language The Crystal Chronicles [Past]
A six-part fanfiction series with an intricately woven plot

[REVISED VERSION]
Parts one through four are events that take place before the rise of Nightmare Moon and are recorded here.

  • timeline Timeline notes
    Notes

    Story timelines are titled respectively. Any events left blank do not visually or verbally take place within the TV show or novels.
    [END] refers to the end of a specific timeline.

    In order of general occurrence:
    Beyond (Where Alidia resides)
    Del Darken Marung (The Dark Morning, after the Fall)
    Stardust (Focuses on Brywood and the children of Liliane)
    Moon Spark (How the Nightmare Forces came to Equestria)
    The Dragon Amulet (King Sombra's takeover)

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The Lands Beyond

Alidia
Description

One of this world's oldest civilizations, inhabited almost exclusively by pure-blooded alicorns (the exception being unicorn and pegasus foals who have yet to reach alicorn status).


Notes

Later other communities come to settle around Alidia.
Capra: A race of simple-minded goats with long, thick horns.
Harpies: Half bird, half pony creatures.
Hellions: Wolf-like dogs with scraggly wings incapable of flight.
Zebras: Black and white equines who speak mostly in riddles. On good terms with the alicorns.
Wyverns: Aggressive two-legged dragons. Arch-enemies of the alicorns.

In this event

The Olden Province
Description

Three small communities near to each other: The unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi. Tensions run high, as they do not get along.


In this event
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MLP: FiM

Grogar declares himself "Ruler"
Description

Grogar, also known as the Father of Monsters, seizes control over the farmlands and pastures of soon-to-be Equestria.


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MLP: FiM

Grogar is defeated by Gusty the Great
Description

Gusty, an extremely talented young unicorn, united unicorn warriors under her command to bring Grogar's tyranny to an end.


Notes

This was before the establishment of Equestria, and the subsequent destruction of the tensions between the different tribes. As such, Gusty's team consisted of only unicorns.

Tartarus
Description

After the usurpation of the Father of Monsters, his lair is repurposed as a dungeon to house his most evil creations.


Notes

Notable monsters created by Grogar:
Discord/Draconequus (Who later manages to escape imprisonment.)
Cerberus (Made to guard Tartarus.)
Cockatrice
Ophiotaurus
Chimera

Star Swirl is born
Description

In the Olden Province, a male unicorn is born.


In this event

Moon Spark is born
Description

The sister of Star Swirl is born just before their home starts to freeze.


In this event
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MLP: FiM

The Migration
Description

After Windigoes cover the Olden Province in snow and frost, its inhabitants are forced to leave and search for a new home.


Notes

The leaders at the time were Princess Platinum of the unicorns; Commander Hurricane of the pegasi; and Chancellor Puddinghead of the earth ponies.
With their respective assistants: Clover the Clever, Private Pansy, and Smart Cookie.

In this event
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Moon Spark

The split
Description

While attempting to cross the Crystal Mountains, part of the Migration is separated during a blizzard.


Notes

Moon Spark and her father are among those left behind.

(also I tossed a coin a while ago to see if they would have food with them and the coin said yes lol)

In this event

The Migration moves on
Description

Unable to find the splintered section of their group, and in desperate need of food, the rest of the Migration leaves the mountains.


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Beyond

Lorelei schemes
Description

A Crystal Keeper in Alidia begins her quest for power.


In this event
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Beyond

Queen Liliane leaves Alidia
Description

Though she can sense trouble, Liliane is unable to make the king hear her warnings of danger.


Notes

She leaves Alidia with her three daughters; Celestia, Andromeda, and Luna.
She is also in possession of a gem-tree seed.

In this event
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MLP: FiM

Equestria is founded
Description

The Migration finds a new home, and the pony tribes begin to merge.


Notes

Other notable civilizations present around this time:

1: Seaside village (Rockhoof's home)
2: Swamp Bayou (Mage Meadowbrook's home)
3.a: Cloudsdale (Home of Flash Magnus)
3.b: Torch's territory (Another large, tyrannical dragon)
4: Somnambula (Somnambula's home, for which she was named)
5: Neippon (Mistmane's home)
6: King Sombra's territory (Soon to become the Crystal Empire)

In this event

Brywood
Description

The first official village of Equestria begins construction


In this event

Liliane finds Equestria
Description

After travelling with her children for some time, Queen Liliane discovers the lands of Equestria


In this event
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Stardust

Liliane meets Star Swirl
Description

The alicorn queen stumbles upon Brywood, and takes a liking to recently orphaned Star Swirl, teaching him what she knows about magic.


Notes

Alidia is far more advanced in magic than the newly-founded Equestria. Even the ever-talented Gusty the Great, and Clover the Clever could not compare.

In this event
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Beyond

A group of Crystal Keepers leave Alidia
Description

Discontent with the life they were forced into, most of the Crystal Keepers exit the city.


In this event
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Stardust

Dragons arrive in Equestria
Description

After being forced out of their home by the Crystal Keepers, a group of dragons makes the peak in Equestria their home.


In this event

Creation of the Crystal Empire
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Beyond

The Red Eye
Description

Lorelei kills the remaining Crystal Keepers and takes control of the sun and moon.


In this event
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Stardust

Queen Liliane leaves Equestria
Description

Leaving her daughters in the care of Brywood, Liliane journeys back to Alidia.


Notes

She teaches Star Swirl how to move the sun and moon, and the crystal seed in her possession is entrusted to him.

In this event
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Beyond

Lorelei is stopped
Description

Lorelei enters magic overload, and in her moment of weakness, her takeover is stopped by the Mantle.


In this event
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Beyond

The Trial
Description

Lorelei is tried for her actions, ultimately being stripped of her magic and banished from Alidia.


Notes

Since raw magic cannot be destroyed, it was sealed in a jar and placed somewhere beneath Alidia.

In this event
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Beyond

The Wyverns attack
Description

While Alidia reels from the loss of every single Crystal Keeper, they are attacked by the gem-seeking Wyverns.


In this event
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Beyond

The Fall

Description

The Wyverns unwittingly stumble upon Lorelei's magic and release it, causing Alidia and the surrounding communities to fall.


In this event
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Stardust

Del Darken Marung
Description

The sun and moon are no longer controlled by the Alidians. This affects the lands all around the world.


Notes

After studying an Old Ponish blog written by a language nerd, I decided to write the title for the Historical Tablet in Old Ponish. Considering it's also written in Old Ponish, I went for it. It should translate to "The Dark Morning"

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Beyond [END]

Queen Liliane subdues the Nightmare Forces
In this event
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Stardust

Six wizards take control
Description

Lead by Star Swirl and using the teachings of Liliane, the sun and moon are returned to the sky.


Notes

Since moving the sun and moon requires more magic than they can comfortably put out, they must teach Liliane's daughters how to do it themselves.

In this event
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Moon Spark

The possession of Moon Spark
Description

Some time after being subdued by Liliane, the Nightmare Forces finds its way to Equestria and chooses Moon Spark as a host.


Notes

A piece of Lorelei's magic was flung away from the Beyond.
Unable to withstand the vast amounts of magic it carries, Moon Spark enters magic overload and blows up half the mountain she is trapped in, creating the Broken Pass and plunging her into a deep sleep.

In this event
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Stardust

Brywood grows
Description

Visitors from other communities come and go.


Notes

Liliane's three foals start their studies

In this event
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Stardust

The village guard is formed
Notes

A growing colt named Blackthorn enlists

In this event
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Stardust

Andromeda and Blackthorn become friends
Description

When Blackthorn is stationed to protect Liliane's daughters, one of them becomes very close to him.


In this event
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Stardust

The wizards fail
Description

When attempting to raise the sun as usual, all of the wizards except for Star Swirl fall, their magic spent.


In this event
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Stardust

Celestia, Andromeda, and Luna take control
Description

The three sisters replace the wizards and take control of the sun and moon.


In this event
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Stardust

The five wizards die
Description

So much strain was put on the five wizards that they ultimately died. Only Star Swirl remained.


In this event
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Stardust

Blackthorn expresses his feelings
Description

The handsome guard of the sisters tell Andromeda he wants to be with her.


In this event

Celestia, Andromeda and Luna earn their cutie marks.
Description

During a funeral for the five wizards, the three sisters earn their cutie marks.


Notes

They were trained to raise the sun and moon in unison. However, Celestia's cutie mark showed the sun, and Luna's the moon, meaning they would each take charge of the respective heavenly body. Andromeda's showed a star, though she did not know what it meant for her.

In this event
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Stardust

A wedding
Description

After receiving Star Swirl's blessing, Andromeda is married to Blackthorn.


In this event
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Stardust

Star Swirl meets Sygian
Description

As more and more ponies visit Brywood, Star Swirl is greeted by a colt named Stygian, who wants his help to create a group to fight evil.


In this event
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MLP: FiM

Lord Tirek and Scorpan arrive in Equestria

Description

Hearing of the magic possessed by the Equestrians, the two brothers journey there from a distant land, intent on stealing their magic.


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MLP: FiM

Tirek is locked away
Description

Once Scorpan informs the ponies of Tirek's intentions, he is brought to Tartarus and put in chains.


In this event
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Stardust

The Pillars of Equestria are formed
Description

Star Swirl leaves Brywood with Stygian and helps him form the Pillars of Equestria.


In this event
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Stardust

Andromeda and Blackthorn have three foals
In this event
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Stardust

A group of Crystal Ponies visit Brywood
In this event
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Stardust

The dragons grow bold
Description

Gradually, after realizing the alicorns would not drive them out like before, the dragons begin attacking Brywood


Notes

As this continues, the tribal leaders decide to meet with the dragon king to negotiate peace.

In this event
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Stardust

The Dragon War
Description

The king of the dragons kills the tribal leaders and leads his subjects to battle against Brywood.


In this event
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Stardust

Blackthorn follows the Crystal Ponies
Description

Andromeda commands Blackthorn to evacuate with their children.


Notes

The dragon king watches him follow the group of Crystal Ponies northward and attempts to follow, but Andromeda stops him.

In this event
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Stardust

Death of Andromeda
Description

Celestia and Luna's sister makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her loved ones.


Notes

Andromeda's magic turns her sister's manes different colors and causes them to sparkle and waves.
Sombra is gravely injured.

In this event
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Stardust [END]

Sombra flees north
Description

Abandoned, injured and defeated, the dragon king flies north


Notes

Celestia and Luna are unaware this is the direction Blackthorn took.

In this event

Blackthorn runs
Description

Though he meant to return to Brywood, Blackthorn has no choice when he sees Sombra in pursuit.


In this event

Sombra catches up
Description

Once Blackthorn and the group of Crystal Ponies reach the Broken Pass, Sombra finally reaches them.


Notes

He kills the Crystal Ponies and attempts to kill Blackthorn as well. But Blackthorn escapes (though he is injured), and Sombra collapses in the Broken Pass.
One of Blackthorn's foals is separated from him.

In this event

Entrepreneurs

Description

Ponies who came with Flash Magnus from his home sneak off to the now empty mountain in central Equestria.


Investigation
Description

A troop of guards from the Crystal Empire find the remains of the returning group, and Blackthorn's foal.


In this event

Blackthorn finds the yaks
Description

Stumbling through the Frozen North, Blackthorn finds a community of yaks.


Notes

They take him in and try to treat his injuries, but they have little experience with ponies in general and his wounds are severe. He ends up dying there.

In this event
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Moon Spark

Moon Spark awakens
Description

The young mare is freed from her slumber with no memory.


Notes

She has physically aged since she fell asleep.
She now has a cutie mark: an exploding moon.
Thunderclouds follow her wherever she goes.

In this event

Canterlot
Description

After finding crystal caves in the mountain, the group of ponies from the home of Flash Magnus build a mining town, which would eventually become Canterlot.


Blackthorn's foals are adopted
Description

Since the yaks cannot take care of young ponies, they find others who can adopt them.


Notes

The first pony community they find takes one daughter, but no more. The yaks are forced to take the other to a separate community.

In this event
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Moon Spark

Moon Spark finds Brywood
Description

After wandering out of the mountains, Moon Spark finds herself at the center of Equestria in a damaged village.


In this event
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Moon Spark

Moon Spark is taken in

Description

Since Celestia is busy with the rebuilding efforts, Luna decides to take care of Moon Spark.


In this event
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Moon Spark

Nightmares
Description

What Moon Spark experienced in the mountains starts to come back in the form of bad dreams.


Notes

In response to this, Luna starts teaching herself how to enter ponies' dreams so that she can help her friend.

In this event
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Moon Spark

The Pillars Return
Description

Having defeated the Sirens, the Pillars return to central Equestria for a visit.


Notes

Stygian is with Star Swirl. The rest of the Pillars, after helping a bit, go to Canterlot to find Flash's buddies.
The princesses must explain the events that took place after they left, just before the Dragon War.

In this event
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Moon Spark

Something is wrong
Description

Luna makes Moon Spark go to sleep so she can enter her dreams.


In this event
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Moon Spark

Memories
Description

Moon Spark suddenly remembers everything that happened in the mountains.


Notes

This causes the dark magic inside her to awaken and surge out of control.

In this event
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Moon Spark

Brywood is destroyed
Description

The out of control magical surge destroys what's left of the village, and even tears through earth and stone.


Notes

This location is known today as Rambling Rockridge.

In this event
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Moon Spark [END]

Shadows
Description

Celestia comes to help Luna, Star Swirl and Stygian, turning Moon Spark to shadow.


Notes

Thus Moon Spark becomes the first Pony of Shadows.

In this event

Moving south
Description

After Moon Spark destroyed what was left of Brywood, the sisters lead their remaining subjects south to build a new home.


Notes

Moon Spark's shadow follows them.

The Castle of the Two Sisters is built

Star Swirl plants his seed
Description

Sensing that the power of the seed gifted to him so long ago might be fading, Star Swirl plants it near the castle.


Notes

He hints at its existence to Celestia.

In this event

Stygian succeeds Moon Spark
Description

Having been heavily exposed to Moon Spark's dark magic during her rampage, he himself becomes a shadow pony and the Pillars take him to Limbo.


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The Dragon Amulet

The Crystal Empire
Description

In the Frozen North, the Crystal Empire has been quietly flourishing.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Nebula earns her wings
Description

The unicorn daughter of the royal family changes crystallings for the better, and for this she earns her wings.


Notes

The vast amounts of magic from the crystal ponies and from the heart helped with that.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Nebula is declared to be the next queen
Description

Due to the customs observed by the royal family, Nebula must be trained to become the next ruler of the Empire.


Notes

The royal family always consists of alicorns. When the current king and queen adopted Nebula, they had no idea who her family was and did not expect her to have any royal blood. Yet she defied these expectations.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

A king is chosen
Description

Nebula cannot rule alone, so a colt is chosen to receive tutelage as well, and become king alongside her.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Coal and Nebula become friends
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The Dragon Amulet

The coronation
Description

Years pass and the day of the coronation arrives.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Festivities
Description

Celebrations are held and gifts are bestowed upon the new king and queen.


Notes

One such gift is a stunning red gem, presented to the king.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Night
Description

The king and queen retire to their chambers, and Nebula is soon asleep, but Coal is drawn to the red gem.


Notes

A shadow stirs within the gem. Red light fills the room, and a pulsing sound can be heard.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Within
Description

Coal is tempted to touch the gem, and immediately finds himself in a dark, smoke-tinged void.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

The dragon king
Description

Sombra, who resides in this dark void, comes face-to-face with his enemy.


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The Dragon Amulet

A deal
Description

Sombra strikes a deal with Coal; the dragon king will share his power with Coal, and Coal must find a way to release Sombra from imprisonment.


Notes

Sombra is able to see through Coal's eyes into the surrounding environment.
The Crystal Empire is quite peaceful, and as a result, Coal has not encountered any ill-meaning individuals, and has no experience in this regard.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

The Dragon Amulet
Description

After agreeing to help Sombra, Coal orders a casing and necklace be fashioned for the gem.


Notes

If concentrating hard enough, Coal may enter and exit the void within the gem as he pleases.
His body stands still when he converses with Sombra.
After wearing the Amulet for some time, he takes note of the fact that it seems to increase his own power.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Work
Description

Coal works on new armor designs for his soldiers, and sends out convoys to retrieve books.


Notes

He converses now and then with Sombra. He does not tell Nebula about the nature of the Amulet.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Nebula is expecting
Description

When Nebula tell her husband they are going to have a baby, Coal's desire to ensure peace grows even more.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Realization
Description

Nebula finally confronts Coal over his strange obsessions.


Notes

When Coal reveals he desires total peace, Nebula implies that without hardship, one cannot grow.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Truth
Description

Upon entering Sombra's domain once more, Coal realizes what has been transpiring.


Notes

In the time Coal spent wearing the Amulet, Sombra's power -- and influence over Coal -- slowly grew. He now knew the way out of his prison, and no longer needed Coal to search for one.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Sombra controls Coal
Description

Coal feels a strong pressure in his mind as Sombra gains control over him.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Nebula gives birth
Description

A pegasus filly is born to the king and queen, and a royal crystalling is planned.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

The royal crystalling
Description

The day of the royal crystalling arrives, but it does not go as planned.


Notes

When the crystal ponies feed their love and power to the heart, Sombra siphons it away and takes it for himself. This fuels his transformation into King Sombra.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

New power
Description

King Sombra uses his magic to kill the previous rulers.


Notes

The previous queen was acting as crystaller, and had the new princess with her. Thankfully the princess was not harmed, as somepony rescues her before she falls.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Combat
Description

Though Nebula had not been trained in combat magic, she engages Sombra, who is not yet used to his new body.


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The Dragon Amulet

Destruction
Description

When King Sombra gains the upper hoof and strikes Nebula down, she destroys the Dragon Amulet with a beam of magic.


Notes

The resulting explosion sends both ponies flying.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Failure
Description

Though Nebula managed to destroy the Amulet, this did not reverse the effect it had on Coal, and King Sombra became the new ruler of the Crystal Empire.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

King Sombra hides Nebula and the Crystal Heart
Description

In her weakened state, Nebula cannot stop King Sombra from taking her prisoner, and locking her up at the top of the castle with the Crystal Heart.


Notes

To make sure her subjects stay in the Empire, King Sombra forces her to cast a spell that surrounds the Empire with walls of shadowflame.
An extremely fierce blizzard springs up in the Frozen North.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Preparing
Description

Assuming the Crystal Ponies will attempt to rescue their queen, Sombra experiments and strengthens his defenses.


Notes

He craves crystals, but cannot eat them with his pony teeth.
However, he can drain their essence using magic, and drained crystals can be used to nullify magic. In addition, absorbing the essence of crystals gives him the ability to grow them at will like rock-solid foliage.
He creates a web of illusions on the path to Nebula's prison, so that if anypony got past him, they still would not reach her.

In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Death
Description

Once King Sombra has a small army made up of mind-controlled soldiers, he sends them on a mission: kill every single unicorn and pegasus in the Empire.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Concern
Description

In central Equestria, Celestia and Luna take notice of the absence of skylights and envoys from the Crystal Empire, and send a team of soldiers to pay the Empire a visit.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

Celestia and Luna leave for the Crystal Empire
Description

When the soldiers return, they report the blizzard and walls of shadowflame, and the two sisters suspect trouble.


Notes

They make the decision to leave the soldiers in charge of their castle, and set out to investigate.

Discord escapes
Description

A draconequus being held prisoner in Tartarus makes his escape, and takes over Equestria.


In this event
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The Dragon Amulet

King Sombra's Empire
Description

Celestia and Luna use their magic to get through the shadowflame wall, and enter the Crystal Empire.


Notes

When the Crystal Ponies try to have the sisters protect their crystal princess, King Sombra's soldiers find them and capture Cadence.

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The Dragon Amulet

We meet again
Description

Celestia and Luna are escorted to the throne room, where they meet King Sombra.


Notes

The sisters do not recognize him as the king who started the Dragon War, but Sombra recognizes them fairly quickly.

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The Dragon Amulet

Plotting
Description

Sensing the vast amounts of magic the sisters possess, King Sombra leads them to Nebula's prison so he can apply magic-nullifying crystals to them.


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The Dragon Amulet

His reign ends
Description

King Sombra miscalculates, and the sisters are able to overthrow him, turning the tyrannical king into shadows.


Notes

Nebula is freed and helps defeat the king, at the cost of her life.

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The Dragon Amulet [END]

The Empire disapears
Description

Celestia and Luna rescue Cadence and intend to help the Crystal Ponies, but before they can, the Crystal Empire vanishes into thin air.


In this event

Return
Description

When the sisters return to Equestria, they discover Discord has taken over, and when they attempt to stop him, they fail and realize he is much stronger than King Sombra.


The Tree of Harmony
Description

Rumors reach the ears of the sisters of a source of magic that could defeat Discord, and Celestia remembers what Star Swirl mentioned to her once.


Discord is turned to stone
Description

After locating the Tree of Harmony and taking its gems, the sisters use them to defeat Discord and restore their kingdom.


Notes

Celestia has a special storage space built for the elements.

Nightmare Moon
Description

Peace does not last long, as the same shadows that infected Stygian turn Luna into Nightmare Moon.


Banishment
Description

Celestia is unable to defeat her sister with her own power, and though it pains her greatly, she uses the Elements of Harmony to banish her sister to the moon.