The Confederation of Changeling Hives was always a house of cards, reinforced with steel yes, but made of cards. Queen Vesali Chrysalis always knew that any compromise with the other queens would be like that, which is why she had to prove herself to all her subjects and peers. And what better way to do that than to invade their ancient enemy of Equestria.
In the standard Equestria at War timeline, this ended unfortunately, with such a defeat costing thousands of changeling lives and destabilising the hives for several years. Thankfully(?) in that story, Chrysalis returned safe and sound - if bitter - to her homeland, and through her leadership, the Confederation held together.
This is not that story.
Months after a disastrous invasion against Equestria, everything is beginning to boil over. Chrysalis, Queen Vesali and One Queen of the Confederation, is currently… no longer able to fulfil her duties. Her government fell and has been replaced with a military junta. Now, Hivesregent Cimex of Gardis rules Vesalipolis. For reasons no one could guess, he has declared the felling of the royal Vesali line and announced the creation of a presidential republic to eventually take over the reigns of Vesalipolis.
However, many are skeptical, many are angry, many are scared. Factions are forming in opposition to Cimex and his plans: Stallionists led by Gold Muffin seeking a continental revolution are surging in popularity without the Queen’s Authority; a splinter group of militarists following former Hivesmarschall Synovial Vesali are actively opposing any moves away from the stability of the millennia-old changeling autocracy; and the Queen’s Guard remains under siege in the heart of the city, standing in defiance of Cimex’s republic.
As tensions mount, the city’s coke stores are being emptied, and the winter refuses to leave, Pharynx Amartus is left feeling betrayed by the inaction of his superiors. For him, it is finally time to stop sitting around, and start solving problems - even if the solutions require smokeless powder.
“The city must not fall.”
- Frostpunk 2
The worldbuilding is based on Equestria at War. Supplementary changeling worldbuilding comes from Steel and Chitin, a project by me and another person to flesh out the EaW changelings. This takes place in my alternate timeline, Smoky Skies, which asks the question no one has asked before: what if the Cutie Re-Mark, but with a touch* of Rozalskian technology.
