The Roof of the World: A Journey through Mustikk

by Prince_Staghorn

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Original Character
Length: 6545

The tale of unicorn explorer Ice Crystal's journey through an uncharted continent, 300 years before the modern day.

"I see it as feasible that one could reach Equus from Stirrope, and make a return journey, by walking across the great northern continent. Vast, frozen, and unexplored, I intend to make this journey myself.

My name is Ice Crystal, and I will cross the roof of the world as I believe our ancestors did long ago."

Ice Crystal's novel, The Roof of the World: A Journey through Mustikk, now in its 300th anniversary edition, is well known throughout most countries, and to this day remains the most up-to-date look at some of the most remote cultures in the frozen north. From the edge of the Crystal Tundra, join Ice Crystal as she travels across the continent of Mustikk, encountering many dangers on her quest.

Published 2015-10-14 22:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-09-25 18:13:19 UTC

Chapter 1

The author discusses her supplies and preparations for her journey. A further description of the Crystal Tundra, its flora, and the natives of the village of Crys. She encounters the Crystal Kingdom that has risen after the fall of the Crystal Empire.

Before I leave, I must have supplies. I shall be travelling light, as I believe our ancestors did in their flight from their homeland.

Food will not be a problem, as I can subsist on what nature gives me. Even as I travel away from the grasses and flowers, I will find the exotic plants that are sometimes sold at markets. Due to the traders who bring them, I have eaten bearberry, arctic moss, Caribou moss, Diamond leaf willow, Labrador Tea, Pasque Flower, and the Tufted Saxifrage, and found them all adequate to my needs. For protein, a number of birds nest on the ground during summer and spring, providing eggs and meat. In the case of water, springs and rivers will provide in the summer, melted snow will do the same in the winter.

Concerning clothing and other essentials, I will be taking warm furs for the winter months, along with a tent, sketching paper, a sharp knife, several quills and pencils, a tinderbox, a pot to boil water in order to render it safe to drink, and this journal.

I have contacted a friend of mine via carrier pigeon to watch my home while I am away. Barring accident or injury, she will arrive by nightfall.

I have locked my door securely and am now heading northeast. I have heard stories of the fallen Crystal Empire, now considered a myth by many, and wish to see where it stood before continuing with my actual quest.

I look back at my home one last time, then I continue onwards.

The Crystal Tundra during the summer is beautiful. The grass is a beautiful emerald green, and flowers of various colors hug the ground, painting a brilliant patchwork across the landscape. The occasional crystal berry bush dots the landscape, its red, purple, mauve, and blue fruits glittering in the sun. These bushes in particular become more prevalent as I get closer to the small village of Crys.

Crys is not big or grand, consisting of small, round tents which can be quickly packed and moved when the village changes location for the winter. Its inhabitants are not ponies, but a type of sheep.

The Crystal Pygmy Sheep differ from their larger cousins in size and color, as where the sheep a pony is likely to meet are either white or black, these sheep have a soft violet colored fur, and wool ranging in color from purple to pink, with the occasional yellow or blue individual.

They are a surprisingly sturdy folk for their size, and withstand the harsh winters with ease, moving from the plain and up into the mountains before the first snow falls. In spring, the move back down, setting up the village and harvesting the berries planted the summer before. The sheep claim they were here before the empire, and showed the Crystal Ponies how to survive in the winter. In return, the ponies provided a more permanent home for their ovine neighbors.

According to other accounts taken by other explorers, the sheep were unaffected when the Empire disappeared, simply returning to their nomadic life of migrating between the mountains and valley as the seasons changed.

I passed through their village, drawing some attention, though the majority ignored me, before I continued onwards.

Note- Here, Ice Crystal changes her tone of the book, writing mostly in past tense, as opposed to present tense. Presumably this is because she began writing about the events of the previous day rather than making notes as they happened, though lack of dating makes this a guess only.- Quill Scribe, head of the Canterlot Archives' Historical section.

Nothing remains of the Crystal Empire today, beyond the descendants of its sheep and the farmlands holding the crystal berries. No buildings remain as ruins, no ancient roads cross the land, and the only crystals remaining are deep underground. Were it not for the groves of berry bushes, I would have thought this was simply another part of the tundra.

However, the Empire was not abandoned.

My first and only warning was a buzzing noise. I turned to see a changeling standing there, looking at me curiously. It called out something in its language, and I was soon surrounded by several. However, they made no move to attack, instead nudging me, gently herding me into a cave hidden within a small slope.

Chapter 2

The author is taken to the court of the Queen. She explains her reason for showing up unannounced, and is welcomed appropriately. The appearance and religion of the culture are described.

I'm not sure how one such as myself should have reacted in this situation. On one hoof, I was being led into a series of tunnels by a group of changelings. On the other, they weren't really trying to harm me.

I suppose at this point I should mention that, like most ponies, I knew little about changelings. The majority of pony-changeling encounters involved rangers on the frontier or traders overseas. I barely fit into the former category, having only lived on the edge of the Crystal Tundra for a few years, and I had never actually encountered these equines before.

The tunnels I was being escorted down have given way to polished stone blocks. Torches were set in recessed hollows, small shafts allowing the smoke to escape without filling the tunnel. A massive door at the end was forged from steel.

When the door was open, the interior of a large rotunda was illuminated in the glow of a vast number of sunstones set within the walls. There were several changelings coming in and out of the hallways, but the most spectacular sight was the walls themselves. They were carved from massive crystals, glittering every color in the light of the sunstones. I had never before seen anything so beautiful, and I doubted I would again.

My escorts led me down the right-most corridor, and I saw this was simply one building within a fair-sized underground city. From here, I was taken down an elevated road until I reached a large palace carved from pink crystal.

Inside were several guards of some sort. I only assume this from their armor, as they carried no weapons. They were stationed around the room, at the center of which was a throne. On the throne, a female changeling sat, her crown indicating that I was standing before a queen. I bowed appropriately, waiting for whatever fate would bring.

I was told to rise, and I was questioned as to my intents and purposes. I answered truthfully, simply stating I was a traveler who planned to cross the northern continent. There was absolute silence... before the queen began laughing. To my surprise, she said I was to be released, and that I was welcome to stay as long as I needed.

I was allowed to roam freely, and this allowed me to make some observations.

I found out these changelings differed from other accounts I had heard of. They were stockier, bordering on what might be described as "chubby", as an adaptation to the cold winters. On their backs was the typical changeling shell, along with a pair of wings. However, in addition to these, they also possessed a pair of elytra like those of a beetle, which covered the wings and back carapace when they were not flying.

Like the Crystal Pygmy Sheep, these equines possessed a sheen to their coats which reflected the surrounding light like crystal, though according to the few texts that survived, this paled in comparison to the coats of the bygone crystal pony race.

The culture of these changelings, however, seemed to match the descriptions given by the rangers who had contacted other kingdoms. Despite a few differences, there was an underlying Neighponese influence to the architecture, though this was only based on pictures I had seen, and in any case was difficult to see through the stone and crystal making up the buildings.

Scattered around the city were several shrines to the deity of these equines, Kami, each attended by several young mares. I inquired one such miko, their word for shrine maiden, about the nature of this deity.

I had never exactly encountered a religion such as this before. According to the mare, Kami was not one deity, but rather the true form of nearly all deities, changing shape to suit its various duties. "It" was the proper term, for in its true shape, I was told, Kami had no true gender. It was Kami who had created everything by donning various guises other races recognized as their deities.

I bristled slightly at this, being an Eponite^ myself, but I calmed down before I said something untoward.

Note- This is the only time Ice Crystal makes any mention of her faith, though it does explain some of her behavior, as Eponites tend to be curious and willing to dive hoof-first into new situations.- Quill Scribe, head of the Canterlot Archives' Historical section.

I had noticed she had said Kami was the true form of "nearly" all deities, and I inquired as to her meaning.

She explained that another force worked beside Kami, known as the White Changeling. Like Kami, the White Changeling was the true form of many deities- in this case, those associated with death. The White Changeling was said to look different to each individual, sometimes not even appearing as a changeling. Its favorite guises were those of a white changeling, a skeleton in a robe, a white alicorn mare with black wings, or a masked noctral mare with a white mane. But no matter what form, this deity's duty was the same. It would silently come and lead the soul peacefully into the afterlife.

This was a beautiful way of looking at death, and one that made me more comfortable with the prospect of my own fate should I have failed to cross the frozen tundra.

Author's Note

^a member of the Eponite religion, which states the great mother, Epona (represented as an earth pony), formed the world and all other gods, but made all equines with her own hooves

Chapter 3

The author leaves the changeling kingdom. She continues north, discovering several new species such as the Nauger, a small dinosaur, and then encounters a pack of Timberwolves before meeting a encountering an unknown beast.

I stayed with the changelings for three days, and as much as I wished I could have stayed longer, I knew I needed to get to the tundra before winter set in. I thanked the queen for her hospitality, then I took my leave, though she insisted on at least having an escort see me out.

To my surprise, the exit tunnel I had been led to opened out into a forest several miles north of the fields where I had first entered. All around were various species of pine trees, ranging from green Douglas Fir to massive silver-colored Ironwood trees, all doing their best to try and block out the sunlight. When I turned around, the changeling and the entrance had both seemingly vanished. Fairy-folk tended to do that easily.^

I consulted my compass, then began heading north once again. The forest would provide ample shelter from any inclement weather.

In this forest was an abundance of unusual life, unlike any I had seen before in Equestria. Among the most prominent was a creature I named the Nauger.

The Nauger is a small tree-dwelling animal, a pre-bird saurian, handsome in coloration, being covered in soft feather, black on the body, but striped with white on the tail, arms, legs, and neck. The face, hands, and feet, however, are scaled, with the head being scarlet, while the extremities are gold.

The Nauger can only exist here because of the fact that there are no native woodpeckers or similar animals, and the Nauger is perfectly adapted to its purpose of drilling into solid wood. The teeth grow only at the front of the jaw and are directed forward, each one lending support to the one before. Those at the very front bear the brunt of the pecking force. When they wear out or break, they are replaced by more teeth growing in from behind. The neck joint is very strong, protecting the back of the skull and the brain and giving support to the heavy neck muscles needed for the constant rapid pecking. The second finger of the Nauger is also remarkable, being about as long as the forearm. It is used for poking down burrows and winkling out the larvae of the wood beetles on which the saurian feeds. A hooked claw at the end secures the catch.

One of these creatures actually took a liking to me and began to following me around. I took to calling him Pad, and he became a near-constant companion during my stay in the forest.

It was my third day in the forest before I met any unfriendly organisms, and in this case, they took the form of a pack of Timberwolves.

While I did know a basic Fire spell, I knew it would do no good on these woodbeasts, as the outermost branches of their bodies were composed of Ironwood, well-known for being fireproof. Interestingly, the greyish needles covering them almost gave them the impression of having actual fur, so that from a distance, one could mistake them for true wolves.

With no other options left, I ran as fast as my hooves could carry me, and the woodbeasts began pursuing me.

My smaller size allowed me to quickly weave between the trees, but I soon found myself in the open, and here the Timberwolves began catching up... before suddenly stopping and turning back.

This left me confused, before I suddenly felt a sense of pure dread, and turning around, I discovered the source. It would be impossible to describe it, for it kept shifting and changing, but I shall attempt to put the words to paper.

It overall resembled a black, formless mass, constantly producing and re-absorbing the various limbs, eyes, and mouths of several species. Its smell was horrifying, as was its voice, a piping, flute-like cry in an unknown tongue: "Tekeli-li!"

The amorphous horror.

I ran once again, heading further north, away from this new horror.

Experienced scholars will recognize the creature described by Ice Crystal as a Shoggoth, or Proto-Smooze, such as those described in the Al Azif of the Camel scholar Abdul Alhazred or in the story At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecolt. This is interesting, as Shoggoths normally only occur in the Southern Hemisphere, and were not reported in Equus until the founding of Hinnysmouth.- Ouija Board, head of the Canterlot Archives' Occult section.

Author's Note

^Fairy-folk- an old term for the family of equines encompassing Changlings and their relatives

Chapter 4

The author's flight recounted. She is conducted into Henosis and is given brief respite. The wizard Olórin described. A description of the country and its inhabitants. The description of the Nachtkrapp, a large bird of the northern latitudes.

How long I ran from that amorphous beast I do not know, nor can I clearly recall what went through my mind during my desperate flight from it.

I ran long after the creature had given up pursuit, and continued until I collapsed from exhaustion amongst a stand of conifers. Here my vision faded to black, and I knew no more.

I was awakened by a gentle voice, and opened my eyes to find myself in a small cottage, being tended to by an Arctic Unicorn^.

"Welcome back to the real world," the mare said with a small smile. "You're lucky Olórin found you before a sabre did."

I slowly rose into a sitting position, taking in my surroundings. I was in a simple medical hut, judging by the other beds and the wooden cabinet full of poultices, herbs, and potions. The mare continued speaking.

"You were out in the open for about half an hour, so you were rushed here as quick as possible. What exactly made you decide a nap out there was a good idea?"

I immediately sprang into a spiel about the horrible thing I had seen, but the speed at which I spoke made me nearly incomprehensible. That was when a male voice chuckled.

"I see your guest is awake, and she has a fondness for adventure."

Turning to the speaker, I saw a large light grey elk, his beard almost reaching to the first joints of his forelegs, wearing a storm-grey cloak.

That was when the name the mare had used clicked into place.

Olórin! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I had only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale! This was an elk who had taken part in the War of the Deer! An elk who had travelled far and wide across the world! The mentor of Starswirl the Bearded himself!

Olórin is a fairly well-documented figure, and the most famous of the 5 great elk wizards known as the Istari. His contemporaries were Curunír (who became corrupted by Grogar), Aiwendil (a hermit who dwelt in the woods, tending to animals), and the two Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallando (about whom not much is known besides their names). Olórin was indeed the mentor of Starswirl the Bearded, but unlike his apprentice, the elk preferred to stay out of the politics of whatever countries he travelled as much as possible, only becoming involved when some major threat was looming.- Quill Scribe, head of the Canterlot Archives' Historical section.

The grey elk leaned down, looking directly at me.

"You're a long way from home, young one. Surely you have the time to tell an old Wizard how you came here?"

I told the great magician of my self-imposed quest, and in turn learned of my current location- the northern country of Henosis.

Henosis is the northernmost of the continent of Equus' countries, a vast land dotted by stands of conifers. It has only one major city, Omin, and this is the site of Dawn Castle, the Henosian capital and seat of royal power. It was in a shelter near the city's edge that I now rested

This land is also the main producer of the fabled Frostwind Ice, a magical material of strengthness nearly matching adamant and mithril. Frostwind ice is valuable for making weapons, and does not melt.

Like Equestria and Concordia, this is a land ruled by alicorn royalty, in this case a mare named Princess Iridia. From the few pictures I had seen and descriptions I had read, she was a white alicorn, blonde of mane, with blue eyes and a rainbow cutie mark, dressed in a green cloak with white fur trim, a gold and silver crown atop her head.

Many who have seen or heard of Princess Iridia note her striking similarity to Queen Iris, the first alicorn ruler of Equestria, and have speculated that they may be related in some way. However, as Queen Iris died when her scribe and successor Lauren Faust was 20 years of age, no one can be sure. It is entirely possible that it may simply be a case of near-identical individuals, as shown by the resemblance between Faust herself and Princess Rosetta of Concordia, two unrelated individuals who share physical aspects in all except the style of the latter's mane- Gene Nome, author of the History of Alicorns in Equus.

The main inhabitants of this country are Arctic Unicorns, though a few pegasi are also present.

Most importantly, this country marked the border between the continents of Equus and Mustikk.

I was finished with the first part of my journey.

Before I begin the second part of my journal, I feel compelled to share an experience that gave me my first real taste of the true North.

I was watching several foals play a small game of some sort, having fun as foals do.

There was a flurry of black feathers and screaming, and a winged form was lifting away a foal in its talons.

The adults acted immediately, firing stunning spells at the bird. several eventually did hit it, and a pegasus caught the foal as she fell.

When I examined the bird, I found it to be a huge raven, but with a more robust bill and red eyes. This was something I had never before heard of, though the locals knew it as a Nachtkrapp. I was informed that this bird was a fierce predator, and would often prey on foals if given the opportunity, though apparently seeing one during the daylight was uncommon, and hinted that something more sinister might be going on...

Author's Note

^More correctly known as an Omminari, distinguished from the common unicorn by their thicker fur, slimmer frame, and longer, slightly curved horns.

Henosis is the creation of Equestria-Prevails

Chapter 5

The author leaves Henosis. She encounters the tribe of Vlad Bludbeak. The members of the tribe described. The saga of the Reindeer Wizard Rasputin in the Valravn's native language. The rage of a Magnataur bull. The author's escape from the tribe.

I left Henosis shortly after the encounter with the nachtkrapp. I had been given medicinal supplies, as well as a shortsword to better protect myself than I could have with my knife. Bidding farewell to the citizens of the town, I continued north.

Night fell upon me, and I stopped to make camp, pitching my tent, gathering supplies to build a fire, and eating some of the local foliage.

It was around the Hour of the Wolf^ that I first heard the noises. At first I took them to be no more than a pack of wolves, but as they got closer, I heard something more avian about their calls. when I heard them circling the camp, I quietly drew my blade and peeked out of the tent.

I was immediately beset upon by a number of dark shapes. I managed to wound or possibly kill one before I was knocked out. As the world faded to black, I heard my attackers cackling and speaking.

When I awoke, it was the same as when I had passed out.

"Hahahahaha! Hun har en god bid af kød på hendes! Jeg siger jeg får en bid af flanken!"

"Luk din næb! Der er ikke nok kød på hende til at brødføde os alle! Vi vil lade Vlad beslutte, hvad de skal gøre, så vil vi spise hestekød i aften."

"Hey, hun er vågen!"

As my vision became clearer, I saw my attackers for the first time.

They were griffins, or close relatives at any rate. While the griffins I knew of mixed feline traits with those of a bird of prey, my captors were a uniform black color, with the hindquarters and ears of wolves combined with the head, talons, and wings of a raven. The one who had last spoken spoke to me in Equestrian.

"Good morning, little pony. Did you enjoy your little nap? "

He cackled before continuing. "We apologize for the roughness, but Valravns aren't exactly patient. We enjoy getting what we want."

I tried to lunge at the valravn, but that was when I discovered my legs had been bound. The wolf-raven smiled.

"Good to see you still have some fight in you. I hate it when the food doesn't struggle when we eat it."

I found the tribe consisted of several Valravns of varying age and genders, as well as a flock of trained Nachtkrapp, no doubt the source of the one I had seen in Henosis.

Their leader, Vlad Bludbeak, was a large male, missing one eye and wearing the pelt of a Lupus Major. He questioned me as to my intentions, and cackled when I told him my quest.

"A pony could never hope to cross those wastes, especially now that winter will be arriving. No, better to die here and fill our stomachs than become a desiccated corpse." Here he turned to two young males. "Hugin, Minen! Binde hende og gag hende, og derefter starte ilden!"

I was bound and gagged, and watched in horror as the valravns began lighting a massive fire. It looked like despite the statement of how they liked their food to struggle, they had decided to cook me instead.

Vlad laughed, and then shouted at a few more scrawny individuals. "Minstrels, noget musik, mens vi venter på flammen at få varmt nok! Fortæl os om den gale rensdyr, Rasputin!"

The valravns produced several stringed instruments and drums, then began singing.

Der boede en vis hjort i Muskow længe siden,
Han var stor og stærk, i hans øjne en flammende glød,
De fleste mennesker så på ham med terror og frygt,
Men til Muskow kyllinger, han var sådan en dejlig kær!

Han kunne prædike hellige ruller som en prædikant,
Fuld af ecstasy og brand!
Men han var også den slags lærer hunner ville ønske!

Ra Ra Rasputin, elsker af rensdyr dronning,
Der var en kat, der virkelig var væk!
Ra Ra Rasputin, Muskow største kærlighed maskine,
det var en skam, hvordan han udøves!

Han regerede rensdyr jord, og pyt zaren,
Men Kasackok, han dansede virkelig wunderbar!
I alle statsanliggender, han var hjorte at behage,
Men han var virkelig stor, når han havde en pige til at presse!

For dronningen var han ikke Wheeler-forhandler,
Troede, hun havde hørt det, han havde gjort.
Hun troede, han var en hellig healer, som ville helbrede hendes søn!

Ra Ra Rasputin, elsker af rensdyr dronning,
Der var en kat, der virkelig var væk!
Ra Ra Rasputin, Muskow største kærlighed maskine,
det var en skam, hvordan han udøves!

Here, while the music went on, the lead singer Valravn stood up and spoke.

"Men da hans drikkeri og lusting og hans sult efter magt blev kendt til flere og flere mennesker, at de krav, gøre noget ved dette uhyrlige hjorte blev højere og højere!"

The music picked up, and the singing began again.

'Dette rådyr lige fået at gå!' erklærede sine fjender,
Men damerne bad 'Har du ikke forsøge at gøre det skal du!'
Ingen tvivl om denne Rasputin havde masser af skjulte charme,
Selvom han var en brutal, de bare faldt i hans arme!

Derefter en nat ypperste i højere stående
sætte en fælde, er de ikke skyld!
'Kom til at besøge os!' de holdt krævende, og han virkelig kom!

Ra Ra Rasputin, elsker af rensdyr dronning,
De sætte nogle gift i hans vin!
Ra Ra Rasputin, Muskow største kærlighed maskine,
Han drak det hele og sagde 'Jeg føler mig fint!'

Ra Ra Rasputin, elsker af rensdyr dronning,
De havde ikke holde op, de ønskede hans hoved!
Ra Ra Rasputin, Muskow største kærlighed maskine,
Og så de stak ham, indtil han var død!

The music died, and the valravns cackled uproariously. Though my situation was dire, I had to admit the song was catchy.

Those who speak Krakish will recognize this song as the now somewhat popular song "Rasputin", hinting that the origins of this song may go back further than previously thought, even given the centuries-old tradition of musical genres created by the Musical Battle of Canterlot that took place between the pod of Adagio Dazzle and Starswirl, which gave birth to most modern musical genres- Treble Clef, Musical historian and [REDACTED]

My bonds were cut, and I was pushed slowly towards the fire. I was surrounded on all sides, with no chance of escape.

However, luck was on my side, as the fire had attracted something else.

The only warning was a loud bellow before a massive, shaggy shape charged into the camp.

It was a Magnataur bull. 18 feet tall, the upper body of an ape combined with the lower body of a mammoth, a pair of long tusks jutting from his face. He had probably seen the fire as a territorial challenge, and was rightfully enraged and spurred into action.

The valravns attacked immediately, swarming the giant, and I used the distraction in order to escape. Chances were that many of them would die.

The Magnataur had been a good omen in two ways, both for allowing me to escape, and for showing that I was truly in Mustikk.

Author's Note

^ Between 3 and 5 AM

Chapter 6

The author's fear. A description of the Magnataurs, based on the author's knowledge gathered from Rangers. The author finds a migrating herd. A clash of titans.

While I was somewhat elated at the knowledge that I had finally reached the great northern continent, the Magnataur that had inadvertently saved me had given me a harsh reminder: I was in an untamed land, akin to the saurian plains of Concordia, and I was alone.

I would be remiss if I did not describe what I knew of Magnataurs here, as a description of their lifestyle should give the reader some idea of how harsh life is on Mustikk. However, what I know is only secondhoof accounts, gleaned from Rangers and other explorers, and frankly I do not plan on actually encountering any more of these massive primates if I can help it.

The notoriously long-lived magnataur are rumored to engage in cannibalism during times when food is scarce. Single males are known to control giant herds and produce sizable litters, but in the frigid, perilous wastes at the roof of the world, only the strongest and meanest survive. Despite their hostility to most races, the magnataur have become tolerant of the arctic tribes of kobolds (small reptilians related to dragons), who follow the herds for safety and mutual benefit during long hunts. Although the redoubtable magnataur lead solitary lives, adventurers who cross paths with them quickly learn that it would have been wiser to stay at a safe distance.

I have no doubt in my mind that, had the Magnataur sighted me in his rampage, I would have been crushed and eaten.

It was sunny after the fearful night I had experienced, and from the copse I stood in I observed the vast richness of the plains, such as they were. Green, dotted by small flowers and the occasional stand of pines stretched on into the distance.

One of the first examples of fauna which I observed was an impressive welcome to the threshold of Mustikk, but I suppose seeing a herd of mammoths would have the same effect on anyone who had never before observed the beasts.

Their domed heads raised high, bodies sloping downward from the hump on their shoulders, their impressive tusks curving before them, the herd stood and peacefully grazed, gripping tufts of grass with the broad ends of their trunks, pulling them out and stuffing them into their mouths. From the sight of a few calves I guessed that this was a herd of females, the males most likely living away from the group, much like the sapient elephants of Zebrica and Khaan.

I had expected them to be a deep brown color, but to my surprise, the fur of these creatures came in shades of not only brown, but also red, black, and even blonde!

As I observed the herd, a sudden movement nearby caught my attention, and i beheld an even more extraordinary beast. Though my description may seem ludicrous, I assure you I have no reason to exaggerate what my eyes beheld.

At first, i took it to be a massive flightless goose, or else some sort of long-necked pheasant. The beast towered over the mammoths, a small, blunt-billed head surveying its surroundings. It had a large stomach, a short, thick tail, and walked upon two thick, four-toed legs. Its entire body was covered in white feathers save for its grey, black-tipped beak. The creature moved to a nearby tree and stretched out a wing, and that was when I noticed its claws.

What claws! What arms! They could not have been less than eight or nine feet from the shoulder to the very tip of its middle digit! As I sat awestruck, the beast- some great, undocumented saurian no doubt- used the scythe-like appendage to strip away the outer bark of its chosen tree and began eating the soft inner bark.

The beast which Ice Crystal describes is an Arctotitan, one of the largest therizinosaurs known to zoology. During the time which she set out on her journey, living Therizinosaurs were not well known about outside of Concordia, Khaan, and Zebrica, and fossil examples were non-existent. The Arctotitan is unique for being found so far north, and has fully adapted to its environment with both thick, heat-retaining feathers and an insulating layer of fat- Professor Grant, head of Paleontology and Saurian Zoology at the Canterlot Museum

As I continued watching, I suddenly caught sight of a large shape in another stand of pines. With no sound other than that of a few snapping branches, it charged out and sent the mammoths into a panic.

This beast was no less extraordinary than the white mountain of feathers, but more ferocious by far. It could not have been less than 40 feet long, and stood 12 feet tall, a pair of gleaming saber-like canines hanging from its enormous jaws.

I recognized the beast... but not exactly. I had once seen a travelling circus which had displayed the taxidermied corpse of a beast from Concordia known as a Bone Eater. It was a fearsome-looking sight, roughly the same size as the creature before me. However, it lacked this monster's saber teeth, and while the Bone Eater was covered in brick red and dull gold scales, this creature was covered with grey, tan, and white feathers, patterned with dark spots. And I do mean covered, as even the beast's feet were feathered.

It ignored the mammoths, setting its sight on the large-clawed beast. Rather than running, the creature honked like a massive goose, arms spread wide.

The saber-toothed saurian circled the herbivore. I noticed a few scars on its muzzle, no doubt caused long ago by a similar quarry to that which it now hunted. The beast probably subsisted on the massive creatures as a main part of its diet, along with mammoths and who knows what other large creatures found here.

The carnivore tested the boundaries of its chosen prey a few times, narrowly avoiding the claws at least twice... and suddenly, on a third attempted strike, the beast dodged again, circling around, thick neck pushing the blunt-snouted face toward the prey's unprotected flank, and the saber teeth sliced past the thick layers of feathers and blubber to the steaming muscle below, inflicting a serious wound

The herbivore screamed in pain and fled, while the predator followed along at what I can only describe as a leisurely pace, occasionally making dashes towards it in order to inflict more damage before retreating once again. I saw its method instantly- it would simply let its prey bleed out, and then eat once it had expired.

There is no doubt that the beast described here is a Sabre Tyrant, one of the most feared predators of the north. Smilotyrannus imperator, as well as other saber-toothed tyrannosaurs, is a leftover from the Ice Age, a massive predator of mammoths, arctic ceratopsians, and the Arctotitan. The bleed to death tactic noted by Ice Crystal is typical of this species.

The Bone Eater of Concordia is a relative of the Sabre Tyrant, and is just as specialized. Hyaenosaurus osseophagus is a brutal predator as well as an expert scavenger, its thick arms allowing it to grapple onto a target with a vice grip, immensely powerful jaws capable of crushing bone and ankylosaur armor with ease, and a cast-iron stomach which digests even the most poisonous and rotten meat without much effect.

The specimen which Ice Crystal observed in the travelling circus was donated to the Canterlot Museum 300 years ago, and "Big Red" continues to be one of the most impressive exhibits to date.- Professor Grant, head of Paleontology and Saurian Zoology at the Canterlot Museum

I had no true desire to observe this, and quietly moved on.

Prologue

The author describes her appearance, touching briefly on her current residence and background. She describes the terrain, moving onto her theory concerning the flight of the Three Tribes to Equestria. She tells us her name and quest.

My dear reader, before I begin, I feel I must give a good description of myself.

I am a unicorn mare, ice blue in coat, white-maned, living on the northern edge of the Everfree, where it borders the Crystal Tundra. I was born in Canterlot, however I soon left when I became of age^^^, and set about as an explorer for Her Majesty, Princess Celestia.

As I write this, it is the year of 700 ALB^, or 1700 AEF^^, depending on your reckoning and preference of dating. It is now summer, and the flowers have begun springing up, as well as the verdant green of the local grass.

I should note here that "Tundra" might be a bit of a misnomer, as the area is more similar to a taiga biome, being too far south to be a true tundra, but the name has stuck.

As I look out, I see prime grazing land which would have easily sustained our ancestors as they fled from Stirrope... if you believe we came across the northern continent to this continent, as I do.

Others ridicule me, insisting the journey was made by sea, not land. They believe that the cold, the beasts, and the barbarian tribes posed too much of a threat. However, I believe this belief is based on nothing more than fear of travelling into the homelands of the Windigos.

I have tried to point out that a journey across the Grey Ocean would only be possible by going through the most treacherous waters of those depths. Sirens, storms, krakens and leviathans... far more than the already suffering tribes of Earth, Pegasus, and Unicorn could manage at the time. Additionally, the Windigos would not have been able to follow across the water, and they could have no idea of knowing when the Tribes made landfall, leaving only one explanation for how the Tribes reached Equus, and how the Windigos followed them.

I see it as feasible that one could reach Equus from Stirrope, and make a return journey, by walking across the great northern continent. Vast, frozen, and unexplored, I intend to make this journey myself.

My name is Ice Crystal, and I will cross the roof of the world as I believe our ancestors did long ago.

Author's Note

^ "After Lunar Banishment"

^^ "After Equestria's Founding"

^^^15