Once Upon a Time

Long ago, before the formation of a unifying government, pony folk lived in small kingdoms scattered across the land. These kingdoms were overseen by those who possessed strong magical artifacts, particularly protective ones. Power of the artifact translated exactly to power for the owner and thusly to control of those with lesser magics. As one could rightly assume this lead not infrequently to tyrannical rulers who isolated those under their command, lest they be swayed to the side of a competing kingdom. War pervaded the land, and in its wake came famine, disease, and death. During this time, a kingdom rose to power through the creation and enchantment of artifacts which could allow the average pony to socially advance, and it was called Kolkwitz. Kolkwitz was formed in what now is known as Saddle Arabia, named for a magical flower that granted protection from the hot winds and the blistering sandstorms that resulted. At the time this story takes place, Kolkwitz bowed to the whims of Prince Aster, who clearly had never been denied anything. Despite his opulent lifestyle, Prince Aster was arguably the most successful ruler of his time, as he was responsible for the establishment of trade routes which remain in use into modern day Equestria. A much larger kingdom lay across a mountain range beside a magical forest, and this kingdom was ruled by Queen Jonquil, a unicorn well known for her magical prowess and for her beauty. She had married into power, only for her husband to mysteriously vanish months later, never to be seen again. Around the same period of time, Jonquil produced an artifact which she seemed to be able to use to cure any ailment - a tree which produced golden fruit, a single bite of which could restore a lost limb or cure the plague. Suddenly she was waging war after war, claiming land to expand her kingdom as far as the mountains. This was how Jonquil and Aster became aware of each other. Aster had never been in love with another before that day. For the very first time, he found that he wouldn't mind inconveniencing himself if it was for her, and this feeling was so strange to him that he fell to pining. Day in and day out he paced through the royal gardens, wondering how he could capture her heart. Finally, he called upon his advisors for answers, and a plan was formed. Aster would create a powerful artifact unlike any before it, something so wonderful that she would have to fall in love with him. The finest craftsponies were gathered together in order to forge the artifact. It would take the form of an ornate silver mirror studded with pearls, and it would be able to answer any question asked of it, show the user anything anywhere in the world. All that was left was to find a power source. Kolkwitz possessed many great secrets of the production of magical artifacts which died with the kingdom. To create an artifact, a magical power source must be sacrificed, almost like a battery. To create a truly legendary artifact required a living source. Kolkwitz' own protective flower, the Kolkwitzia, had sprouted from an adventurer's corpse beside an oasis. It was a secret closely guarded for the sake of preserving the kingdom's monopoly over the trade of such artifacts and a secret that took the form of a bloody stain on Kolkwitz' past. Each year a festival was held and the Kolkwitzia was paraded about the kingdom, renewing its protection and reminding the citizens of their fortune to live under such a benevolent leader who would share its safety. ((it's,, kinda short,,, but that's bc this is really just backstory for the actual character lore >.> yay context,,)) ((more will come but,, only after Mirror has more character interactions,,, hint hint-))