Lerian

fans want more content from them, but then they want to complain about there being fan pandering...

Remember when we all loved Derpy being in The Last Roundup? How much we loved the crew? Now we're bad-mouthing them?

"I think I was trying to suggest something about the duality of bronies, sir .

The what?

The duality of bronies. The Jungian thing, sir."*

I personally like the shout-outs, although I prefer the cultural references to the brony ones.

I do wonder those that complain about 'pandering' risk driving themselves away from the show or at least diminishing their enjoyment.

Trixie is back!

A: A good episode where a former rival is redeemed?

B: Blatant Trixie fan pandering? GRAAAAGH!

Luna is able to influence dreams and prevent nightmares!

A: A display of (royal) pony culture that reinforces the fact that the princesses take a serious part in the running of their kingdom (with worrying questions about the 'millennia of nightmares' that occurred while Luna was on the moon)?

B: Blatant Luna fan pandering? GRAAAAAGH!

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo share a touching moment!

A: That's just adorable! It really shows how their relationship is progressing in an episode that addresses issues of how others see you?

B: Blatant Scoota-love pandering? GRAAAAAAGH!

I'm not saying that shout-outs, blatant and not, don't exist but take a moment to consider that thing that you are sure you have seen in a pic/fan-fic/headcanon....

There are only seven plots **

Blatant human pandering

GRAAAAAAAAAGH!

*With relevant apologies.

** TVtropes link. Fairly warned be ye.

WHY IS MY SHIP ALWAYS ON FIRE?

Seriously though, funny game and I regularly have a quick blat on it when I haven't got time, (or mindset), to 'get-into' an in-depth game.

So much detail on this one! I like Shiny protecting Cadance with his shield.

Picsnip

I'm loving Ditzy/Derpy's snow ball cube and Peewee sinking through the wall.

I will have to get a house near Yonder Hill just for the opportunities when giving directions.

I live just over/past/beyond/by Yonder Hill.

Mass Effect, so very much especially from the 'rising' part (approx 1:10)

Checkout the Canterlot server

http://www.canterlot...necraft-server/

EDIT:- should say not run by Canterlot staff/admins but a Canterlot user and a lot of users are listed here (although often quiet )

As one who has contributed to a

Welp, new magic game started spiffingly and my bunch of teenaged gangers are hiding their hermetic and their mouse shaman behind a wall of metahuman rights demands and belligerence while the great crash of '29 has just restructured the net (Matrix) and opened up a whole slew of new tech for them to get into. Yup, those guys born on or around 211212, (2011 is canon but we've changed the year), are gearing up to a nice campaign after a long session last night.

Also didn't die horribly, awaken or get teleported to Equestria IRL* so...

*(yet)

*Strokes 'stache he has kept from Movember*

'It is unseasonably warm for the time of year'

Weesh you reminded me of a visual equivalent I had a while back.

When you are looking for October to complete a halloween wordsearch and it dawns on you that you're not finding it because you've been looking for Octavia...

hi hi

I'm going to say something that is relevant to this discussion, but is a spoiler for the next episode. So if you haven't seen Sleepless in Ponyville yet, don't click below.

The Old Mare's Rusty Horseshoes! Dun dun dunnnn!

spoilered for same reasons

That would explain the 'evil red eyes' and why she is so desperate to find he last one!

Dun dun duuuuun indeed!

Horseshoes of Corruption? A set of black iron horseshoes chased with silver inlays and crimson gems that drain the life and magic from the land they touch and use it to empower their wearer?

Sounds like a fan fiction idea...

Not sure I'd, (as a tabletop gamer and GM), give that power to them as there is already the Alicorn amulet for a power/level focus...

Hmmmm, (head canon and item wall of text alert):

Crown of rulership: It is said that this crown will unite the lands of its wearer, forging strong bonds and singular purpose to their subjects.

In reality it dominates and controls all those the wearer views as subjects and re-inforces in its wearer the view that this is the correct way of doing things, control is necessary to achieve their end and it is their right to control their subjects.

Alicorn amulet: Much sought after by magic wielders, it is said that this amulet will increase not only the raw power of a unicorns spells but also their understanding of magic, enabling them to perform spells they could previously only dream of.

In reality this corrupt item will also make the wearer believe that those less powerful are also less relevant, they can be used and abused to get what you want or simply for your amusement.

Horseshoes* of Decius: Stories initially tell that these magical items were created to 'make ten steps feel like one' enabling a pony to move at ten times their normal speed, however the magic used in their creation was too powerful and they also 'make ten years feel like one'. If worn by a pony it will make time pass for their body more slowly, thus a very old pony would have 20 years instead of 2, a sick pony would have 10 times as long to get well or find a cure and a younger pony might live 500 or 600 years instead of the 50 or 60 they would otherwise have had!

In reality this is completely false, wearing the shoes draws life from the surroundings, (or actively from another pony if you want a darker source), curing the wearer of ill-health, reducing the body's age to that of a healthy (young) adult and sustaining it there as long as the wearer is able to draw life-force. This corrupting item is the least subtle in its methods, thus the inability to draw life-force is a constant gnawing hunger and the wearers desire to live is made much stronger than the already naturally strong survival instinct.

When combined the items abilities and corruptions reinforce each other making a pony endeavour to rise to ruler ship over those weaker and giving them the ability to do so. Control and dominate those that they do overpower and continue doing so forever by draining the land or their subjects.

As with all such evil artefacts they are drawn to each other, Sombra was trying to expand southwards and Trixie was edging Northwards toward the Crystal kingdoms.

Additional because I couldn't resist.

'What can you tell me about Sombra and Trixie?'

'One was an ancient king and one was... Oh, they were both unicorns.'

'Would you be surprised if I told you that the previous owner of the horseshoes was also a unicorn?'

'Well, no but what are you trying to... Oh no Shining Armour! Or is it me? I know where the crown and the amulet are!'

'Relax Twilight, I hold no such fears for you or your brother but you remember the wedding and what you brother exchanged with...'

'A unicorn and a Princess? Horn rings? I've read about the other three but there is no mention anywhere of a horn ring! No bad or even good stories are written anywhere.'

'They were all of them deceived Twilight, for a horn-ring was made. In the land of Maredor in the fires of mount Glue-m, the dark unicorn Sour one forged this, a master ring, to control all the other artefacts; and into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life, forever. One ring to rule them all.**

These four things are terrible on their own Twilight but should any unicorn ever gain control of them all they will hold more power than Luna and myself together. The corrupted unity of the artefacts and their subjects will render the elements of harmony worthless and if they draw enough life-force into themselves they will grow into a corrupted Alicorn who will bring about the downfall of all Pony kind and, inevitably, the end of the world'+

*Hoofcups? What are those things that the Princesses wear on their hooves?

** With relevant apologies

+ I've revised my app, can I play canno foddah now?

Celestia and Luna have the 'royal regalia' of crown, necklace and horseshoes/hoofcups in their relevant material.

S3E1-2 we have a corrupted(?) king with a red, silver and black crown and normal metal armour.

S3E5 we have corrupted Trixie with red, silver and black necklace.

Is there one more piece* to the 'regalia of corruption'?

*(or four more pieces to be picky)

Aside:

Cursed double post, delete dangit!

A really sweet episode with a nice lesson

What is that checker doing on a white square Sweetie Belle?

With those views so close, I want to live in Ponyville more!

'Just play it cool' Yup, been there!

Really liking the designs on the tents and RD's sleeping bag.

DAT LYRA SIT!

Luuuuuuuna! Art of dreaming is canon? Don't lose yourself Luna! Perhaps her dream self is easier for her to control so she is quieter and finds interaction more pleasant?

Ooh, extra fear for Scootaloo? The 'olden pony' and 'headless horse' in her dreams looked like earth ponies. 'If only I could fly I would be safe...'

Bioluminescent flowers!

'It's all we need. Why don't you go sit with Rainbow Dash for a while?' Oh AJ, you so understanding...

'MUAHAHAHAHAHA!'

Some really nice family/sisterly moments/touches from Rarity and AJ.

'Wiicked whinny of the headless horse'

RD carrying Scootaloo! Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnng.

Depending on how organisation works out I will be either attending an 'End of the World Party' or if enough of us want to nerd out and not attend parties, starting a 'new magic' game of Shadowrun set just after the Awakening (i.e. shortly after 21 Dec 2012),

In short I don't think the world will end but it is as good a date as any to get something done!

Maybe she worked on the rock farm to earn enough bits to bribe the shopkeeper.

I know that's the official explanation but it was more a comment (and a bit of silliness) on Unicorn/character levelling.

As 'The highest level unicorn' she had levels to burn so dropped a couple in rogue for the skills and Evasion. Apparently she put her points into Spot, search and gather information rather than any of the stealth skills though!

(Also picked up sneak attack. Be careful Twilight!)

EDIT: Complete aside from the above but when Snips and Snails got 'horn-locked' there were two similarly coloured blue BG ponies, a mare earthpony with a lantern (?) cutie mark and a unicorn stallion with a lightbulb! Utilities pony or inventor? Strangers that were having a discussion about lighting? (Or 'shipping goggles on'? ) Brother and sister that took different paths into providing light sources? (Simply because of similar colours...)

EDIT II: Ignore the bit about the 'lantern pony' It was (changeling) Colgate, minus horn. (Curse my shoddy resolution). Still, LIGHTBULB UNCORN!

'That's only for the highest level unicorns' & 'Trixie is the highest level unicorn'. Note they don't say highest level of unicorn... Well, that just screams RPG (and specifically D&D) to me, it also reinforces my first thought when I saw the intro. Pony thief! (Or rogue if you prefer).

Trixie took a level in thief! (Which would also explain the sack o' money she used)

EDIT: Also absolutely loved the episode, yaaaaaay Trixie!

Also also, it re-visits the unicorn magic colour and whether it is visible. Nopony seemed to notice or comment that Trixies magic had changed from light purple to red

Speaking of colour... was Flutterdash wearing contact lenses or was there a little illusory magic at play? (My first thought was illusions rather than the reveal of disguises.)

I'd like an explanation of where magical energy comes from in this world.

Is it just going to continue as 'just is'? An amplification of will that 'corns can do? A Dark Sun thing where it comes from the life-force of the planet and the ponies do it in a balanced way? (With the option of a 'defiler' baddie?) The Shadowrun thing where the energy is bought in from a parallel universe (that is also linked to life-force)?

Off hand I can't think of any other 'verse that has tried to explain it so maybe MLP would come up with a completely original idea given that they would be bound with keeping it child friendly.

More dwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

http://my.deviantart...sages/#/d5ll2v3

Must acquire Derpy plushie! (Derplushie?)

Fluttershy here!

Ah, many thanks. That would explain why I felt I have heard it in numerous places (because I probably have!)

For me, this was the creepiest episode, to the point that the second I was done watching I rushed to add it to the Nightmare Fuel page, putting up the first two entrees for the episode. Flesh balloons! Real Pinkie!

Yes, returns to the 'cartoon for little girls' thing...

approx 1:20, is...is that mass effect music or is it just me?

EDIT:

Also 1:20