Knowledge of the City Age
It is true, that the City is home to most Terra, Pegasi, and Unicorns alike. But not all. Today, we will discuss the political status, and culture of 'Wilders.' This information is crucial to survival in the wild, as wilders do not necessarily conform to City law, and may behave unexpectedly. You need to know how to deal with them in a manner that will appease both your superiors, our citizens, and their kind. For it is your duty to uphold the peace of all.
Firstly, they are not frequent in appearance. Not entirely because there are few of them, they are also very skilled at remaining unseen. If you encounter one, it is usually because they are distracted, or looking for you. This is why you must always be on your toes around them. If they are distracted, they will be quick on the trigger to anything in their peripherals. If they are looking for you, they want something from you. Rarely, wilders have attacked Guardian deployments. Even more Rarely, they have managed to take a Guardian life.
Though they are dangerous, we treat them with the very same respect we treat our citizens. The City is meant to be a beacon, of safety and ethical strength. We will never refuse entry to any Wilder, so long as they agree to conform to our laws as long as they remain within our walls. Outside the walls, we still follow our own laws on assault, self defense, murder, and manslaughter. Even if they do not. You are never permitted to take proactive action against a Terra, Pegasus, or Unicorn unless they are identified as a 'Public Menace.'
What about Alicorns?
[Audible laughter]
I'd expect that sort of outburst from a Hunter. Not you, Titan. I expect you to show more discipline in the future, or Commander Häst will know of your behaviour. In the event you were serious, the laws are unclear around Alicorns, as they were all long dead before the City was founded. If, by some stretch of what we know to be true, you did come across an Alicorn, you would likely be expected to treat them with both caution, and respect. Before immediately reporting the occurrence to the Vanguard.
Back to the matter of 'Public Menaces.' This label is only given to those who publicly behave violently, and who also refuse to accept lawful punishment. Our most recent runaway is an ex-Guardian named 'Zombie.' He is to be feared, and avoided, unless you and your fireteam are incredibly confident in your skills. If you engage in combat with those such as him, you are authorized to use lethal force to subdue them. Destroying their Ghosts is great crime, and you will be punished severely for doing so. You are expected to capture the Ghost and return it, as well as the resurrected and captured Guardian, to the City for sentencing. Those without Ghosts you may kill in self defense, but you are expected to try your hardest not to.
Moving away from the morbid subjects, wilder culture is interesting, and diverse. Typically, they embrace a sort of 'frontier justice' for most of their rulings, making decisions on a case by case basis, and carrying out punishment as each individual sees fit. There are no written laws in the wild, but discussions are expected to be preformed with all parties heavily armed. In fact, they rarely are found unarmed, and see no shame in carrying weaponry to gatherings or expeditions. Guardians often embrace this rule among them, as they are free to.
Though you have the advantage of higher quality equipment, the blessing of Light, repair systems and hefty combat experience, do not underestimate wilders. They can have gifts of their own. Some are very skilled, and some have learned to use powers similar to yours. Typically, they acquire these powers by wielding an artifact that emits a great amount of Light, and channeling it. Known examples are small shards of the Traveller, certain Golden Age relics, and -as disturbing as it sounds- dead Ghosts, who seem to give off a constant tremor of weak Light. None of these sources compare in sheer magnitude to what the Traveler directly provides to you, but if you become arrogant you will surely fall.
The City took in three hundred and twenty two immigrants last year, three hundred and eighteen of which have become full citizens since then. This number is consistent with averages for the last five years, though average rates have decreased from very long ago. From several thousand per year just a few decades ago, to tens of thousands when the City was first being structured one hundred and eighteen years ago. Wilders are allowed to become full citizens when they pass a knowledge test, and submit to a year of full time surveillance. That last condition was added only after we discovered several spies funneling information to the Fallen in exchange for exemptions from raids. Every single one of those deals was later broken by the Fallen.
In conclusion, wilders are typically peaceful despite their tendency to bring tools of war just about everywhere. They are not much culturally different from us, here at the City, exempting what is to be expected from an effectively lawless society. They typically are hunters and gatherers, as farmland telegraphs their position to the Fallen. More often than not, their small settlements revere Guardians to an extent, and fear them to another. You are the aura of power among them, and need to be careful with the command you have over their behaviours. They mirror your aggression, and respect your tranquility.
Be cautious, and good luck in the field. Return at here at three if you intend to listen in on my lecture about the history of the pony races, between the Golden Age and now.
Knowledge of the City Age
Welcome back, Guardians. I hope you've all had a pleasant afternoon thus far. Though I'm sure many of you are still upset about your bets on that last match. What an unexpected comeback by Thomaul!
[Audible groaning]
However unrelated it is to the following lecture, it was exciting none the less. Though I shouldn't linger, we are on a schedule! In case you missed the sign, this lecture will be a brief summary of the history of the equine races, between now and the Golden Age. We will cover the post collapse wars, the adoption of technology in the absence of magic, and the reunion of the races under the Traveler.
Long, long ago, before the Darkness consumed our magic, the world was in a state of miracle. With the knowledge and technology the Traveler provided, ponies had managed to enhance magic across the land, along with every other race. Changelings learned to live on the power provided by the Traveler, rather than the stolen affection of others. Griffons became incredibly swift, and strong, allowing them to take their roles as defenders and and athletes in the new united world. Minotaurs became technically minded, and put their hands to good use, developing interplanetary travel systems. Unicorns were able to build devices that stored and released magical energy easily, allowing them to broadcast their powers to a consumer base. Pegasi became capable of assisting in terraforming worlds, with the Traveler's help. The Terra became nearly invulnerable to sickness and toxins, making them perfect candidates for experimentation which lead to studies improving longevity for all life.
But you knew of all this already. What you may not know of, is the time between the Collapse and now. The Horrors that followed the death of magic, and the disappearance of so many life forms. One thing we know of the Collapse, one of the only things we know, is that the first step was magic dying. All of our technologies and advancements relied on magic for power, or for function. Suddenly all the miracles of the Golden Age were null, and the gifts we possessed before then were gone as well. Pegasus wings were barely strong enough to lift a bag, the Terra couldn't grow enough food to sustain themselves, let alone all three races. Unicorns were derelict in their magic use, making them mundane and weak.
For decades after this, almost all records were destroyed. From later evidence, we gather that this was because of a great interspecies war that sparked over defending what little resources could be harvested. As the Darkness rolled over the land, slowly but surely, races other than the equine started fading away. Nobody could say where they went, but they never came back. Everythign was silent, knowledge was destroyed and histories lost. But a few bright, and cunning individuals were wise enough to study what the Traveler had taught. We took magic for granted, and as such we incorporated it into all our advancements.
But the Traveler, it seemed, never had or needed magic. Everything it knew, it learned from the nature of the universe, not from unexplained forces that conducted its will. Those few wise enough began to invest in the knowledge given, and build things. The technologies that seeded today's great inventions. The Unicorns were the most advanced in this line of thinking, by far. They began building weapons, that used chemical reactions to project shards of dense metal at immense velocities. Now we use nuclear reactions, but it is effectively the same technology.
With this power, they had hoof held weapons, and artillery. They also had engineering capable of building structures for defense, and irrigation systems for infrastructure. Unicorns began to build an empire. Quickly enough technologies were stolen, or copied by the other races. Terra had a sleight advantage in open combat over the Unicorns, as they were much tougher. The Pegasi had a sort of instinctive ability to fight, but it wasn't much against the immense fortresses that the Unicorns had built.
Soon though, this resulted in a population too high for the Unicorns to support, even with their agricultural advancements. They couldn't guarantee an equal distribution of resources among all. But no Unicorns were willing to take the position of lower class citizens. However, one of them proved to be a great political power, and gained the trust of the populace through charity and speeches. As soon as his position was solidified, he began proposing citizenship to Terra, who accepted almost instantly. The thought of an army to protect them, and a roof to shelter them was too great a prospect to let go.
As soon as over three quarters of the Terra were residing in Unicorn walls, their leader began subtly gathering the Terra into work camps. Soon enough, they were effectively slaves to the Unicorns. More importantly, they were platforms for enhancement. Unicorns used the Terra to preform experiments, and in a few decades advanced many technologies from their deaths. Primarily, cybernetics. The incorporation of technology into a life form was unheard of, but it proved incredibly useful. Suddenly, Terra were as strong and tough as they were before the Collapse. The Pegasi saw this technology, and wanted to claim it.
They united, and assaulted the science capital of the Unicorn empire, raiding labs for anything they could work with. As soon as the Unicorns got word of this, they armed the Terra, and sent them to war. So the cybernetics changed over time, from labour-intensive modifications, to combat specific implants. The very same implants that all you Terra here today have adapted to incorporate, and probably have in you right now. The Pegasi were crushed, simply put. The implants the Terra recieved were simply too helpful, allowing them to fight with tens of bullets in them, and to carry artillery on their backs. They were juggernauts.
The Pegasi knew they couldn't win. Not without flight, so they sent pilgrims to the Traveler. They meditated, for weeks. The Terra came on several occasions to stop them, but within the Traveler's presence weapons would not fire, and kicks could not be thrown. It was a sanctuary. Eventually, the Pegasi gained something from the Traveler. They gained the ability to wield Light, in a mundane manner. They were able to have specialists dedicate years to learning how to glide, and deflect some projectiles.
Suddenly, though the Terra were still tougher and stronger, the Pegasi had an incredible tactical advantage, mobility. Terra and Unicorns needed to use their front legs to fire weapons, and as a result had to sit, and stop. But Pegasi specialists could now, if they started with enough altitude, swoop in on their wings and attack with their legs. The Terra Juggernaut would win any straight forward battle, but the few teams of hardened Pegasi could ambush and flank deployments. Supposedly slaying hundreds each, before they inevitably died in battle.
This was incentive enough for the remaining two races to approach the traveler, and though the Pegasi greedily tried to prevent the other racial pilgrims from approaching, the radius was simply too large for them to defend. Both Terra, and Unicorn pilgrims made it into the sanctuary field. They began meditating, alongside the Pegasi in training. Soon enough though, the board would change again.
The Cabal. The Fallen. The Hive. They all appeared, and in great force. Attacking Equines, and scrounging Equis for everything they could claim, or steal. Suddenly, everyone was too occupied with the new enemies to fight each other. The Pegasi specialists became legndary survivalists, destroying opposition as long as they remained hidden and mobile. But the untrained Pegasi were almost all lost. The Terra would defend Unicorn fortresses down to the last body, but it was never quite enough. The Terra suffered heavy losses, and the Unicorns had to engage their retreat plan. The last anyone heard of them for a long time, the last surviving members joined a fleet, and bolted the system.
The fleet was destroyed, but they became something out their. Somehow, their eyes were more iridescent, their coats practically glowed, and they were wiser. More beautiful, and more spiritual. Something had awoken them, but to this day, sources remain unclear. But something definitely changed them. To this day, many Unicorns live in the reef, the debris field of that fleet. But you all are born of Equis, and will receive no warm welcome from the Reef born. At least not any more. But while the mystery of the Unicorn fleet occurred, the war was still happening across the system.
This is when the Vex arrived. In a few short days, they transformed Pegasus -the first planet around the sun, not an actual Pegasus- into a machine, a network of great power. They moved on, and began to do the same with Cadenza. For a time we were worried that they would do the same to Equis, or somewhere else, but they stopped. Their reasons still mysterious to us.
The Traveler did what it could to fight back the invasion, but eventually was assaulted by such great force, that it needed to retreat. It zipped across the planet, to the mountain of Canterlot, and it made one final, decisive action. It sacrificed the last of its strength, to wash the solar system in light, and place a shield of defense around itself. This wave of light granted gifts to all of Equinity.
Firstly, the luminokinesis you all possess. The ability to project Light into simple force, in very close proximity. You can wield weapons, write, make repairs and pilot ships with this. This was an incredible power, even if now it seems mundane to you, at the time it allowed for complex weapons and devices never possible before. It gave the ponies a chance against the races of the Darkness.
Second, it made the Ghosts, and the Ghosts made Guardians. Suddenly, warriors of immense power began appearing throughout the world, and pushing the Darkness away from settlements. They lead the first of us to gather under the Traveler. The first Titans defended all those who wished to meditate in the Traveler's Light. The Guardians were a beacon, and the Darkness a threat, that reunited the equine races. The Terra used their immense endurance from extensive modification, the Unicorns used their natural intelligence and expertise with Light, and the Pegasi used a mix of cunning, determination, and strategy to guide the finer aspects of survival. Finally, a force had come together that held enough strengths to potentially defend themselves from the Darkness.
For the longest time, homes were built, and columns of refugees filed in under the Traveler. In time, the Titans built their walls, the Warlocks uncovered dead technologies and adapted them to benefit the infrastructure of the City, and the Hunters worked tirelessly to scout, and patrol the world around them. The Castle was refurbished, and made a home for the Guardians, by the grateful citizens of the City. Soon enough, though it's hard to say exactly when, the City became a true home for all of Equinity. Soon enough, the City Age began.
Though our pasts will haunt our names forever, we have a future to build and protect. We may always think of the Terra as war machines, the Unicorns may never live down their oppressive reign, and the Pegasi may forever be seen as greedy for not wanting to share the Light. But now we live together, and only together can we live. Only together can we reclaim everything we have lost.
[Audible clapping.]
