Title:           Cherrypicked posts from Zebra thread #1
Author:          ZiggaFellow
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/5RvnGrfq
First Edit:      Tuesday 5th of November 2013 06:32:12 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Tuesday 5th of November 2013 06:32:12 PM CDT

Takes from thread http://boards.4chan.org/mlp/res/14347203
 
Let me just warn you now my friend,
Tripfagging surely will lead into a circlejerk end.
Do not believe that I dislike you,
But rather think about a doomed general where anonymous is few
 
_____________________________________
 
>Well, good at potion making, potentially contacting spirits on the other side? Field remedy experts most likely, efficient scavengers
 
>>voodoo
suddenly, zombie ponies.
>Alchemy
>Living in the middle of everfree, which could have any number of random mythical beasts they either tame or know how to avoid/repel.
It's been insinuated that these things are done, but they haven't been detailed. Lots of options.
and since you fucks never actually do anything unless it hardens a dick, lets change these to fetishes.
>voodoo mind control
>alchemical genderswap potion
>taming beasts for reasons...
 
>different mane/tail styles, stripe formations, jewelry?
 
>Well, we could focus on other physical traits besides black and white stripes, like eye color and shape, hair/mane style, stuff like that.Hell, make unique stripe patterns. Zebra OCs should be black and white though, none of that godawful rainbow colored OC shit.
Those fetishes could work too. AnonxZecora and AnonxZebraOC would probably have shades of interracial smut as well.
 
>So one of the ponies finds out Zecora is an incredibly poor speaker, and her self-afflicted cure is poison joke. She takes some each time it wears off and she gets "stupid tongue." It's why she moved to everfree in the first place.
 
>Or could be that Zecora is actually a long lost princess of a tribe that was devasted by poison joke or a spirit not getting its due and because of that she had to flee from the spiritual turbulant lands as well as other tribes wishing to capitlize on the weakness of her tribe until she can either find a potion to restore her peoples strength from the spirit that is the representation of poison joke
Would sorta tie into all things are princesses that seems to be creeping in...
What would Zebra's homeland be called? Zebraca Zebraland? Not exactly that many zebra puns you can make.
 
>Zebrica. Zebrabwae. The Democratic Republic of the Zongo. Ziger. The Black and Ivory Coast.
 
>Question what would be Zecoras home be like? Would it be simialair to our own place with tribals and more modernistic cultures clashing together? Or would it be a nomadic tribe that moves from time to time simialir to the buffalo before the colonization and such happened off of Africa? Another thing to wonder about is if we are going for the zebra theme homeland would the nobles be lions? Or would there be other races that would be their own thing like elephants, giraffes, gazelle and wildebeasts to name a few...
Anyone thing that Zecora just does the rhyming thing as a gimmick to impress the locales? Or is that just me? Maybe speaking in rhym is a status symbol the longer you can do it for others the higher in respect you have?
 
>I've always like the Nomadic origins, for some reason.
 
>The rhyming thing strikes me as a traditional or religious thing. Those cultures are animist, after all.
I like to imagine Zebra cities like those muslim step pyramid things in north africa. Really advanced, not mud huts.
Zecora is on her 'walkabout', and must travel the world for ten years before being allowed home. She provides alchemical services as a way of getting by.
 
>Maybe she drank the wrong potion when she was younger and has been trying to find the cure ever since.
Perhaps that's why she came to Equestria - she used every native herb, grass, and flower she could find with no results.
 
>Speaking of inbreeding would there be unicorn and pegasi versions of Zebra? I remember a Ababwa being like a unicorn only with two horns instead of the one...
 
>Oh what about the fighting styles of Zebra's? Diablo 3 potion throwing fire bombs of the witch doctor or would it be like what Zecora did in the show with her big stick that she balances on or tried to help train Twilight in magical duel?
 
>Another thought, what if Zebra tribes didnt fought.
But instead engaged in a battle of wits and dancing tounge, instead of screaming out their lungs?
 
>What kind of cultural events or national holidays would Zebra's celebrate? Zecora seemed pretty into the theme of Nightmare Night maybe they have something simlair during the period when NMM came out to play? Sorta like how an old African tale was of the sun running from the moon like a husband being chased by an angry wife.
 
>Desert/rain forest origins? seeing as Zebra's are rampant in africa
Follows a tribal like hierarchy system type thing?
Master alchemists, good with speaking, efficient hunter/scavengers, good traders?
 
>Is 'zebra sense' a thing? I know it was mentioned jokingly in one episode, but zebras may have a heightened sense of awareness of their surroundings.
 
>What if...what if zebras come from warm enviorments and don't like the cold.
So when winter comes, zecora boards herself up on hoards of food or heads back HOME for the holidays.
 
>Natural strengths: herbalism, alchemy, shady magic
General styles: stripes, cutie mark, eye color, acessories
Rhyming purpose: undecided
Homeland: undecided
Zecora: bretty fucking awesome
 
>Do zebras have cutie marks in the traditional sense that they represent a specific talent or path in life.
Maybe they represent the role a zebra has in the tribe, assuming they live in a tribe.
 
>I like the idea that their "cutie marks" represent what tribe they're from, kind of like a family crest. Maybe they have a modern society that still shows the influences from a tribal past.
 
>What if it's just really a part of the Tribal initiation?
Like, an actual tattoo on their arse?
 
>http://www.mythicalcreatureslist.com/mythical-creature/Abada - Unicorn
>>http://www.mythicalcreatureslist.com/mythical-creature/Ethiopian+Pegasus - Alicorn Ethiopiacorn
 
>So it looks like we are all agreed on the butt marks being sigils and crests earned at adult hood or whenever a young one has earned their right to be in the tribe and gain the family name so to speak?
 
>I did a little research on a random religion for the character, but it seemed to suit the zebra. They seem to be on basic survival rather than mental traits most of the time, unlike greek gods.
The masks Zecora had could have been for more than decor, and literally been separate gods of greeting and hospitality.
example of Zecora's likely patron. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aja_(Yoruba_mythology)
It's probably why she is friends with the other ponies; fluttershy alone likely reminds Zecora of her patron diety.
 
>derpy.me/kev7t - Images, image depository, zebra general images
 
>Perhaps she's the princess who brings the Rainy season each year?
 
>And what if she's not as neutral about her magic power. But can be vengeful or gracious. What if she doesn't live among the zebras but on a mountain in a castle. She doesn't know about the magic of friendship?
 
>I would imagine her to mischievous kinda like Anasi. Not necessarily vengeful,but will teach others a lesson in humilty should they get to full of themselves
 
>Maybe deeper than partnership, almost sacred at times among good friends, associates who share experiences, etc. Value of action and word above all else.
Some deal like, I am Zigger, son of zigger or daughter of zigger. Tribe/house/clan/family Zigger.
Honor amongst your family, honor amongst friends. Possibly much more serious than a friendship - simply by the societies different contexts. Again not to say herp derp violence. Just bond which may not be taken as lightheartedly.
Like maybe two ziggers are good friends, like two ponies...but for the ziggers it is a matter of life experience which bonded them - not so much as saying "Hey want to be friends?"
More like, "Our families have worked crops or built together." We are associated by deed more than word primarely.
 
>'Kay, so, established that the Ethiopiacorn is basically the Ziggers god, right?
>I still like the names Tailise and Kailani for her.
>Hmmm... Maybe she has a sister? Who knows. Or do we just want to keep it as the one?
>One to control Rain and the other to control running waters, like rivers and watering holes
 
>I always figured Zecora would turn out to be super highly ranked in any sort of zebra hierarchy.
I don't like the idea of her being a lost princess, because it sounds too King Solomon's Mines - but as part of some sort of clergy, perhaps explaining the rhyming and why shes off in the ass end of the world because of some sort of spirit quest.
I just like the idea of the main six nervously approaching the presumed zebra elder/princess only to have her return Zecora's bow.
If pic related taught me anything it's that vudou is awesome and big on spirits riding people so she might be channeling some sort of mother goddess (which makes her go hemming and hawing at the sight of the Zebra monarch, pestering her about her love life)
and such.
 
>So far I imagine the zebra are nomadic for the most part and inhabit a savannah like region in tribes.
Tribes are generally not rigidly hierarchical as the ruling family can be replaced via vote or challenged in case it seems necessary.
However the zebra cannot control the environment like ponies and so they have a separate class of shamans that negotiate with spirits to arrange things like weather, the harvest and learn healing alchemy etc.
These guys (still mostly female) generally live apart from the tribe to hone their craft and only return when there is need of them (they rarely need to be told when that is, being rather preternaturally perceptive of that sort of thing). When they do they are generally treated with the same degree of reverence as a princess might be in pony ruled lands (which is rather more than the leader of the tribe, but then they are expected to remain aloof of politics).
The shamans have their own set hierarchy, but outsiders aren't privy to it.
All the major tribes pay tribute to the same general set of spirits(with a few variations here and there depending on which river you live next to). However the amount and nature of the tribute as well as their degree of cooperation is settled by the shamans and so a bad negotiator is generally considered a worse disaster than any flood or drought(as they can mean a flood and drought every year).
The method of challenging a zebra leader as well as negotiating with a spirit is obviously rap battle. Duh.
(buffalo do something similar, but with less focus on the environment and more on making themselves invulnerable to it)
This is how MOST zebra live but not all. There is a tribe that's almost as large as the rest put together that happened to wander into a rather fertile river delta, built itself a large city and established trade with the outside world. They are considered a greedy and fanciful lot by the rest.
Because of their received superiority/alienation they run things rather differently.
They are zealously religious in their own way but they consider the ruling family to be sacred, they have no shamans (they do teach magic like ponies do, but without the spiritualism) and often hire foreigners to manage their weather. They run things a great deal like ponies do in fact.
The other end of the extreme has jungle zebra who don't rely on shamans either albeit for different reasons, they are natural survivalists and don't rely on spirits and the weather. They have developed more potent alchemies as a result (including several that are poisonous and/or addictive to outsiders/themselves).
There are other tribes in-between such as mountain zebras that live alongside goats (they follow Markhor astrologers) or the zebra residents of Saddle Mareabia and Camelau, Hindia. But these are the major examples.
 
>One point you all seem to have dismissed is the fact that negroes have the rhythm in their blood. The way they move, the way they talk. Zecora exhibits her rhythm in her speech because she is good at it and could've been a singer in her home village/town/land.
When paleasses bring music to african villages, it's very easy for them to start dancing, so I'd figure that could be an important part of their social interaction. National niggers in general are quite nice and easy-going people, if they aren't bothered by war and other severe dangers.
Regarding rhyme-talking, it could be that Zecora also does that because it is necessary for her to rhyme when doing rituals. Finnish shamanism is all about long-ass rhymes and voodoo rituals are about dancing and singing too. If you do that for a long time and often, it can stick to you. Rhyming in normal speech could also keep your tongue quick and slick so you don't need to worry about messing up a spell.
Also about the Zebrasus princess, she needs more jewelry.
On top of that, since zebras don't have pegasi equivalent, maybe there could be another horse/zebra based mythic animal replacing it?
 
>Yeah, the rhyming can be a skill that is respected and honed with great enthusiasm since it doesn't only entertain fellow tribesmen, but also is an important part in religion. Perhaps some families are known to be good at rhyming and singing and their 'cutie mark' reflects that?
The ababwas obviously are best at magic, zebras perhaps are more aware of their surroundings and nature like Earth ponies.
 
>Not necessarily evil; since actual Voodoo / Witch doctor magic is fairly neutral compared to its depiction in media.
 
>Anyhow, Voodoo magic as practiced within Caribbean (Haitian Vodou) and West Africa (Vodoun) is depicted as 'evil' or foreboding, usually having the Witch Doctor shrinking heads of the protagonist(s) or some shit, or summoning hexes/curses (similar to Zecora's introduction); having (>implied) possible ties to satanic practices, and all that good stuff.
In actuality, Voodoo is neutral, having little to do with making Zombies or shrinking heads than it does with animism and following simple rituals and dances to please their 'loa'.
Also, we should have loa as part of the Zebra religion / social structure
 
>Question would this African Gorgan be something that would fit in for one of the creatures that roam Zebrica?
http://www.mythicalcreatureslist.com/mythical-creature/Gorgon+-+African
Picture there looks like something that would traipse about the savannahs to me and would tie into the cockatrice from the show
>Maybe like the protector for the Ethiopiacorn?
>A set of royal pets that roam about the palace courtyard as guards? Or something more like something intelligent I was aiming more for the random encounter and dangerous things to be aware of category myself, the Greeks had encountered it if the source is to be beivled so maybe the ancient pegasi could have encountered this creature as well before moving to Equestria?
>Oh like a bonded guardian type thing or a animal famlier? Hm...could work plus it could by a symbolism of showing the duality that pops up in other cultures, for this example the Ethipiacorn represent life, water and the good things that make the savannah a place to live in while the Gorgan is the dangers that you must respect of the savannah such as sickness, poisonious plants and that moment in time where luck fails and you get caught by something.
 
>Regarding size, I believe that Zecora might be young and isn't yet in adult height. Or she just is a bit on the small side.
Interestingly, the largest living equine is Grévy's Zebra. A different species from the Plains Zebra, but maybe they could be a tribe that's bigger than other zebras.
Plains Zebra, which I believe Zecora to be, is on average same size as a RL pony so it kinda makes sense for her to be same size.
>Those Grevy's Zebras could be to Plains Zebras what Elves are to Humans. Bigger, advanced tech/magic, immortal.
 
>So I was posting here before about there being shamans that manage the weather through spirits, but that conflicts with Ethiopiacorns job description.
So either that idea needs to be scrapped or she rules the shaman/is the primary spirit they venerate?
I like the idea that shes aloof and perhaps slightly hostile towards the zebra thus explaining why the savannah hasn't been turned into
a personal playground for them. Tough love and all that junik.
 
>I'd like the Ethiopacorn to be a mixture of a sassy momma and a demanding princess (Cleopatra). While she does do her job, she doesn't do it for nothing and requires everyone to work for themselves. Ponies might think of her as cruel since she doesn't usually interfere on life and death on Zevannah.
The only way to make her take part in something related to that, is a shaman to make contact either by their own methods or literally visiting her. The Zebra-country is big and it isn't anyone's best intent to visit the princess in means of requests so the shamanistic way is preferred.
But since the princess/empress/pharaoh is held in such high regard, she isn't to be bothered unless absolutely necessary, after all, she brings the water and life to the harsh lands already. That's where Friends on the Other Side steps in. The princess does have control over weather, but the spirits also can do their part. They can communicate with Ethiopiacorn so it is important for a tribe to have good and wise spirits with whom to negotiate. A smart spirit isn't too pushy on requesting rain here or there.
And of course a tribe also needs strong and even scary spirits to their aid too, it is one of their ways of battle and the spirits aid them in sending curses upon other tribes or malicious animals.
 
>Also, I think that all mega-being like Celestia and Luna are actually physically embodied spirits, not ponies. This explains why they are near immortal and the whole MMC explosion and heaven like thing.
>Celestia is sun spirit
>Luna moon spirit
>Discord chaos spirit
>etc
And a big twist: they all know of each other and work with each other, showing how there have been no wars in a long time
 
>Yeah, she strikes me as someone strict and serious. Someone who doesn't fuck around with trivialities she can't be bothered with.
I also see her as someone reclusive, as in very few would ever get the chance to see her. She wouldn't be one to prance around publicly much like Celestia would.
Although I see her as being rather reclusive, I can imagine she'd be extravagant in her appearance as well being someone to regard herself highly.
 
>I figure she's willing to listen to requests from petitioners-
too bad her royal seat is on top of the highest peak in the middle of the most impenetrable jungle in the eye of an eternal hurricane.
Hey, I guess it wasn't that important...
Then again when she does grant things they tend to be what you needed rather than what you asked.
I also like the idea that if great leader or warrior passes their spirit can sometimes remain with the tribe granting it strength in the future, it sort of makes sense in this context and puts a more positive spin on the whole 'grr evil necromancer witch doctors' thing which was always a pet peeve of mine
(the Catholics build an entire church from skull and bones and no one, bats an eye but perfectly benign ancestor worship is suddenly the stuff of every horror flick).
 
>Most of the time she would spend time in that very hard to reach place, but on some holidays there could be a place where she is revered. Perhaps once a year thing or bit more often. And all the tribes don't send everyone to party there, just some 'messagers' that take care of the party there and others party at the village.
Also people remember, many times the Haitian voodoo rituals are that, parties. Theres INTENSE dancing and singing, eating and killing. Of chickens of course, who would eat a horse?
 
>>Traditionally, the Zulu recognize several elements to be present in a human
>being: the physical body (inyamalumzimba or umzimba); the breath or life force >(umoyalumphefumulo or umoya); and the "shadow," prestige, or personality >(isithunzi). Once the umoya leaves the body, the isithunzi may live on as an >ancestral spirit (idlozi) only if certain conditions were met in life.Behaving with >ubuntu, or showing respect and generosity towards others, enhances one's >moral standing or prestige in the community, one's isithunzi. By contrast, >acting in a negative way towards others can reduce the isithunzi, and it is >possible for the isithunzi to fade away completely.
>In order to appeal to the spirit world, a diviner (sangoma) must invoke the >ancestors through divination processes to determine the problem. Then, a >herbalist (inyanga) prepares a mixture to be consumed (muthi) in order to >influence the ancestors. As such, diviners and herbalists play an important part >in the daily lives of the Zulu people. However, a distinction is made between >white muthi (umuthi omhlope), which has positive effects, such as healing or >the prevention or reversal of misfortune, and black muthi (umuthi omnyama), >which can bring illness or death to others, or ill-gotten wealth to the user.
>Users of black muthi are considered witches, and shunned by society.
 
>deities include Mamlambo, the goddess of rivers, and Nokhubulwane, sometimes called the Zulu Demeter, who is a goddess of the rainbow, agriculture, rain and beer (which she invented).
 
>I have a feeling that there's gunna be rule34 of a Zebra goddess shooting beer out of her nipples, now.