User:ATeaAddict/Sandbox3

 Twinkle Sprinkle, faithful griffon scholar and friend of King Kloseu de Kissau of Brodfeld (not to be confused with Twilight Sparkle, faithful pony scholar and associate of Princess Celestia of Equestria), took it upon herself to chronicle what was known about noteworthy locations around Equus and Griffonia. This guide has been titled Twinkle Sprinkle's Abridged Guide to the Places of the World. When a state is selected, a button will appear if any lore has been categorized. Clicking it will bring up the location's entry. At the moment, there are 84 locations catalogued.

Changeling Lands
Vesalipolis= Canterlot, The Hauptstadt: Enter the gargantuan hive-city from the north and see a city under riveting change, look up to the Royal Spire and the older city core, there, you will see the new eating into the old. Enter the Royal Spire as a visitor and be prepared to be searched in every nook and cranny for the suspicion that you're a spy or something worse.

Once you're finished with being violated in rights and principle by the guards, look closely at the new architecture inside. The columns and the rooms are, despite the aged look from the outside, brand new, and the conversations are not about who to oppress, but rather how to best prepare for the final war. The outskirts of the city reflects this too. While there were once fields, now massive industrial complexes and tenements tower there, all less than a decade old. They are the symbol of what the Changelings can do together, provided they have a common enemy. And yet, problems are teeming in the city. After the unification of the changeling race, the city has perhaps grown too quickly for its own good, becoming one of the largest cities in the world. Many apartment spires and homes are overcrowded and in serious need of new suburbs and satellite towns to offload their excess population to. To make matters worse for Chrysalis, the new course has not been popular with all and hushed voices speak of a resistance to her. But the hypothetical opposition had better be wary. The Queen's Guard patrol the streets, hunting down any sign of dissent.

But for a time, take to the skies and look down upon the city. You can clearly distinguish the old from the new, with the old core being slowly 'eaten' by the urban renewal taking place. And yet, you can see the march of progress. New machines in the streets and in the fields, new fashions and societal ideas in the halls of power, and new ideas of warfare and destruction in the armed forces. Truly, Vesalipolis is a microcosm of the Changelings. Ditrysium= Ditrysium, The White Port: The Hive of Ditrysium was one of the first to ally with Vesalipolis when the hives were being unified, which paid of immensely for the port city. It is located at the far end of a protective fjord, allowing ships natural shelter from the elements. As one of the major commercial hubs for the changelings, Ditrysium is the link of the Changeling Lands to the outside world. It is also where the changelings are preparing their advancements in naval warfare. Drones buzz endlessly around the dry-docks to manufacture warships for the hives. In heavy concrete bunkers, meanwhile, the U-boot fleet hides in the deepest secrecy. The exact size and scale of the submarine operations are a state-secret of the highest order.

Surprisingly for a changeling hive, Ditrysium does have some more colourful elements, perhaps the foreign ships coming into port do help spread some cheerful influences. The city is relatively wealthy, courtesy of Queen Helvia and her predecessor lobbying successfully for commercial investments into the hive. Nowadays, most of the changelings in the city work to maintain the Grand Changeling Armada based in Ditrysium's naval base, a fleet which the changeling admiralty hopes will one day best the Equestrians on the high seas. Thus, although Ditrysium might be the changeling hive benefiting the most from outside contacts, it too is being repurposed towards the all-encompassing war effort of Queen Chrysalis. Lyctida= Lyctida, The Silent Hive: The Hive of Lyctida lies in the middle of thick forests, and with the smoke from factories and lumber mills, the city is always a bit dark and at night, the moon and stars have difficulty illuminating the Black Hive. Lyctida is a sombre place, but for many changelings, it is still home. The hivelings are bugs of few words, preferring the company of machinery or the solitude of the forests. With the streets silent, the scenery drab and the company stoic, Lyctida receives few visitors.

Only once has a sizeable group of foreigners visited, but this was with unfriendly intentions. Olenian zealots once tried to assault the city, in the name of their violent gods. Only with the timely intervention of Queen Chrysalis were the deer driven from the forest hive. This incident earned Chrysalis the loyalty of the Silent Hive and its Queen. Now the humming of the factories creates a new melody, the march to war. Soryth= Lyctida, The Lady of the Lake: Far to the northeast, on the shores of the Key Lake, Soryth stretches out. The sprawling hive is built in what the changelings would consider a non-crowded way, but for other creatures, even Soryth might feel cramped still. Key Lake is the reason why so many changelings endure the cold winters of the north of Equus and it is the city's most valuable resource. For some unknown reason, the lake exhibits magical properties, making it a valued object for study and a source of clear drinking water.

The city itself straddles the coast of the lake and is way longer than it is wide, with most changelings preferring to live as close to the waterfront as possible. Luckily, waterborne transportation makes it easy to move from one side of the city to the other and the lake is always filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. Because of the northern climate and the relative lack of industry, the air is clear and the city itself feels clean and tidy, a reprieve from some of the more industrialised hives. The main point of interest is the Soryth University of Magic, an institution devoted to the study of the changelings' innate magical abilities, as well as the understanding of the properties of Key Lake. With the promise of increased funding and plenty of field testing for her magical research, Queen Yaria of Soryth joined Chrysalis without a fight. Vraks= Lyctida, The Old Warrior: For the longest time Vraks and Vesalipolis have been rivals on the battlefield. For centuries, the changelings of Vraks have fought against their bigger northern neighbour with all their might. Sensing weakness in Queen Chrysalis, the hive led a full on assault on her home, which was only barely beaten back by the Queen. Years later, Vraks would be humiliated and finally put down and Vesalipolis would become the changeling metropole. The Vrakkians have now accepted the hegemony of Chrysalis, accepting her strength and excited to battle new enemies.

Under the rule of Queen Argynnis, Vraks has used its martial prowess to become the backbone of the changeling military and the centre of her war production. Black clouds of smoke continuously envelop the city, the result of a massive military industrial complex which covers a good third of the city. In Vraks, the barracks for the soldiers are almost indistinguishable from the houses of the factory workers, a matter of great pride for the city's inhabitants. All work for the soldiers, who in turn serve the hive. The only truly remarkable structures in the city are monuments to past battles, most of which are concentrated on a massive square called "The Field of Glory".

A perceptive observer might note that the Field is not yet completely filled.

Crystal Empire
Crystal City= Crystal City, The Beating Heart: One of the largest cities of the world, it is often said that without Crystal City, there would be no Crystal Empire. It is a massive urban area inhabited by millions of crystal ponies, and is a center of culture and industry. However, before 1002 ALB, it did not even exist.

Over a thousand years ago, Crystal City was founded as the capital of the Empire, ruled by Princess Amore, the first ruler. Back then, the annual tradition of the Crystal Faire was established, and the magical Crystal Heart discovered. Together, these two kept the ponies' spirits high, and protected the city from Umbrum and the cold north. But then King Sombra slew the Princess and seized power, forcefully moving much of the populace into the City to work as slaves. Equestria intervened, and before his defeat Sombra cast a curse on the Empire, making it disappear for a thousand years.

After the end of the curse and the return of the city, the locals have had difficulty adapting to modernity. But thanks to Equestria's aid and the rulership of Princess Cadance, the city is industrialising quickly, with cars driving on the shining crystal streets.

Notable sights of the city include the Crystal Castle, home of the royalty which houses the Crystal Heart, the Amethyst University with its grand library, the famed Spa, and lastly, the huge Crystal Stadium, built for the Equestria Games which were held in the city in 1003 ALB.

Equestria
Canterlot= Canterlot, The Heart of Equestria: Canterlot, the capital of the shining realm of Equestria and the definitive nexus of the country. Walking down the storied streets and avenues that make up the pristine city, you can spot the small tell-tale signs of the 1002 Canterlot Invasion. And yet, looking at the vibrant life in the city; the cafés, the restaurants, the theaters, the parties, the soirees, you wouldn't be able to tell. Canterlot, as with the rest of Equestria, has moved on, content in their idea that the changelings were a bad event but one that will never repeat itself. Least of all anyone expects is for Queen Chrysalis to come back. But whatever the history, Canterlot is, and has been in step with the rest of the country. As Equestria grew under those first years under Luna and Celestia, so did Canterlot. When Equestria industrialized and grew past the years of medieval castles and nobles, Canterlot did too, when Luna was welcomed into the fold, it happened in Canterlot. Be it during the battle against Nightmare Moon, the battle against the Changelings, or indeed, as it has been for most of its history, the vibrant capital of Equestria, the home of ponies and Harmony, watched over by Princess Celestia's gaze, Canterlot has always been a snapshot of Equestria and its condition.

But indeed, if you took up the railroad to Canterlot, arriving at the palace, you will find the curriculum at the School for Gifted Unicorns the same as it has always been, and at galas at the Canterlot Palace they stick to routines from decades ago. While it may serve Equestria well now, they are outdated for the era, and are overdue for an overhaul. However, if a storm should hit, it would be a woeful one indeed.

Time will tell what will happen to Canterlot as a new era dawns on the world. An era of opportunity, and an era of risk. Acornage= Acornage, The City of Two Races: Since its foundation, the city of Acornage has been defined by the relationship between ponies and changelings. Indeed, the first encounters between the two races occured near Fort Acorn, the predecessor to the city itself that was founded by Equestrian settlers who colonized the uninhabited wilderness of northwestern Equestria. Different sources explain the nature of these outcomes differently. According to Equestrian historiography, it was cautious but ultimately friendly, as ponies presented gifts to the strange shapeshifting creatures. Traditionally, Changeling records did not mention gifts, but during the reign of Queen Chrysalis history has been reinterpreted and the encounters are seen as hostile and even violent.

Whatever the case, the fort soon became a trading post, and then a town. It was the only place in Equestria where ponies could acquire finely woven Changeling silk, so commerce boomed and thousands of migrants arrived. Changelings arrived in the city as well, initially living in a separate quarter but soon integrating into the populace, often shapeshifting into ponies to fit in better. Acornage was - and still is - the one place in the world where one can see changeling hive spires next to traditional Equestrian houses.

When the changelings were unified under one nation in 982 ALB, the border of the newborn country was drawn right next to the city. Equestrians agreed to Chrysalis' demands, thinking it would be the foundation of a friendly relationship between the two nations. They would later regret this when relations soured and the complete lack of a buffer zone made the city strategically vulnerable. Despite the rising tensions, business in the city continued as usual, with the local changelings and ponies remaining on friendly terms. This changed in 1002 ALB, when Canterlot itself came under attack. The treacherous stab at the heart of Equestria shocked everypony, especially the inhabitants of Acornage. Overnight, the mood in the city changed, and many saw changelings as unreliable and a potential fifth column. Racial harmony was replaced with racial tensions, and thousands of fearful changelings fled the city across the border.

After the initial harsh reactions, the situation calmed down as Chrysalis licked her wounds in Vesalipolis. There was an attempt at making amends, but most citizens felt like there was no going back. Yet, deep in their hearts, the inhabitants of Acorange know that their home city is proof that changelings and ponies can not only get along, but be true friends with one another. Appleloosa= Appleloosa, The New Frontier: Appleloosa is a young town, having been built within a year in 999 ALB. Established by Equestrian settlers, it is surrounded by apple orchards which are used to produce the town's primary export, famed apple pies. Unsurprisingly, many inhabitants of the town are part of the vast Apple family. It is governed by Sheriff Silverstar who maintains law and order. The town has a saloon known as the Salt Block, a clock tower and a stage for musical performances. It is known for its horse-drawn horse-drawn carriages and local mild west dances.

In 1001 ALB, Appleloosa was at the epicenter of the short but violent conflict known as the Apple War. It erupted after nearby buffalo tribes demanded the ponies to tear down their orchards, for they had been planted on their traditional stampeding grounds. The ponies refused to destroy their livelihoods and the buffalo attacked. Compromise was only reached when Chief Thunderhooves was downed by an apple pie, which he found to be delicious. Soon a historic agreement was signed: The ponies get to keep their orchards, as long as they gift apple pies to the buffalo. Ever since, peace has prevailed between the two races, but time will tell if it lasts. Ayacachtli= Ayacachtli, The City of the Moon:''' There is a charm in the city of Ayacachtli that begets wonderous thoughts in anypony; here is a city, that was ancient before Equestria had even been formed. Located in the southern jungles, in the mountains on the border of Badlands, Ayacachtli has the dubious honour of being the oldest thestral city in the world. Legends hold it, that it was constructed by a thestral Moonspeaker with the aid of an Ursa Major. Historians, however, place its origins to many millenia ago, to the times when thestral tribes and the Neighua came into conflict and a need for a safe haven was born. Whatever it may have been, thestrals have been living in the city for so long, that only bare estimates can be given with current historical records.

Quite an unusual aspect about Ayacachtli is the fact it is located inside the mountain range, inside a cast cavern dug over time by its denizens. Even as times have advanced, majority of the city is still located safely there, with just part of the more modern city located outside. Where, along with them, plenty of terraces for farming are located to feed the mountain city. But it is not food that Ayacachtli is known for; for the mountains contain many riches such as copper, silver and gold. Historians have traced many ancient trade routes leading to Ayacachtli from the north, carrying goods such as iron weapons and armour in exchange for the mined minerals. Evidence shows that Ayacachtli served as a vital link for trade between the jungles and north, through which luxury goods such as sugar and cocoa from jungle tribes passed by. Once the princesses proceeded with their formation of Equestria, Ayacachtli found itself in a favourable position - at least until the incident with Nightmare Moon occured. Now shunned, the thesrals returned to living amongs themselves, in fear of respitals and revenge for siding with the horrid monster that had once been their beloved princess. This especially hurt Ayacachtli and the city endured for centuries as but a hollow shell of a once mighty realm.

Today, Ayacachtli stands as a testament for vigority of thestralkind as a near total majority of its denizens are made up of thestrals. Even the ponies there are usually tribals from the jungles, who have interacted with the thestrals far longer than any northener has and even tend to share a common tongue with. Modernization is present in the city but mixed in to tradition and the peculiar aspects of thestrals; Ayacachtli has no real streets, as near-every denizen can fly. This has led to the city developing not horitzontally as a traditional city but primarily vertically. Tall towers, reaching from the cavern's ceiling to the floor, dot the vast cave, with the odd bridge crossing the gaps between them. Even with modern electricity, most of Ayacachtli is cast in but dim light, to better suit the sensitive eyes of thestrals. Further caverns extend out from the main one, which lead to the many mining tunnels; Ayacachtli even to this day is mostly dependant upon its ore exports to many Equestrian industries north; one could perhaps find some irony in how some things never change.

Central part of the city and an aspect that cannot be missed is the Temple of Moon, located at the city's center and remains a staunchly visited complex by the thestrals. It is the place where every Moonspeaker comes to learn the traditional ways and read the ancient texts stored within there. Some said to more than millenia old but no outsiders are permitted to see them, not even a certain Princess of Books. But what a visitor can see is already extraordinary, and a sight to rival even that of Canterlot. For right past its entrance, visitors are met with a giant dome covering the main hall. On this dome there is a vividly well-detailed star map, one born from countless generations of work from the Moonspeakers. Every possible inch of the carved stone accurately details the wonders of the night sky to the point that astronomers from Princess Luna's Academy of Stars have praised the meticulous work the priests have done, even rivalling achievements historical astronomers such as Galloping Galley and Leap Ordinance. There have been calls to preserve the temple complex for sake of history but for thestrals, however, the temple still serves its original purpose, as it did since its inception; to venerate the Moon, as their forebears did before them. A work that continues on, and will do so for more millenia to come. Bales= Bales, The Hidden City: Bales is an ancient city, one of the oldest ones in Equestria. Containing countless libraries and book stores, it was known as the "City of Wisdom". However, several decades ago the bustling city vanished into thin air, and no one knew why. It remained a mystery until relatively recently.

Princess Twilight Sparkle managed to find the hidden city and break the curse that had made it vanish. She learned that a wizard named Comet Tail the Starry-Eyed had cast a spell to protect the many books of the city from harm, but because he did the ritual at the wrong time, it ended up hiding the city entirely from outsiders. She cast the spell at the right time, breaking the curse and revealing the city. The ponies living in it, who had become reclusive over the years, were overjoyed when visitors flooded Bales.

At the present Bales is a center of learning, trade and book printing, producing ever more tomes not only for its own libraries, but for all the libraries of Equestria. The yearly Book Festival held in autumn draws ponies from across the nation. Baltimare= Baltimare, The Charm City: Baltimare is the largest settlement in the Equestrian South-East, located in the Horseshoe Bay. Originally a small fishing settlement, it industrialized and grew rapidly, mostly thanks to its natural harbour. It became a center of shipping and manufacturing with thriving docks.

However, the workers have been treated worse than in many other Equestrian cities, especially during the reign of the last Mayor. Because of this Baltimare became the center of the Equestrian labour movement, housing the headquarters of the CAN-TER anarcho-syndicalist federation of trade unions and anarchists. A large protest had been held in the city during the Winter Revolution in Stalliongrad, and the Mayor of the city had been sacked by Celestia herself.

Due to being located in the South-East, the city also houses a considerable minority of thestrals, whose conditions are even worse than that of the workers, but who are not allowed to join unions. Many Coltjuns from Hayseed Swamps inhabit the city as well, speaking their strange creole of Equestrian and Aquileian. Castle Of The Two Sisters= Castle Of The Two Sisters, The Ruins of Royalty: Hidden inside the dreaded Everfree Forest are the forgotten ruins of the former home of the Princesses. It is a huge structure of stone and has almost completely broken down over the centuries. Once, Celestia and Luna lived there together, having established it as their capital. But those days of splendour ended when Luna was consumed by jealousy and became Nightmare Moon who tried to slay her beloved sister. Much of the castle was destroyed and Luna was banished to the Moon, but Celestia was overcome with sorrow. She and the entire court abandoned the castle, leaving behind nothing but painful memories.

The location is avoided almost entirely by ponies, for it is rumoured to be haunted by the dreaded Pony of Shadows. Those few who have dared to enter the ruins have quickly become lost in the labyrinthine hallways of stone, watched by statues of stone dragons eroded by centuries of rain. They will also quickly discover the numerous hidden passages and traps that Princess Luna had commissioned for her amusement, and possibly stumble upon the personal library of Princess Celestia, or what remains of it.

The Elements of Harmony were hidden in the castle before Nightmare Moon's return, after which they were retrieved by the Wielders of the Elements. In a ravine near the castle is a cave with the Tree of Harmony, planted by the ancient Pillars of Old Equestria a thousand years ago. It is a magical tree which controls and contains the Everfree Forest, and held the Elements before they were used by the Princesses to defeat Discord. After Princess Luna's return, there were some talks of renovating the castle, but the site has remained abandoned. Cloudsdale= Cloudsdale, The Town in the Sky: There are several towns in Equestria which can only be inhabited by pegasi. Such towns are made out of clouds, which only pegasi can walk on, and float in the sky. Cloudsdale is the oldest such town, and is regarded as the home of the Pegasus race.

It is famed for its architecture, its tall pillars and high halls made entirely from vapor and held together by magic. It also has the largest Weather Factory in Equestria, for pegasi are responsible for weather management. The clouds, rainbows and snowflakes made in the town are distributed all across the nation. Another notable feature is the Cloudeseum, where the annual Best Young Flyer competition is held. The town is also known to be the birthplace of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, wielders of the Elements of Loyalty and Kindness respectively. Dodge City= Dodge City, The Old Frontier: When Equestrians first began to settle in the sparsely populated lands of the buffalo in the 900s, they established Fort Dodge to guard a vital trail to the Mild West. Soon, a frontier settlement sprung up nearby as accomodations for travellers and adventurers were built. By the time a railway connected the settlement to the rest of Equestria, it had already grown into a prospering town known as Dodge City. Thanks to its new railway junction, it soon also became known as Dodge Junction. Both names are used to refer to the place, although Dodge City is the more common one.

An influx of settlers made the town grow at an exponential rate. Soon enough business boomed there: Countless saloons, rodeo arenas and parks were built, which attracted even more visitors and migrants. The unique culture of the Mild West is still the strongest here, and many ponies come visit just to experience it firsthoof.

Yet the primary economic activity is not tourism, but agriculture. Dodge City's most well known exports are yellow and red cherries grown at the sprawling Cherry Hill Ranch, owned and managed by Cherry Jubilee. At the same time, when the cherry trees blossom in spring, it also attracts even more visitors, strengthening the tourism sector further.

While Dodge City is still seen as a place that embodies the Mild West, many original settlers and frontiersponies have left the city, moving to greener pastures. The small frontier town has become just another bustling city dominated by business, and some would even call it a tourist trap. It is likely that those who left went searching for the true spirit of the Mild West that was lost in Dodge City. Everfree Forest= Everfree Forest, The Untamed Wilderness: Located south of Canterlot, the Everfree Forest has long been completely avoided by ponies. In fact, the only sapient inhabitant in the entire forest is Zecora, a Zebra shaman who lives in isolation. The other denizens of the forest are far less friendly than her.

Unlike in rest of Equestria, weather and nature in the Everfree Forest are outside the influence and caretaking of ponykind. Clouds move on their own, gnarly and thorny plants grow without limits, and fearsome beasts stalk the shadows. Groves of Poison Joke and nests of adorable but ravenous Parasprites lure the unwary traveller to their doom.

Getting lost in the Everfree Forest is the nightmare of any pony living near it. Those who dare to travel through it do it as quickly as they can and are prepared to fight for their lives. It is a magical, cursed place, and so far the advances of technology have provided no means to tame it. Fillydelphia= Fillydelphia, The City of Sisterly Love: One of the largest cities on the Equestrian east coast only rivaled by Manehattan, Fillydelphia has long been regarded as a center of industry and learning, and one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution in Equestria. It was once known as the workshop of the world, producing goods for export across the planet, and is famed for its medical school located beneath the pegasus district of Bells Air (commonly known as "Little Cloudsdale"). Other notable features of the city are its all-unicorn police force and Dragon Town, a district inhabited exclusively by dragons, as well as the yearly Grapefruit Festival. In recent times the city was struggling with a severe parasprite infestation, which took years to clear out.

The city has a long and rich history, being founded before Luna's Banishment over a thousand years ago, when the Princesses were still young. Indeed, the nickname of the city refers to the mutual love the sisters had for each other, which unfortunately meant that after the Banishment Celestia did everything she could to avoid the city. Despite Canterlot's neglect, Fillydelphia thrived nevertheless. After Luna's return and reformation a grand celebration was held in the city in honour of the Princesses' reconciliation, and the ponies of the city happily welcomed Celestia who could once more visit them without issue. Hoofington= Hoofington, The Pride of the South: Like many other settlements in the Equestrian south, Hoofington was founded as a small fort by pony settlers coming from the north. The fort was built on a river island that was easy to defend from buffalo raiders or monsters. This hoof-shaped island gave the settlement its name as it grew around the fort. Despite its location, it was nevertheless destroyed by a fearsome buffalo raid that used canoes to cross the river. A pony who led the defence and perished, Flanchard, became the mythical founding hero of Hoofington.

After making peace with the natives, the determined settlers rebuilt Hoofington from the ground up as a modern planned city. Mining operations in the eastern Macintosh mountains and increased trade with the buffalo resulted in rapid growth of the town. Soon enough, money began pouring in from Canterlot and the Celestia Dam was built, creating the Hoofington reservoir. Investments into education also allowed the opening of many research facilities and schools. With the expanded knowledge base, a source of energy and a steady supply of raw materials, industrial facilities soon opened, and with them came a flood of workers from the north. Within years, Hoofington rivaled Dodge City in size, despite being much younger.

Prospectors dug many tunnels around and beneath the city in search of ores. While they didn't find any, there are plans to use the tunnels for metro stations, as the rapidly growing city could greatly benefit from new methods of transportation. What the miners did find was a large and ancient meteorite that had magical properties. It has been studied for many years now, and researchers hope that it could one day be used as a source of energy. In the meantime, a second hydroelectric dam was recently built, and it was named the Luna Dam, to honour the reformed Princess of the Night.

While the "Spirit of the Mild West" is almost nonexistent in Hoofington, it has nevertheless established itself as one of the greatest cities of the Equestrian south. It is a testament to the diligence of ponykind and a shining example of what ponies can accomplish in mere decades by working together. Las Pegasus= Las Pegasus, Equestria's Playground: Among the sparser areas of Southwest Equestria, Las Pegasus stands out as the largest city in the Southwest and is known as the gambling capital and entertainment capital of the continent. It's filled with luxurious hotels, casinos, arcades, amusement parks and restaurants that brought the city much fame. Despite it being a floating cloud-city, even earth ponies and unicorns can walk on it thanks to more modern magical engineering, with long platforms of metal and concrete functioning as walkable streets. The service-orientated economy is thriving, and though there is a lack of farmland to sustain the city, food has always been imported from elsewhere in Equestria. There's something for everyone here, from newborns and young partiers to elders looking for something new and exciting.

Under this shining cloud-city however is the second half of Las Pegasus. Here, large companies such as Horseco and Rockville Oil dominate, their factories cluttering the cityscape. Gigantic steel foundries churn out endless tonnes of stainless steel, which is used by the huge shipyards in the construction of new luxury cruise ships and military vessels. Surrounding this industrial heart are the apartments of the common workers, who toil in service of large companies. It is fertile ground for leftist movements, some more radical than others, and the ponies of the cloud-city above demand the police to ensure that Stalliongradian influence does not spread. So far, they have only been moderately successful, but as long as Equestria remains stable the proletariat are unlikely to cause trouble. Manehattan= Manehattan, The City that Never Sleeps: Throughout its illustrious history, Manehattan has been given many titles: the City of Dreams; the Big Apple; Caput Mundi — the Capital of the World. Situated where the Hayston River meets the Celestial Sea, the Three Boroughs — Manehattan and its satellites, Hayston and Bronclyn — make up this sprawling megalopolis on the East Coast of Equestria.

Being Equestria's largest and most populous city, Manehattan is also the most diverse. As the premier seaport of the continent, centuries of continuous foreign immigration has meant that, alongside the ponies of the Three Tribes, there exist substantial communities of thestrals, hippogriffs, zebras, kirin, and griffons within the metropolis. Canterlot may be the seat of the Diarchy, but it is the melting-pot of Manehattanite society that truly embodies the Equestrian spirit — that of harmonious coexistence, strength in diversity, and friendship free of prejudice.

The glamour of Manehattan's nightlife and entertainment industry, and its unassailable status as an international locus of arts and culture, all belie the true roots of the city's wealth — its massive industrial base, located on the outskirts of the suburbs. If one should gaze to the west from the crown of the Mare Statue, over and beyond the elegant arches of the Bronclyn Bridge, they would glimpse the smokestacks and cranes that juxtapose a parallel skyline — one that is gritty and grimy, yet no less grand — against the opalescence of the skyscrapers downtown.

The Celestial Sea Fleet — the backbone of the Equestrian Royal Navy — has its moorings in the deep waters and sheltered bays of Manehattan Harbour. Where prodigious amounts of capital flow through the wharfs and dockyards of Bronclyn, from Griffonia, Zebrica, and beyond, the iron hoof of maritime law ensures that the waters around the metropolis are kept safe, from threats both monstrous and mundane.

Like all big cities, Manehattan has its fair share of problems. Only a few blocks away from the glitzy shopping avenues of Bridleway are run-down waterfront neighbourhoods teeming with the city's immigrant proletariat, and in the shadow of Manehattan's skyscrapers lie the inner-city slums and ghettoes — the proverbial undergrowth of the concrete jungle. Should the centuries-long peace in Equestria collapse, there is no doubt that strife and scarcity will come to Manehattan; in the face of rationing, curfews, and blackouts, it is all too easy to forget about solidarity and friendship.

Now, in the new millennium, the city is threatened from without and within. Across the sea, Griffonia is poised for a decade of brutal conflict, whilst Manehattan's own Lunarists grow more belligerent by the day, as the horrors of mechanized warfare encroach on ponies' nightmares. In the years to come, what fate will befall this great city? Ponyville= Ponyville, The Town of Friendship: Ponyville, located next to the Everfree Forest southwest of Canterlot, was for most of its history an unremarkable rural settlement. The first pony inhabitants of the area were part of the Apple Family, who were granted the land as a gift by Princess Celestia herself almost a century ago. The first apple orchards were planted, but while the trees grew, the ponies discovered magical Zap Apples inside the Everfree Forest. The jam prepared from these apples became famous, attracting many migrants. Stinkin' Rich, the grandfather of the entrepreneur Filthy Rich, opened a market selling the jam, which soon grew into a burgeoining business. The Apple and Rich families still live in the town to this day and are honoured as its founders.

In the years since, many ponies have moved to Ponyville, making it a very diverse town. All three races are present and live together in harmony. It is for this reason why Princess Celestia sent her young pupil, Twilight Sparkle, to live in the town and make some friends. She and the ponies she met soon became close friends and the wielders of the Elements of Harmony, who have saved Equestria from countless threats. After her ascension to Alicornhood and her defeat of Lord Tirek, Twilight Sparkle now lives in the Castle of Friendship north of the town. Next to it, she has opened the School of Friendship which has students from all across the world. Despite its small size, Ponyville is known across Equestria as the haven of friendship and harmony. Rockville= Rockville, The Mining City: Surrounded by countless rock farms and nestled among hills, Rockville is a center of mining industry and mineral processing. Its name derives from tonnes of rock regularly brought into the city from the farms for refinement. It was an insignificant village before the gemstone rush of 931 ALB which attracted countless migrants.

Rockville is a city of foundries, steel mills and mines. The landscape around the city is barren and the air in the settlement itself is difficult to breathe. Yet it is also a prospering town, producing a large amount of gold, coal, sulfur, tin, copper, platinum, gemstones and more.

Its inhabitants are grim-faced, their faces often covered in soot, but hard-working and relentless. Some call it the least friendly place in Equestria, but those outsides who have earned the trust of a Rockville pony know that they are the most trusty and reliable companies one may have. The Element of Laughter, Pinkamena Pie (more commonly known as Pinkie Pie) breaks the stereotype by being one of the cheeriest ponies in the country, despite coming from a hardy family of rock farmers. Tall Tale= Tall Tale, The Green City: On the southern bank of the Tall river lies the city of Tall Tale. Despite its size, one might easily think it's a small rural town, thanks to its rustic buildings, many parks and numerous trees. Yet it is in the end an industrial city, as evidenced by the high grain silos and the car traffic on the streets.

Tall Tale grew from a humble farming village to a proper city after the Industrial Revolution. Yet it never forgot its roots, being surrounded by farmland and having food processing and transportation as its economic foundations. An important railway leading to Vanhoover passes through the city, and is used to transport countless bags of grain and other farm produce for export. The city is especially famous for its bread, said to be the best in Equestria.

Notable sights include the centuries-old Tall Bridge, the Farmers' Market in the central square of the city, and the Museum of Agriculture. The yearly Harvest Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year thanks to its generous offering of delicious baked goods. Tenochtitlan= Tenochtitlan, The City of the Sun: Deep in the steamy jungles of the Tenochtitlan basin lies the largely ruined city which gives the region its name. In fact, when explorers from northern Equestria first discovered it, they called it a "Lost City" even though it has been continuously inhabited for over a millennium. To this day, the ponies of the Neighua tribe live in the city like their ancestors did.

Surrounding Tenochtitlan is a vast network of canals, gaining their water from the river which flows past the city. On these canals, as well as the river itself, one may find the famed Floating Gardens -- or what remains of them, at least. The natives still use them to grow plants such as maize, beans and flowers, though many of them are overgrown.

In the center of the city itself stands the imposing Pyramid of the Sun, the primary religious site of the Neighua. Although it has seen far less use under Celestia's rule (and no sacrifices whatsoever), locals still use it to affirm their loyalty to the Princess. In return, she provides modern medicine, fertilizer, machine tools and more, albeit the natives are left alone to live their peaceful lives in the traditional manner, in huts of stone, mud and wood. Vanhoover= Vanhoover, The Saltwater City: Located in Luna Bay, Vanhoover contains an excellent natural harbour, and has thus long been a vital port-city. Founded on the ruins of an earlier settlement which had been destroyed by Olenian Vikings, it grew into an important trade port even before industrialisation, being located near the mouth of an important river as well.

After the Industrial Revolution, the city grew even more, becoming a vital base of the Equestrian Navy and a center of shipbuilding. It is the terminus of the transcontinental Equestrian railway and its port is among the largest in the country. Its primary trade good is lumber, imported from Vaverfront across the Luna Bay, but in recent years the service sector has continued to grow. Many movies are filmed here, earning it the nickname "Applewood North", and numerous tourists come there from the south to enjoy the cold weather.

A large portion of the populace consists of Olenian deer, who work on the docks or sell their wares at the markets. There are even some changelings living in the city, though they are viewed with suspicion by the rest of the inhabitants. In recent years the countless dock workers and sailors of the city have unionized and now agitate for better rights. There are rumours that they receive support from the Supreme Soviet of Stalliongrad, but it is not known if this is true. Whinnyapolis= Whinnyapolis, The Twin Cities: Located near the border with the Crystal Empire lie two settlements, on the opposite sides of the river: the suburban town of Riverpool and the thriving city of Whinnyapolis. Both of them have benefited greatly from the recent return of Crystal Empire from limbo, growing even more as centers of commerce and industry. Many crystal ponies inhabit the city and imports from the north are always on sale.

Whinnyapolis surpassed its smaller twin Riverpool during the Industrial Revolution. Flour mills and sawmills powered by the rapids between the towns formed the core of their economy. Nowadays the city is more reliant on commercial services such as banking and transportation, being known as "The Gate to Crystal Empire".

Nova Griffonia
Weter= Weter, The Griffenheim of the West: Originally built on the site of an ancient, migration-era pony site, Weter was the first settlement the Griffonian Empire founded on Equus, and its city charter came directly from Emperor Grover I. While initially little more than a military outpost meant to control the strait to the north, it rapidly grew from the various explorers and ambitious settlers who saw Nova Griffonia as the place to build a new life beyond the confines of the empire. Weter became one of the main ports of entry in the region, leading to a population explosion during the late 800s and early 900s that took Weter from a small frontier town to an actual city. It became considered "The Gateway to the West" and hundreds of thousands have entered Equus through the Weter Harbor, hoping for a new life in Nova Griffonia.

While Nova Griffonia is an immense region, most of it remains frontier regions. Weter, near uniquely, is more like Griffonia than the rest of the nation, with tighly packed old-style buildings near the city centre and an opulent gubernatorial palace overlooking a city plaza in which a statue of Grover I stands. Further out, however, the Griffonian veneer fades quickly, and already at the outskirts of the city one can see the more uniquely Nova Griffonian identity spring forth. This has always been Weter's role in these lands though; to stand as the link between Nova Griffonia and the old homeland, enforce imperial order and ensure that this rugged and harsh land far from Griffenheim remains a testament to the Griffonian Empire's drive and ambition. Nouveau Aquila= Nouveau Aquila, The Home of the Brave: Before Nova Griffonia and before Weter, Nouveau Aquila was established at the mouth of the Dulli River. In the beginning, it was little more than a camp for Rilan fishergriffs and whalers on their journeys, allowing for a safe place of rest after weeks at sea. However, over time trade with the local ponies and yaks meant that more and more Aquileian griffs stayed there permanently, creating a small, sprawling town outside of official Aquileian control.

When Aquileia fell to the Griffonian Empire, it was both a great boon and a great trial for Nouveau Aquila. Thousands of Aquileian refugees, many of them wealthy merchants and nobles, made their way to the town and carried their wealth with them, more than doubling the population and increasing the town's wealth many times over. Yet, at the same time Nouveau Aquila had had time to develop its own political system of elected mayors and a town council, a system that clashed with the royalist leanings of many of the newcomers. In the end, it was the arrival of Griffonian Empire's fleet and the demand for subjugation under the new colony of Nova Griffonia that stopped things from exploding into outright fighting.

As Griffonian settlers began to arrive in the town as well, the Aquileian refugees chose to keep to themselves, creating what would become known as The Aquileian Quarter, a district of the city that even to this day has a clear Aquileian feel to it in everything from the cuisine to the architecture and even the language. In some ways, this region has kept hold of old cultural artefacts from the old kingdom more than Aquileia ever has.

Also, ever since its inclusion into Nova Griffonia, the city has considered itself the actual heart of Nova Griffonia, viewing Weter as a colonialist overlord not truly part of the colony. Nouveau Aquilan Griffons have always been eager to settle the deeper regions of the colony, explore new opportunities, serve in the Nova Griffonian militias and however they can leave a mark on their homeland. Weter may the Griffonian Charter, but these descendants of those Aquileian refugees and fishers have worked tirelessly to create their own niches. Weter remains true to the old homeland, Nouveau Aquila embraces the Nova Griffonian way of life. Weter is a hub of agriculture and industry, Nouveau Aquila makes a niche for itself in steelworks and logging. Weter builds a university, Nouveau Aquila will erect a grand theatre. One can call Nouveau Aquila proud, stubborn or spiteful maybe, but nogriff can ever call it lazy, cowardly or sedate.

Olenia
Hjortland= Hjortland, The Seat of House Jelzek: Hjortland is the proud capital of Olenia. The place where the gods of the land are honoured and where the bravest warriors and explorers charted the oceans from. Many sagas begin or end here and many a tall tale too! It is the cultural heart of the Olenians and even an object of imagination and fantasy for those deer whose ancestors departed from her shores long ago.

Occupying the easternmost stretch of a large peninsula, Hjortland's location is highly defensible while occupying a central location among the ever important Olenian south coast. As the seat of the House of Jelzek, Hjortland is the natural capital of the country. The Kings of Olenia occupy the Palace in Hjortland, built with a mix of Equestrian and Olenian styles, giving the building an appearance of modernity while not totally abandoning the Olenian woodworking traditions. The palace is only one of the traditional centres of Olenian politics, however, but the fate of the other hangs in the balance still. The Riksdag, also known as the Eduskunta, used to be the Olenian parliament. However, with the rise of King Johan, the Riksdag has been suspended for the time being, leaving the building a slowly rotting carcass, which some would whisper is representative of the country after the Kings unorthodox ascension. Cervus= Cervus, The Old Sailor: Situated at the mouth of a river and overlooking the Rich Sea, Cervus has been one of the major naval hubs for the Olenian deer. The Jarls of Cervus, at times preferred trading and at others raiding. Each year the fleet of longships would sail from the harbour towards distant shores and bring back their wealth. Cervus grew rich and the fine woodcarving of her buildings would soon be supplemented with gold, silver and gemstones. Many of the old wooden homes and halls still form the centre of the city, with the Jarls' Great Hall forming the absolute crown jewel of the city, a massive wooden hall, whose ornaments, are trophies from ancient times.

However, the age of raiding is long gone and Cervus is now a modern city. After a population boom, the city has grown into the industrial heart of Olenia, with apartment blocks and factories surrounding the historic centre. Most of the initial factories belong to the Cervus Industrial Corporation, a conglomerate holding much sway over local politics and a big supplier to the Olenian government. Despite the encroachment of modernity, the harbour is still a pleasant site to visit, with modern transport ships sailing to and fro and many of the historic longboats still being kept in shipshape tradition by the locals. Sakara= Sakara, The Viking Harbour: Accoring to Olenian sagas, Sakara is one of the oldest cities in Olenia, founded when a Jarl threw his axe into the sky and saw it land on the shore. Here, he chose to build his home, and soon his followers settled next to him. Within centuries the settlement had grown into a trading port.

Sakara is best known for its historical role in the western Viking expansion. Many of the deer who settled in Austurland and Hindia, who raided the coasts of Griffonia and Zebrica, called Sakara their home. So much wood around the city was used for building longboats that entire forests were cut down. The exotic wealth of far away lands made Sakara a truly prosperous place, the greatest city in Olenia.

But all that was many centuries ago. Now, Sakara is a city known for its wooden buildings which have a tendency to burn down once a century. Modernity first arrived in eastern Olenia, and Sakara was always slow to adapt. As such, the city is a conservative stronghold in Olenia, its inhabitants still clinging to their old traditions and retelling the same old sagas about conquests of distant lands. Yet even Sakara cannot avoid industrialisation, as the city's merchants have opened many new factories in the city's outskirts in recent years. Time will tell if the city will ever learn to let go of its past. Vaverfront= Vaverfront, The Shores of Luna Bay: Vaverfront is the largest city east of Hjortland and has a peculiar success story. Located on the sheltered Bay named after the Equestrian princess Luna, the city sits almost directly across from Vanhoover on calm waters. As a port, Vaverfront used to be mostly known for the lumber export to Equestria, along with the export of wooden carvings and toys for the ponies. The almost endless supply of northern trees has ensured that the industry remains lucrative. One of the most well-known lumber exporters is a company known as Lokia, based in Vaverfront. Recently, the lumber giant has sets its eyes on new technology, however. With its many contacts in the technologically advanced Equestria, Lokia has managed to hire experts in electronic technology and is adamant on researching the potential of electronic machinery and 'computers'. Whether the gamble will pay off remains to be seen.

Whatever the case, Vaverfront enjoys a relatively mild climate and prosperity from the wood trade and emerging business of electronics. Most recently, many communication companies have moved to the city, which now hosts a lot of the country's radio stations.

Our Town
Starlight's Town= Starlight's Town, The Birthplace of Equalism: Formerly known as Our Town, and sometimes known as "The Town With No Name", Starlight's Town has since struggled to find a fitting name for itself. Its founder, Starlight Glimmer, built the first houses of the town with her followers. She had gathered a small but loyal following with her fiery speeches and desired to make her dreams a reality. One day she gathered her followers and travelled past Stalliongrad. There, she had received a small amount of land in a dry valley from the Supreme Soviet, who tolerated her radical ideology, Equalism, and were sympathetic to her cause.

Using her magical powers, Starlight Glimmer forcibly removed the cutie marks of her followers, erasing their talents and making them perfectly equal. No one was superior in Our Town, and everyone behaved almost identically. Yet in secret, Starlight kept her cutie mark and acted as the town's firm leader who ruled with an iron hoof.

The equalist experiment came to an end when the Wielders of the Elements discovered the town and unveiled Starlight's secrets. They revealed the hidden vault where the magically-extracted cutie marks were hoarded by Starlight. When the inhabitants had realized their leader was a fraud and saw how much happier ponies with cutie marks are, they lost faith in equalism and drove Starlight out of town.

Nowadays the town is a peaceful and pleasant place, with everypony being proud of their talents. The Sunset Festival is held every year, and a tree grows where Starlight's house once stood.

Stalliongrad
Stalliongrad= Stalliongrad, The Home of the Revolution: Originally Stalliongrad was known as Princessyn, the capital of the northeastern Severyana region. It had been a relatively small town before the Industrial Revolution, when the abundant natural resources of the region allowed it to grow massively. Within centuries, it was one of the largest cities in Equestria, a thriving center of industry always covered in thick smog, especially during cold winters.

Yet the growth of the city had a dark side. Its workers were mistreated and discontent grew. Due to its distance from the capital, Princess Celestia remained unaware of the tension before it was too late. The workers revolted, inspired by the writings of Caramel Marks and led by Steel Stallion, and seceded from Equestria in the Winter Revolution.

After Steel Stallion died from illness, the Supreme Soviet renamed Princessyn in his memory to Stalliongrad, which remains the city's name to this day. Nowadays Stalliongrad is a proletarian city, with any remains of capitalism erased. Gone are the houses of the merchants, the markets and the shops, the colourful adverts and the luxurious cars. It is now exclusively the city of smokestacks, factories, apartment blocks, machines, cogs, smoke and steel. In the center stands the imposing Palace of the Soviets, a grand project that has been years in the making, a testament to the industriousness and ambition of the Stalliongradian proletariat. Petershoof= Petershoof, The Window to the East: Throughout its history, the port of Petershoof has been Severyana's gateway to the world, and occasionally functioned as its capital. Named after the mythical ruler of pre-Equestrian Severyana, Tsar Peter, it is a major shipping port and shipyard, and a center of commerce. From this strategically important warm-water port, the resources and goods produced inland are shipped abroad.

Despite two revolutions, the Industrial revolution and the Winter revolution, the city retains its classical look especially in its historic city center, with most buildings made out of brick and stone. Countless monuments dot the city, the most notable one being the Bronze Horse, a statue depicting Tsar Peter himself. On the outskirts of the city are more modern apartment blocks and industrial factories.

Alongside Princessyn, now known as Stalliongrad, Petershoof was another major center of resistance which sparked the Winter Revolution. The sailors in the city's naval base mutinied and revolted against the Princess' rule and seized control of the city with the help of factory workers, joining the newly formed Soviet Republic afterwards. There have been talks of demolishing the "monarchist" monuments of the city, but their cultural and historical value have so far been deemed too significant.

Yakyakistan
Yakistown= Yakistown, The Home of the Yaks: Yakistown has been the traditional capital of Yakyakistan for countless centuries. It has been the home of the King, the court and the Council of Elders. Nestled in the Yakis valley, it is a town of wooden huts with thatched roofs, surrounded by a wooden palisade. Yet ever since Yakyakistan ended its long isolation from the world, one may see an occasional imported industrial product from Equestria which is out of place, and those who use them are disdained by others. This signals a deeper division in Yak society which recently caused the Jak secession.

The most notable landmarks of the town are the two giant statues at its entrance, depicting a yak and a jak holding shields and torches, symbolising the unity of the two tribes. After the devastating avalanche of 1005, they were the only structures left standing, as the rest of the city had to be rebuilt from nothing with Equestrian aid. When walking on the snowy streets, one may hear the loud music of the yovidaphone, or the sound of yaks smashing objects for their personal enjoyment. While yaks may seem to distrust foreigners, in truth they will respect visitors as long as they respect their unique culture.

Angriver
The Scheißwald= The Scheißwald, the Forest of Mud and Darkness:

Aquileia
Aquila= Aquila, the Jewel of the West:

Asterion
Aster's Landing= Aster's Landing, the Home of the Minotaurs: Prospero= Prospero, the City of Libraries:

Francistria
Francistria= Francistria, The Home of the Martlewings: The small trading town of Pulcino in northern Wingbardy was for centuries insignificant. However, this changed when a bold adventurer from Tarrin seized it and made it his capital. His name was Francis Martlewing, and he named the town after himself, becoming the first Count of Francistria. He built the Martlewing Castle on a small hill west of the town, which to this day remains the city's most notable landmark.

After being established as the capital of a nation, Francistria began to grow. When the Martlewings and the di Almieris of Wingbardy made an alliance, trade increased between the two. Tonnes of grain, wine and minerals were shipped down the river from Goldenfeather and sold to Wingbardian merchants in the city. Indeed, the old building of the Merchants' Guild can still be found in the Riverside Market, next to the Trinity Temple, which also houses the chapterhouse of the Order of the Trinity. Further from the historic city center are the headquarters of the modern successors of the Wingbardian merchants, various commercial companies.

The city's architecture is undeniably Wingbardian in style and charm, yet an attentive eye may see various details that are unique to the local Francistrian culture. Cultural differences become even more noticeable during bi-annual celebrations that are based entirely on local traditions, such as the Festival of Cheese and Wine and the Parade of Feathers. Many locals also belong to an unusual religious sect known as Trinitarianism, which worships all three griffon deities as manifestations of a single divine form. They have faced persecution in the past, but at the present they are tolerated.

New Mareland
Sunset= Sunset, The Bush Capital: Many centuries ago, the site of the city that would come to be known as Sunset was little more than a windswept, barren bay, embedded in the southwestern tip of Griffonia. Subsequent decades of continuous Equestrian immigration would see that changed; the pegasi would eventually tame the local climate, as earth pony and unicorn settlers colonized along the coastline.

Named after the eponymous founder of the city - Sunset Horizon - Sunset in the current day is a bustling metropolis, recognisable by landmarks such as the Sunset Harbour Bridge and the nearby Opera House. Where the city is blessed with an expansive deepwater bay, Pukwudgie Island, situated in the middle of the city's harbour, serves as the staging base for the Equestrian navy's Griffonian station. A robust maritime infrastructure facilitates the passage of seaborne trade between the two continents, and the harbour is usually filled with all sorts of seafaring craft.

The Equestrian architecture of the city is coloured with a distinct Griffonian influence, where slender towers, reminiscent of the Canterlot skyline, sport the overhangs and archways characteristic of avian building design. In the suburbs of the metropolis, this blending of architectural traditions becomes much less refined; the poverty and scarcity of the city's periphery, populated predominantly by New Mareland's griffon minority, lends the city's poorer neighborhoods the haphazard, mishmash appearance of slums all over the world. New Manehattan= New Manehattan, the Sapphire City: Home of millions and the largest city in New Mareland, New Manehattan has the same status as her larger overseas namesake. Founded as the second colony after Sunset, she has kept her desire for new migrants, opening her doors for all those who seek to leave their own lives in Equestria behind. Ponies from all over Equestria mix in the crowded city, surrounded by skyscrapers piercing the sky. You can hear the heavy Severyana dialect of refugees from Stalliongrad, the southern accents of those Appleloosans searching for fortune, and with luck even the many Griffonian and Zebrican languages mixed in. New Manehattan is a melting pot of all willing to work for their future, and one can find blends of music mixing differing local styles and restaurants serving food from all over.

The city is well known for its harbour, which is bursting at the seams, bringing in migrants and exporting vital resources back to Equestria or further into Griffonia. Massive steel mills provide employment for many in the working class, while those with a penchant for trading might try their luck in the crystal trade. Most recently, East-Side Borough has seen the most development. The city authorities are in an ongoing bureaucratic battle to have this part of the city, which fall outside its bureaucratic bounds, added to its administration.

However, with the great depression settling in, even New Manehattan cannot provide for all anymore, and soup kitchens now fill the place of closed down shops. Socialist, fascist and capitalists all recruit from the poor and newly-arrived, and sometimes vicious brawls ensue between supporters of different politicians.

Talouse
Talononte= Talononte, The Ancient Bastion: For a millennium and a half, Talononte has stood guard over the hills and valleys of Talouse. Founded as an outpost by Marco Talonostra at the mouth of the Arneo river, Talononte has grown greatly over the centuries. After the death of Arantigos, Marco and his successors began to expand the city, transforming it into a small, yet prominent, center of trade. However, as the Talonostras' power waned in the 2nd century BLB, so too did the city's wealth. The Death of King Marus in 34 BLB was the final straw, and the civil war that followed left the city devastated, marking the beginning of the city’s "Dark Age," which would continue until the 2nd century ALB, when the revival of trade routes between Wingbardy and Aquileia would allow the city to return to its former splendor. This newfound prosperity would continue to increase with the Unification of Talouse under Giovanni di Chiazbini in 602 ALB and its designation as the new nation's capital. Talouse's peaceful submission to Grover I and Talononte's relative isolation from the rest of the Empire meant that it remained mostly unchanged during Imperial rule, and that very little Groverian influence found its way into the city.

The city today has still managed to retain much of its ancient charm, in spite of the advances of modernity. The historical center houses much of the pre-Groverian architecture, which is an interesting blend of Wingbardian, Aquileian, Transfolinian and even Sparletan styles. This blend is most clearly displayed in the temples dedicated to the Trinity, which include pointed Aquileian arches, and even Sparletan domes. Even deeper into the city lies the Centro Storico, which houses some of the last vestiges of Arantigan-era architecture in Griffonia, including the Piazza Talonostra, which is purported to be the site of Talonostra's first camp, and the ruins of the Primo Tempio, an ancient temple dedicated to Arantigos-Boreas that has lain abandoned for centuries. However, far from the majesty of history lies the modern Talononte. In the new city center lies the Palazzo Ducale, a small, yet beautiful, Aquilo-Folinian palace that houses the royal family, and the Parliament Building, one of the few fully modern-Wingbardian buildings in the whole city. Surrounding them are some of the country’s first skyscrapers, office blocks, and modern buildings, which bear some resemblance to those found in the urban cores of Francistria and Wrobert. Beyond the downtown lie vast suburbs composed of countless apartment blocks and slums that house the city's workers. This is Talononte's dark underbelly, where the Mafia thrives, socialists rule, and crime is rampant. Meanwhile, smokestacks and industrial blocks line the Arneo, pouring smoke into the sky, and polluting the river's waters as the city's burgeoning industrial sector continues to grow and expand.

The city’s peaceful appearance makes it hard to believe that it was the stage of one of the largest strikes in Griffonian history, as thousands of workers made their way down the streets to demand improved conditions. Although the marchers are now back at work, their impact can still be felt, as an uneasy tension hangs over the city. Although it has withstood countless invasions from the outside, it remains to be seen if Talononte can survive trouble from the inside.

Wingbardy
Karthin= Karthin, The Eternal City: Once nothing more than a fishing village in the distant past surrounded by seven hills, Karthin has since evolved into a busy metropolis that many griffons call home. The ancient capital of a fledgeling city-state that became the Karthinian Empire, it was, of course, a wealthy city for most of its history. After the collapse of the Empire and the northern invasion of Wingbardians, the region suffered through a brief period known as the 'dark era' before being integrated into the Kingdom of Wingbardy. Like Wingbardy herself, Karthin once belonged to the Griffonian Empire and has only recently gained freedom from the Imperial Throne.

Even under the rule of distant Griffenheim, Karthin was a prosperous port city that served as the capital of Wingbardy and as the seat of power of the Talonuel line. With the wealth gained from the maritime trade hub and the industrious 'officine', the lords of Karthin sponsored a plethora of public works. Many of the temples, statues, galleries, museums, and urban districts of the city are the very same edifices and structures from the previous construction efforts. As such, much of Karthin is composed of the 'old districts': they're all at least a hundred years old! That is why it is often referred to as 'The Eternal City.'

The age of the buildings sometimes poses a challenge, however, with many requiring maintenances that aren't possible with the lack of necessary funding. Many Karthinians have taken the matter into their own talons to recover the historical monuments and structures as a result. While technically illegal, most law enforcement officers look the other ways as they too wish to see the splendour of yore.

Despite this, Karthin is still a beautiful and popular tourist destination. Be sure to visit the ancient amphitheatre and imperial forums! Falcor= Falcor, the Lost Capital: While not as prosperous as Karthin and not as politically important as Griffenheim, Falcor is still considered by Falcorian griffons as their jewel. For when the ancient Falcorians finally settled in the remnants of the Karthinian Empire, most of the prosperous lands in the south had been claimed by the Wingbards.

That was when they came across what would become the city of Falcor, a patch of flat, fertile land next a river, nestled beside rolling hills, and bordering verdant forests. The site proved ideal for the weary Falcorians to make a town and the nearby resources and warm weather allowed the town to grow into a centre of industry and commerce, enabling it to become the capital, and shining jewel of the Falcor Kingdom.

However, Falcor was lost to the Wingbardians after the brutal four-year Falcorian War. Although the peace Queen Maximilliana brokered prevented the city from being shelled in the fighting, the plague that had swept through it, and the many Falcorians that fled before the Wingbardians annexed the city has left it depopulated. To make matters worse, the Wingbardians see Falcor as a mere trophy, which meant the city is now but a shadow of its former glory, a capital no longer, waiting to be reclaimed by Falcorians, or forever to remain lost. Wrobert= Wrobert, the Proud One: Ever since its foundation in the post-Arantigan era, Wrobert has been a bustling port city thanks to its location on the mouth of the great Folino river. Yet its true era of significance would not come until centuries later.

Some years after the founding of New Mareland, ponies began to migrate into the city from the west. They brought their higher literacy and prosperity with them, and thus became members of the middle and upper classes. Close trade ties were established with Equestria and the city began to grow rapidly. This accelerated exponentially when the ponies brought the Industrial Revolution to Wrobert, making it the first city in all of southern Griffonia to industrialize. The city's famed port was greatly expanded, factories were built and griffons flooded in from the countryside. Soon, Wrobert became a city that rivaled Karthin itself.

While Karthin is the traditional and political capital of Wingbardy, some would argue that Wrobert is the economic heart of the nation. Most of Wingbardy's imports and exports pass through the city, and it is home to important shipyards, business districts and industrial companies. The Old Town near the port is a small remnant of the past separated from the vast urban sprawl by ancient stone walls. Many famed historical landmarks can be found there, most notably the iconic Lighthouse of Wrobert. It also has one of the oldest bank buildings in Griffonia. After the declaration of independence in 972 ALB, the old architecture has been extensively renovated, much to the delight of Equestrian tourists.

The large proletarian population and close ties to Equestria proved to be fertile ground for communist movements, so it is no surprise that Wrobert is the home of the PCW. The city's council has the highest portion of leftists out of any Wingbardian city, and there have even been socialist mayors in the past. Yet in recent years, the Blackwings have been gathering support in the city, spreading propaganda that is aimed at the wealthy ponies. The communists have responded with their own propaganda that is based on class rather than race.

Increasing tensions led to many ponies migrating away from the city, taking their assets and expertise with them. This has contributed to the economic downturn that Wrobert is suffering from at the moment of writing. This in turn has further radicalised the city's working populace, so clashes between communists and fascists have become a daily occurrence. Those caught in the middle pray that the government in Karthin will soon find a solution and manage to restore order in their beloved city.