One theory is that Cold Iron is magnets; maybe the magnetic field mucks around with it? Also, when was metal magicked in MTBPW?
Unrelated to ponies, but I had once written a setting where 'magic' was just electromagnetism, so magnets not only disrupted magic but they actually made magic-user violently ill to be too close to them.
Birthright: an original web novel about Dragons, the Burdens of Leadership, and Mangoes.Could work the other way, too... Certain magnetic fields or metal alloys enhance a unicorn's magical abilities. Perhaps a unicorn with a damaged horn could have a special meshwork of something slipped on and help them regain some of their lost abilities...?
Or dampen it altogether, saw that in a fic once or twice.
Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
Foil! colours and appearances?
I picture BR as a deep dark shade of orange, black or dark brown curly mane, blue eyes, and with a short beard (as in if it was any shorter, it would be long stubble).
Smoke Screen is fire engine red...with a buzz cut mane.
Any other suggestions? This is pretty important.
My fanfic outline. RIP Posey@Pvt Num: In the fic I'm writing right now, I'm letting the main character regain his magic in the same way that a person who's had a stroke and lost the speech centres of their brain can lean to talk again. The horn had basically been the natural focal point for using magic, but with practice a unicorn can learn how to channel the magic through something else. For example the main character is learning to push it through a little mark on his forehead.
I had the idea that with enough practice he could eventually learn to manipulate the magic without his horn, so he'd actually be a much more powerful magician. Basically the horn is like a hose - it's easier to direct the magic, but the flow is weaker because it has to be pushed through a tiny hole. Without it the magic is harder to control, but he can control more of it at a time.
Birthright: an original web novel about Dragons, the Burdens of Leadership, and Mangoes.Now there's an idea I could get behind.
How would it work though, is there anything like a nerve system going into the unicorn horn? Would an artificial horn need to be fused to your forehead or would it be simply worn like a hat?
The three finest things in life are to splat your enemies, drive them from their turf, and hear their lamentations as their rank falls!Significant research would have to progress to determine if a solid horn of whatever metal would work, or it if needs to be an alloy, or a composite laminar thing, or if you need stuff analogous to circuits and whatnot. Nodes of alloy set in a matrix of non-magnetic or even non-conductive material.
Probably a whole realm of pony-science juat itching to be tinkered with there.
Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.Wonder how much training such an aid would require?
Also, Foil! 6 appearances?
My fanfic outline. RIP PoseyI'd imagine that a unicorn woudl be best-suited to figure out horn prosthetics, and determine the underlying principles of metals on magical forces.
I'm reminded of The Wizards Apprentice and how there was a science behind it. Unicorn magic might be quite similiar.
They could stumble upon a way to make a casting chamber that amplifies and focuses a Unicorns magical potential. Cue plot by some nefarious pony to either sabotage the experimental chamber, or to copy it down without understanding the concepts and makes a huge mess out of the area.
This calls for another character:
An aged half-crippled Unicorn who has devoted his life to studying of magical amplification. Moonbeam may find out what's going on by sensing a powerful magical effect nearby if he chances upon the area. Depending on nhow it goes, they might score some experimental woven cloth for thier dirigible.
edited 27th Dec '11 5:42:22 PM by pvtnum11
Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
And it's up to the Knights Of The Night to stop them!
Who look like what exactly?
So they have this battered looking blimp, that seems to shrug off all direct magical attacks? I like this.
My fanfic outline. RIP PoseyMmm
What about, covering the blimp in lightning rods and gems which act as magical dampingers, and the balloon is woven from magical materials that allows it to fly faster than it should?
My fanfic outline. RIP Posey

Going with Lueker's Magical Field theory: it might be that ceartain metals or sunstances disrupt the, or rather restabalize, magical forces.
EDIT: PAGE TOPER
edited 27th Dec '11 3:53:58 PM by LMage