Wars may be fought by people, but they are waged by nations. In these chapters are brief descriptions of the various countries and organizations involved in the Pony Wars.

These places and peoples are varied and complex, some following religious cults and some democratic ideals, some value wealth while others just want a homeland of their own. From the wave-wracked islands of the Hives to the frigid peaks of the Wyvernspine mountains, from the plains and forests of the Lumahina to the vast cities of the Sunbound, these are places the Ponies and other races call home. Some are wonderful, some harsh, all are about to be plunged into the largest conflict their world has ever known.

What follows is not a traditional narrative, but there is a story to be told. It is intended as a primer for those who wish to create their own stories set within the Pony Wars setting. Those who do should submit their stories to the Pony Wars CCG group. The authors of stories the creators like most may be invited to help create a card based on that story.

Each chapter will cover one culture, nation, or significant location. The histories and lives of individual characters is covered in another fimfiction story: Dramatis Personae of the Pony Wars

Wars may be waged by nations, but they are fought by people. In these chapters are brief histories of the various characters involved in the Pony Wars.

This is not a world of black and white, morality is not so stark. Most involved would be considered heroes to those around them. Hate is rare, but fear and worry are common, and trust can be hard to come by. Although terrible things are done during wars, be it in the name of justice or honor or loyalty to one's crown, few Ponies are truly evil. Most are decent folk, who want to protect their homes and their families and their beloved friends. All those involved believe they are doing the right thing, even if pressed into desperate situations, and they might be right.

What follows is not a traditional narrative, but there is a story to be told. It is intended as a primer for those who wish to create their own stories set within the Pony Wars setting. Those who do should submit their stories to the Pony Wars CCG group. The authors of stories the creators like most may be invited to help create a card based on that story.

Each "chapter" will cover one character. Each one begins with a very brief description of their personality, and then a quote from them. Following that is the story leading up to the conflict from their point of view. Not all of them saw everything, and not all of them understand the role they had to play.

Descriptions of the nations and factions involved are in another fimfiction story:
Places of Power Within the Pony Wars

Disclaimer: Any similar names/appearance to any other creator's characters is co-incidental.

During a Wonderbolts exhibition at Mt. Aris, Rainbow Dash accidentally crashes at Sonic Rainboom speeds, nearly killing her. Her recovery is slow and painful, grounding her for months. While land-locked, she learns to appreciate life from the new perspective, as well as the pony caring for her.

At the same time, Applejack watches others form families of their own and starts to wonder if she’ll ever get a special-somepony for herself, or if she’ll end up alone. But she doesn't get any time to ponder that before she's suddenly thrust into a caretaker role for a badly wounded Pegasus...

(Found the cover on EQD, not sure who made it...)

This story is a sequel to The Mask of Despair and the Face of Hope

Life has been calm of late for Luna, but calm does not mean entirely content. She’s lonely, and although her relationship with Celestia has never been better, there’s only so much time between dawn and dusk and Equestria needs it’s leader. What spare time Luna has is usually spent alone, and her duty is complicated by Twilight requiring extra help to deal with the trauma she suffered from an incident involving time travel and the end of the world, which was thankfully averted.

One night she spots a stranger in the night sky and finds them to be a newcomer to canterlot. A Unicorn with magically generated glass wings, and strangely lacking a cutie-mark. It’s only after she starts to coax him from behind his mask of despair and befriend him that she discovers that something is eating at his mind, possibly literally.

What does his condition have to do with his two strange silver face-masks? What connection does he have to Twilight Sparkle’s trauma? Why can’t she find his dreams as he sleeps? Why does it feel like so much more than the fate of a single pony lies in his fractured history?

There are shadows and storms ahead, and the destiny of more than one world may hang in balance.

Eleven hundred years is a long time, more than four hundred thousand days. Every pony only lives oh-so-many of those days. Everypony but Celestia, she's lived them all.

Most ponies don't remember every pony they've ever met and befriended, some get forgotten over time. Everypony but Celestia, she remembers them all.

A letter from an old friend can be a welcome thing in all those many days.

Sometimes a letter gets lost in the mail.

Shortly after becoming an Alicorn, Twilight asks the princesses about her new body. She doesn't get the answers she expected. Instead she gets a series of secrets known only to the other Alicorns, as well as a revelation which might change Equestria forever.

When her daughter discovers she is afraid of heights, Knightmare tells her the story of how she became known as the pony with a will like tempered steel.
Of a Nightmare Night years before when she was Fragile Flower, the pony known only for being afraid of everything.
Of the Nightmare Night when the monster, Deimos, came to Canterlot.
Of the Nightmare Night when Fragile Flower became Knightmare.

Written for the November 2018 Reviewers Café OC contest.

Cover art by: Mr Tech

One day, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom receive a message and a package from a pony they don’t recognize. Inside is a vest, an ugly, highly reflective, bright orange safety vest. Alongside is an apology for an event they don’t remember, and the words “Hope gives you wings.” Confused, they take the vest and the letter to Twilight, who tells Scootaloo to put the vest on in order to finally receive the real gift…

Art by Grim_Grin

Equestria is Divided, cities and towns compete and vie with each other, sometimes violently. Although Princess Celestia nominally rules the entire nation, in truth the land is splintered by factional and religious conflicts and each city largely fends for itself. Dark powers stir and strange monsters bite and peck at the fringes. This uncertain time lends to many adventurous Ponies making names for themselves, and the fate of the nation is unclear.

But not all is dark in these fraught times. Not all ancient powers are those at work for evil. Three unlikely friends are gifted such powers by a strange spirit, and are called upon by Princess Celestia herself to protect the world from the foul forces that plague it.

-Eclipse Corona, youngest son of an old noble unicorn family that once considered itself Luna’s heralds.
-Red Haze, a wandering unicorn traveling alone, seeking answers to a terrible vision of fire and death.
-Tiny Hooves, A friendly Pony seeking justice, and one with a significant secret… He’s no pony at all.

Along their path they are joined by others, not as powerful but no less heroic.
-Ormr, A yak prodigy sent by the tribe’s ancestors to prevent a foul future.
-Rampart Rock, An Earth pony soldier with a vow to protect others. With his own life if need be.
-Kerrek Shieldglare, A hippogriff thief, exiled from his home, desperate to recover a lost fortune.

These new heroes are watched and judged by Princess Celestia, and by other forces seeking to ascend to greatness and claim ownership of the world.

He just poured everything he had into the story, and now it's out in the world for everypony to see it. He couldn't be happier. But as the days turn into weeks, he finds out how empty his accomplishment feels when barely anyone bothered to read it. He didn't think he was asking for much, just an opinion.