Page 1700 - Unnatural Predator  
7th Jun 2022, 6:00 AM in What About Discord?  
 
This is Page 1700? Geez…!  
 
There’s a reference to an arc from about eight years ago on this page. Also, I had completely forgotten about this, but apparently I had predicted the “callback to It’s About Time involving an escapee from Tartarus” plot point a few months before Twilight’s Kingdom aired??  

DM: Well… Up to now, Tirek would still be imprisoned in Tartarus…  
Discord GM: But wasn’t there a recent opportunity where Cerberus was missing from the gates? You know, in that interim session your bard ran.  
DM: Oh yeah, I did tell you about that… But only one prisoner escaped during that time. The Taraxippus. They confirmed its escape and apprehended it in that very session.  
Discord GM: Just because they initially confirmed one escapeee doesn’t mean there couldn’t have been others!  
DM: I suppose that’s true, but… Why would it take this long to be discovered? The players won’t believe a villain escaped, started wreaking havoc, and simply no one noticed.  
Discord GM: I’ll tell you why: Because Tirek is dangerously intelligent. He didn’t go on a rampage the moment he got out, oh no. Unlike that shadowy goon, he did the smart thing and waited, gathering his strength.  
(beat)  
DM: You know, this actually works out well for you in an interesting way.  
Discord GM: Oh really?  
DM: I was just telling the players that Discord probably has a unique ability to detect fluctuations of ambient magic.  
Discord GM: A serendipitous twist, indeed!  
DM: You’re right, Tirek wouldn’t go rampaging right out of the gate, as it were. Centuries in Tartarus would have left him completely drained. It’d take weeks to regain his most basic abilities. Only then would he go on the hunt. So the next time that Tirek drains a pony’s magic in the dark of night… Discord will know long before Celestia or anypony else that Lord Tirek has officially returned.  
Discord GM: Wonderful! Simply wonderful!