A magical threat response with effects including, but not limited to: silencing, warding, selective memory wipe, and other forms of magical incapacitation; immediate teleportation to a holding facility of the Government’s choosing; immediate revocation of any relevant security clearances, academic standing, and military rank; and prosecution under the statutes aforementioned.
The Government appreciates Recipient’s understanding in this matter, and wishes to make it known that it undertakes these stringent measures solely for the protection of those named within the original copies that comprise the Material. Questions or concerns may be forwarded to the Office of Secure Scrivenery, Ministry of Intelligence.
Aspirant: Lady I. Lulamoon Institution: Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns Date of Exam: 21 Midsummer 703 Maressrs. L. Farthing, Rt Hon. T. Wickham, G. Clovenhoof presiding
Reason for Testing: Requirementfor Assessment to Transfer
Scenario: Variant of the traditional Kathiawari Mare scenario—one airship with standard complement against five-score Griffonian raiders with light artillery and an unknown number of prisoners. All appropriate gear and magicks supplied, and may be hereafter assumed. Scenario took place in an unrecognised desert badlands far from any recognisable contemporary Equestrian or Griffonian holding, with a single cragged canyon as the only defining geography. Candidate was placed in command of the Auvergne-class airship HMS Blue Duchess.
No alterations to the scenario were undertaken by this Board of Examination.
Account: The simulacrum was entered and attuned without significant incident. However, Her Ladyship experienced some early signs of the simulacrum sickness, and was escorted below-decks by the simulated crew. It is thought that this early retreat might have some had some impact on the crew’s subsequent morale—there was no small amount of grumbling on deck as to the comforts afforded the captaincy in the scalding desert heat—but it shall have no impact on the candidate’s overall scoring, given its likely roots in the structure of the examination. In any event, Her Ladyship was to be found well and recovered at the tiller within the space of a quarter hour.
Thus resolved, Lady Lulamoon requested of her officers certain reports as to the parameters of their mission, and any intelligence gathered. Such orders were delivered by the executive officer in a sealed envelope bearing the royal seal; though Lady Lulamoon did not elect to share the information therein with her subordinates, this Board was privy to the contents of the letter—a first-order request to locate an airship—the Kathiawari Mare of the scenario—believed lost to enemy fire while on routine patrol. No further details as to enemy strength (presumed or otherwise) were provided, though the Blue Duchess was urged to retreat and report its findings before engaging any hostile force.
Her Ladyship ordered a standard search pattern, focussing primarily on the canyon and its various ancillary arms, any of which might provide suitable shelter for the grounded crew. The Blue Duchess spent the remainder of the afternoon surveying the length of the canyon, scouring some sixty miles of terrain in intensive detail. No scouts were deployed, under the assumptions that 1) wreckage would be easily visible and 2) that friendly forces would make themselves evident on recognising an Equestrian vessel.
Near dusk, a flare—presumed to be of magical origin, given its particular tenor and resemblance to a firework—was seen by the lookout, fired off over a previously-swept part of the canyon. Her Ladyship ordered the vessel turned at once and brought directly to the source; again, neither auxiliary detachment nor answering flare was sent out, and the Blue Duchess drove straight for the canyon.
As one might readily expect, the Griffonian force lying in wait among the cliffs below took this opportunity to strike, rising swiftly out of the canyon to rake both flanks of the approaching airship with cannon and their peculiar heated wing-blades. Only by a stroke of great good fortune did this first salvo miss the powder store, and it was by this stroke that the majority of the crew survived the engagement at all. The envelope proved far less lucky, and—whether by shot or stroke—the treated canvas was punctured, and the airship quickly began to lose altitude.
Blessedly, the simulacrum’s concept of an airship incorporates several of the later lessons our early engagements with the Griffons taught us; namely in the composition of lifting gases to be used to minimise flammability. Had any earlier model been represented in the examination, the crew would surely have perished.
At this point, the Board was offered its first real chance to evaluate Lady Lulamoon’s well-documented talent for the arcane. To her Ladyship’s credit, for all that she had been taken by surprise, she grasped the contours of the situation readily enough, and acted accordingly: with a moment’s focus, two phantom simulacra of the Blue Duchess split off from the body of the vessel. At the same time, Her Ladyship ordered a third, new course for the ship, relayed telepathically to the pilot so as to confound any watchful Griffon ear, and drove the three on listing courses over roughly a mile of the surrounding terrain, and finally to ground.
This had the intended effect of splitting the enemy’s attention, and several squadrons that might otherwise have ravaged the crew instead flew off to investigate the phantom wrecks more than a mile distant. It is a testament to Her Ladyship’s facility with the Art that her phantom Duchesses confounded the enemy so, and still more so that she was able to refocus the same energy into a similar ploy as the crew scrambled from the beached vessel, simulating a panicked rout of facsimiles as the officers effected a quick march into the nearby hills.
The Blue Duchess’ helmsmare was an experienced sort, and had grounded the craft with only light casualties—and of those, only the unfortunates at the lower bow at time of impact suffered worse than a bruise or a cut forehead. The majority of the crew were thus able to evacuate the wrack with minimal difficulty, while Her Ladyship remained within the bowels of the wreck to orchestrate the illusion. Under her careful direction, illusive soldiers engaged Griffonian forces in the air and on the ground, detonating with explosive force when struck.
This worked for a time, thinning Griffonian forces sufficiently for the crew to reach cover and begin digging in for a protracted defence. However, their commanders soon wised to the ruse, and directed further fire be focussed on the wrack. A few moments’ cannonade was sufficient to find the magazine, which blew directly, incapacitating Her Ladyship and ending the simulation.
Results: It is the right and duly-considered Judgment of this Board of Examination that Lady Lulamoon be awarded a Mark of 6 for the quick—if ultimately ineffectual—tactical thinking demonstrated in the course of this examination, balanced as it is by the headstrong command style that necessitated it. Though the Board applauds Lady Lulamoon’s inventive use of the illusive magicks noted herein—and indeed her demonstrable personal competence in large-scale engagements—we understand from her academic record that Her Ladyship has made an extensive study of manoeuvre warfare and should very likely have seen the ambuscade for what it was.
Though the airship was successfully evacuated before its destruction, and a fair proportion of the crew able to make a fighting retreat across the badlands to safety, casualties were severe, and by the end of the scenario any surviving crew from the Kathiawari Mare may have been presumed killed by their Griffonian captors. All of this might have been avoided had the candidate observed a greater degree of circumspection in the initial investigation of the crash site, as it was known to the candidate that Griffon forces were in the area and had likely compromised any survivors.
Hence, while we remark positively on Lady Lulamoon’s quick wit and obvious grasp of the particulars of battlefield control, it is our strong recommendation that more time be invested in her study of airship manoeuvres and small-unit tactics on the ground. With time and additional training in these fields, we fully believe Her Ladyship capable of meeting—and exceeding—the qualifications for a full officer’s commission at the rank determined suitable by the General Staff.
Aspirant: F. Pants III School (Year): Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns (Year 10 - graduating) Exam Date: 12 Summerwind 953 Examiners Presiding: F. Budget, F. Wings, Carnation
Reason for Testing: Selected for academic achievement, demonstrated leadership ability
Scenario: Variant of the traditional Kathiawari Mare scenario—one airship with standard complement against twelve-score Griffonian raiders with light artillery and an unknown number of prisoners. Era-appropriate gear and magics supplied. Scenario took place in a heavily forested region at the base of an unrecognised mountain range, possibly consistent with the geography of the Undiscovered West. Exam vessel resolved as a Lokai-class ten-gun scout, HMS Stormbringer.
No alteration by examiners.
Account: The Stormbringer began the scenario on routine patrol of unclaimed territory, reaffirming early scouting reports and continuing existing efforts to map the region for the Ministry of Cartography. Efforts proceeded apace for anywhere between four and six hours without incident, during which time Mr Pants took the opportunity to tour the vessel, making every effort to appear the gentlestallion for his crew. He asked about their families, their hobbies, their lives outside the military, and what few missteps he made he was easily able to wave off with a shared laugh and a careful ear—clear enough hallmarks of his time in the business schools to an outside observer, no doubt, but generally well-received among the simulacrum crew. Those few unreceptive ears he passed by quickly, with some choice praise for their work; the rest he gave generously of his time to set at ease.
Around the five-hour mark—nearing the simulated midday—a trail of smoke was reported from beyond the first line of hills. Over the concerns of his officers, Mr Pants elected to disregard this as evidence of a campfire or settlement—there had been clear signs of habitation elsewhere in the area, according to the reports he had reviewed while below-decks, and therefore no immediate cause for alarm.
The Stormbringer kept well clear of the encampment and proceeded along its scheduled survey route for an additional half-hour, whereupon a signal mirror was reported from roughly the same trajectory as the smoke. On hearing this, candidate ordered an immediate about-face and directed scouts landward. These would serve as the full extent of the Stormbringer’s commitment until such time as the exact disposition of these forces was known; the vessel itself was to give the site a wide berth, keeping at least one range of hills between itself and the signallers at all times.
Initial flyovers indicated a scattered group of ponies gathered around a crashed scout vessel of roughly equal size to the Stormbringer. A second wave of auxiliaries was dispatched to interview the crew and prepare them for extraction at the top of the nearest ridge. These latter failed to check in at the appointed time, either by direct Pegasus report or signal flare.
Candidate gave the team an additional quarter-hour to evidence themselves, then—again to the faint bewilderment of his crew—ordered a single gun loaded and fired over the crash site. This apparently had the intended effect as—believing themselves discovered—a veritable horde of Griffons burst forth from the crash site and immediately returned fire on the Stormbringer.
Seeing his forces outnumbered by a margin of at least three to one, Mr Pants ordered an immediate withdrawal, best possible speed. Mr Pants had previously ordered the nose of the vessel leeward, and the Stormbringer’s blend of sail and outboard motors—unique to the light scout classes—allowed the vessel to retreat eastward at a rate approaching forty knots, rapidly outpacing all but the most tenacious of the Griffonian air cavalry.
These latter were wyvern-mounted, and a half-dozen were able to keep pace with the Stormbringer for some fifty or sixty miles until Mr Pants ordered a swift ascent into the cloud layer. This worked for a time, but careful manoeuvring alone—even the orchestration of a Blitzer Loop, allowing the vessel to drop in behind the cavalry and devastate their rear flank—was not sufficient to hold the enemy off. Concentrated fire from the wyverns found the engine compartment, and spread quickly to the modest store of powder amidships. Both detonated near-simultaneously, tearing the Stormbringer asunder and scattering her across the misty forests below.
All hooves were presumed lost in the explosion, or in the crash that followed; the simulacrum ended naturally thereafter in either case.
Results: The examiners have elected to award Mr Pants a mark of 7 for his sound, if somewhat reserved, strategy during the exercise. The candidate performed admirably in prioritising emerging concerns around pre-existing orders, and exercised excellent tactical discretion in the handling of both. This panel believes that all reasonable efforts were undertaken in order to ensure the safety of the lost crew, and that the decision to withdraw was wholly justified by the circumstances. Mr Pants’ understanding of the vessel at his command was also exemplary—at each step, he manoeuvred and positioned his vessel with obvious care, and with an eye towards tactical advantage. We encourage Mr Pants’ continued development of this skill.
However, while not inherently disqualifying, this panel also wishes to express some early concerns as to Mr Pants’ apparent concern for shipboard decorum and an apparent reliance on ‘by-the-book’ solutions to potentially novel battlefield scenarios. Several times throughout the situation this panel recognised tactics lifted almost word-for-word from training manuals distributed to the REMA; namely, the handling of the ranging-shot, down to the precise distance from the suspected enemy force (Basic Pre-Engagement Tactics, pg. 35), and the execution of the Blitzer Loop immediately following a fire-based attack on the starboard side (Manual of Combat Airship Protocol, Vol. II, pp. 59-60). While it is strongly encouraged that officers in Her Majesty’s armed forces have these methodologies of engagement committed to memory, they should not be relied upon to the exclusion of original thinking. This is especially true considering that these manuals are—as Mr Pants’ familiarity with them would indicate—publicly available, and thus accessible to our enemies.
In short, whilst Mr Pants has demonstrated exceptional intelligence and a keen memory for tactics in the field, we would like to see more of his imagination on display when confronted with novel situations. Battlefield discretion is important for a commissioned officer, as is flexibility of thinking. We would recommend that the General Staff be on the lookout for improvement in this field should Mr Pants elect to move forward with pursuit of a commission in future.
Aspirant: M. Cadenza Institution and Year: Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns (individual study) Exam Date: 17 Hearthfire 958 Examiners Presiding: F. Budget, N. Gamester, Q. Toddy
Reason for Testing: Special request; request accommodated upon review.
Scenario: Variant of the ‘Northern Reach’ scenario—seven Crown agents sent to infiltrate an unknown and hostile fortress lately discovered in the Frozen North, exfiltrate civilians, and destroy or subvert targets of opportunity. Cold-weather gear provided and assumed for the duration.
Certain alterations made in accordance with [Redacted] protocol, as per the parameters provided.
Account: Scenario began in a little camp made by the squad under a frozen hillock, the night before the initial raid. Candidate was provided a quick briefing on the intended mission, and pursued this line of inquiry vigorously. Candidate’s questioning was meticulous and considered, though it appeared to err more on the side of the political than the practical details of the upcoming operation: what was known about the state in question? had negotiations been attempted, and how had they failed? and so on.
In the course of this questioning, however, certain further details on the simulacrum were teased out: a small colony of Pre-Unification breakaways was established here some thousand years prior and, while primarily Horse in composition, it had lately been taken over by a Unicorn warlord of some local renown. The objective of the mission was to locate and evacuate any willing civilians to Equestrian soil.
Candidate acknowledged these instructions and bade her fellow agents to bed down for the night while she took first watch. While unclear to examiners at the time, Her Ladyship confirmed in the post-exam interview that the sleep was magically-induced, and therefore heavier than normal, thus permitting Her Ladyship to scrawl out a quick note of her plans and make a quiet exit undisturbed.
She then marched the four miles to the fortified border of the town under cover of night and heavy snowfall and presented herself to the guard under the recognised protections of parley. The guards—obviously bewildered at the sudden appearance of an Alicorn in simple travellers’ wrappings in the midst of a hundred-year storm—complied, and brought her before the warlord forthwith. The disparity between the warlord’s opulent holdings and the shacks and shackles on the populace was stark, and while Lady Cadenza clearly took in the suffering and squalor visible at every step, to her credit, it did not impact her later dealings to any discernible extent.
Candidate exerted considerable effort in making herself presentable prior to her audience with the warlord. Post-examination interview concluded that she either did not notice or take into account the evident discomfort demonstrated by the attending guards on her display of magic. After a brief period of waiting—it was clear that the warlord was being summoned from some evening meditation—candidate was admitted.
The audience started poorly—it was clear that the warlord (some manner of sorcerer, it was clear from his garb, mien, and state of accessory) had been drawn from some studious matter of great significance to him, and was barely tolerating the interruption. Her Ladyship was quick to pick this up, however, and adopted a demure and somewhat contrite stance, introducing herself as an emissary of a kingdom far to the south, that wished to open relations with its newly-discovered neighbour. She further stated that Equestrian scouts had not encountered any opposite numbers in their brief reconnaissance of the city, and that she was thus unsure what esteemed personage she had the honour of addressing. She had not, she was quick to assure, meant any harm by the interruption.
The warlord appeared to relax somewhat as Lady Cadenza’s overtures continued, but appeared to appreciate the observation of formalities. He in turn introduced himself as Lord [Redacted], heir to the Northwind throne and High Imperator of [Redacted], indicating his great pleasure at meeting a lady of equal standing, and of his chance to learn more of his plainsward neighbour. He then asked whether her Ladyship had come all the intervening distance unaccompanied—had she no entourage? nor gifts for the receiving Lord? Such things were customary, but she might be forgiven for her ignorance; of course, he knew nothing of how such business was conducted in the south.
Alas, Her Ladyship replied, much of her retinue had been lost in the storm, and her retainers had requested she make her way to the city whilst they returned to recover what supplies they could. She had not seen hide nor hair of them in the intervening several hours, focussed as she was on reaching her destination in one piece.
And yet, His Lordship rejoined with an easy smile, in the time it had taken for her to reach his throne room, a sweep of the perimeter had located a small detachment of soldiers in a cave along the nearest ridgeline.
This appears to have visibly wrong-hoofed Her Ladyship somewhat but she was quick enough to recover, indicating she would be overjoyed to learn her retinue had been located—so long as they were, in fact, hers. She enquired as to the colour of their livery, or the heraldry on their shields. This her host was unable to supply, demurring gracefully back to the topic of her mission.
They parleyed for some time on the subject of Equestria and [Redacted], exchanging notable facts and figures on their respective economies and systems of governance. Her Ladyship demonstrated an excellent memory for such minutiae, and for effectively working them into conversation without the appearance of force or ineloquence. Certain questions regarding the specific nature of the relations Celestia’s government was hoping to establish were deferred, as were those relating to Her Ladyship’s official capacity within said government; this was, after all, as much a fact-finding mission as a diplomatic overture—few things could be stated with certainty.
Eventually, a clock struck somewhere, and Lord [Redacted] excused himself for the evening. He requested that Lady Cadenza be escorted to chambers within the castle and placed under guard. When asked why, or what reason she had given for distrust, he would say only that he required time to consider Celestia’s proposal, and that any perceived confinement was purely for her own protection; beyond that, she would be treated as an honoured guest.
On reaching her chambers, Her Ladyship was bade a tentative, whispered goodnight by the attending guard, and locked in. At something of loose ends, Her Ladyship sent a quick, telepathic update to her second-in-command (albeit with no response), and bedded down for the night.
It was not five minutes later that Lord [Redacted]burst in, flinging aside his posted guard like a ragdoll and screaming bloody murder at Her Ladyship. He was a stallion possessed, spitting fire from eyes and tongue, violently cursing Lady Cadenza, the ‘conspirators’ she was in communication with, and the soldiery he made clear he had ordered his guards to slay. He finished with a promise to see Her Ladyship executed on the morrow should his demands (to whom it was never made clear, especially as he had professed no knowledge of Equestria up to that point) not be met.
Here Her Ladyship committed quite possibly the single error in an otherwise flawless diplomatic performance: in her understandable panic at the suddenly-changed mien of her host, she again attempted to contact her second, and this time was able to break through and alert the group to her status and the threats to her person. She implored them to scrub the mission before they were discovered, and received only terse acknowledgement and apology by way of response. She waited most of the night for updates; none were forthcoming.
When His Lordship returned the next morning, he was again the gracious host of the previous evening, with one important distinction. He had received word of an attack on one of the gates the previous evening, and that efforts had been made to start a popular uprising in one of the labour districts just that morning. It was made clear that the threat of execution had been a test to determine what forces lay in wait for Her Ladyship outside the city, and that she had failed this test by communicating with said ‘conspirators.’ Accordingly, she would be executed—painfully and with many intermissions for other violences, she was assured with a smile—in short order, beginning after breakfast and ending only at a time of his personal choosing.
Though Her Ladyship was excused from the simulacrum prior to the execution, the panel elected—in accordance with [Redacted]—to let the scenario play out a bit longer to determine any lasting impact these efforts might have had on relations with the theoretical power implicated in the scenario.
Following the clandestine unit’s initial skirmish with the warlord’s vanguard, efforts to root out themselves and any other insurgency among the local populace were redoubled. The local constabulary was on high alert for any suspected sedition, and general violence against the public increased substantially in the months to follow. Two of the seven members of the embedded cell were discovered and executed, and the remainder were obliged to abandon their wider plans and return with the dozen or so revolutionaries whose support they had managed to gather to Equestrian soil.
Results: The examiners have elected to award Lady Cadenza a mark of 6 for her dedication to a diplomatic resolution, and the political overtures and magical efforts made in pursuit of such a solution, even at substantial risk to—and indeed, the cost of—her life. With the information and resources available to her, this panel is confident in its assessment that Her Ladyship did everything in her power to ensure mission success within the ethical strictures she set for herself.
Whether these strictures aligned with those expected of the scenario is a matter of debate among the members of this panel and—as it became clear by the time of the post-examination interview—between this panel and Her Ladyship. The examiners recognise that it was not Lady Cadenza’s choice to undertake such a scenario, and would like to put forth the suggestion that her particular temperament and talents lie in the field of statecraft, rather than the martial disciplines.
We would also encourage the candidate to reflect on the particulars of the examination in the context of a broader-scale understanding of the challenges that consistently face the Equestrian government in its handling of foreign relations, especially its dealings with certain of its more belligerent neighbours: situations she would disqualify out of hoof as ‘unjust’ or ‘heartless’ are by no means rarities in the world of statesmareship, and must be considered on even ground with those more palatable duties of the station.
A copy of this report has been forwarded to the Crown Secretariat, per request.
Addenda (not provided to the candidate):
At several points throughout the scenario, elements of the Board had resolved to declare a miscarriage and terminate the exam forthwith, but cooler heads prevailed, and the simulation was allowed to play out unmolested. As reaffirmed in the Board’s discussions during and after the examination, the purpose of such assessments as these is not merely to test the bearing and stance of qualified individuals for military service, but indeed any active role in the Equestrian government. Moments of duress can and will occur under any such circumstances, and a thorough understanding of how prospective functionaries/statesmares/agents provocateur will stand up to such duress is critical to assessing their fitness for a given post.
As such, the Board would like to express its admiration at the simulacrum’s ability to adequately sustain an examination that transgressed so far beyond its expected parameters; idiosyncrasies of character aside, the bare fact that the behaviours of the warlord-construct were so well modelled as to stand up to the level of scrutiny demanded by Lady Cadenza’s actions within the simulacrum speaks to a considerable level of care in the fabrication of the relevant algorithms. The Board passes its sincere congratulations to the dream-architects on a job well done, and would encourage the consideration of similar simulacra for the training of diplomatic personnel in future.
On the subject of Lady Cadenza herself, [Redacted]. In line with the parameters of the Crown’s request, certain details of the scenario were expunged from the candidate’s memory on removal from the simulation. All relevant personnel have been sworn to secrecy.
Examinee: C. Laputa Blueblood (Prince) School (Year): Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns (Year 10 - graduating) Exam Date: 14 Hearthfire 987 Examiners Presiding: F. Budget, F. Wings, C. Cruller
Reason for Testing: Special request; request accommodated upon review
Scenario: Variant of the traditional Kathiawari Mare scenario—one airship with standard complement (Subject commanding) against one-hundred and thirty Griffonian raiders and some thirty prisoners. Era-appropriate gear and magics supplied. Scenario took place along the crags of Grey Cove, Shetland, on an equally grey winter morning. Exam vessel resolved as the Shire-class carrack HMS Tränen (thirty-eight guns, eight score complement).
No alteration by examiners.
Account: Candidate began the scenario by demanding an accounting of current orders and status from executive officer. Officer supplied that the Tränen was assigned to a salvage-or-scuttle operation on a grounded frigate—the Kathiawari Mare—whose crash site was reported overrun by a host of Griffon irregulars and several of their war-beasts. The name was obviously familiar to the candidate, who ordered full speed ahead as soon as the situation was made clear. Scouts were launched to fly ahead and determine the location of the wreck.
Two of the three deployed scouts reported back within the quarter-hour, pointing the way northeastward along the coast towards a steep-walled bay dug out of the cliffs there. A Griffon raiding party of unknown stripe and regiment were camped there in force, in and around the wreck of the Kathiawari Mare. Candidate ordered helm to give the cove a wide berth, holding it and any nearby forces steady on the starboard side. This was followed by an order of all hooves to weapons, and that as much cannon be wheeled to starboard as the deck and gun-ports would allow; ballast, nonessential cargo, and spellcasters should be moved larboard-side to evenly distribute weight.
Candidate thereafter alerted his crew to the following, in ringing tones: 1) Griffons were expected around the wreck, and any motion from them should be seen as immediately hostile; 2) rotating cannon-fire to be centred on the wreck of the Kathiawari Mare; 3) spellcasters to provide covering fire and air defence where possible; 4) any survivors beyond saving.
This last directive raised an uproar on deck; however, while later interviews would confirm the candidate’s frivolous attitude toward the matter, he carried himself with utmost aplomb at the tiller, and gave a stirring speech on the nature of sacrifice and the importance of preserving the honour of the fallen in the face of ‘rapacious Griffonia’. This seemed to mollify the crew somewhat, though the executive and second officers both came forward to raise their concerns regarding the issuance of ‘crew expendable’ orders without further reconnaissance.
The guns were loaded as ordered, however, and the ship raised to bombardment altitude—well inside the low-hanging fogbank, as it transpired, and far enough off the bay to escape the notice of any sentries. A handful of Pegasus scouts were deployed as spotters and close air support; at their signal, the Tränen commenced bombardment and twenty-six of the thirty-eight guns took up the chorus, heavy shot finding its mark in both the wreck and the surrounding encampment. It took only three salvos for the gravity-assisted fire to spiral in on the magazine; even as the Tränen began its descent, raining fire all around, the powder store went up, taking much of the beach with it.
Regardless, candidate ordered nearly ten full broadsides thereafter, with little apparent effect other than to redistribute the debris. The Tränen then withdrew half a kilometre while Pegasus auxiliaries performed a final flyover—no survivors reported.
Candidate was excused from the simulacrum at this point, though the panel elected to observe the projected results. By denying the Griffons access to salvage of the Kathiawari Mare, candidate effectively delayed the development of historical fourth-century countertechnologies for the remainder of the simulated war. However, as has proven their wont with the destruction or capture of any irregular force, the Griffonian monarchy was quick to denounce the action as a wanton attack on ‘nonaligned civilian targets’ outside Equestrian jurisdiction, causing no small amount of political backlash from neighbouring states.
Furthermore, while the simulacrum projected an immediate reduction in Griffonian border raids following the conclusion of the scenario, it also indicated a gradual worsening of relations with the Griffon government and greater deployments of regular troops along the Griffonian side of the border as a direct result.
Results: The examiners have elected to award Prince Blueblood a score of 5—the lowest passing mark—to reflect the candidate’s evident lack of care or consideration for the lives at stake in the conduct of this exercise. While the candidate did, indisputably, achieve the stated objective, the lack of consideration for alternatives before committing to a ‘scorched earth’ approach is deeply troubling.
The candidate, as evidenced in both the exam and the post-facto interview, seemed to either not care or not understand that the purpose of the exercise was not merely to win a military engagement, but rather to protect and extract the hostages—or indeed, if not to exhaust tactical alternatives in pursuit of their safe return, then at least to countenance them. His further objections that his preferred strategy exactly mirrored ‘what Auntie did’ demonstrate a marked incomprehension of the complexities of the political and personal ramifications of the Battle of Three-River Pass.
Again, however, the panel finds the candidate’s battlefield manoeuvring and obvious grasp of shipboard handling—the clever handling of weight distribution indicates some level of forethought—beyond reproach. We would require further data before we could offer a concrete opinion as to his performance in battle—preferably in scenarios in which he is not able to engineer an overwhelming advantage.
A copy of this report has been forwarded to the Crown Secretariat, per request.
Examinee: B. Hoof School (Year): Royal Equestrian Military Academy (?) Exam Date: 26 Summerwind 988 Examiners Presiding: F. Budget, S. Frisk, Withershins
Reason for Testing: Unknown, and not presumed
Scenario: Examiners had no chance to determine.
Account: Pre-exam procedures proceeded as normal up to the point of the customary medi-magical probe—subject demonstrated canny wit and charm in the pre-exam interview, and was able to provide particulars matching those of a fifth-year student at the REMA. On the appearance of the attending nurse practitioner, subject became distressed, and evaded further lines of questioning while asking for the mare to be sent away. This request was denied over further protestations, and an initial biometric scan taken. The results of even a cursory scan immediately alerted the nurse practitioner that the subject was, in fact, a Changeling.
The nurse practitioner (ill-advisedly, it should be noted for future record) reported this to the assemblage at considerable volume, thereby alerting the Changeling to its predicament. Baring its fangs, it whirled like a cornered animal and dived at the offending mare, only to be struck down mid-lunge by no less than three flame spells, a thrown halberd, and Lady Fuss Budget’s teacup. The Changeling was utterly atomised, the nurse practitioner treated for shock, and the three guards who responded to the scene were referred to their superiors for commendations.
The teacup, miraculously, survived.
Results: The examiners have elected to award ‘Brown Hoof’ a posthumous score of 3 for demonstrating incredible aplomb in an apparent deep-cover operation, albeit outweighed significantly by the poor snap judgment that followed.
It is unknown how long the Changeling was entrenched in its identity at the REMA, or whether the original ‘Brown Hoof’ was a student at the academy at all; at time of writing, no body has been discovered to match the description provided by the Board of Examiners, nor any census record of such an individual in his purported hometown of Las Pegasus.
After-action reports have been forwarded to the appropriate ministries.
Examinee: S. S— School (Year): Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns (Year 8 – early exam) Exam Date: 18 Hearthfire 988 Examiners Presiding: F. Budget, S. Frisk, Withershins
Reason for Testing: Selected for academic achievement and magical prowess. Moved up in the examination order by Crown request.
Scenario: (~) Parameters provided by Crown order. No alteration by examiners.
Account: Candidate demonstrated a canny awareness of both the situation and the (~) historical period in which she had been asked to operate. She immediately convened a war council to receive reports on the state of the battle and determine ‘how much time she had left.’ This phrasing in particular struck the panel, and provided an early indication that the candidate either held more knowledge of, or a greater sway over the parameters of, the simulacrum than anticipated.
Candidate’s commanders were able to provide her with a wealth of information on enemy presence and materiel, indicating that three nearby townships near the war-capital were currently under attack by allied forces of (~), with support from Griffon irregulars and (~). Most other powers remained nonaligned, either out of fear of reprisal, or as a consequence of existing treaties with one or more of the parties involved. Candidate then began asking probing questions regarding (~), and the disposition of her forces; her commanders, vaguely concerned, commented that their efforts had been focussed elsewhere, and that the Swarm had not been heard from since being driven underground following the original coup attempt in (~). Candidate ordered messengers dispatched to several locations about the westerly Eohipp in short order.
(~)
Candidate consulted with the oracles as to the state of some mystical power source referred to as (~). These artefacts—evidently attuned to the very heart of the Equine being—were a project of (~), and evidently (~), especially when exposed to or harnessed to any great degree by (~). What their relationship is to the latter-day (~) is unknown.
(~)
Having received certain assurances from (~) and bought the support of her forces with the promise of fresh carrion on the field, candidate proceeded with the pre-emptive strike on the three occupied townships initially drawn up as the prospective border she had drawn up at the last summit. The heads of the three warring (~) had moved a significant portion of their respective standing armies into the area in order to better garrison against future aggression by either candidate’s Equestria or opportunistic attacks by erstwhile allies. This provided the necessary pretence for Equine forces to move about the border region unmolested, and thus position themselves for a strike at the appropriate juncture. Candidate correctly asserted to her generals and allies that a concentrated strike of sufficient force, timed appropriately and with overwhelming force, could cripple all three enemy powers and leave them ripe for (~).
Within the space of a month, candidate had orchestrated a dual-pronged march on enemy positions at (~) and (~), with simultaneous strikes to occur in the early hours of the morning, in cooperation with (~)’s forces. These initial skirmishes took the enemy wholly by surprise, and—through a combination of apparent sun-magicks and coordinated assaults by local Swarm boils, two of the three border townships were cleared of enemy soldiers within an hour of initial deployment. A number of prisoners were taken in the raid; some were retained for further questioning; most others were handed over to the Swarm for (~) and breeding, as initially agreed.
Candidate showed an extreme disregard for the prisoners under her jurisdiction, enforcing strict starvation diets and hard labour for the recalcitrant, and consigning those who did cooperate to ‘reintegration camps’, soon to be established around the war-capital, for the purposes of reintroducing the captured as productive members of society, with greater focus on the trades suggested by their cutie marks. One high-ranking officer of the (~) militia was interrogated daily—sometimes by candidate, sometimes those among her Guard—until he relinquished the necessary information on the remaining (~) garrison.
(~)
As before candidate led this final attack from the front, but her opening volley—a light spell of unknown intensity, aided by the artefacts she had taken to wearing—immediately (~). There were almost no survivors among the garrison or the allied Swarm boil, but—despite being demonstrably and wildly outside the candidate’s control—the particular resonance of (~) ensured that no civilians were harmed by the magical energies in play, even where the light struck them. This had the doubtless unintended effect of panicking at least one of her more reticent generals, who moved forward in an attempted coup after the initial firing, only to be struck down by several more loyal counterparts.
Simulacrum was slated to end on capture of the occupied cities. Candidate then (~), wresting control of the simulacrum even as the formal examination wound down. Shouting down—and indeed shutting out—the attending panel of examiners, candidate was able to move the projections forward (~) years to determine her status as (~) in the projected history. This greatly alarmed the panel, and efforts were redoubled to immediately terminate the simulacrum. Candidate was evidently fixated on these details enough so as to be effectively cut off by the panel and restored to reality.
Candidate was heard to say that (~)—that she’d ‘always known’. She maintained the same grim, distant smile for the duration of the post-examination interview, despite answering all questions flawlessly.
Results: After significant deliberation, the examiners have elected to award Ms. S— a score of 9 for her efforts to resolve the situation presented her. Candidate is obviously a talented magus, with an obvious affinity for magic in the light and war schools, and was able to serve as not only a shrewd strategist and inspiration to both the soldiers and the nation under her command, but a cunning diplomat and highly-capable frontline commander. We can only recommend her skills as necessary and valuable additions to the Throne’s stable of assets.
Neither can we contest her results. While brutal in the extreme, her methods saved not only the troops on the field, but a plurality of lives in the contested townships and—per the unexpected extrapolation the subject was able to derive from the simulated reality—indeed the kingdom. It appears that with the destruction of the (~), the real-world conflict upon which this examination was based was ended a full three years earlier than history records.
However, this panel must make it exceedingly clear that the actions taken at this pivotal moment of (~) were out of step with many of the basic ethical and moral obligations that this government has established as baseline for the treatment of any sentient species, much less our fellow mare. The violence visited on the (~) forces during and after the relevant engagements was—though effective in attaining the understood goals of the exercise—needlessly and excessively brutal. Further, though the panel acknowledges it as a minor point, given the candidate’s effective handling of herself in personal combat, we strongly recommend that the candidate reconsider her willingness to lead from the front in every engagement; such tactics have historically presented informed opposition with an opportunity to target and decapitate Equestrian leadership on the field. This applies doubly in the case of units wielding any form of high magecraft or high-maintenance battlefield spellcraft, as the failure of nearly any Tier 3 or greater effect can drastically and disastrously impact friendly forces on the field.
Addenda (not provided to the candidate): (~)
It is unclear at this time how the candidate was able to exceed the parameters of the simulacrum to the extent she did, or how she was able to direct its prognosticative element to so effectively determine her own place in the history to follow. However, a formal review of the relevant arcana is to be undertaken to ensure that examiners will always have the ability to cut short an examination, irrespective of subject strength.
In addition, Lady Fuss Budget has requested that her intention to both 1) file a dissenting opinion on this decision, and 2) submit her resignation to the Crown, be noted in all official records pertaining to this examination. This panel likewise submits that the use of historical scenarios for which few—if any—records exist hamstrings the efforts of examiners to compare candidate performance with the objective facts of history.
A copy of this report has been forwarded to the Crown Secretariat, per request.
[Editor’s Note: We are unclear as to the reasons for the use of non-standard redaction notation in this document, particularly where it applies to the candidate’s name. While it is possible that this is simply the product of an unfamiliar hoof, there are striking similarities to the style in use in court documentation of the early Post-Unification. This is presented unedited for the reader’s consideration.]
Examinee: S. Armour School (Year): Royal Equestrian Military Academy (Year 5 - graduating) Exam Date: 18 Hearthfire 988 Examiners Presiding: C. Cruller, S. Frisk, Withershins
Reason for Testing: Graduation requirement
Scenario: A variant on the Bandit Kidnap scenario subset—candidate and two constables of the local township against a score of armed brigands with six prisoners. Contemporary gear supplied. Scenario took place in a densely-wooded area just outside said township after midnight.
Minor alterations made by examiners to ensure appropriate test of small-unit tactics. Candidate is well-versed in battlefield strategy on the larger scale; after thorough consultation with his instructors, it was determined that this would be an ideal test of his command flexibility.
Account: Simulacrum began at the edge of a Fey Wild outside the developed township of [Redacted]—a locale evidently familiar to the recruit, as he was able to easily orient himself by way of several local landmarks on querying his escort. Recruit would later confirm that he had visited the area with family in the past whilst on holiday.
Candidate reviewed orders with auxiliaries one final time: candidate had assumed the guise of an off-duty veteran, tasked with leading local constabulary to retrieve a half-dozen villagers taken prisoner in a raid by local subsistence farmers-turned-raiders, in protest at recent expansions into their ancestral lands. Diplomatic solutions had failed, and a previous party of constables was sent back in saddlebags, along with one of the hostages. The brigands had threatened to kill one further hostage each night their demands were not met. Mayor of [Redacted] had requested volunteer assistance for the second party, with explicit orders to incapacitate hostiles where possible; killing would awaken the blood-fever in the fey-beasts and potentially provoke a more drastic response from the survivors.
Candidate also took the opportunity to assess his cohort: a wiry, bespectacled Pegasus with a well-meaning frown, the only formal member of the constabulary among the group; and a burly, brooding fellow with a beady eye and a sharp tongue: a deputy of only a few years, working in the local off-season. Both were familiar with the forest, and moved out swiftly at candidate’s direction—though not without some grumbling from the rough. Candidate attempted to engage both in light conversation throughout the journey, but only the constable indulged him.
Candidate correctly surmised that a farm militia only lately turned scavenger would be unlikely to take any great care hiding traces of their presence, and tracks were soon located leading deeper into the forest. The group followed these for a time, the rough ranging ahead as the constable and candidate spoke in low tones, swapping stories about family and assessing each other’s field training and how best to leverage it against a numerically superior force. Then they came to a split in the tracks, and there things began to break down.
The more obvious set of tracks led southeast, down a shallow incline into a place where the trees grew thicker together, near the heart of the forest; the other—scattered, narrower—up a steeply-sloping ridge directly northward. Logic dictated that the better-worn path was the more likely alternative, but despite the patient reasoning of the candidate and the constable both, the deputy swore up and down that the upper route was safer, easier, and—in face of all logic—the ‘right direction’. This quickly escalated to an argument, as the reasonable members of the group insisted on the logic of the lower path, and the deputy that his ‘intuition’ was sound, that no-one had ever had enough faith in him to let him be a real deputy, that the out-of-towner was impinging on his chance to shine, and so on and so forth.
This caught both the candidate—and the constable, who had known the rough longer—somewhat off-guard, and they both changed tack to quiet him; his shouts would be sure to alert any nearby brigands to their presence. Eventually, they were able to quiet him and let him take the lead down the slope, candidate continuing to try and engage him in conversation. But the deputy just forged ahead.
Eventually, the light of a fire evidenced itself through the trees, and the three crept to the edge of a clearing where the bandits had made camp. Candidate pulled the other two into a huddle to determine a reasonable approach to extracting the hostages; the constable was all in favour of a sneaky approach, possibly weaponising some of the local flora or megafauna, but the deputy was almost frothing at the bit at an opportunity to rush in. This again descended into whispered argument of some minutes as the two utterly irreconcilable positions struggled for supremacy. Candidate maintained a conciliatory approach at all times, evidently to the mounting fury of the deputy, who finally screamed that he’d had enough of waiting and dove into the centre of the camp in a highly unbecoming bloodlust.
(Candidate would later refer to this strategy—or lack thereof—as the ‘Ahoy Jenkins’, after some apocryphal tale popular around the naval barracks at REMA. The panel is considering adopting this as official terminology for want of a similarly pithy designation.)
The rough took up his sword and scattered coals from the fire among the tents, panicking the inhabitants even as he cut through their fellows in threes and fours. Candidate and constable had little option but to assist him, and between the three of them they were able to kill or disable almost half the opposing force before the latter had time to muster themselves. Once these latter were on securer footing, however, the tide turned back on the group: candidate suffered a glancing arrow-wound to the shoulder, and the rough was cut down by the combined efforts of a half-dozen of the remaining brigands.
Candidate and constable were thereafter able to pick off several of the remaining brigands at range until they were left facing down but a single survivor, who emerged from the largest tent holding a knife to the throat of a [Redacted] filly no older than eight. Candidate evidently recognised the hostage, calling her by name. [Redacted] The bandit then stated his terms—be allowed to walk free with half the hostages, or the child would die. Candidate had already ‘tipped he hoof’ [sic] by acknowledging he recognised her, and the bandit refused point-blank to swap for any of the other hostages. Candidate and constable attempted for several minutes to defuse the situation in exactly the appropriate manner—pushing where they could, backing off as the hostage-taker grew more agitated. The dialogue grew noticeably in pitch and volume, and the knife pressed harder still into [Redacted]’s throat.
Constable was gently convincing candidate that they had minimal hope of changing the stallion’s stance when a second brigand leapt from ambush behind a tent at the left flank. Candidate and constable moved at the same time; candidate firing a spell at the new attacker by reflex, the constable leaping over him for the hostage-taker, wing-blades bared. Candidate confirmed takedown with a single blast, and turned back in time to see the knife [Redacted]. [Redacted] Simulacrum ended as constable prepared to guide all surviving hostages back to town.
Results: The examiners have elected to award Recruit Armour a score of 8 for expert handling of a harrowing and emotionally-charged situation, and wish to extend their sincere apologies for the particular subject matter raised in the course of the test. It was under no circumstances understood or considered that the simulacrum would react in this manner to the particular fears of [REDACTED] held by the candidate. Candidate has full assurances that future iterations of the test will be modified to account for particularly strong feelings related to family and [REDACTED].Personal leave, medi-magical amnestics, and counselling will be made available on request. As per usual in such cases, the Crown will assume all costs.
In terms of performance, we feel that the candidate functioned more than adequately in the line of duty, though we do note a particular concern relating to the candidate’s insistence on earning the respect of the ponies under his command. Irregular troops—constables of the local prefectures especially—are prone to a certain laxness that regimental soldiers are trained to avoid, and feel freer to voice their disagreements with command decisions in the field. Such arguments must be taken in stride when issuing command decisions, and insubordinate soldiers to be dealt with appropriately: while conciliation is occasionally the smart play, there comes a time when a commander must put her boot down and indicate her decisions are final.
Overall, we assess the candidate to be a highly ethical and competent commander, and will be taking the necessary steps to recommend him for a commission to the General Staff.
Examinee: [Redacted], alias ‘Harp’ School (Year): Royal Equestrian Military Academy, Special Intelligence Division (Year 7 – graduating) Exam Date: 24 Midharvest 995 Examiners Presiding: C. Cruller, T. Shrike, Withershins
Reason for Testing: Selected for academic achievement and magical prowess.
Scenario: Variant of the traditional Kathiawari Mare scenario—one airship with reduced complement (candidate commanding) escorting High-Value Personnel (HVP) against a single enemy seafaring vessel and repeating coastal artillery. Enemy vessel in possession of 12+ prisoners. Era-appropriate gear and magics supplied.
Scenario unfolded in and around a volcanic island of unknown origin, floating in a trackless sea under a smoky sky. Exam vessel resolved as a Fleuve-class light escort (eighteen guns, four-score maximum complement), HMS Crwth; enemy vessel resolved as an Atrox-class Griffonian war barge (fifty guns, ten-score maximum complement).
Account: Candidate entered the simulacrum in the immediate aftermath of a warning shot by Atrox-class vessel. Candidate appeared slightly shaken, having been thrown into the scenario with significantly less prep time than indicated by exam staff, but recovered quickly enough and requested a situation report from the executive officer. Officer reported no damage to either the vessel or the dignitary, who was still in his cabin. Candidate adapted quickly to this new information, ordering a pair of guards to the dignitary’s cabin for the duration of the engagement, and subsequently ordering all remaining hooves to battle-stations, and the ship raised to bombardment elevation.
Even as the ship began its ascent, Unicorns on deck—candidate included—experienced significant telepathic feedback as a captured Relay was forced to broadcast Griffonian demands: surrender the dignitary, or risk an escalation of hostilities, both in the current engagement and on the broader scale. Prisoners were announced, having been taken from a coastal cutter a few days prior. On further questioning, Griffonian captain indicated that dignitary had insulted the honour of a close relation at a summit hosted by the Minotaurs, and that justice demanded a blood-price. Candidate acknowledged receipt of demand and requested the customary thirty minutes to reach an appropriate determination; the Griffonian captain permitted fifteen.
Recruit [Redacted] then sought counsel of senior staff. Executive and second officers expressed mistrust of Griffons’ intentions, and recommended that the Crwth engage the enemy ship from altitude, disabling it and making efforts to rescue prisoners. Chief engineer and navigation both disagreed, indicating their belief that the Crwth—despiteits inherent advantage as an airship—was tremendously outgunned, and that the prisoners might be bartered for at a later date. Candidate also summoned the dignitary for further questioning; the latter indicated that he had no memory of the incident to which the Griffon captain referred, or indeed of engaging a Griffon of any stripe at the diplomatic function in question.
Candidate then asked if much was known about the captain himself, or the clan to which he belonged. Information was scarce; even the dignitary—by his own admission, a lower-ranking functionary to the Equestrian mission in Zebrica—was able to provide only scattered details. The clan in question was known for its mercantile ventures and its fixation on currency-as-prestige, with interests ranging from Ald Pegasi to the Westlands, and it was concluded that the dignitary’s involvement in some recent trade deal that potentially undercut Griffonian interests might have been the inciting factor. Parley would likely prove ineffectual, as both sides fully recognised the crew’s inability to set policy or speak for the Crown in such matters; any attempt at retreat would cost the lives of the hostages below, and potentially those of the airship crew, should the barge be prepared to pursue.
Candidate was seen to sigh, and ruefully ask the dignitary whether they might be willing to give up their life ‘just this once’ to maintain the peace. This had perhaps the intended effect, for it got the assembled officership—dignitary included—laughing long enough that the candidate was able to teleport to the barge herself without interference.
Even as the startled crew ordered the ship about, candidate appeared at the war-barge’s tiller, pulled a pauldron from her armour, and threw it at the enemy captain’s feet, claiming Right of Arbitration, a traditional Griffon honour-challenge generally invoked—as affirmed by the candidate in the post-exam interview and independent research of the cultural archives at a later date—to bypass legal proceedings in favour of binding trial-by-combat. While antiquated by modern standards, candidate correctly assessed that the practise would be in vogue throughout the historical period selected for the simulacrum; and, indeed, the enemy captain threw his pauldron down in kind.
Candidate sent a quick message to the Unicorn Relay aboard the Crwth, ordering the ship to maintain position until called for, and was only slightly startled by the Griffon captain’s barked demand that she clarify the stakes. The agreed terms were fairly straightforward: duel to the death, no seconds, fate and disposition of both crews, prisoners, and dignitary to be determined by the winner; the only special condition for the duel was that it be a ‘battle of blades’—use of magic beyond that required to wield a weapon (as stipulated by the Griffon captain) or wing (at the candidate’s insistence, over repeated objection) would constitute a forfeit. Beyond that, any form or method was to be considered reasonable, with choice of weapon to be left to the combatants’ discretion. The Griffon captain opted for a halberd and tower shield; candidate, for a peculiar thick-bladed thrusting sword she selected from the Griffon armoury. The Equine prisoners were brought on deck, and the Griffon crew formed a loose ring around the two captains, roughly amidships.
At the firing of a small gun from the war-barge’s aft-port quarter, the duel began. The Griffon opted for a low-slung defensive style, becoming of his chosen armament; candidate with a quick, acrobatic form reminiscent of the Saddle-Arabesque dervish, with an emphasis on quick, repeated thrusts transitioning into odd-angle low and overhoof slices. The battle was long and hard-fought, and several times the Griffon seemed poised to gain the upper hoof with a single careful jab or swing of the halberd that candidate would only narrowly avoid. However, it soon became clear that the hail of blows upon his shield was wearing him down, and his gait grew steadily clumsier as the fight wore on—his jabs slower to recover, his shield swinging a little wider with each impact. Ultimately, candidate drew the first blood, punishing a wild swing of the halberd, and half a minute later it was over.
Even as the Griffon captain slumped dead against his heavy shield, however, the first of the challenges arose—some argued candidate had used magic to assist her leaps and dodges, else poisoned her blade when no-one was looking. A dozen calls for rematch resounded across the deck, and it became clear to the candidate and the prisoners alike that the Griffons had no intention of keeping their end of the agreement. Candidate evidently made a snap decision, ordering the Crwth low over the deck even as she challenged the nearest and loudest member of the Griffon crew to make good on his various threats of bodily disfigurement.
Weapons were drawn, and candidate made a fine show of keeping enemy soldiers from both the nearer guns and the prisoners; badly outnumbered as she was, she was able to fend off the nearly sixty mares on deck—even killing a few—until the Crwth was able to extend a boarding ladder, which she was able to tie to the prisoners’ conjoined shackles without difficulty. Over the objections of her officers, she then ordered the Crwth to evacuate the prisoners and delegate to safety at best possible speed.
The simulacrum ended in a pitched battle, as Recruit [Redacted] fought a hopeless battle against the remaining crew. The airship and all crew aboard escaped unharmed.
The simulacrum predicted continued strain between the unnamed merchant clan and Equestrian interests in coming years, but no greater threat to the peace. Of note, however, was the apparent popularity of the tale within the annals of future military history—projections showed that the use of this and similar Griffonian customs would become something of a recurring trick Equine field commanders and diplomats both would use to extricate themselves from costly engagements or force resolution of disputes manufactured by the Griffonian side. Indeed, the practise became so widespread that within a century the Griffon king was obliged to proclaim Griffonian law and custom did not apply to ‘the inferior Equine races’ and that future attempts to turn their laws against them should be dealt with ‘in the harshest manner’.
Results: After some discussion, the examiners have elected to award Recruit [Redacted]a score of 8 for her ingenious solution to a difficult situation: namely, an effective use of stalling tactics, diplomatic and cultural understandings, and a considered—if costly—sacrifice to ensure that the majority of allied forces were able to retreat from the battlefield. Candidate is obviously well-versed in several major duelling schools (the first and fifth Bownetti forms in particular were a joy to observe outside a practise-hall), and we can find no fault with her carriage in the heat of combat, either as a frontline fighter or an officer in command.
Of some greater debate was the invocation of the archaic rights-of-combat the candidate used to work around the opening stalemate. However, while an effective means of levelling the playing field to the candidate’s benefit in this particular instance, it must be made clear that the leveraging of a mare’s culture against her is just as likely to incite the opposition as cow them: many groups, Griffons especially, chafe at what they see as mockery of their customs, and may react with violence. While the simulacrum recognised this as an effective course of action, the arcana involved are based on historical records of the Griffonian honour code as it is understood by Equestrian observers and sociologists; accounting for individual interpretation among opposition forces is nigh-impossible, and should be undertaken only where officers have the utmost confidence in their appraisal of the enemy commander’s convictions. We would strongly caution Recruit [Redacted] from overextending herself on this front in future.
One further observation for Recruit [Redacted]’s consideration is that, while obviously quite gifted in her ability to parallel-process and effectively manage multiple field assets in tandem, she is occasionally somewhat more lax in communicating her plans to friendly units on the field, even in situations where this might help the operation to run more smoothly overall. We understand this to be a recognised and highly-valued asset among intelligence agents, especially with regard to [Redacted]; however, we would recommend that Recruit [Redacted] exercise this evident skill with care in joint operations with the military in future. Irrespective of operational effectiveness, the common soldiery tends to rankle at what they see as the withholding of information that might save lives.
Examinee: (~) School (Year): (~) 996 Exam Date: (~) Examiners Presiding: C. Cruller, T. Shrike, Withershins
Reason for Testing: Selected for academic achievement and magical prowess.
Scenario: (~)
Parameters provided by Crown order. Panel has been made fully aware of the ramifications entailed by involvement in this exam, and have waived their right to memory of the events proceeding therefrom.
Account: Though the candidate seemed initially somewhat wrong-hoofed at suddenly finding herself in command of such a force, she quickly regained her composure, requesting a full and appropriate array of reports from her generals, advisors, rationalists, and magi. The allied forces of (~) were at her disposal, and clear efforts were made to reinforce that all had pledged themselves to her flag in anticipation of (~), given its nature as an existential threat to (~). Candidate also took the opportunity to confer with a collection of Equine, (~), and (~) individuals, evidently drawn from all walks of life and breadths of experience, who presented themselves as friends and compatriots gathered over a long and storied career as (~)—a position candidate expressed no small quantity of surprise and alarm to have been trusted with, but quickly warmed to the notion in the time permitted her.
Though she seemed initially taken aback by the scope of the task set for her, and the limited time she had in which to (~), candidate acquitted herself well at every opportunity, taking full advantage of diplomatic, arcane, and (~) channels to investigate and fully understand the crisis she was tasked with weathering. With this borne in mind, she quickly set about (~), restructuring and consolidating resources in order to save not only the kingdom, but (~). Immediate efforts were made to (~)
[The remainder of the report has been entirely blacked out, save for the following lines.]
The keystone project was a resounding success, ending not only the Last War (as simulated records came to call it), but also the very structure and nature of Equine (~). Even bearing in mind the personal and public sacrifices required to enact the plan, there can be no doubt as to the projected end: (~).
Results: The examiners have elected to award (~) a score of 9 for her strong performance as a leadership presence and unifying force on the field. (~)It is clear that although subject appears to have no recollection of events, and displayed sufficient disorientation on the conclusion of the exam to warrant an examination by the attending nurse, some portion of her consciousness retained sufficient control over the simulated magical energies in play to bring about the desired resolution. Irrespective of perceived memory loss, candidate was treated with a Class-B amnestic, in line with request parameters.
Overall, candidate displays incredible facility in the magical arts, as she has proven countless times both in the lecture hall and in past examinations. Indeed, this panel would like to draw attention to the events of (~) as further proof of the candidate’s comprehensive and innate understanding of the Weave, apparently from a young age. Further, whether entirely conscious of it or not, her first instinct—like others of her line—is to use that power to protect, and to build.
She is not perfect, much as she strives to be. Her work is consistently meticulous and insightful, and her long- and short-term decision-making processes are informed by a wide knowledge of historical, arcane, and natural philosophic sources; however, there are early signs of (~), as well as a tendency to keep friends, allies, and resources at hooves' length. The panel additionally noted a marked tendency in the lead-up to her final (~) to distance herself from affairs by rendering them in terms of the mathematical, or naturally philosophic: a military feint might be rendered in the clinical terms of a linear regression; the quantifiables of mare and materiel distilled to an arithmetic.
In like manner, she expresses a perceived difficulty with the art of diplomacy and related fields, though any faults as such stem from cyclical insecurity and a possible lack of formal socialisation, rather than inherent inability. Though a minor point, it may also be worth noting that she disdains and disparages any spirituality that does not directly pertain to the rational arcane or natural philosophic; this caused some significant friction with several (~) throughout the latter stages of the campaign.
After this demonstration, we have full and abundant confidence in the ability of this candidate to overcome any challenge presented to her, and recommend her appointment to a position of Her Majesty's choosing on completion of her schooling. Unless Her Majesty feels differently, we have no reason to believe that (~) will prove anything but an asset of the highest calibre in whatever service she is set to: whether leading our people in the field, in the halls of learning, or at the foot of the throne, (~) receives this panel's full-throated and enthusiastic recommendation. In like manner, we feel it incumbent upon ourselves to thank Her Majesty for the opportunity to observe this candidate in action: though the memories may fade, (~) engenders a faith that several members of the panel did not think it possible to feel in one's fellow mare anymore.
A copy of this report has been forwarded to the Crown Secretariat, per request. It has not been provided to the candidate, by similar request. All copies of this report have been redacted in line with request parameters, and all attending staff dosed with the Class-B amnestic aforementioned.
