Longsword

Black Cloak State of Longsword, Central Griffonia.

“Be welcome, comrades” Starry Night spoke to her fellow revolutionaries in a secluded forest grove. “I’m glad you could all safely make it. I’ve gathered us today to discuss our plan of action against the increasing Black Cloak threat. Not a day passes that we don’t hear about villages being burned, families slaughtered or corpses floating in the river! This has gone on long enough, what will we do about it?”

“We will resist, we will fight, we will bite!” The small crowd raged.

“Glory comrades!” Starry Night continued. “As I speak, our friends in Hellquill and Lake City are moving in to bring us aid! Dusktalon and his cronies will not harm innocent ponies anymore! A new dawn rises, and we will be free” The partisans cheered and stomped their hooves in response. A glint of hope was seen in each of their eyes, for the first time in years. Their will to be prepared for what was to come had grown in the past few years.

…

Longsword, a small and impoverished nation in Central Griffonia. It forms part of the borderlands between the fractured Griffon Empire, and the loosely united Pony River Federation of the Far East. For a full millenium the Griffon Empire and the Ponies of the Riverlands had waged a war for conquest, and survival. The Griffon emperor made no secrets of his plans to colonize and exterminate the Ponies of the Riverlands. Only by uniting were they able to resist the onslaught of the Griffon armies.

However. Two hundred years ago, the Griffon Empire shattered. Their colony on the continent of Equestria had broken free, and the states of Prywhen, Aquilea, and Wingbardy had all declared themselves independent nation. Worse still, the Empire turned from a unified state into small regions run by local lords fighting for local dominance. The Empire now directly only controlled one tenth of its old lands. The Emperor had become a figurehead. True power is held by the three Archons, the leaders of the ancient Griffon churches. They established Longsword as a buffer between the weakened Empire and the Riverlands. The Knights of the Order of the Black Cloak were given dominion over the lands of Longsword. Longsword had, thanks to its central location on the continent, a mixed population. Nearly half were Griffons, while the other half were Ponies. Seeing the Ponies as responsible for the Empires fall from grace, the Order of the Black Cloaks Master, Dusktallon, had issued an order to his knights. The ponies of Longsword were to be systematically and secretly removed from the lands.

Starry Night had come to Longsword from the state of Hellquill. A nation also controlled by a Griffon Knights order. However in Hellquill, the order had begun to distance itself from the control of the Archons. They had proclaimed themselves the defenders of Ponies living under the Griffon talon. But with the state of their own lands, they were in no position to do anything to stop Dusktalon. Starry Night had left Hellquill with a promise. If she was successful in starting an uprising against the Knights of the Order of the Black Cloak, they would send any and all help that they would be able to.

Meanwhile in the Northern wastes of the Griffonian Continent, in the fortress of Magires, a small group of ponies strive to resurrect the ancient Empire of Death. The numbers of the Army of the Dead grow by thousands each day. Vampires and necromancers are being called from around the world by a mysterious source of power. The Griffon Arcturian Order, which was entrusted to protect the continent from the armies of the dead, has been left neglected, and are now unable to protect their lands from even the smallest of bandit raids.

The Ponies of Longsword are preparing for revolution. Necromancers and Vampire gather and rebuild their once unstoppable force. The Archons of the Griffon Empire plot and scheme against the lords of the houses of the Empire. The states of the River Federation are in turmoil, and border conflicts spill over from Prywhen. Equestria is surrounded by enemies. The Changelings prepare for an invasion. And Stalliongrad builds itself up to one day invade all of the nations of the Continent of Equestria. Every Pony and Griffon alike see the coming storm. From where the fire will start, is a question many ask themselves.