Author's Notes and Prologue
War, War never changes...
When the climax of what was simply known as "The Great War" had been forced at it's peak, The decadent Equestrian Republic had unleashed a hail of hellfire and radioactive magic upon the Dracocorns, in an attempt to knock them out of the war. Unfortunately, Kaiser Phalanx, a mare of her own ambition, struck the Republic with WMDs with killing potential of almost equal proportions. destruction lasted for 5 years, before both sides had succumbed to the weight of conflict, when war simply becomes a murder spree of innocents in monochromic uniforms.
The Volitile nation of Imperia, an unfortunate addition to the armed conflict, was hit the hardest in civilian casualties. Mostly by the slow, painful radiation poisoning caused by the WMD's personal fallout. both sides were equally affected, North and South, as "The Ripple" took effect. It started with fur discoloration, followed by molting, then vomitting at best. more severe cases show signs of mane loss, tail loss, skin sores forming, and slow insanity creeping up on the mind. at worst, internal organ failure, brain damage, and then a slow, painful death. Most ponies were victims of the latter at the start of the Ripple, but more ponies born each year became more through the second half, building up evolutionary resistance to such an attack. In short, adaptation brought more then just radiation resistance.
The gene that all ponies had, at least from their conceived time of birth, always had single gene that helped control the size and weight of a pony. The radiation from the combined WMDs and Mega-Spells had nearly whipped out the gene in deterioration. Ponies were slowly becoming Horses, mostly Clydesdales, and Clydesdales into Savages. Animals, without a single shred of civility in their make-up.
Despite the heavy casualties, a hefty amount of ponies took a chance and were immediately grateful for their decision to stay within a Stable-Tec Stable, once thought to be a strictly Equestrian corporation. Out of the millions burned and thousands dying, a few hundred were spared the harshness of the War's climax, and that of the Ripple.
A few decades have passed, and almost every Stable has either opened their doors foolishly to the Hell of the Imperial Wasteland, or fierce revolution had forced the doors opened. Stables 19, 45, 17, and 76 all opened. Stable 14 was left closed, permanently locked away for unknown reason. Groups leaving each and every Stable in Imperia had been forced to scavenge in order to rebuild society, form gangs, and craft new civilization.
All Except one, however. When the steel doors of Stable 88 was opened, new groups of opportunists began to shape it into their personal research facility. headed up by the Northeastern Brotherhood of Steel, one such group, the Stable's purpose of shielding ponies from the harshness of the Wastes, soon becomes a prison. The Oasis becomes the Liar of the Lotus Eaters
It was here, one young buck was born. and here, he will eventually die. because in Stable 88, no pony has ever entered, and no pony ever leaves
