Two generations have gone by since the last Founder of Equestria passed on. It is an age of discovery: the borders of Equestria are being pushed outwards in every direction and ponies are working together for the first time in memory. With new-found access to the sea, hundreds of ships have been built to explore the ocean and whatever may lie beyond. But all is not well: Tensions linger among the newly-united pony races. The Takhi ponies of the eastern steppe clash with guards along the border ever more frequently. Many ponies wish to exploit the enormous mineral wealth of the southern lands, against the wishes of the local zebra. And on the high seas, piracy has emerged, preying on treasure and eliminating competition in bids to be the first to discover a new continent. It is into this world that the Elements of Harmony gaze, using an ancient artifact that none of them understand. It is this world they will relive. It is a Golden Age.