Brainstorming ideas for Discord release

[Deleted]

Unbalancing Act

The balance of Equestria is straining due to external forces. The Eternal Somnolence was only the beginning. A power has started to enter ponies. The Unbalancing Act as it can be referred to is a energy that could be felt. A feeling that causes ponies to see that there was too much order in the world. The Unbalanced feel a compelling force to create a Chaotic Presence in every town. If the Monuments to Anti-Order are completed the laws of Physics and Magic would be utterly altered. If all these Monuments are completed, Chaos will be released. Discord will be Freed and be resistant to the Magic of Harmony.

Those who join the Plot join a side 

The Balanced

These ponies have been able to resist the magic of the Unbalancing Act and act completely normal. Their goal in this plot is to keep the monuments from being built.

The Unbalanced

These ponies have been touched by the Chaotic Energies. Their Special Talent/Destiny is Inverted. Their cutie mark displays this by inverting their colors and their flank displaying a cloudy blotch that is the inversion of their coat color. For instance, Celestia's cutie mark would be a red sun and she would have a black cloud behind the sun. Their personality does not change. 

Monuments Built
Ponyville, Cloudsdale, Canterlot, Dodge City, Manehatten

The effect of the world increases based on how many monuments are constructed.

1 - The Sun and Moon lock in place in the sky.
2 - The Special Magic of the Races swap based on who is closest to the pony at that time. [i.e. If Rainbow Dash and AppleJack are standing next to each other when the monument is constructed, Applejack will gain wings and Rainbow dash would be sturdier and lose her wings.]
3 - Discord is Released but trapped within the city the third monument is built.
4 - Discord is released from the City and can travel.
5 - Discord has an increased power.

These monuments can be destroyed by the Balanced, but all the monuments must be destroyed before any of the effects can be reversed. Once released Discord can not be sealed in stone unless all the Elements of Harmony are gathered in one place and all Balanced.

[Derpy Hooves]

I'll be honest: not all that interested in the idea. First, not interested in having a big massive civil war between ponies being caused by what pretty much amounts to a "why not?" Granted, that's fine with chaos but, ehhh, I'd want a bit more substance behind a reason.

You would have to also flesh out the mechanics of the monuments a lot: what needs to be done to build them OOC wise (is it by number of posts?)? what can be done to stop them?

Finally, if the goal of this is to free Discord up so I can play him per popular demand, this actually is probably not going to get there since it takes three monuments to unleash him and he'll probably get sealed again. After all, we can't actually have the rules of reality break down as part of our site plot: not good for long term forum survival.

Any plot that wants to end with me as Discord is going to require the endgame have the ability for him to be redeemed or on the path to redemption. This, as is, probably isn't going to get there.

[Deleted]

So the idea came up last night about keeping the release quiet. Something completely unexpected so when Discord drops in on a thread the Ponies would honestly be surprised.

The Scene

A tour of the Castle. The Crown Jewels and the Elements of Harmony are on special display. Th elements are stolen spontaneously [No premeditated heist of the century] Something happens with them and poof the avatar of chaos is released.

[Deleted]

Ooh! Lazuli wants to steal the elements and release Discord with them so he'll grant her wish like a genie! ;D

[Whammy]

Right, so, I'm not sure how I feel about a little filly succesfully stealing the Elements of Harmony, even in a more relaxed environment. I mean, the Royal Guard can't be that incompetent, right? I'm also not sure that's exactly how the Elements work anyway...

HOWEVER, I was actually thinking of the genie thing earlier today when I remembered something. The way we set up the Crystal Empire plot here implied that there might be more shards of the heart hidden/dispersed throughout Equestria if I remembered the story correctly.Even if not full on Crystal Heart, they still got some pretty good magic going. Imagine, for a moment, Lazuli found one of these shards and somehow ends up using it's magic to free Discord.

Where the genie thing came to mind, however, is that it of course does it at the cost of binding Discord to Lazuli, in that he's kind of stuck with granting her wishes. Discord, of course, will probably work on trying to convince Lazuli to wish him free or something.

Not 100% sure on it since it ties Discord to Lazuli for a while, but it's something to think about. The real difficulty is just finding reasons why, unless Celestia or Luna are ordering it, they don't just basically reimprison Discord. The only other thing would be for Discord to show some inkling of possibly being reformed that might encourage Celestia or Luna to let him stay. Figuring out what that might be is kind of hard to do...

[Deleted]

Note this is just what I am picturing in my head.

Luna: So Discord is bound to serve the wishes of thine filly?

Celestia: *Falls off the throne laughing*

[Deleted]

I'd be amused with Lazuli having a Discord Genie~ although it means hogging more Whammiliciousness for myself ^w^ Maybe she can summon him when she wants him (and I assume vice Versa) to allow Whammy to use him to pester other ponies. As for why they don't restonify him, it's simple- First they have to find him and if they do that, then they have to keep Lazuli from undoing it- if they even know she's the one causing it. That keeps Discord on a kind of a leash, since one could assume if he's not at least kind of decent, she wont use the shard on his behalf. And that opens up possibilities of reform too.

The big problem I have is that OF COURSE Lazuli's first wish is going to be a Unicorn transformation. But either Discord can't grant that wish (destiny magic interference?) Or it has to be taken away by the end of the plot. And I cant think of how that might be done without someone looking like a plot. XD

[Deleted]

Perhaps the shard prevents Discord's Chaos magic from affecting Lazuli? Kind fo a double edged sword