Author's notes
This is basically the prologue for my upcoming fanfiction series. It takes place way after the events of season nine, with few ponies you would know. At least two names should stand out, but don't expect me to give out too much information. That'll take all the fun out of this. ;)
In regards to the timeline. A.N.M. should be easy enough to discern, right? If not -- After Nightmare Moon. One thousand years would mark her return, plus a couple more to include Twilight's adventures. I took a stab and assumed the final episode of season nine was set approximately thirty years after the coronation. Why thirty? They have those bags under their eyes, stray hairs, streaks of grey (in Rarity's case). They're not young anymore, but they're not Granny-Smith-old. They reminded me of Starb- I mean, Starlight and Sunburst's parents (I'm blaming autocorrect, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.) So maybe forty-fifty years old. Add just a few more years to account for the events of my story, and you get -.
Seeing as I have no idea how real-life documentations of stuff like this are written (thanks so much, Google), I just did my own thing. I did gather SOME information from Google, that helped a tiny bit in making it more -- refined, maybe. And it did give me the stuff on eyes. (Don't ever Google the stuff I Googled 😑😂) And then I decided I needed confirmation on my stuff, had to make sure it was at least SEMI legit, especially certain terms and stuff. So I got to chat with an actual doctor. That was fun!
Anyway, I've been sitting here on my elbows for maybe fifteen minutes and my shoulders are probably not going to like moving, but sitting here forever is not an option. Hope you enjoyed this, and there's way, WAY more where this came from. (Take a stab at how much more, I'm curious now to see what you guys think.)
"...and that, my liege, is how we know the earth to be banana-shaped."
Sir Bedevere, Monty Python and The Holy Grail.
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Founded by: The Lost Sisters, A.K. Yearling
Lead by: Mungo Pones, Petunia Paleo
Start: 1036 A.N.M
End: 1038 A.N.M
Summary constructed by A.K. Yearling, 1038.
Documented by archeologists Pones and Paleo, 1036/1038.
No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means, (magically or mechanically), without written permission from T.L.S., Ms. Yearling, Mr. Pones, and Ms. Paleo.
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Lost civilization of Alicorns was found. Named Alidia, as suggested by uncovered tablets.
Estm. 885 tablets found. Some in good condition, some damaged, evidence of many lost.
Evidence of deceased residents in sixty percent of the area. Confirmed body count 3,567. Nineteen percent foals, twenty-six percent young adults, fifty-two percent adults. Three percent found to be elders. Signs of more deceased, though decomposition prevents more accurate tally.
Suggested tower near back of city, near what could have been mountains, but both have been reduced to rubble.
Some suggest presence of uncontained magic. Signs of spell dust, nubilus marks. However, also signs of extreme decay, which is the opposite of the effects of raw magic.
Interesting white substance outside of city.
Evidence of other creatures that lived nearby, but are now gone.
Each of these subjects will be reviewed in more detail on the following pages.
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The recovered tablets are in the process of being translated. The language used bears similarities to Old Ponish but is, seemingly, more refined, as well as more complicated.
The residents of this empire appear to be made up almost entirely of alicorns, which included stallions. These appeared to have curved horns, and their wings were broader than those borne by the females. Some younger residents were found without a horn or wings. Theory suggests that they never had them in the first place.
Rubble located at the back of the city suggests a large body of rock used to stand there. The area is (blah-blah-kilometers) wide, (blah-blah-more kilometers). Additional rubble suggests a large castle and/or tower here, adjacent to the mountain. This has been reduced to little more than a pile of stone, crystals and metal.
Theory suggests presence of uncontained magic, with evidence to support this. Traces of ala still remain in some places; two dried riverbeds, cultivated areas, gardens. Nubilus marks along ground and sides of still-standing dwellings. However, there is also a strong presence of decay, the opposite effect of raw magic. Off the record, the presence of raw magic would have preserved more than what was found. As it were, there are no signs of regrowth in the entire city.
Expedition also found evidence of several strange creature tribes. The only familiar ones appeared to be zebras. The others include (in theory) goats and dragons, though these differ from the goats and dragons we know in Equestria. And two unidentified races. One appears to be wolf / lion like, with wings and lithe bodies. The other is very strange, with a pony body, clawed back legs, hooved front ones, and large wings.
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Eastern Shoal, 2-17-36
In these documents, we will describe parts of the journey to this lost civilization, and keep notes on the area itself once we have arrived. The journey is estimated to take around (caaaalculate) weeks.
We'll be using the pass through (starlight's mountain) to reach the outer shoal.
Paleo. Day One, 3-8-36
We have arrived at the edge of the lands beyond, so they have been named. The ground has become rough and dusty, and the sky has darkened. There's no signs of life, of any kind whatsoever, besides our own.
Some (lots of kilometers) ahead are three mountains; two on our right, one further out to the left. Ms. Shadow says there is another straight ahead, though it has been reduced to rubble. If this is true, I shudder to think of what might have happened to cause such damage.
With the absence of any sort of (food), we must rely heavily upon the rations we have packed. Fortunately we have packed more than enough, having been warned about the state of the land ahead of time. And once a camp has been set up, we can send ration teams back to base to procure more, should the need arise.
Pones. Day Two, 3-9-36
A team has been sent ahead to investigate the ruins and ensure everything is safe, before (the archeologists) move in. In the meantime, Ms. Shadow and her sisters are providing us with more information,
Weekly Summary, 3-8-14
Paleo. Day Ten,
A queer rumbling has been emanating from the earth beneath us. Sometimes it becomes so intense we cannot even stand upright. Some of our equipment has been damaged.
Pones. Day Twelve,
The source of the rumbling revealed itself yesterday; in the form of a gargantuan creature with hide tougher than a dragon's scales, and legs like thousands of knives larger than a small tree. It nearly destroyed our camp, but we managed to hold it off until it suddenly collapsed. It hasn't moved since then, so the unicorns formed a team and levitated it to where it would be out of the way.
A series of tunnels deep in the ground were discovered, and it is believed that the creature used these to travel.
The white streak outside the city walls is being investigated. An attempt was made to collect samples, but it seems to be permanently affixed to the ground. Two excavators are working on carving a solid piece away from the ground, so we at least have something.
Morale has started to fade, not quite as fast as expected, but strangely darker. Tension has begun to arise, still faint, but present all the same. - was found dismantling -'s lantern. Upon questioning he claimed to have seen - taking possession of his -, though - wholeheartedly denies such an act taking place. It seems even the sisters are affected by this.
Pones.
One of the Unicorns was found dead. This has left Paleo quite shaken, so I am taking over journal duties.
The circumstances of their departure have yet to be fully determined. What we do know is quite unsettling. Below I have attached the medical report constructed by a team nurse.
Decedent
First name: Skeedaddle
Last name: None
Race: Unicorn
Sex: Male
City, town, or village: Ponyville
Type of death: Violent, Causality, In prison, Suspicious, unusual or unnatural,
Comment: Presence of persistent pupillary membrane in both eyes,
If magical accident check one: Caster, Assistant, Pedestrian, Unknown
Marks and wounds: Eyes have turned completely black, except for silver sparse membrane stretched across the collorette. Black recesses are scattered in patches across the forehead, cheeks, hooves and chest. The horn has rotted from the inside out, coming through along the spiral.