37212513 said:
Historian? Campfire? Sounds like cheesy exposition, I'm in! (And a heartfelt thanks to the captain for being so understanding of our distaste in his prank.)

You thank Captain Moor and the coast guard for their help, and with your party having finished eating, you excuse yourselves from the table in search of the historian.

A warm light flickers on the beach to the south. On your way there, the sounds of crickets and ocean waves gradually drown out the celebration behind you. You pass by a few couples relaxing on the quieter sands, and soon reach a small campfire.

Elderly mare: "… and that is how ponykind travelled the sea for the first time. Ah, welcome, young fillies. Have you come to learn about the history of Equestria?"

You join a small group of ponies sitting around the fire, and ask the historian what she knows about the Philosopher's Stone.

Historian: "The Philosopher's Stone, you say? Now, that is a name I haven't heard in quite some time. But if history remembers…

It all started during the pre-Classical era, soon after two young alicorn sisters had just been crowned princesses of Equestria.

During that time period, unicorns still had the duty to raise the sun and the moon over the land. Until one fateful morning, no unicorn had any magic left to perform the ritual.

The unicorns turned to the royal sisters, and found that their alicorn magic could move celestial objects without being drained. And from that day forth, the princesses took the duty of raising the sun and the moon upon themselves.

As with any great change, however, not everypony rejoiced. Deep below the green rolling hills of the Everfree, a cult of magicless unicorns secretly vowed to reclaim their birthright to control the skies.

Tapping into forbidden magics, the cultists transmuted an artifact of unimaginable evil; the Philosopher's Stone. This Stone was said to imbue whoever touched it with magic so potent, it would rival even that of the alicorns.

But that magic came with a cost. Oh yes, it corrupted the very minds of ponies who used it, and in time, even their bodies grew twisted.

Ultimately, the cultists were driven mad with power, and turned on each other. It is said that in the midst of a cataclysmic fight over the artifact, it was accidentally shattered, and shards rained all over Equestria.

Not much is known about the location of these shards today, but one thing is certain: we can only hope that none fall in the wrong hooves."

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