LONELY MULTIVERSE
The Approx Guide to the Equestrian States
IntroductionThe Pony Principality of Equestrian States is a diverse country inhabited by several dozen sapient species, each contributing to the nation's proud culture of tolerance and giving the Equestrian States a reputation of compassion and kindness. Tradition and innovation have combined well in this North Pony Lands nation, rapidly bringing it into the modern world after centuries of self-imposed isolation from the rest of the multiverse. This Lonely Multiverse travel guide is designed to be the ultimate companion for any tourist (regardless of their species) visiting the Equestrian States, and is loaded with every tip and bit of advice one needs to have an safe and enjoyable stay.
HistoryOriginally colonized by sapient equines (commonly referred to as ponies) from Magical Equestria over 2000 years ago, the Equestrian States was first established as a largely-autonomous overseas territory of its motherland. As a colony, the Equestrian States was fairly prosperous, developing a matriarchal society similar to that of Magical Equestria and other prominent Pony Lands nations. Several decades after the first ponies set hoof on the islands now part of the Equestrian States, however, the rise of a mysterious and chaotic entity known as Discord led to the government of the growing colony to adopt strict isolationist policies to avoid attracting the attention of Discord.
Several centuries later, the anarchic reign of Discord in the Pony Lands came to an end, though the Equestrian States remained firmly entrenched in its isolationist policies. Having formally declared its independence from Magical Equestria during the rule of Discord, the Equestrian States was reluctant to turn away from the policies which had allowed it to escape the turmoil faced by the rest of the region. Yet another cataclysmic event, just over a millennia ago, saw the known world embroiled in conflict with itself and the fledgling former colony sunk deeper into isolation for the next several centuries.
However, about 200 years ago, the long-standing policies separating the Equestrian States from the rest of the region gradually began to erode with the rapid growth of international maritime trade. Though it would take until just 50 years ago for the remaining isolationist policies to be overturned or made obsolete, foreigners began to take note of the Equestrian States and its northern location in the Pony Lands. What finally drove the ponies of the Equestrian States to abandon isolationism entirely was commerce, with the nation's location being perfect as a refueling and stopping point for ships traveling from outside the Pony Lands.
Active membership in the Coalition of Ponyist States (a military, economic, and political alliance famed for its quick, efficient, and merciless dealings with nations actively persecuting sapient equines and other non-humans) gave the Equestrian States reason to become heavily involved in international politics and trade. Within a decade, the Equestrians entered the modern era, utilizing magic in creative ways to avoid industrial pollution wherever possible and speed the nation's development.
Today, the Equestrian States is an advanced country that has successfully merged tradition, magic, and technology. With an economy dominated by tourism, agriculture, and the mining of precious minerals, the Equestrians have found their niche in the international community. Thanks to its location in the Pony Lands, the Equestrian States has become a travel hub for many visiting the region from around the world, and the nation is easily among the more prosperous and safe for foreigners to visit.
Geography & ClimateThe Equestrian States is best described as an island nation. However, most Equestrians live on the largest island, which is referred to by locals as the mainland, due to its size and role as a population and commercial center for the country.
The mainland is mostly flat grassland and plains, though forests and hilly areas exist and are generally scattered throughout the island. Running north to south are the Harmony Mountains, named for Mt. Harmony near the capital city of Canterlot. The mountain range divides the mainland into eastern and western geographic regions, and was once home to dozens of active volcanoes. However, no eruption has occurred in the Harmony Mountains in over 800 years, and the range is believed to be inactive. The ancient volcanic activity on the mainland (and on many of the Equestrian States' smaller islands, as well) resulted in mineral deposits from which Equestrian miners have extracted gold, silver, and other valuable materials for export.
Two notable exceptions to the mainland's grassy majority are the Everfree Forest and Southern Desert. The Everfree Forest is more of a jungle than a temperate forest, and is widely considered the most dangerous region in the Equestrian States due to its large numbers of wild carnivorous species, some of which would be considered "mythical" by foreigners. Within the Everfree Forest is the city of Everfree, located along the banks of the Stampede River and home to the largest population of non-equines in the nation. A number of more typical temperate forests surround the Everfree Forest itself.
The Southern Desert is (as one might expect) a dry region located in a small pocket of flat land surrounded by the Harmony Mountains near the southern coast. The only major population center in the Southern Desert is the small city of Appleoosa, located in what could be considered by some as a cooler oasis.
But where things begin to get weird for the average tourist is the Equestrian States' weather. Due to the magical nature of many of its inhabitants, the Equestrians are fully capable of creating, manipulating, and otherwise controlling the clouds and weather. This gives them the ability to determine where and when in rains, snows, hails, or any other . The Equestrian government is very actively involved in coordinating the pegasai of the country to generate and control weather patterns favorable to the Equestrian States inhabitants (and its many farmers, in particular). As such, the odds of an Equestrian weatherpony giving an incorrect forecast are almost nonexistent, unless you happen to be in the Everfree Forest (the only region of the Equestrian States where the weather is practically impossible to control due to a prevalence of wild magic).
TravelTravelling to the Equestrian States is generally easy, as most methods of interregional travel are available to visitors from outside the Pony Lands. Most international flights to the Equestrian States arrive at Canterlot's Harmony International Airport, but other regularly-used airports such as Manehattan's Royal International and Stalliongrad's Friendship Heights International are easy to find flights to. However, it should be noted that pilots flying to and from the Equestrian States internationally must receive additional certification due to the nature of the Equestrian States and much of the Pony Lands. Because of this additional requirement for pilots, some airlines do charge extra to cover the training fees.
Another common way of reaching the States is via sea. Manehattan's seaport is among the most active in the North Pony Lands, and isn't located far from the heart of the Equestrian States' largest city.
Once in the Equestrian States, there are many other options for travel. Rental cars, taxis, and busses are easy to find in the larger cities such as Manehattan, Stalliongrad, and Everfree, though one might notice that most vehicles are electric-powered. But while cars and busses are regularly used in some cities, there are also several in which their use is limited to emergency services (most notably in Ponyville and Canterlot's Old City district) or is totally banned (as is the case in Cloudsdale).
However, the limited use of automobiles is balanced out by the proliferation of trains for travel between and within cities. Some of the more prominent and historical lines (such as the Ponyville-Canterlot Express) still use steam-powered engines or high-speed trains designed to mimic the classical appearance of an Equestrian train. Subways are also a common feature in Equestrian cities, spreading underground to connect many places of interest for foreign tourists. Cloudsdale is the only city where cars, buses, and trains/subways are unavailable.
But in the end, the most common method of travel in the Equestrian States is one's own two feet (or whatever you have to walk on). Few Equestrians drive or use public transportation unless they have to, preferring to take in the clean air on their way from place-to-place.
Culture & SocietyReligionAny analysis of Equestrian culture and society must begin with its majority religion and guiding philosophy: Harmonism. A dualistic religion, it revolves around the physical sun and moon deities, Celestia and Luna, as well as the six principles known as the Elements of Harmony. The religion's origins are near-impossible to determination, though it is widely believed to begun shortly after ponykind first encountered Celestia and Luna over two millennia ago. Unlike other religions, Harmonism lacks a written scripture or centralized multiversal organization to create such writings, occasionally resulting in disagreements between Harmonists from different regions. For the sake of brevity, we will only be exploring the most common spiritual and secular beliefs held by those from the Equestrian States.
As stated earlier, the central beliefs of Harmonism include the worship of the Regal Sisters (Celestia and Luna) and adherence to the Elements of Harmony. Celestia and Luna are the two Princess rulers of distant Magical Equestria, though Luna has (in recent years) begun to spend considerable time aiding the C'tan in preserving peace throughout the Pony Lands. Immortal and, according to spiritual Harmonists, capable of moving celestial bodies through magic, the two Regal Sisters are worshiped (or at least respected) by ponies throughout the multiverse as living goddesses. Some have recently begun to question the actual power of the Sisters, though it is widely accepted among ponykind that they are the two most powerful magical beings in existence.
The six Elements of Harmony are Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic. These Elements exist both as philosophical concepts as well as physical objects capable of great power that contain the purest magical essence of the aforementioned virtues. The philosophical aspects of the Elements are more central to Harmonist faith as a set of morals to guide one throughout life. They are, for the most part, fairly self-explanatory, except for Magic. The sixth element has been connected not only to the ability of equine Harmonists to use magical spells, but also to the drive for new knowledge or understanding. It also has been connected to the power of friendship, and is mentioned in the most common Harmonist saying: "Friendship is Magic".
However, Harmonism has expanded from its spiritual roots (particularly as more non-equines are exposed to harmonist teachings) to become a secular philosophy as well. Secular Harmonists generally try to follow the virtues of Harmonism, though they generally do not believe that the Regal Sisters are physical goddesses. The expansion of Secular Harmonism has also led to the traditional virtues being adopted and woven into other religions as well, such as Christianity. Excluding the overwhelmingly Spiritual Harmonist equine population of the Equestrian States, the most common religion is Harmonist Christianity, which is especially popular among the human inhabitants of the nation.
LanguageTraditionally, ponies have spoken in their native Equestrian tongue which is common throughout the Pony Lands. However, since the emergence of the Equestrian States into the international community, laws have been passed requiring citizens to be capable of speaking multiple languages. The most common non-Equestrian language is easily English, which is spoken by approximately two-thirds of the population. It should be noted that some English words have been altered by Equestrians to better fit the equine majority, as the use of "everypony", "anypony", "hoofball", and other such words are modifications of the more standard English words. Mastery of many different languages is especially common among Unicorns, and as they are generally the ones more involved in business, are easy enough to find for foreign visitors. Numerous translating services exist throughout the Equestrian States, and airport bookstores generally contain a plethora of multilingual dictionaries for purchase.
FoodAs one might expect from a nation dominated by a species of herbivores, many traditional Equestrian dishes are vegetarian in nature. The proliferation of such food is also furthered by the general lack of agriculture for the purpose of raising up animals for the slaughter. To hurt another living creature is, to many Equestrians, simply unthinkable. However, the Equestrian States is not only inhabited by equines, but also by griffons, dragons, and humans (among others). Restaurants do exist to cater to these non-equine species, and do serve a wide variety of meats imported from outside of the region. That being said, it would be unwise to be seen in public eating a hamburger made from beef or any other meat product as many Equestrians are disgusted by such foods. This can make finding food difficult in smaller cities and in the nicer areas of the larger ones. A general tip would be: if your waiter looks like a herbivore, don't ask them for a cheeseburger or steak. Equestrian cafes are fairly creative with what they can do with non-meat products, and the bread and pastries are oftentimes better than what you might find in other nations.
Drink in the Equestrian States also differs significantly from other nations around the multiverse, as the most common alcoholic beverage is hard cider, which can be found at virtually every bar, pub, and restaurant. Ponies generally refrain from drinking too heavily, but other non-human sapients such as griffons are known to consume vast quantities of alcohol in a single sitting. We advise our human readers to graciously decline any drinking challenges offered, as one is unlikely to win, and drunk griffons can be notoriously temperamental. Beer is a distant second to cider, in terms of both popularity and availability, though bars and eateries which cater to human tourists will often keep domestic Equestrian brands in stock.
Inter-Species RelationsAs the Equestrian States is home to a wide range of species, it is practically impossible for any visitor to the country to avoid seeing a member of another species, regardless of where they might be. Unicorns could pull this off in certain neighborhoods of Canterlot, and Earth Ponies could do the same in isolated rural areas, though foreigners will often stumble across other species upon entry into the Equestrian States as customs officials are perhaps the most diverse Equestrian demographic.
Relations between the three major pony races have not always been smooth, and some tensions still exist today despite the educational system's teaching of acceptance and tolerance. However, inter-species violence is very rare within the Equestrian States, as is violence in general, with the possible exceptions coming from dragons, griffons, and other more naturally-aggressive species. Angering a dragon is about as dumb as it sounds, and is not advised unless one has a death wish.
Visitors to the Equestrian States are also advised to avoid appearing speciesist to locals, as Equestrian society could be described as having a herd mentality, where an attack against or insult towards one person might be considered an attack on all those around that person. Thus, some words to avoid using in the Equestrian States are: horse, mule, foal, or donkey. Calling a pony any of those terms is likely to result in a backlash towards the offending individual, as they are considered to be offensive unless one is actually speaking to a sapient horse or donkey, which are both easy to tell apart from ponies through their size and general lack of bright-colored fur or manes.
Host Cities for the Baptism of Water
CanterlotCanterlot is the capital city of the Equestrian States and one of its oldest. Located on the steep slopes of Mt. Harmony and the surrounding lands, Canterlot has evolved over time into a burgeoning metropolis that reflects the qualities the nation that houses its government in the city. The capital’s traditional sophisticated architecture has been almost seamlessly blended with the more modern styles to make it perhaps the most visually-appealing cities in the Equestrian States.
Founded by the first wave of equine settlers that came to what is now the Equestrian States from Magical Equestria over a millennium ago, Canterlot was originally named New Canterlot as inspired by the capital of the settlers’ origin. However, when the then-colony was cut off from its mother country, the memories of the old Canterlot began to fade and the name was shortened to simply Canterlot. Contact with Magical Equestria after the Equestrian States emerged from isolation in the northernmost parts of the Pony Lands resulted in the existence of two Canterlots and the Equestrian Parliament briefly considered renaming the city again out of respect for its older cousin, but then decided against it.
By far, the best place to visit in Canterlot is Harmony Castle. One of the oldest structures in the Equestrian States, the castle was constructed by unicorn builders as part of the original colonization effort. Currently home to the royal family of the Equestrian States, Harmony Castle also houses Parliament’s formal meeting chambers and is a regular stop on most tourists’ stays in Canterlot. The castle is open to tours most days of the week, tickets for which should be acquired no less than one week prior to the tour date on the Castle’s official webpage.
The Venue: Royal Aquatics Center (cap. 5,825)Given that the Baptism of Water is a rather small competition and that the tournament isn't expected to draw too much media attention within the Equestrian States, the Equestrian Water Polo Association has decided to hold the entire tournament at the nation's main aquatics center in Canterlot. The venue isn't likely to win any awards for extravagance, being a fairly plain arena, but it's reasonably modern and like virtually all Equestrian sports venues, it's built around a comfortable fan experience.