hariman said:
Well that's ominous!

That's quite a lucky and ominous find. There might be more lucky finds of information in the archives here, but how to find them? Also, we don't want to stay too long either, as we have other business to take care of along the way.

Also… rope. If we don't have it, we should get extra lengths of rope. Because staying connected in the mists might become very important.

Intrigued by what you have learned so far, your party decides to ask the machine some more questions about Midgard's history. The earliest results appear to be accounts from various members of the Order of Dawn, each one more embellished than the last.

From what you are able to piece together, the Paladins of Dawn's journey began a little over five centuries ago, under the leadership of a stallion named Solar Flare of Canterlot. After collecting every shard of the Philosopher's Stone in Equestria, they set out to a new land, far from the reaches of unicorn sorcery.

During the Paladins' voyage to Midgard, however, it is said that Solar Flare was revealed to be not only a betrayer, but one who had conspired with Abysmals — creatures from the abyssal ocean — to make off with the Philosopher's Stone.

Fortunately, in a valiant act that is never described in detail, Empyrius the Great thwarted the villain's evil plan. Then, in a show of mercy, he banished his misguided brother to the realm of Darkness, earning him the uncontested leadership of the Paladins of Dawn.

Alas, this victory did not come without a cost, for it brought upon them the wrath of the Abysmals. Soon after the Paladins arrived in Midgard, a giant sea serpent attacked. It was heroically defeated, of course, but not before the serpent could cast a spell that would enshroud the bay in a ghostly mist.

Undeterred, the Paladins of Dawn settled atop the highest point of the island, where they founded a new kingdom, and with it, the Order of Dawn. From this order would later be born a new path to progress and civilization, free from the perils of magic.

Apple Basket: "Uh… am I the only one thinkin' that some of these here stories don't sound quite right?"

Moonflower: "Nuh uh."

As you read further, you find that you are not the only ones to feel that something is off. Indeed, a document dated seven years ago by Justice, a mare from the Undercity, claims that the history of the Order of Dawn is wrong, and that the Philosopher's Stone had actually been lost on the way to Midgard.

According to her, the Order has been decommissioning projects under the pretense of heresy, but she believes that their true motives are far more sinister.

Her own project, a craft that could travel underwater, was seized and repurposed into a weapon. She then found that it had been used in a desperate attempt to recover the Philosopher's Stone from the Abysmals. In reference to this is the title of the cartridge she recovered from her craft's wreckage.

As luck would have it, a copy with the same title sits on a nearby shelf. Curious, you grab the cartridge, and swap it into the terminal. Then, in the press of a button, the machine begins to play what appears to be both video and matching audio recordings. You begin to watch the footage…

Ping. A low tone echoes in the darkness. In the center of the screen, a small light hovers above the ocean floor.

Ping. As the light grows closer, you recognize a siren holding a glowing orb; Queen Maelstrom and the Philosopher's Stone. Ping. Then, you hear the voices of two off-screen stallions.

Stallion 1: "Visual contact. Ready to engage."

Stallion 2: "Acknowledged. Initializing diplomatic protocol…"

A clicking sound, after which the second stallion's voice becomes duller, as though speaking through a pipe.

Stallion 2: "Attention, creature. You have in your possession an artifact that belongs to the Order of Dawn. In the name of King Empyrius, we command you to put down the artifact, and swim away immediately. Failure to comply will result in your undoing. I repeat, put down the artifact—"

As the stallion goes on, the siren's eyes begin to glow brightly, then her mouth. The first stallion audibly starts to panic.

Stallion 1: "Something's happening. Wait, don't let it—! Open fire, open fi—!"

The footage cuts off for an instant. Then, through some static, you catch a glimpse of an upside-down island, scrolling dizzyingly fast across the screen.

It takes you a few seconds to realize that you are viewing images from a camera that is flying across the sky, high above the ocean, and spinning uncontrollably. A muffled voice resounds.

Stallion 1: "Hang in there! Ejecting!"

A high-pitched mechanical sound is quickly drowned out by noisy wind. The spinning eventually slows down, allowing you to make out Midgard's fast-approaching snow-capped mountain, mere seconds before impact.

And with that, the screen goes black, and the playback ends.

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