Thestral Tribe

The **Thestral Tribe** is a society of bat-like Night Ponies that served Princess Luna during her first uprising, alongside the Night Pony tribes of Cervidians and Lycanequui and Luna's 'Day' pony followers, the Dark Ones.

## History

### Born To Stand Out

The origin of the Thestral pony tribe is quite possibly the easiest to explain. They are the result of a genetic mutation. Long before the founding of Equestria, Pegasus foals were mysteriously being born with bat wings, tufted ears, and draconic eyes. Because it was beyond their understanding at the time, Pegasi were convinced that the strange looking foals were monsters that had to be destroyed. The mothers of these foals for the most part refused, knowing deep down that their strange looking foals were still normal ponies. Some did agree, but they were few and far in between. Those that refused escaped from their herds and sought refuge beyond the borders of the old pony nation. The foals were then allowed to grow and breed, allowing the genetic mutation to evolve into a full-blown pony tribe all its own in the years that followed. However, the Thestrals as they called themselves lived close enough to the old country to be affected by the Windigo blizzard. Like the Pegasi they descended from, they headed for the newly founded pony nation of Equestria. They remained in hiding for a while, fearing prosecution. They considered coming out of hiding when the six heroes who called themselves the Pillars of Equestria first came together as they were gathered by a Cervidian, a pony from one of their fellow outcast tribes. However, that plan was dashed when that very pony supposedly betrayed his friends and later became the Pony of Shadows. Eventually, they were discovered by the newly-coronationed Princess Luna, Queen of the Thestral's nature atmosphere, the Night, who took an immediate liking to them. Much like actual bats, the Thestrals were a misunderstood tribe. Ponies believed they were evil because they merely looked evil. Luna wanted to show the world that they were just ponies, so she befriended the Thestrals and made their existence known by recruiting a good number of them into her newly founded Night Guard. In return, the Thestrals gave her their friendship and swore to forever serve her.

### The Rise and Fall of Nightmare Moone

The Thestrals lived peacefully with the Cervidians and the Lycanequui, the three strange tribes calling themselves "night ponies" due to their love and loyalty to Princess Luna. However, the night ponies did not get along with the Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies, whom they called "Day Ponies" as their love and loyalty belonged to Princess Celestia. For a time, they were civil to each other at the very least. A few fights broke out, but nothing too serious. Eventually, the hatred reached its breaking point and the Night Hunts began. Thestrals, Cervidians, and Lycanequui alike found themselves living in fear as their day pony counterparts hunted them down tirelessly and without mercy. Luna attempted to make their plight known to Celestia, but she naively refused to believe that her subjects would be so brutal. In fact, Celestia told her sister that she should "stop making up such wild stories and just admit she's jealous that some ponies don't love the night as much as they do the day".

Luna decided to leave Canterlot for the destabilized lands to the north with her followers and a fleet of airships. These icy north lands that had formerly made up the Northern Kingdom had recently been thrown into chaos upon the assassination of their king at the hands of the Black Lily organisation. What few did not know is that soon after the kingdom's destabilization, Celestia had been visited by several members of the United Council, who, in a private meeting between them, Celestia, Luna and their brother, Night Shade, expressed their hope to Celestia that the Princess of Equestria would take their offer to reunite the North Kingdom. When Celestia declined, Luna urged her sister to reconsider, believing it to be their opportunity to share Equestria's progressive ways with the rest of the nation. Even though the older Equestrian princess explained that they would be seen as conquerors and only greeted with war, Luna reasoned that there were already wars and by becoming involved, they had the opportunity to change things. Celestia remained adamant in declining, which caused a rift between the two sisters.

Furious, Luna's faith in her sister, who had already began to question her sister's choices after Celestia refused to take control of the recently destabilized northern North Kingdom, unwilling to possibly plunge Equestria into a war, was shattered by Celestia's inability it accept that her "precious day ponies" would be involved in anything so brutal. Luna plotted to leave Equestria to forge an Empire from the shattered kingdom and eventually turned her and Celestia's own brother, Night Shade, against their sister, and, together with Luna's other followers and the Night Pony tribes, conspired to escape the city and stabilize Ba Sing Se, the Northern Kingdom's former capital. Finally, having gained several highly-influential supporters, Luna, Night Shade and their followers constructed in secret a fleet of airships while Luna summoned those of her followers not situated in Canterlot to join them, including every member of the Night Pony tribes. By the time the rebels left, Luna had convinced not only every Night Pony in Equestria, but also convinced her brother, Night Shade (who Luna was closer to than Night Shade was to Celestia) to accompany her along with around half of Canterlot's citizens and army. As they prepared to leave, Luna is confronted by her sister, who Luna boldly told that she and those accompanying her were leaving Equestria to restore order in the Northern Kingdoms. Threatened to be banished from the land if they were to leave, Luna remained unfazed, declaring that when she chose to return, it would be on her own terms.

Luna would then leave in a fleet of airships with Night Shade, a random number of ordinary Canterlot citizens, every member of the Thestral, Cervidian and Lycanequui tribes, no matter their age, at least half of Canterlot's defence force, her entire day pony Royal Guard and some of Canterlot's wealthiest citizens. They left for the city of Ba Sing Se and managed to stabilize the kingdom, an action that earned Luna the trust of the kingdoms' leaders, who appointed her as their nations' provisional leader, which Luna accepted. With the nations' leaders behind them, the Night Ponies and their allies continued to stabilize the various fractured kingdoms and, with a high-speed maglev train, Luna traveled to states overrun by bandits and bargained with their leaders, offering protection and supplies in return for their allegiance to her. However, Luna and many of her Night Pony followers still nursed a grudge against Equestria for not accepting them. Finally, when the now-united Northern Kingdoms were under Luna's control, Luna merged them together to form the Empire of the Moon, or Lunar Empire, and set herself up as their leader. By this time, she had collected an enormous military, merging the Night Ponies and Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi who had accompanied her when she departed with the ponies of the nations she united, who she realized were very loyal to her. The army possessed enormous financial and military support (as, upon unification, the Northern Kingdoms were as large and powerful as Equestria), and, along with troops, the army was also equipped with which included modernized airships, mecha suits, and other tanks, as well as a mighty fleet of warships. Luna eventually stretched out to Equestria and, upon displaying her Empire's might, offered to allow Equestria to join them, though Equestria's ponies refused, unwilling to ally themselves with a nation ruled by Night Pony "freaks". Outraged, Luna allowed a dark power to overtake her, becoming the dreaded Nightmare Moon.

Despite knowing that their beloved princess had gone mad, the Night Guard, Lunar Empire and the three Night Tribes rose up and helped her stand against Celestia, taking on the Day Guard while she fought with her sister, combining forces with the forces of creatures of the night to form The Army of the Moon, leading to a long and bloody fourteen-year long war. However,  the forces of Equestria were put at a critical disadvantage, as not all ponies were against Nightmare Moon's cause, leading to the Forces of the Moon gaining a loyal network of spies throughout Equestria and multiple recruits from Equestria, who willingly fought against the Equestrian Army and their own kind. These ponies (both spies and fighters alike) and all the Night Ponies fighting for Luna/Nightmare Moon's cause were given a mark in the shape of a black moon, given to them by the dark pony herself and eventually christened themselves The Dark Ones. However, it was growing increasingly harder to identify Luna's followers, as the Mark of the Moon could be camouflaged into the ponies skin. Alongside the Dark Ones, the Night forces also allied themselves with many other shunned beings, including Timberwolves, Giants, Cragdiles, Tatzlwurms and Werewolves, many of whom believed that under the rule of Eternal Night, they would have a better life. The Nightmare Forces were conquering their way through Equestria with ease, streaming past villages that posed no threat, attacking large towns and cities that housed enough warriors to bother them. The army's way of conquering was silent and clever, with the army waiting until enough of the Dark Ones had slipped into the community, then, upon signal - a violet outline of a full moon with Luna's face etched upon its surface - the Dark Ones would drop their friendly facade and strike out at the unsuspecting members of the community while the Night Ponies and Nightmare Forces struck, destroying any escapees and finishing off what the Dark Ones had started. Eventually, all but Canterlot and the communities around it were all that remained free and the Dark Forces, massively increased by the Dark Ones of the already-conquered communities marched towards the capital that destroy the last part of the nation that remained.

Nightmare Moon's attempt to seize the throne ultimately failed however as Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to seal her away in the moon for the next thousand years. With their princess defeated, the Night Guard and the rest of the night ponies fled to the Undiscovered West, alongside most of Luna's followers, far beyond Equestria's borders so the Day Guard couldn't give chase. During their thousand year wait, they trained tirelessly so they would be ready to aid their princess in her bid to take the throne from Celestia. They also secretly reintergrated back into Equestria, hiding from the shadows so they could gather info on Celestia and the day ponies, and having the pony Dark Ones began infiltrating the pony community, spreading word of the Forces of Night's cause and implanting themselves within the community, with at least one inhabiting nearly every community in Equestria, save the most isolated of the kingdom and hundreds inhabiting the capitals. The Dark Ones situated themselves in the community, awaiting the return of their mistress, which would act as a signal for the Dark Ones to uprise, attacking the community from within while the forces of night struck. After Nightmare Moon's defeat and restoration back into Princess Luna, however, the Dark Ones and Night Ponies chose to make peace with the day and Thestrals began to truly reintegrate into Equestrian society along with Cervidians, Lycanequui and Dark Ones. Some remained in the Night Guard, ready to protect and serve their beloved princess and their country. Others chose to live by their true talents, working alongside day ponies in normal everyday jobs. By the time Shining Armor and Cadance's wedding rolls around, the night ponies are as common a sight as any other pony in about every city in Equestria.

However, though they were no longer at war with Equestria, the Thestrals, Cervidians and Lycanequui of the Night Guard still trained with the same readiness and determination as they had beforehand, a fact that earned them the scorn of the Day Guard, yet made them the stronger half of the Equestrian army. This harsh truth was practically shoved down everypony's throats, none more so than Celestia's, on the day of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's wedding to Captain Shining Armor of the Day Guard. While the Day Guard was distracted by the upcoming nuptials, the Night Guard remained alert since a threat had been made against Canterlot. It was utterly foolish to think that Captain Armor's shield spell along would be the only protection they needed, but the Day Guard insisted that it was enough. Captain Midnight Paladin of the Night Guard wasn't nearly as stupid as to have that much faith in a single pony (no matter how much she wanted to believe that herself), so she made sure everypony under her command kept an eye out for anything suspicious. And nothing was more suspicious to them than Twilight Sparkle suddenly disappearing right after accusing the bride of being evil and deeming her unfit to marry her older brother. "Cadance" failed to take into account that the Night Guard would look into Celestia's prized student going missing. Because of that, they were able to bring both Twilight and the *real* Cadance to the ceremony just before Shining could be married off to Queen Chrysalis of the changelings, who had been posing as Cadance the entire time. The wicked changeling queen had fooled them all and they blew off the one pony who wasn't completely dazzled by the wedding to notice something was wrong. The only consolation to that was that Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash wised up and came to Twilight's rescue like any true friend would. After Chrysalis defeated Celestia with her strengthened magic, the changeling army broke through Shining's weakened shield and all hell broke loose as the Day and Night Guards rushed into battle with the invaders. This is when the real differences between the Day and Night Guards came to light. Try as they might, the ponies of the Day Guard found that they just *couldn't* compare to their Night Guard counterparts. Wherever a pony in golden armor had a hard time with a changeling, a pony in dark armor took one down with ease. It was clear to see that the Night Guard was prepared for a war while the Day Guard wasn't. This fact was not forgotten even when the changelings ultimately defeated the Equestrian army. However, as we all know, Shining and Cadance were able to expel Chrysalis and her forces with their "true love conquers all" shield spell. When all was said and done, Luna had a *very* hard time not chastising her sister for letting the Day Guard become so weak while the Night Guard remained strong and vigilant even in her thousand year absence. Celestia saw for herself that her actions nearly led to the fall of Equestria. She didn't need her little sister rubbing it in. Midnight then suggested that the Day Guard undergo the same training regiment as the Night Guard. Celestia and Shining both agreed since the Night Guard was clearly doing something right. They sadly didn't show any improvement during the Storm King's invasion. Then again, they did take a morale shattering blow when Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadance were struck down by Tempest Shadow in the blink of an eye. After the Storm King was defeated, Flash Magnus was recruited to be the Equestrian army's new drill sergeant. If anypony could whip the Day Guard into shape and make them more like the Night Guard, it was the last living legionnaire from the legendary Royal Legion of Cloudsdale.

## Settlements (Nests)

Thestrals, as their bat-like appearance suggests are semisubterraneous. They live in communal city systems known as Nests, which they bore into forested mountainsides and fortify with an overcoat of roots and cobbled stones to imitate the surrounding terrain. A network of sister nests can span multiple valleys, with the wide geographic area between each residential structure being considered a resource basin that the populations negotiate to share.

Nests are occupied by extended family units with ninety to a hundred bat ponies each. Canonically there are 13 Nests in the tribe, each managed by its own nest liaison, one ruled by the Grimstborith of the clan that rules the Nest.

The inner cities feature a central commons area from which many smaller chambers branch off for each Thestral's den, resembling a wheel-with-spokes pattern. Chambers are open to the outside air on one end, and on the other, are connected to the round or hexagonal commons within. This commons area serves many functions, and is considered a mess hall, forum, market, and occasionally a residential meeting chamber.

The interiors of Thestrals nests are cavernous, with ceilings hollowed into a conical dome shape to maximize vertical space. Most Nests are at least two stories, with a library, infirmary, Thestral nursing, and several other services located on the second floor. In particularly large Nests, residential is two stories, and therefore another story is needed for these services.

Drapery and carpeting are made from animal-based sources. Sheepskin and furs are a preferred material for curtains (as a standard these are draped over one's chamber for privacy), and for protecting stone walls from scratching. Sheepskin is also the main component in traditional tents -- which are used for festivals, markets, or tribe events to sell smaller wares that can be packed easily -- and pelt rugs are the carpeting standard, though the options may also include thatched grass mats in some nests.

Cave lighting is natural and comes from the open-air end of a dragon's chamber, behind their curtains, which can be partially pinned back to allow for a protected view. It is also popular to fill elongated soapstone or granite basins with natural oils and light them using rubbing-sticks.

Potted ferns are very popular decorations, and ferns do well in dim lighting.

## Appearance, Behavior, and Diet

Thestrals are recognized by their bat wings, draconic eyes, and tufts of fur topping their ears. Some even have sharp teeth. These traits are why they're also called "bat ponies". Many day ponies once believed that they were demons. Contrary to that once popular belief, they're merely pegasi that are better suited for the night. They have much clearer night vision and much better hearing. Like any other pony, thestrals come in a variety of colors. Wings however are almost exclusively dark shades of blue or purple that compliment the pony's coat and mane. Dark pink wings are possible, but only in thestrals with pure white coats. White coats and dark pink wings are a genetic abnormality and very often thestrals born with it are either blind, deaf, or flightless. Aside from looking a bit different, they really aren't any different from their day counterparts. Diet wise, they are a bit different. While they do eat typical pony foods, their absolute favorite food is basically any kind of fruit. It was once believed that thestrals also liked to drink blood, but that has more or less been proven false. As I said before, they're pretty much just ordinary pegasi with a few night-themed traits and certain boons that came with them.

* **The Shadowbolts**: Much like the day ponies have the Wonderbolts, the night ponies have the Shadowbolts. Like their day counterparts, they're elite flyers that do shows all across Equestria. Unlike the Wonderbolts, they're also espionage experts and assassins. This is why they're strictly thestrals with dark and dull coats and manes. Such colorations help them blend in with the shadows to hear private conversations and/or sneak up on targets to finish them off. The dark side of their work is one of Equestria's best kept secrets. Not even Princess Celestia knows of what they do in the cover of Princess Luna's night. Only Luna herself, her Night Guard, and those she can truly trust know of this secret. Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie are among the very few day ponies who know about the jobs that the Shadowbolts do in the darkness, and they Pinkie Promised not to breathe a word of it to anycreature.
* **Marriage with Dark Ones**: During their centuries of exile, the Thestrals and Luna's pony followers integrated with each other and it was common practice for Night Ponies and Dark Ones to mate, making hybrids between the races fairly common and are seen as normal members of the community.
* **Ideology to the Night**: Like their fellow Night Ponies and the Dark Ones, the Thestrals treat Luna with goddess-like reverence, obeying orders only from Luna or her representatives and worship her with utter devotion. Before Luna was freed, the Thestrals, like all their comrades, believe that their mistress was the real queen and parrot her belief that their deeds were all for "*The Greater Good*". The Thestrals, like all of Luna's followers, dedicate themselves to Luna and obey her every command, even if it will threaten their own lives and serve her with rigid obedience.
* **Night Tribe Superiority**: Due to their vicious treatment by Day Ponies, Thestrals, like the Cervidians and the Lycanequui, firmly believe they and the Dark Ones are superior to the Day Ponies and view them as scum of the earth who drove them into hiding (which in all due fairness is correct), teaching their young ones to love the moon, and to loathe those that worship the day. Even now that they are at peace with Celestia's people, some Thestrals, like some Cervidians and Lycanequui, most commonly elders, still view Day Ponies as second class.
* **Thestral Clans**: Unlike the Cervidians and Lycanequui, Thestrals do not bare cutie marks. Instead, they pass unique abilities through the generations and are split into thirteen main clans composed of various Thestral families. The clans are united and marriages are common between them, although the frequency of these unions vary from tribe to tribe. Each clan controls a crucial trade and each are lead by a chieftain or chieftess under the title of Grimstborith, who presided over matters concerning the individual families. When state matters threaten the Bat-like tribe or when a new leader must be elected, the thirteen Grimstborith meet to converse and vote.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Ingeitum** — the fire workers; smiths — The ruling clan of not just the Thestrals and their territories but also the other 12 clans, their regain stretching to the beginning of the Thestrals kingdom in the distant past. A clan of metalworkers and master smiths, the metalwork of the Ingeitum is second to none.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Ragni Hefthyn** — The River Guards — Guard the border of the Night Tribes' realm along the Âz Ragni river. They are skilled river mariners and trade largely in sea and river food, trading not just with other clans and tribes but also with various other creatures along the Âz Ragni and connecting rivers as one of the largest pony shipping port.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Ebardac** — Keepers of Knowledge — A clan of scholars, authors, philosophers and artists, they inscribe the history and tales of the Thestrals and their neighbors onto scrolls and distribute them across the land.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Quan** — Speakers of the Starlit One — The smallest clan of dwarves that act as the Priests of the Night Ponies mistress and deity: Princess Luna, they are responsible for the Thestrals and Night Ponies religious duties, maintaining Night Pony tradition and storing the Thestrals gold, so, despite these small numbers, they hold a amount of large influence in Night Pony society. The first two of the aforementioned duties of the Quan are shared by the priests of the Cervidians and Lycanequui.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Feldûnost** — Beards of Frost (frostbeards) — The Feldûnost clan are an agricultural tribe, tending the Feldûnost herds and fields, who they rely of for food, equipment and trading. The tribe is most famously for it's acts of heroism during the War of the Eternal Night. During this age of bloodbaths, Dûrgrimst Feldûnost bravely stayed out in the open while the other non-fighting Night Pony citizens hid, to tend their sacred animal, the Feldûnost that provided the milk and meat that kept the Night forces from starving in the bloody battles and were responsible for sending food to the fighting Night Pony warriors.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Nagra** — Boars — As fearsome as their animal namesake, the Nagra, this tribe is probably one of the wildest Thestral tribes, bred warriors so fearsome that they are only outdone by the fighters of the warriors of Dûrgrimst Vrenshrrgn. They are skilled hunters and gardeners, using the various equipment and food they gain from the animals they hunt and the plants they grow in trade, capable of hunting down fearsome Nagra or growing Blueflame Berries
	+ **Durgrimst Az Sweldn rak Anhûin** — The Tears of Anhûin — A tragic clan of Thestrals devoted to mourning their history. Before the coming of the line of events that lead to Luna's imprisonment, they were among the oldest, richest families of the night pony kingdom. Their doom was sealed, though, by two mistakes: they lived on the western edge of the Beor Mountains, and they volunteered their greatest warriors in Luna's service against the Day Ponies. Sadly, this was not enough to bring victory to Luna and during the Battle of the Canterlot, many of them where slaughtered in the walls of the city by the Day forces, leaving only few survivors from the clan's army. Before then, during the Night Hunts, the Day Ponies flew on the Night Tribes, killing many. Of that clan, by the end of the war, only the clan's leader Grimstcarvlorss Anhûin, her children and her guards survived. Anhûin soon died of grief, her throne was inherited by her oldest child, Grimstcarvlorss Kílfídorthion and her men honored her took the name Az Sweldn rak Anhûin, The Tears of Anhûin, covering their faces to remind themselves of their loss and their desire for revenge. They rebuilt the clan over the decades, waiting and hunting for recompense. They would eventually abandon this hatred when their queen returned, though their clan contains one of the largest degree of Night Tribe superiority-believing Thestrals.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Vrenshrrgn** — War Wolves/Wolves of War — Named after the Shrrg wolves, their name meaning "War Wolves" in the Night language. The Vrenshrrgn train to fight and are expert armor and weaponsmiths. Even when they aren't fighting, Vrenshrrgn always where a helm carved in the gleaming masterpiece image of a snarling wolf's head, which they gain at the age of five.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Ledwonnû** — Crafters of Beauty — A tribe of jewelers, weavers and farmers who trade mainly in accessories and natural foods and know how tend to flowers like no one else.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Gedthrall** — Stone Carvers — Expert carvers, the Thestrals of Dûrgrimst Gedthrall have been assigned to carve or assemble some of the most exquisite carvings in the Night Pony world. The Thestrals of Dûrgrimst Gedthrall live in close alliance with the ponies of Dûrgrimst Ingeitum, Ledwonnû and Knurlcarath, often trading with them for the metals, stones and gems the tribes supply for their architecture.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Fanghur** — Serpents of the Sky — A tribe of dreaming inventors and traders of all kinds of trades, they are experts in animal taming and selling many goods, many clans relying on them for supplies. During war, the clan bends nature to their advantage, using the land to help them repel invaders. The build their villages and cities in the treetops or hidden in dense forests. Their paths lead enemies into swamps and over cliffs. Their traps trip invaders into holes and pools, and throw them into thorn bushes and drifts of snow. Neither is the sky any safer for invaders, as the mountains the Fanghur clan resides in is the home of not just all five of the creatures native to the Beors, but is also the home of many dragons, both of whom the Fanghur Thestrals live in harmony with.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Knurlcarathn** — Stonemasons — As their suggests, the Knurlcarathn are the stoneworkers clan and, in ponies with unbreakable determination and material goods, they have no equal, for every other clan depends upon their expertise for the tunneling and the building of their abodes, and even the Ingeitum depend on them to mine the ore for their smiths.
	+ **Dûrgrimst Urzhad** — Cave Bears — A clan of warriors who fight best in the mountain's forests, the Urzhad trade largely in medicines, herbs, forest and mine products, and wooden objects and structures. The clan is on close terms with Dûrgrimst Vrenshrrgn and are close allies, usually trading and marriage is common between the two clans.