Greetings avid readers! And be welcomed to this new chapter of 'A New Faction'!

Today I'll finally introduce you to how the adorable ponies (and other creatures of Equus) have adapted to the mercilessness of the dark future and have become one of the many factions of the vast universe that is Warhammer 40k.

Then from the very outskirts of the Milky Way, these strange creatures have wisely stayed away from the general conflict of the galaxy since emerging from their home planet. But that doesn't mean they're in peace.

These are the Equusians. And today you will meet them. Let's get sssstarted!

WHO ARE THE EQUUSIANS?🤔

In the present day of the 42nd millennium, the Equusians are one of the smallest and most apparently peaceful factions of them all. It is also considered one of the WEiRDEST, because of things like their way of thinking and acting or their indifference towards the rest of the galaxy. While others seek to expand and conquer new worlds, the Equusians just want to stay calm in their territory, now called 'The Equusian Lands' or 'Ourlands'. Also because of the strange energy they use and the fact that they are made up of multiple intelligent species, since in most other factions there is only one species or there is a widely dominant one (add to that that they all come from the same planet)

Seriously, the number of species is huge. Maybe only compared by the Tau Empire.

• The well-known ponies. I don't think I should explain much about them or the three tribes, but just in case. There are Pegasi, able to fly with their wings and touch the clouds. Unicorns, who can cast spells. And Earth ponies, with greater physical strength and the ability to grow plants (such a lot of famines that they solved with that). Average life span: 150 years.

And the "fourth" tribe (it is actually a mix up of the other three), the Alicorns. Ponies with the magic of the three tribes and their own extremely powerful one. They do not age and are taller than ordinary ponies. Currently there are only two alicorns, who serve as representatives of the three pony tribes. As you can imagine, they are Sunny Starscout, alicorn of hope and unity, and Flurry Hearth, alicorn of war. Both have lived for over 10,000 years and are considered some of the most important Creatures in The Equusian Lands. There is a lot to say about these two, but I will surely do it in a separate chapter dedicated to the equusian heroes. * Batponies: Pegasi with bat wings and vampire fangs. They like the night and drink blood (sometimes). Average life span: 150 years. * Dragons: Big winged reptiles. Scales so resistant that they allow them to swim in lava, so yes, they are fireproof, as well as very resistant. Very long-lived. Their fire has magical properties unique to each individual. The greatest, most glorious and bravest dragon was the great Spike. A myth between myths and living legend until his sad passing at approximately 8.500 years old, which even for a dragon is considered quite a lot. * Changelings: Shapeshifting insect-like creatures that feed on love, however they can sense others emotions and fly. They have a durable colorful quitine. Governed by the Queen/King in turn, who is the only changeling, besides the prince/princess, that can make spells. Average life span: 230 years if well-fed * Griffons: Bird-lion hybrids. One of the few quadrupeds with fingers. They fly. Average life span: 150 years * Hippogriffs: Similar to griffons, but... Bird-pony hybrids instead of Bird-lion. Also with fingers and wings. They developed the magical ability to turn into hippocampus/seaponies when dive in water. (No need of magical pearl) Average life span: 150 years. * Yaks: Very strong, loud and furry quadrupeds with great horns. Average life span: 170 years. * Buffalos: Like yaks, but rounder, calmer and with smaller horns. Average life span: 120 years. * Breezies: Small fragile butterfly-like ponies. They use the pollen to spit out a magical dust known as Breezepulver. They're goddamned good at trade. Some are collectors and for some reason they're extremely good friends with AIs. Average life span: 80 years. * AIs: Artificial minds in metal bodies. Very smart and fast-thinkers. Science! Their reproduction (that is programming new ones) is very controlled. The newest species in the Council. Average lifespan: 2500 years. * Umbrum: Shadow ponies made of smoke and dark magic, which they can make with no problems. The smallest in terms of population and very isolated in their town, almost not seen outside of there. Distrustful, and it is believed that they accepted peace so as not to be annihilated if fighting the rest of the world. They can alter the shape of their bodies and are very elusive. Average life span: ??? * Zebras: Like ponies, but without natural magic and with black stripes around their white coat, or are they white stripes around their black coat? Average life span: 150 years. * Abadas: Like unicorns, but taller and slender, their cutie marks give them more marked special abilities. Average life span: 140 years. * Kelpies: Made of water/ice/steam. Can alter their forms and state. Excessively resistant. They can only die from electricity, dehydration or age, which is usually around 300 years. If electrocuted, they will explode, although they can be rebuilt if all their parts are put together and they will be like new. The most reliable way to kill them is by dehydrating them. * Donkeys: Other very small species. Nothing special here, just talking donkeys. Average life span: 160 years. * Cats/Abyssinians: Antropomorphic cats (furries) with heightened senses of hearing and vision (including night vision). Very agile. Some imperials confused them with felinids once. Average life span: 150 years. * Diamond Dogs: Antropomorphic dogs (more furries) with great physical strength and endurance and a greater sense of smell and hearing. Good miners. Like to be underground and look for bones. Average life span: 150 years. * Birds/Ornithians: Antropomorphic birds (does this count as furry?), who ironically can't fly. No more interesting things. Average life span: 150 years. * Minotaurs: Men with the head and legs of a bull. They usually have good physical strength. Average life span: 170 years. * Centaurs: From the waist up, a minotaur, and below, a burly pony. Some can do magic (spells). Average life span: 500 years * Gargoyles: Bipedal lion-like creatures with bat wings. Upon reaching an advanced age (500 years) they acquire the power to "hibernate." Basically, they turn themselves into stone, putting themselves in stasis. This way future generations can wake them up for 24 hours and ask them for advice. After which they hibernate again. Although even so the passage of time continues to affect them. Their statues gradually wear down until they no longer awaken. But hibernating is a skill that only the wisest and most in balance with themselves acquire. * Kirin: Similar to unicorns, but with a lion's mane. They can also cast spells, although it is more difficult for them than unicorns. Alphas (the highest kirin) have the most powerful magic. They turn into Nirik when getting angry, enveloping themselves in red and blue fire that cannot be extinguished. They also can't burn themselves, obviously, or suffocate in smoke, so they make good firefighters. Average life span: 170 years. * Deer: Thin and agile quadrupeds with antlers, with which they can do magic. Average life span: 200 years.

Long ago, before venturing to the stars, all these species born of Equus united under one single government and around one key ideal.

The Council of Creatures is the supreme authority, making decisions quickly and efficiently. It is made up of 2 representatives from each race, except for few exceptions such as the one of Umbrum or the Farasian Trinity.

These representatives are usually purely political figures, but since the 1st growing campaign (when they began to space travel), some of them have also become warriors or strategists, highlighting the Alicorn duo, Terror or Queen Flamellus.

The symbol used to represent the council is also the flag of the Equusians. A large dark blue circle with a smaller, brown one in the center. Inside this is a six-pointed purple star, while above is a representation of the sun and below, one of the moon. Both celestial bodies leave a bright trail.

Now, the main pillar of these guys' society are friendship and unity.

You see, Equusians have this strange mystical energy called magic, which I'll explain more in detail later. The important thing you must know is that the most powerful magic is the one that comes from unity, the magic of friendship.

When they come together sincerely and with a common goal, the magic of friendship rewards them with unstoppable force. Usually concentrated through together trees, magical trees VERY important to Equusians. They are atheists, but these plants are truly sacred to them.

For millennia, the magic of friendship has saved them thousands of times from every villain or threat, which are annihilated (or redeemed, or imprisoned in some way).

At least... until now.

For a long, long, seriously really long time, the Equusians remained on their planet, happy, peaceful, friendly and protected by an ancient magical shield. Until they decided it was time to go out and explore outer space. Poor fools.

As soon as they left they encountered the Great Devourer, then they had to fight a bloody war against the ORKS and two years later survive a Drukhari incursion. This was the Dark Age, when the Equusians looked with hope into space and it responded to them with the purest and most terrifying truth in the galaxy.

This revelation almost drove them to madness, they were almost consumed by the cruelty that characterizes Warhammer 40k, but they realized that this was not the way, it was not their way.

The magic of friendship couldn't save them, not this time, it just... wasn't enough. But that didn't mean it was useless or a condemnation to extinction.

You know how they say that in Warhammer 40k there are no good guys or bad guys, but rather a large scale of gray. Well, the Equusians became a yin-yang, getting their motivation to continue fighting from both extremes, good and evil, friendship and hate. Both at the same time. They fight because of having something to protect and something to kill.

After everything that happened in the Dark Age, it was inevitable that a hatred would develop towards all types of alien life. But they weren't idiots and they knew that they couldn't just stick with absolutely everything in the galaxy, so they isolated themselves. They don't go on aimless genocidal campaigns, they don't look for trouble, but they are extremely territorial, and if any alien dares to put a only atom in their lands, they will kill it immediately.

But of course, this cannot be done with just words, it takes a trained force and effective weapons, and they have them.

The branches are the armed wing of the Equusian Lands, created after the Dark Age, these different military groups were in charge of different tasks and types of missions. Always ready to fulfill their duty.

And to help them there's technomagic. The perfect combination of the highest level equusian technology AND magic, that did not stop evolving for 10,000 years.

Technomagic not only provides great power, but is also extremely versatile, managing to achieve incredible things. It is so amazing that some have confused it with powerful psychic powers. Well, THOSE ARE WRONG!

Equusians are really good with magic, but the thing is that this energy isn't warp energy, it isn't a psychic power! Equusians barely know anything about the Warp!

But if it's not from the Warp, where do they get their magic from?

Great question! But I already answered it like... more than 7 months ago! Gosh, how quickly time passes, and how slowly I write!

Getting back to the question, I'll explain it again.

Absolutely all beings in the galaxy are connected to the Warp (let's ignore the Necrons). This parallel dimension of pure energy connected to ours, where souls, thoughts and emotions converge and reflect, sometimes gaininh wisdom and becoming entities called daemons. The "psykers" AKA space wizards, are able to channel the power of the Warp and manifest it in the realspace thanks to the strength of their minds. Thus performing "spells".

However, Equusians have null presence in the Warp, but are connected to OTHER parallele dimension, ÆTHERIUS, the realm of magic.

Like the warp, ÆTHERIUS is a dimension of pure energy connected to our own, but with key differences:
1. It is not a place where the thoughts and emotions of Equusians converge, but their souls, which have a special place called Ether. That is why it does not generate daemons or other conscious entities either.
2. The power of the warp often leaks into realspace, such as with the Cicatrix Maledictum. ÆTHERIUS also leaks into realspace, but only in Equusystem and in a much more imperceptible way, which is why there are so many intelligent species there and they have magic, but they do not lose it if they leave Equusystem.

However, the mystical arts and the study of magic have suffered serious stagnation over the past few millennia, all thanks to technomagic. Why would any creature learn complicated spells when they could get the same result by pressing a button?

Creatures only learn the required minimum. However, because of this exactly, those who are really interested in learning magic, those who put effort and dedication to satisfy their curiosity, become accomplished high-level sorcerers. Their hard work results in them being pushed to the limit of their potential and makes them creatures to be feared on the battlefield.

But even the most skilled have some things forbidden. And in terms of magic these would be the 3 feared and repudiated Forbidden Arts.

Nigromancy, Time Travel and Interdimensional Travel. This 3 practices are ABSOLUTELY banned because of the risk they represent. When someone tries to use them, it always end bad, very bad. There are other spells that are illegal, like mind control spells or magic stealing techniques, but those don't represent a threat as big as the other 3.

Following with their territories, the Equusian Lands are located on the north galactic border, next to the intergalactic void, where the other races don't usually venture. Thanks to their "isolation", they have managed to maintain a level of relative peace, although they have had their fair share of conflicts and there is always some tension due to their proximity to the Ghoul stars...

Their worlds are called "The Equusian Lands"/"Ourlands", because according to them, all those planets are an extension of their capital planet Equus. They currently only have three systems under their command, and it doesn't look like that number will grow any time soon, so let's get to know them!

• Equusystem (Equus-s): The home system of the Equusians, very important to them, and the only place that ÆTHERIUS's magic leaks to. This has given it an "ambient magic" that is only found there and nowhere else in the universe. It is an energy that grants many eccentric properties, such as the sun and moon rotating around the planet, distortions in the stars and advanced and varied development of life on Equus, including the fact that they can use magic and magical creatures or plants appear naturally.

This system finds way far from teh rest of the galaxy, but still enough near to be part of the Milky Way. It may also be one of the smallest, since it's composed of only three bodies, the already mentioned many times Equus, Celestia's Sun and Luna's Moon. For Equusians, these are the only Sun and Moon, the rest are just stars or satellites. This is because for the Equusians, the Sun and the Moon are greatly important, they have celebrations around them and -sometimes- the celestial bodies boost their magic. It is even said that there's a secret temple somewhere on Equus, the Temple of the Sun and the Moon, from where their orbits are controlled.

The system is protected by a giant, imprenetable, magical shield that surrounds it, protecting its inhabitants from the horrors from the stars. Therefore there's only one way to enter or exit the system, through the "First Path", a giant mirror portal located on Palomino. * Sky Treasure-system (S.T.-s): Named so after the ship Sky Explorer, fallen in battle against the mirderships (tyranids), it was the first alien system conquered by the Equusians, that after a bloody war against an ork clan during the 1st growing campaign. The growing campaigns are the equusian equivalent of crusades or expansion spheres, in other words, when new worlds are colonized. This has happened only 2 times during the equusian history.

The star at the centre of the system is called Skystar (ST-Light) and around it orbit 5 planets and an asteroid belt at the edge.

The nearest-to-the-star planet is Bloodstone (ST-1), a completely uninhabitable nor terraformable planet due to its high volcanic activities. Besides, it has no natural satellites.

The second and third planets are the most important and poblated planets of the system, Palomino (ST-2), with great deserts, and Green Hell (ST-3), which is accompanied by its satellite Green Skull (ST-3.1). It was in these two were orks were settled.

The next planet is Aris (ST-4), a very mountainous and sometimes cloudy planet with two little satellites. Seatopea (ST-4.1), called this way because of its underground oceans, and Mainfouj (ST-4.2).

Lastly, there's Umbru (ST-5). A gas giant, and therefore, uninhabitable. There have been ideas of creating floating cities in the atmosphere but for now the only thing they do on Umbru is collect resources with specialized ships.

The important thing about this planet is its 32 SATELLITES! Some are uninhabitable and without the possibility of terraformation, but in others they have managed to make successful settlements. * Hollow Edge-system (H.E.-s): The discovery and subsequent conquest of this system was highly fortuitous.

It is a system not far from S.T.-s, so when a fleet suffered an accident in its engines, the ultraluminic speed led them to end up on one of the planets of this new system.

Their ships broke down and they couldn't use them properly, so while they waited to be rescued they had to build bases on the planet they had fallen on.

When help finally arrived, the Creatures had already built a complete and adequate base. It was not the initial plan, as the Equusians already had everything they wanted in S.T.-s, but the newly discovered system was not only close, it also had rich resources and above all, it was uninhabited, so they would not have to fight in any war if they wanted to colonize it.

So yeah, they said, "Why not?" and conquered the system, terraforming the planets they found.

They named the star Gorgoza (H.E.-Light), after an ancient beast of fire and magma defeated by the Young 6.

As for the planets, it can be said that they are very rare. The orbits of some are a little inclined or with different directions, but this has not really posed any problem for now.

The one closest to Gorgoza is called Melting (H.E.-1), because it's literally melting. It is too close to the star, so it began to absorb it little by little, which makes it uninhabitable. The planet formed too close to the star, although it is also theorized that the collision with some other unknown body could have deflected it from its original orbit.

The second planet is also not habitable. It is called Tlaloc (H.E.-2), its axis is inclined 59° and has a toxic atmosphere filled at all times with deadly and extreme storms. There have been attempts at terraforming, but they all ended in failure due to strong winds.

These two worlds are in the uninhabitable zone, which ends when you reach the iron belt, called so because, uhm, there is a lot of iron in the asteroids there. This is just one of the 3 asteroid belts in H.E.-s, each one being the end of a zone of the system. There's the uninhabitable zone, the living zone and the dead zone.

Next to the iron belt there's Boötes (H.E.-3), the currently only planet in H.E.-s occupied by the Equusians and located in the living zone. It has two satellites, also occupied, which are Fermi (H.E.-3.1) and Astro (H.E.-3.2).

Then it's found the unordered belt, a huge belt of asteroids, which, instead of seeming a disc, extends several distances up and down too.

The last zone of the system is the dead zone, limited by the limit belt. Previously here were several planets populated by the Equusians, but now those worlds are dead and empty worlds with no value.

How did this happen? Well, these worlds died long ago, during the War of the Devourer. You can guess from the name who is responsible.

As I already said, they still have had some conflicts.

Lastly, I am going to explain the GODS of the Equusians.

Well, that's a little lie. They are not gods per se, no one 'worships' them, there is no religion that worships them. I already said it, Equusians are atheists. Rather they are called that because of their IMMENSE POWER.

Cosmic spirits that embody other very important concepts for Equusians. Harmony and Discord. Which are also the names of said entities. Yeah, they're on some proverbs or sayings, such as "Harmony save us..." or "Oh, for Discord's tea!" but nothing big.

They are not very similar to the warp gods, in addition to personifying some concept, in fact, it is more correct to compare them with the C'tan, since both are cosmic beings of great power that manipulate realspace.

In fact, these two do not usually get involved in the affairs of mortals, they mostly act as if they were ordinary civilians, although with their 'peculiarities', or they are in some unknown location.

Harmony, or the Spirit of Harmony, appears as a crystalline, slightly bluish-white alicorn mare 2.4 m tall (Sunny and Flurry are only as tall as Celestia, which is the average human height). Her horn is twisted and simulates a branch, it even has some small pink leaves. Its wings have the same characteristic, but are also covered by a bluer crystal that gathers on the entity's chest. Throughout this area and its wings are distributed the original elements of harmony, which were reconstructed by the spirit. Its feathers, mane and tail are made up of small, bright pink leaves from which some circular details hang, its eyes are a reassuring blue and at the end of its hooves it has small claws. Sometimes she acts like she's someone mysterious and serious, but everyone knows that she's actually a sweetheart who gets excited easily and is very friendly.

As her name reveals, she's the representation of harmony, which is achieved with, guess what? Unity and friendship. For the Equusians, she's a symbol of tranquility, peace and calm.

For his part, her conceptual antithesis and great friend, Discord, is the Lord of Chaos and spirit of desharmony. However, he is no bad guy, just naughty at times. His chaos is more like mild chaos, making jokes and pranks along the galaxy and enjoying scaring some children. He can be grumpy at times, but he's mostly described as charismatic and funny. He's old too, very old. Which is reflected at his appearance.

Discord is an old draconequus with a long mane of gray hair, large eyebrows, a beard and looks run down. He has a deer antler, a broken goat's horn, a lion's claw, and the other an eagle's (he's missing a finger), a lizard's leg and a pony's leg, two wings, one of a dragon and the other of a pegasus, and a snake's tail.

He's spreads chaos and discord, however, this isn't seen as something bad. The Equusians actually enjoy Discord's chaos, the life needs excitement sometimes, something different. And when he creates discussions between friends is mostly to test their friendship in a "sane" way. Because what's the point of chaos with no one to behold it?

FRIENDSHIP IS NOT AN OPTION FOR US

In the far, dark future, there is only war.

This is the main axis of Warhammer 40k. A universe in which the galaxy is consumed by the flames of war and where everything can get much worse. Hope is dead and peace is a distant dream.

But what if it didn't have to be this way? With the rise of the Equusians, they brought with them the most powerful of their strange and sometimes ridiculous "magics". The magic of friendship.

This force challenges the grim darkness of the current 42nd millennium by feeding on unity, love, friendship and good vibes, becoming a strong rainbow-shaped energy that can be used to defeat the enemy. It literally turns what would make others weak into their greatest strength.

The Equusians concluded that, although friendship was powerful, they could not depend on it on the outside, so they decided to save a good amount of firepower as well.

But what if the entire galaxy knew friendship? Well, then everything would be veeeeery different. The magic of friendship is not omnipotent, but if the vast majority of the galaxy could use it, we would have a real possibility of bringing PEACE and improving everyone's lives. For example against chaos, Friendship counters corruption of any kind, bringing out the best in a person, plus with a galaxy at peace the gods of chaos would stop being that agglomeration of mega demonicity and almost absolute evil.

However, this will never happen.

We must not forget that the magic of friendship is a type of magic, and therefore comes from ÆTHERIUS, a parallel dimension to which ONLY Equusians are connected. Due to this, humans, eldar, taus, (orks?), are unable to access their power. And even if they could, the Equusians would have to teach them, which they do not want to have to do. But even in the unlikely event that they wanted to, the other races would most likely not listen to them.

The magic of friendship is like a star so, but so far away, that you will NEVER be able to reach it. But even so, you feel its power, you see its light, it gives you hope, hope for a better tomorrow that will never come, because in the dark and distant future... there is only war.

Author's Note

Hello, and welcome, to the chapter that I most wanted to do. That's how I think this fic should have started, more like a video explaining some faction that you see when you're just starting to get into Warhammer 40k. But I didn't do it like that from the beginning because... It occurred to me after I started the fic. And I didn't want to rewrite the chapters that were already published or speed things up too much, so I continued down the same path until finishing Dark Age, after which things calmed down quite a bit. Now they witness the Equusian Nation, where friendship and hope continue even in the 42nd Millennium, although this does not stop them from daring to shoot you if you force them. Let's get started!

PD: PLEASE! Someone knows how to put images in here?! I know there's a way to put images from my gallery, but it sais something about turning them into other format before. I've tried, but no page seems to do it right. I would be very grateful if someone told me.