Chapters Victorian Equestria: The Corps of Discovery
This text is translated to English after its appearance in the Unicorn Novel, "The Discovery of Disharmony," by Sunny Day. A version in Equestrian is available at . Any issues with the translation must be taken to the archivist's office.
Authenticity remains debated among Unicorn scholars.
Friday, September 20th, 1805
I, John Mayor, member of this Corps of Discovery, write that today was just as burdening as every other day for the past year. According to the injun princess, we have reached a location proper for resting. She seemed a bit nervous since we came across the last tribe of natives but I will chalk that up to some strange Indian woman's feeling. Perhaps I should be a little bit more sensitive to her ways, considering she had certainly saved our collective behinds before. I guess I'll have the rest of the journey to make peace with it.
- John Mayor
Once John put the journal down he looked up to the sky to see a figure flying in the air. He originally dismissed it as a bird until he saw the "Injun Princess," as was his nickname for the native woman who accompanied the party, look at the same object with fear in her eyes. It was getting late however and the team had just stopped so he doubted that she'd get anyone to move by herself.
It was only a short amount of time later that he looked up at the sky and noticed a bunch of black shapes in the sky. He rubbed his eyes thinking that it was a trick of the mind but the figures were still there and seemed to be moving at a fast speed, TOWARDS THEM!
"G-get down, get out of sight!" He heard the Indian woman yell out to the men before, all too quickly the figures were upon them and John saw that they resembled a creature from Greek myth, the Griffon.
"Intruders, state your purpose in this land!" He heard the largest of the creatures yell out, surprisingly in English. This Griffon was adorned in magnificent plated armor that resembled that of the Spanish conquistadors, albeit fitted for the Griffon body.
It took quite a few moments before any of John's fellow adventurers could even manage to speak. It was eventually the Indian Princess who spoke in some form of language made of clicks and coos, among other various sounds unknown to the civilized tongue.
"I see. I had thought that your kind had been pushed far away from our boundaries eons ago. I guess your kind have forgotten the old stories then," the Griffon said, again in perfect English, with authority before looking at the sky, "It seems like the time has come at last..."
John was still bewildered. "What was that?" he heard Merryweather Lewis ask the woman. Griffons had never been known to be in American Indian legends as far as he knew so the fact that she could be speaking to them was incredible.
"An old tongue from an old tale, mostly forgotten but once known by all the peoples of the land, they spoke of a race of warrior birds changed by the Earth Goddess to a form better suited to fight both on land and in the air. They were fierce and they drove the people of the land away from their homes. Some versions of the tale also placed four-legged creatures, similar to your horses, but with the ability to control the Earth. Some flew, and others used a form of magic," she replied.
Magic? Is she mad? John thought before remembering that a flock of actual Griffons were living and breathing in front of him. Honestly, magic was the least of his problems if these birds were hostile.
"Fledgling!" The gigantic griffon yelled to a member of his flock before an incredibly smaller Griffon, definitely younger by many years, stood next to the behemoth.
"Y-yes, Wing Commander?" The smaller griffon, probably the size of a young, adult male human, asked with a nervous tone.
"I want you and Corporal Grutur to fly back to camp and get word out to Lord Guff," The Wing Commander ordered.
"Y-yes Wing Commander!" The Fledgling replied before flying off with Corporal Grutur following shortly afterward.
Up to this point the men of the Corps of Discovery were either dumbfounded or downright terrified, but this ended after the two Griffons took off and one of the men aimed his flintlock rifle at the leaving pair.
CRACK
The sound of the gun going off was followed by the sound of a Griffon swooping in and the crack of bone. By the time John had realized what had happened, he felt a sharp pain on the side of his head followed by blackness.
The last thing he heard before blacking out was the Wing Commander ordering, "Gaffr, check on the Corporal and the Fledgling! Make sure they tell Lord Guff that we have the situation under control!"
Victorian Equestria: The Corps of Discovery
This text is translated to English after its appearance in the Unicorn Novel, "The Discovery of Disharmony," by Sunny Day. A version in Equestrian is available at . Any issues with the translation must be taken to the archivist's office.
Authenticity remains debated among Unicorn scholars.
Saturday, September 21st, 1805
Gray... Gray was all I saw when I awoke. Cold, damp stone that sucked away all heat and all hope. I definitely considered the possibilities of me being captured by savages, but I never thought that I'd be captured by gigantic birds! I can only hope that the Lord has given me this trial to test my faith. I was never the most pious man back home, but since leaving for this expedition I've thought more and more of what the Pastor at home said every Sunday. I have definitely grown into a more God-fearing man after this experience and I only hope to return home one day.
- John Mayor
After putting away his journal, John tried to shut out the voices of the Griffon guards by looking through his knapsack and found that most of his materials were still in there. Only his dagger, food rations, and water were gone, which, honestly, were not that surprising to be absent.
"At least I have my journal," He said to himself before hearing the sound of Griffon feet walking towards his cell.
"To the wall, Prisoner!" He heard the voice of one of the guards yell out.
Once John complied, the guard opened his cell door and in walked a large Griffon clad in magnificent white armor, who only said, "Follow and don't tarry."
As the large Griffon turned to leave, John briefly considered trying to run, but he figured that the Griffons would most likely be able to catch up to a running human, so he decide to just follow silently while taking one last look at the guard at his cell door.
"Make sure you listen to him closely, human, Flock Leader Giffr is a hard-ass so I'd suggest not getting on his bad side, unless you've got a death wish, of course," the guard said smugly.
Once he left the prison hall, John followed the Flock Leader up a flight of stair before stepping through a doorway and being met by the sight of an ornate hallway with banners and paint lining the stone walls and various members of the staff were flitting about.
After a ten second observation, he then heard Giffr command, "Follow, maggot."
As they continued on, he took notice of the various glances and, ofttimes, stares that were cast their way. He knew that look, it was the same look the various Injuns gave him and his fellow men when they meet. It was a look of curiosity, of wonder, and of pity. Whether they saw tired adventurers or a disheveled new species, all they knew was that they were better off than those guys.
Soon, after a five minute walk, they reached a set of oaken doors. When Giffr opened the doors, John heard a familiar voice saying, "Tell Lord Guff that we're explorers in service of the United States of America."
Once past the door, John saw Merryweather Lewis, William Clark, the Injun Princess, three Griffons in armor identical to that of Giffr, three Griffons in various cloths, and - sitting on an ornately decorated, oaken throne - Lord Guff, clad in golden armor.
Once the Indian Princess had relayed to Lord Guff the reason for the Corps of Discovery's trespassing on Griffon territory, she then bowed her head and stepped back to Lewis.
After a moment of thought, Lord Guff then said, "Normally I'd have already executed every member of your 'Corps of Discovery,' but through the council of Steward Grim, Chancellor Guter, and Elder Gylver, I decided to hear from you three humans. Now I wish to hear from one other member of your flock, and to that end I had Flock Leader Giffr pick any one member he wished."
It was at this moment that the three heads of the Corps of Discovery noticed John from the other side of Giffr, "Ah John, please impress upon the Great Lord of the Crystal Mountains that we had no ill intentions when we entered his demesne." Lewis then said to John.
As John walked over by his fellow humans, Lord Guff then said authoritatively, "Now tell me of the purpose of your flock's encroachment upon my realm, and tell me why I should spare any of you trespassers."
After straightening up and having a moment to think on his words, John then spoke of the purchase of French Louisiana, the mission given to the Corps of Discovery by President Thomas Jefferson, and his own reasons for coming on the trip - the sense of adventure and the glory of discovery. When he finally got to speaking of why Lord Guff should spare the Corps of Discovery, John spoke of the spirit of adventure, the right of men to explore unknown lands, the official approval of the United States, and - most importantly - the fact that they did not know of the Griffons.
With information from four members of the Corps of Discovery, Lord Guff then withdrew to mediate on his decision. John could only hope that his point, along with those made by the Injun Princess, and Lewis and Clark, would persuade Lord Guff to let them go.
After conferring with his council, Lord Guff then returned and said, "I have made my decision. I will not execute any member of your flock." Relief washed the four humans before Lord Guff continued, " But, I have decided listen to Elder Gylver's advice and I will allow you four members of your flock to leave to Seaddle to meet with King Griff. I believe that news of organized human expansion towards the Griffon realm is something that the King himself should know of and, with the council of the Flock, find a solution."
Victorian Equestria: The Corps of Discovery
This text is translated to English after its appearance in the Unicorn Novel, "The Discovery of Disharmony," by Sunny Day. A version in Equestrian is available at . Any issues with the translation must be taken to the archivist's office.
Authenticity remains debated among Unicorn scholars.
Sunday, September 22nd, 1805
I have seen the world as the birds have. With the Griffon Lord Guff's plan to have us speak to the Griffon King, we needed to reach the King's city of Seaddle at a faster pace than walking speed. As such, Lord Guff had us ride in a contraption he called a "Sky Carriage." The "sky carriage" was intricately made with designs of Griffons, horses, and other legendary creatures like Pegasi and Unicorns. It was large enough to fit the five of us and had to be carried by a dozen Griffons.
The carriage ride itself was equal parts terrifying and astounding. The Injun Princess had screamed much of the way and Merryweather Lewis prayed the whole way. Only William Clark and I were able to actually admire the view of the land itself. As we neared Seaddle, I saw the harbor and far in the distance I believed that I could see the Pacific Ocean itself. I wonder if anyone will believe us when we get back home.
- John Mayor
"The next petitioner is Lord Guff of the Crystal Mountains with a flock of four..." A gasp was heard from the herald before he began again, "With a flock of four humans." A collective gasp was heard before the door was opened and in walked Lord Guff and the four members of the Corps of Discovery. John looked around at the faces around the room and saw shock, distrust, and curiosity.
"Lord Guff, I'm surprised to see you coming to my hold with a race that our kind haven't dealt with in ages," King Griff remarked, garbed in purple and gold silk.
"I apologize m'lord," Lord Guff responded, "But these humans come with news that I feel would be critical for the survival of the realm."
King Griff sighed, "Alright, I shall hear what these two-leggers want to say."
The four humans then repeated what they had already said to Lord Guff -- with emphasis on their lack of knowledge of the Griffon realm.
"I see," the King said, his head full of the old stories his parents told him that were passed through the ages. After a short duration of time and some words spoken into his ears by various members of the King's council -- including Lord Guff -- King Griff then declared, "It is my belief that the Realm of the Griffons should make itself known to this 'United States of America.' If we can gain an ally in such a technologically superior realm, then the realm can only benefit. As such, I designate my first-born daughter, Princess Gilly, to be the first Griffon ambassador to the human nation of America."
Murmurs are heard around the room as the King finishes his declaration. "We thank you, your majesty," Lewis responded, "I am sure the American government will gladly treat with your fair nation."
"I do ask one favor of you humans before I allow you to leave my realm," King Gruff said with a bit of apprehention.
"And what would that be, your majesty?" Lewis asked.
"I ask that one member of your flock stay behind to educate my daughter on your species," the King requested, "I fear knowledge of your race is limited beyond the oldest stories and only really known by the nobility."
"I am sure we can find a member of our group who would be willing to take on this responsibility," Clark answered.
"I can do it," John said suddenly
"Are you sure, John?" Lewis asked, "What about your folks back home?"
"These Griffons live on land we thought were British. If the United States of America can gain a valuable ally on the western end of the continent, then I'd like to help," John responded, "The people back home have already been without me for more than a year, and I'm sure they could be without me for a while longer."
"Then it is decided," King Gruff declared, "I shall allow your expedition to reach the Great Ocean under watch, and then you shall be escorted back to your 'Louisiana Purchase.'"
"Thank you once again, your majesty," Clark said.
Tuesday, September 24th, 1805
The ocean is beautiful. With the King's many "sky carriages" the entire expedition was able to see the ocean, and I can only hope that they all make it home. We spent a long time on the seashore, just taking in everything that happened. When I first left for the west, I only saw adventure and discovery, and now I'm about to tutor a Griffon's daughter so that she'll know all about mankind when she becomes the first Griffon ambassador to the United States of America.
After all this, four men died in the fight after our first meeting with the Griffons. Samuel Sampson took aim with his rifle and almost killed that fledgling, thankfully Samuel missed and we weren't all killed by the Griffons for his actions. When I said my goodbyes to the expedition, I was emotional, and I could tell that they were as well. After everything we had gone through, it is crazy to think that we'd be saying goodbye in the west and not back in the United States.
- John Mayor
Victorian Equestria: The Corps of Discovery
This text is translated to English after its appearance in the Unicorn Novel, "The Discovery of Disharmony," by Sunny Day. A version in Equestrian is available at . Any issues with the translation must be taken to the archivist's office.
Authenticity remains debated among Unicorn scholars.
Wednesday, September 25th, 1805
I am alone in a city of Griffons. Last night I asked the King's steward if there was a library of some sorts so that I could learn more about the Griffons and their history, but he only said that he'd have some books sent up. I had no idea why but he seemed nervous, actually uncomfortable near me. Either way, the books I had been given were focused on the make-up of Griffon society and social norms, which were certainly helpful but weren't exactly the history of the Griffon Realm that I wanted to read up on.
- John Mayor
After ten minutes of reading on proper Griffon grooming in the courtyard, John saw a petite Griffon, much slimmer than the gigantic hulks that he'd become used to, enter the courtyard and walk towards him.
"Hello, I'm going to guess that you're Sir Mayor, right?" the female Griffon said once she reached him, her eyes level with his.
"Please, call me John, and may I assume that you are Princess Gilly?" John reciprocated.
"You may indeed," GIlly smiled, "So you are my tutor then?"
"On the subject of humanity and human convention, yes, yes I am," John answered.
With their introductions out of the way, and John taking a moment to gather his parchments, Gilly then asked what they were going to start with.
"Well, what do you know of about humanity?" John asked thinking about how young she was to be a representative of an entire species.
"I only know about the old tales," Gilly answered. When John asked if she could tell him, she then said, "Alright, but just know that Griffon history has some dark spots."
Once, a long time ago, Griffons lived in lands far to the east, east of the Ocean of Legends even, in a great era of heroes. It is in these lands that some say that the Idol of Boreas was forged. Griffons were cared for and had few needs in these lands, but then a race of tan-skinned two-leggers entered the lands of the Griffons. These two-leggers were aggressive and hunted all the animals of the land and even the Griffons.
It was then that the legendary Emperor Groot had the Griffons leave their homes in search of a safer land. They crossed the Ocean of Legends, avoiding many a sea monster and outwitting scurvy, to the eastern reaches of the lands.
Once hitting land, Emperor Groot had the Griffons build a new empire, but when he died shortly after, the Griffons fell and could only organize into city-states. These city-states spread throughout the land, suppressing the darker two-leggers that lived here originally, and even founded the great city of Griffonstone. But then the two-leggers united against their overlords, two-leggers who built earthen mounds over their conquests, and destroyed all evidence of Griffon civilization in the east.
The only Griffon city-states that remained were west of the Crystal Mountains, away from the influence of the mound builders, and the lands were purged of two-leggers in the time after the uprisings. It was a very long time before the Griffons were united with the Idol of Boreas, with King Grover at the helm.
"Absolutely amazing," John said, writing everything down on a blank piece of parchment and trying not to think what the purging meant.
"Yeah it was, but unfortunately, after thirteen great rulers, the weak King Guto lost the Idol to the monster Arimaspi, and Griffonstone lost its influence over the rest of the Griffon realm. It was only when the Idol was recovered by King Griff, that he was able to unite the realm."
"That story certainly explains the looks I get from all the Griffons here, but why are you so friendly to me?" John asked.
"I learned from a peasant Griffon about this thing call 'friendship,' GIlly replied, "She said that if I made friends instead of enemies, then if I ever got into a situation where I'd need help, then I could easily call on my friends. Father personally disagrees if this friend-making doesn't personally benefit the realm. He always tells me that 'friendship didn't build the new Griffon Kingdom, the Idol and grit did.'"
"I can't blame him, its a dangerous world out there, full of deceit," John said.
"It was after taking Griffonstone as his capital that my father renamed it to Seaddle," Gilly continued, "He said that the city's attempts to rebuild the realm through friendship 'tainted the once proud name of Griffonstone.'"
"Did anyone even object to what he was doing?" John asked.
"He has the Idol of Boreas in his possession, and Griffons in the end view the Idol with the utmost importance," Gilly replied matter-of-factly.
"I guess I can see how such an object might be the symbol of a legitimate leadership, it reminds me of how humans view crowns," John said before then talking about the importance and history of the crown and monarchy before then saying, "At least that is what was originally thought. In my home country, we have no kings nor crowns. The United States are the first true republic since the Greeks and the Romans, a nation of the people, by the people."
"So your peasantry discusses manners of law and the realm with the same authority of Lords?" Gilly asked, the concept of peasants having such power being so strange to her.
"Not exactly," John replied, "In a republic, the citizens vote people to represent them in the Congress, our legislative body. Even then, only free landowners are eligible to vote."
"Free?" Gilly asked perplexed.
"The United States have a... peculiar institution that has African men and women in bondage in the Southern parts of the nation. These... people work for their plantation owners and don't have rights like white folk."
"Peculiar institution? Bondage?" Gilly asked, still not really getting the implication.
"Lessons for the future," John said shutting down any discussion of THAT part of human history, at least for now, "Now how about we move from history to human formal etiquette?"
It took a couple of years to get Gilly ready for when the time came. When a Griffon entered the King's solar and handed him a piece of parchment. In it, Lord Guff wrote that the humans had sent a messenger who asked that the Griffons send an envoy to Washington DC to prove their existence.
King Griff had entertained the notion of ordering Guff to execute the messenger, executing that human who his daughter grew so attached to, and hope that those humans never came back, but he knew that it would only delay the destruction of the Griffon realm if he decided to turtle up and isolate the realm.
After a moment of thought, King Griff decided to write back telling Lord Guff to tell the messenger that the King, Princess Gilly, and the King's handpicked ambassadorial staff -- including that pesky human that his daughter had begged to have on the staff -- would travel east to treat with the humans.
Victorian Equestria: The Corps of Discovery
In the Magical Land of Equestria...
In the magical land of Equestria, there lived three pony races in harmony But up north, there was a land of warrior birds a race focused on gold and war, in the time before harmony long ago they fought off a bipedal race, and now that race returns.
-Grannul of Seaddle; 1945; The Fall of Griffonia
