Forum Backstory - Battle Equestria's Origins for New Players
Aug 16, 2015 2:50:55 GMT
Moxie, Moonlight Scroll, and 1 more like this
Post by Plush Ramen on Aug 16, 2015 2:50:55 GMT
Battle Equestria: The Five Years War History
It all started with a little planning. Step by step, hoof by hoof, an elegant yet mysterious mare had made her way from the black pits of the very bottom to the high glory of the top tier of power. How did she accomplish this? Simply put, she was an exquisite creature with a naturally developed mind for illusions and trickery.
With every passing minute, the crafty strategist planned and adjusted her movements tactically, taking on the forms she needed to gain trust, and more importantly, become the dependable ally for the fools who would lend her their faith. The land of Equestria had always been weak, but its cherished and contagious ideals of amity would be its biggest downfall of all. The notion brought a grin to the changeling queen’s lips. Friendship would kill them all.
Partnering up with quite a few dark forces along her journey, the Queen allowed them to fulfill their wretched search for revenge towards the nation. However, Chrysalis was no fool to make a true alliance with such manipulatable, half minded creatures. Using one in particular to get access into royal claims and dark magic, her evil forces began to rise in formidable numbers and power much faster than anticipated. The Queen spent her waking hours mentally preparing and strategizing for the day she no longer needed this egotistical creature and the others for their support. The holed and well feared bug mare had planted a ticking bomb; things would blow up. However, to do so, she needed at least the dark magic master for as long as she could suck the required resources out from under his snout.
Overusing their trust and flirts of friendship, Queen Chrysalis abused her rights as she begun to slowly win over and divide their forces. While changelings were her right-hoofed favorites, earning soldier allies was an essential part in crafting her own forces. With the overly ambitious and often stupid ponies offering their help with unique powers, dark necromancy magic was indeed being put to excellent use as it welcomed and gained more soldiers from the grave, the time to begin 'Operation: World Domination' was getting closer by the second.
While her allies focused on their own blind revenge with the land, the Queen had begun to whisper sweet ideas into each and every twisted head, allowing them to believe that it had come from their own brutal and disturbed minds. Manipulating the dark ponies until many considered the idea of resurrecting an old powerful villain was the way to win Equestria, the revival of the dead prince of crystals came sooner than even the Queen expected. As King Sombra took his first steps from his morbid slumber, returned in flesh and blood, Chrysalis offered the resurrected villain an alternative to what these now worthless creatures had before her. It was the perfect set-up to use the unstable, revenge-thirsty ponies as scapegoats to gain Sombra’s alliance. The scales tipped in her favor when she informed Sombra that his own title as “King” would be bestowed upon the one of the more pompous and aggressive ponies who thought himself as the leader if he choose to follow in their plans. The newly rebirthed villain looked over both Chrysalis and her allies that stood before him and considered as Chrysalis’ deception enraged the haughty pony 'leader' among her crowd. With this stallion turning his attention away from Sombra to unleash his anger upon the bug mare he had placed his trust in, he hardly had time to turn before a furious blast of raw black energy consumed his body and reduced it to ash. Sombra had made his choice, and had wiped the aspiring ‘King’ off the map with the built up hatred that had laid dormant for so long inside him.
While Chrysalis admired Sombra’s deadly decision making method, the scene of pure uncontrolled hatred had given her a good lesson in his unpredictable antics. The King was not a pony that could be controlled as easily as the foolish ponies and creatures of her old alliance that had given him new life. She would need to watch the dark King carefully.
Accepting her alliance, King Sombra had only required two conditions: that he alone would have rights to the Crystal Empire and its fate, and that the Tree of Harmony, the root source of his own destruction, would be destroyed. Chrysalis settled on the deal, the rest of the nation would be hers for the taking, and the Elements of Harmony that had stemmed from the ancient tree had given her enough trouble in the past to wish for its demise as well. With divisions decided, King Sombra and Chrysalis set to work in their new partnership and presented their dark soldiers with their new masters.
It took little time for the leaders to set their sights on what was hidden within the Everfree Forest. The ancient tree had long protected Equestria and in light of current turmoils with the tree’s prior sickness and threats it was now provisioned its own set of royal guards to watch over it. However, the dark army had grown to such a size that the villains used the opportunity to announce their presence to the world and display their terrible power. The Tree of Harmony and it’s protectors were crushed within hours of their army’s arrival, and the land of Equestria awoke to the new reality of the horrors that were coming for them.
After capturing the lord of Chaos and reducing him to stone, Chrysalis once again saw the uncontrolled hatred rise out of Sombra when he promptly smashed the stone prison to rubble. Through all of this, the Queen of the Changelings couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the the crystal King’s violently unpredictable nature and how it would affect the health and longevity of their alliance.
Becoming increasingly apparent, she knew she needed a way to keep the deadly King in check. Hissing in her lair of pods, the pacing and ever strategizing shape-shifter finally realized what was required with a jolt. Nightmare Moon. With her alliance, not only would Sombra’s powers be put into check, but it would also make their dark advancement over the land unstoppable.
Adding another powerful ally did not deter King Sombra as long as he was given what was agreed upon, any offer to the terror of the night would have to come from the Queen’s own claims. Leaving Sombra to monitor and prepare the soldiers for the battles to come, the Queen began her quest to find Nightmare Moon, thoughts focused on deciding what lands she would offer in return for her assistance.
Searching every corner of Equestria for the mare of darkness, with no sign of her magic for years, the Queen had to assume she had left the land. It wasn’t until she had neared her journey’s end that she entered a city plagued by sleepless nights. The ponies were almost zombie-like, hardly noticing or seeming to care about Chrysalis’ presence, as if it were no real surprise to see such a dangerous villain in their midst. The bags under their eyes and blank distant stares were a sight that made Chrysalis smile. Nightmare Moon had done quite the job torturing this pitiful town. They no longer could separate nightmares from the material world.
Calling out for the mare of darkness to hear the tempting offer she had brought with her, the Queen waited in the secluded streets of the city. Like smoke rising from a struck stone, the terror of the night materialized before her. Nightmare Moon silently took in the bug queen, her scrutinous gaze measuring her up like one predator would another. Chrysalis, undeterred by the mare’s intimidation tactics, jumped right into her proposal. Offering the dark mare the power to rule a part of Equestria and the dreams of all who inhabit it in the night without interference or the threat of the princesses, the Queen only asked in return for her to become an ally and leader to their cause and help her keep Sombra in check.
Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed and for a moment, the bug Queen prepared herself for an attack. However, the black mare let out a cackling laugh and grinned a fanged smile to the Queen. She agreed to ally with their purpose of overtaking Equestria and to keep an eye on Sombra, but assured the Queen she would be assisting under her own terms. With that, the mare of the dark vanished into a black ball of whirling smoke.
Considering her response from the mare about what she expected, Chrysalis felt a surge of satisfaction wash over her. Her plans were falling into place perfectly. Even with limited support from Nightmare Moon, her mere involvement increased the fear and dread they would spread throughout the land and ensure them swift victory. King Sombra would be a fool to even consider betraying the both of them.
During her journey back to Sombra and their building forces, she had seen much of the land and had gained a new sense of urgency. They needed to act fast, for the cities of Equestria had taken their threats quite seriously and had started to make preparations and defenses of their own. Her time away had been much longer than she had wished it to be. However, with the princesses taking their own precautions, making speeches to the land about the strength the bonds with others will give them to defeat the impending evil, a smile grew to the Queen’s fanged lips as the anticipation of the battles to come crept through her cranium in utter excitement. Truthfully she never wished for things easy, hard was more amusing for her sick and twisted mind. She couldn’t wait to show these pathetic ponies just how much friendship would really save them in the end.
The beginning of the end...
Slowly taking over smaller cities and towns by force, the brutality of such numbers going up against the innocent left none who remained loyal to the princesses inside the boundaries to survive. By slaughtering, they were sending a message, obey, or die. Moving west and streaming from all sides towards Canterlot, it seemed they were not on the advantage of surprise as originally thought. With a flame lit in the sky signaling their arrival, thousands of soldiers from the royal and lunar guard ranks had begun to defend with unbridled bravery and honor. Battling for their lives as well as for their loved ones, it seemed both sides had strategically split up their armies to surround the city, one meeting another in its place.
As swords and wings from above clashed, magic blasted from every side as the ongoing war for the Capital raged for years. Defeated creatures continued to drop from both sides, days would end in small victories for both opponents only to begin again in another clatter of armor and weapons. But in this war, the numbers were in the dark alliance’s favor.
Nightmare Moon had withheld her end of the bargain, contributing to the war by systematically entering royal soldiers’ dreams. The mare caused them such horrific nightmares it would leave them in traumatic stress unfit for battle or worse. Sombra had taken up his incessant urge to rule and became a ruthless and unrelenting commander over the soldiers of the undead, his ferocious passion to take back what was taken inspired the soldiers to fight on until the bitter end. Queen Chrysalis supplied the dark army with thousands of her children who both infiltrated enemy lines with their illusions and took the front lines to lead soldiers into battle. Together, the villainous allies were truly a staggering force unlike any Equestria had seen before.
The war for the capital was drawing to an end. Canterlot’s defenses were crumbling. The Queen moved fast, dividing up the leaders to a princess each. However, on this very important day, the mare of the night was nowhere to be found. Snarling in annoyance but unwilling to let a perfectly opportune time for victory to pass, Chrysalis decided she would end this war with the help of the only beings she truly trusted: herself and her changelings. With Sombra and his soldiers moving to take the Crystal Empire, Chrysalis moved in on Luna and Celestia - the ever revered leaders of Equestria.
Splitting her swarm into two to force the princesses apart, it seemed fighting them was more problematic than the Queen had realized. With Chrysalis getting caught in disguise by the princess of the night, avoiding a fatal blow was proven nigh impossible as her body was nearly sent through the roof. Knowing she could not defeat Luna with her having such an upper hoof in the situation, the bug Queen called upon her minions in distress to give the lunar princess an overwhelming distraction. Slipping into the throne room to recover as hordes of changelings threw themselves at Luna, the Queen was met with the solar princess’ vibrant and glaring pink eyes. Celestia's best soldiers stood by her side as she begun to try and turn the situation around with her words.
Not wishing to hear any of it and gifting the alicorn little of her time, Chrysalis and the sun goddess leapt into the battle for Equestria with full force. Magic blasting from every corner, events took a turn as the princess’s trusted soldiers at her side shifted into her foe’s very own children. With Celestia now out-numbered, she had no choice but to turn her attention to the bugs that threatened her flanks. She demolished them easily, however such a distraction had given Chrysalis enough time to gain the upper hoof. Laughing maniacally and turning the princess to a marble-like stone, the suffocation alone for her trapped state would be enough to kill her slowly.
In the other corner of the battle, the Queen’s changeling horde had been reduced to broken bodies as the last of the bugs were beaten back by Luna. Moving in swiftly, the Queen put her magic in full force against the enraged princess of the night. Magic stormed around the palace chambers as Queen and princess fought to the point of utter exhaustion. Their attacks met equally charged counters, their moves were both swift and well calculated, and as time wore on, Chrysalis became concerned with just how evenly matched the two had become.
As the two faced each other from across the room, breathing hard and bleeding into the marble palace floors, they exchanged a look of pure hate. The Queen let out a low hiss, egging the lunar princess on, and with a howling cry of fury, Luna began to charge what was left of her powers into her slender and battered horn. But as tears poured down her face and her magic store filled the room with blinding light, a dark shadow began to emerge from the depths of the princess’s being. A look of pure terror passed over the alicorn’s face as a familiar presence dawned upon her.
Queen Chrysalis, on the verge of collapsing, let out a low and sinister chuckle to the tortured soul before her, "Checkmate."
With a scream escaping the princess, Nightmare Moon fully materialized, looming behind Luna. In one swift motion, Luna’s collected mass of pure alicorn power was turned against her very self as Nightmare Moon laid a heavy hoof down atop her head. In blinding light and sudden darkness, the princess of the night was defeated. With Nightmare Moon ending things right there and then, Chrysalis thanked her, their psychologically twisted bond strengthening in a way no one but they could understand.
Soon after, news arrived of King Sombra successfully taking over the Crystal Empire. It seemed he finally had his kingdom back. Turning to Nightmare, the bug queen offered her partner the land she had been promised. However, the dark mare had merely grinned and faded into the night, never giving her the satisfaction of knowing if she had accepted it or not, or even an inkling of what her plans were now. The fallen Princess Luna had faded away alongside her darker half, for what nefarious reason nopony knew. Sighing and shaking her head, Chrysalis assumed the dark creature would need time to think it over. Giving her this time, a blast of Chrysalis's magic through the thick rotten smelling castle air allowed the soldiers to know who had won this war.
They had done it, and now, she was about to find out just how many followers she could gain through these lands. If the citizens did not comply with her demands and ways of leading, their execution would be quick and painless. If they chose to hide and stray from her beliefs, their deaths were far to come in this cruel and unfair new world. She had plans for them, and they would suffer, far greater than even they realized. She was the Queen of Equestria now, she made the rules, and EVERYONE was to follow them if they ever hoped to have peace in their lives again!
Now sitting in her royal chair in the Canterlot palace throne room, shaping up this new land from what it had been before was about to become very interesting. With heightened security at every corner of each hall, a lone empty chair rests beside the Queen of the changelings, saved only for the mare of darkness. Grateful for her help in all of this destruction and takeover, the bug mare in all of her beauty had begun to wonder if she could have done this without her. Dismissing the idea and using those most loyal as her soldiers and defense line, the Queen begun her move on the nation. After all, with the title of Queen came great responsibility.
Collecting her subjects one by one and offering them their lives and homes for their loyalty with the promise that the nation would never have to suffer from the likes of those lying princesses again, it seemed all was as it should be. Some fought, others argued, but in the end you chose life or death. If you had enough fight in you, not only would Chrysalis murder those who disagreed, but more brutal suffering was to come. With this leaving some ponies across the land no option but to flee and hide, others with nowhere to go had surrendered in hopes for a somewhat peaceful life.
Of course, the first and foremost priority in weeding out those who would threaten the Queen’s newly-acquired throne were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Chrysalis was not so foolish as to believe that the Elements themselves could be destroyed, but by removing those who channeled their power she could ensure likely a few centuries before the set of Elements and bearers was completed again. She sent her children out into the thrashed land with orders to find and destroy the six ponies, and through their hive mind was able to periodically look in on them and see their progress, though she often received visions of them merely traveling or scouting, nothing exciting enough to hold her attention away from her new, self-appointed job for very long. Though her minions searched far and wide, high and low, all six were never captured, but the rainbow mane, tattered cowpony hat, and various other such telltale items that waved slowly from pikes on the palace sent an abundantly clear message to the ones who had escaped.
This was as it should be, the Queen was in charge, the King ruled his land, and Nightmare Moon came and went as she pleased, everything was working out according to plan. With this set in stone inside her mentally unstable mind, it seemed the amount of runners would be up for an interesting battle as a horn could be heard from the Crystal Empire, signalling that a new wave of games and excitement was about to begin. Laughing menacingly to herself, nothing would ruin their reign, for now they were unstoppable!
Our story begins here in this very time frame, the streets filled with confused citizens, the war finally over, and the devastation here to stay. While the Queen of the Changelings promises her subjects a peaceful life free of threats and lies, the nation itself cannot bare to ignore the pain and suffering of the war that was, creating scars for the future as our ocs journey far to figure out their place in this new world.
[manical laughter intensifies]
