Archivists report.

by theunderwolf

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Alternate Universe
Length: 2725

documents from the depths of the canterlot library.

An archivist from the canterlot royal library reveals startling facts of the past present and possibly future. These documents veal the true workings of equestrian society government and other more shady workings. Some of which may hit the archivist a little close to home.
DRY. not going to lie, Its a historical text. Not really a story, but I hope interesting.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-06-09 21:08:50 UTC

Report I

First report

Princess Luna,

        As you requested I have been researching and compiling documents for your new policy on the equestrian freedom of information act. Complying with your request I have chosen the first set to mostly relate to the origins of your sister, Princess Celestia, but as she was a harsher ruler in her early days some of the earlier accounts and speculations may be garbled or just inaccurate. I have done my best to choose the best sources but the implications of what they say may be frightening at best. Some things may need to stay buried. The documents are attached as well as a summatve excerpt written by myself.

    In service to the princesses,

                    The Archivist.

On Celestia: The study of Celestia is more a subject of questions with no known answer perhaps even to Celestia herself

Appearance: Celestia is a noble alicorn easily twice as tall as most ponies and is stark white in color. We believe the myriad colors in her mane as well as the bleaching of her coat was caused by her exposure to the pure light energy of the well of light (See personal history), however some disagree saying it his her natural color, and with the lack of visual data surviving the ascension there is no way to know for sure. Even her body's anatomy is subject to debate, while books published by her royal government claim the alicorn race was essential created to rule and mediate the earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns, most alicorns only display unicorn and pegasus traits to the naked eye. Many experts argue that the answer is in her legs, in times of war as rare as they are and even rarer the times when Celestia had to step into front line combat she exhibits almost alarmingly brutal power in her legs. One recollection explicitly stated that a kick from Celestia could dent or even shatter a solid steel breastplate. Experts use accounts like these to justify that Celestia's muscle structure. is in fact based on the earth ponies, massively dense and powerful. However as untrustworthy first person military records the records can be overstated and there haven’t been any other records of similar occurrences. In short Celestia is an enigma wrapped in mystery shoved in a 20 x 20 Rubik's cube.

Personal history:

    There are many different stories of Celestia's birth and rise to power, but there are some generally overreaching and common themes.

    1. She wasn’t always a god.

    2. She rose to godhood through an external power source

    3. She then defeated some form of dis-harmonic power

    4. She then becomes the ruler of Canterlot.

I will address these one as a time.

The one thing all stories and facts agree on is that Celestia was not always a god. She is portrayed as a normal pony until at least her adulthood, this actually gives her a lot of credit as far as capability to rule. However her specific origin is under debate. The three most common theories are: Humble origins, aristocratic upbringings,  or a serf/ slave of a foreign power. All three theories hold equal value and some even mix theories saying that she was captured from Equestria by a foreign power. There are some  inconsistencies though, some believe that she had a different cutie mark before her ascension, with theories ranging from a martial one, to a simple farming mark. Also the subject of Princess Luna is hotly debated. While most ponies believe they are in fact sisters from the beginning, there are very convincing theories stating that Luna was simply Celestia's best friend, to a homunculus created to aid in Celestia's duties. However we can generally agree that she became a god and began mortal.

2.While this subject is also up to hot debate, for once a definite answer may be shining through. The theory of the light well. Backdrop however may be needed. In the years previous to her ascension there was complete dis-harmony. We can identify two factions, The black council led by discord and his kin (See druids and the firstborn Canterlot library section 11232-3221 ). Their enemy was the trimuvrate the coalition of earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns. At this time the Triumvirate was growing desperate and needed a savior. The black council was destabilizing the very elements of equestria, throwing day, night, seasons and even the weather. The ponies needed a savior and no matter how it happened celestia appeared as one. They made desperate move and had Celestia harness the power of the Lightwell. The Lightwell was not described as a whole but it did give Celestia immortality and powers over the sun and moon. It is agreed that she shared this power with Luna after she got it, possibly  because it was too much for her at the time.

After her ascension Celestia still was faced with the united forces of the black council, and the rise to godhood barely put the trimuvrate on par with discords forces. Audacious action was taken on both sides to end the 40+ years of stalemate. The black council moved first striking at the newly made capital of the triumvirates power, Canterlot, the sight of the Lightwell. Canterlot was built in an strategic mountain bass nestled between two peaks. When Discord’s forces, the 13th legion of druids led by lady chrysalis, attacked the south peak Celestia made a desperate and terribly effective move. Destroying the Lightwell. The backlash of magical energy did many things;

It destroyed the southern peak of Canterlot, leaving the city as we know it today,

It eradicated the thirteenth legion of druids

3.It destroyed the opportunity for anypony to take power equal to Celestia's.

4.The elements of harmony are created to absorb the energies of the blast, protecting Canterlot.

5.It corrupted Chysalis into a changeling, creating the changling plague.

The changeling plague:

Chrysalis was transformed by the energies of the Lightwells burst of magic energy, the little known consensus is that the Lightwells released pure harmonic energy that drained chrysalis own altering her appearance and fracturing her magical energy, as druids, much like unicorns are ponies comprised of almost pure magical structuring, the drain of harmonic energy can rip their bodies into non-existence. However because it has such a magical structuring to it, the druid body is able to adapt instantaneously to major disruptions interfering with its system, it changed in the only way it could developing a power to drain harmonic energy from their surroundings and use it as a power source. Another major change occurred in their already awakened powers, while the blast may have shut down most of the druids normal powers, one remained. Transformation. The sudden lack of corporeality in the druid form super heightened their ability to transform and mimic. One last effect has been noted. Each of these creatures dubbed changelings carried a part of the Lightwell’s energy in them, an energy that constantly drained druidic powers from their surroundings as well as harmonic energy turning the crushing transformation into a druidic plague.  These changes transformed the once powerful druids into the modern changeling.

With the advent and spread of the changeling plague Celestia’s forces had the upper hand against the black council, with their mightiest legion annihilated, their kind devolving and their territory fading they retreated to Drax, their capital city and last stand. In the final conflict Discord himself took the field, nearly ending the fight in his favor within minutes of entering the battle. However Celestia had one last trick up her sleeve, the elements. Combining her power with Luna she used the elements to petrify Discord. With their leader petrified the Druids were routed and scattered. For her leadership in this conflict Celestia was named princess of Equestria and she named Luna as her vice Ruler.

Note: As you may note the section on Celestia before she was princess is focused on. I do this because the public knowledge is least aware of this time period.

Early Rule:

Celestia was a harsh ruler in the early days of her rule, Equestria was destabilized greatly after over 40 years of war rebellion was everywhere. As they progressed  Celestia grew more and more brutal in her treatment of the rebels. As the years went she became more and more dictatorial and Luna, who was always doubtful of her policies towards rebellions, rose in her own rebellion. The first Lunar Republic launched a very successful campaign against her sister. This culminated to a breach of canterlot itself when Celestia was forced to use the elements against her sister, banishing Luna to the moon. However this seemed to mollify Celestia and most agree that her rule improved after this.

Contemporary Rule and conclusion

While Celestia has matured into a wiser and more fair ruler her policy remains somewhat conservative, unwilling to change many of her policies that have proved harmonious for most of her rule.  While this usually proves prudent many wonder if her laws  of harmony will continue to hold in a rapidly changing world. Critics have intensified with the Refounded lunar republic, led by her recently released sister. It’s more liberal policies have taken hold in Canterlot’s lobbyists. While it is now a legitimate political party and not a rebellion. While Celestia's rule may have transitioned from mystery to brutality to genuine wisdom, she remains the ruler of Equestria to this day and is genuinely liked by most of her subjects, with turmoil brewing below the surface we can hope and know that she will continue to be a strong ruler of ponykind.

Synopsis Concluded. Full Documents are attached.

Report II

Archivists Report II

Magic

    Magic is an amazingly complicated subject and because of heavy government censors restricting information on multiple fields of the art, it cannot be explored to its full potential. I hope to open these censored fields so the collected experts can finally explore it.

I: What is magic?

    Magic is essentially energy but is unique in that unlike most forms of energy that only cause certain types of forces (Kinetic, thermal, electronic). Magic has the potential to perform any type of interaction. Its possibly the most versatile form of energy. Also like energy magic exists in all matter; however unlike standard energy which has a constant relative to its mass, magic has no constant and varies from body (of mass) to body. There are no specific laws for magic distribution; it is generally accepted that glass, crystal, and organic matter contains the most. Magic users, especially unicorns, contain astronomical amounts of magic, used to fuel their manipulation of it.

II: Where does it come from?

We have no Idea. The most prevalent theory is that it’s been around since the universe began. What we can tell is where magic using races get their power.

Unicorns: While unicorns are born with innate magic power they also have the ability to access a well of magic power known as the first source. (See power wells below).

Druids: While druids are also are born with innate magic power, the brunt of their magic force comes from drawing on their surroundings and some of the planes of magic (see planes below)

Witch doctors: Which doctors draw exclusively on the planes and their surroundings.

Known sources:

Wells: Wells are fountains of pure magic energy with known physical locations. They are nearly inexhaustible and are mostly drawn from by unicorns. Alicorns are in charge of controlling the flow of magic to and from the well.

Known wells are:

The Lightwell:  The source of Celestia’s power possibly also Lunas (this is unconfirmed). It is located within 100 miles of Canterlot.

The First Source: Well of all unicorn magic in equestria. Unicorn physicists believe it is the center of the universe. Alicorns are in charge of controlling the flow between it and unicorns.

Moonwell: Possible source of Lunas power. No confirmed location.

The Planes: The planes are dimensions made of magic energy that are arrayed around the Material plane (our universe). Similar to the physical universe around us, the planes revolve around a major force of gravity (probably the first source). Understanding the planes takes a lifetime of meditation so we can’t go into all the complicated details here but it’s enough to know that they supply energy and have summonable beings. Witch doctors and druids rely on them for magic.

The most important planes:

The elemental planes: drawn on by both witch doctors and druids. They provide elemental power (fire, ice, light, wind, earth etc).

Heaven, Hell: Witch doctors can summon and borrow powers from demons and angels residing here. (Not the afterlife).

Dream/nightmare: A mirrored plane (a plane that consists of two identical but opposite worlds) This plane consists of the dreams of sentient beings and as such is a constantly fluctuating plane with no laws of physics, shape or form. It’s again hard to describe but picture a world made out emotions and ideas instead of mass and volume. Druids rely on it heavily for mental magic and can draw power from it.

There are an infinite number of planes this was and infinitesimal sample of them.

III:Applications of magic:

Magic has three uses: Create, Change, destroy. Combining them gives magic users the fields of magic.

Conjuration, the creation of inanimate objects, uses creation.

Summoning, the calling of sentient creatures, uses creation and change.

Destruction, anything that would cause physical harm, uses creation and destruction.

Alteration, the manipulation of the physical form, uses change.

Manipulation (telekinesis, teleportation), the controlled movement of an object from one location to another, uses change.

Mental magic (Illusion, mental control, mind reading): manipulation of a subject's mind, uses change.

  IV. Users of magic:

Unicorns: unicorns evolved from normal ponies in the prehistoric past when they needed to develop an offensive tool tool to defend themselves from natural predators, they developed their horn. However eventually the horn became a powerful sensory appendage able to manipulate magic. they use arcane magic from the first source and the magic naturally absorbed and stored in their horns. the arcane use of magic uses carefully learned and memorised spells from the unicorns stores of magic. Unicorns mostly focus on manipulation and some never go further than telekinesis but unicorn mages can use all schools with enough preparation. An ascended Alicorn has boosted magic stores and can manipulate the flow of magic between equestria and the first source. Unicorn magic has the leat consequences of any magic.

Druids: Druids are pegasi that have the ability to manipulate magic through their antlers. Besides the druids created by discord no one really knows where the Druids came from or how they gained magical ability. Druids come in three kinds:

Feralkin: Specialize in transformation. They can conceivably transform into any Equestrian creature, alive or dead.

Stormrider: Druids who manipulate weather. They call on power from the plane of storms.

Dreamseer: Druids who manipulate dreams, while they are the only variant that is not combat focused they are expert manipulators, known for their powers in espionage. They can travel to and draw power from the pane of dreams and nightmares.

While all druids can transform, manipulate dreams, control the weather and emit lightning; They always excel at one form. Druid magic is reliant on the druid balancing his internal energy and the external magic ambient in her surroundings. The life of a druid is a constant balancing act between the druid, her internal power and her surroundings. Druids have a constant internal struggle between their sane mind and their magic energy called, the storm, beast or nightmare respectively.

Witch doctors: Witch Doctors excel at controlling the spirits and elements of Equestria. Their magic is heavily reliant on elaborate rituals and mixtures. They use these to communicate with, summon, or draw power from elementals, spirits, angels, and demons. Most of their application is solving natural disasters and restoring the fertility of fields.however they are expert manipulators of the elements and demonic power, that can be used to deadly effect. However the street goes both ways, Witch doctors have to carry out any agreement they make for power and can be killed by any spirit they summon in a moment of weakness or vulnerability.

    This was a very short summarization of the deep field that is magic theory It may not cover everything. I hope it was informative.