Photo of Professor Coniferus, taken in 1906.
Once one of the most powerful and learned sorcerers amongst the Deers of Everfree. Coniferus was now at the twilight of his illustrious career. Having been accused of committing a crime he never committed and having lost the credibility he once had to an up and coming Deer sorcerer. Rather than let his emotions get the better of him and make him seek revenge. He instead retreated deeper into the Everfree Forest and lived a life of seclusion and isolation from the rest of his people. However, he would come to discover the Human world after unintentionally and Independently developing his own version of Starswirl’s magic mirror and emerging out the other side. His point of emergence: Boston Massachusetts, 1866. Seeing this world as an opportunity to start anew. Coniferus set himself up in this world as teacher in Botany and Agrologist and began to move his research, books, and belongings to his first home in Boston.
This was just the beginning of his existence in the human world and he wouldn’t move into Canterlot City until 1896, During those 30 years, he combined human technology and scientific principles with his own Deer magic, be promoted as professor, and start a business where he would sell his own patents of Fertilizers and other aids to help in the growth of plants. In reality, potions and elixirs that he himself concocted using his plant magic. His Affiliation with plants as well as a seemingly innate skill at growing and cultivating plants would earn him the nickname “The Druid” by many folks.
When he moved to Canterlot, He decided to settle out in the countryside near the Treeline of the nearby Forests. As he had acquired his fortune from his fertilizer business, he set out to build his estate in the area. Comprising of a Mansion, a conservatory and gardens, featuring an Arboretum.
During one of his travels, he had come to admire a new architectural style known as Art Nouveau as it reminded him of the architecture of His old home of Thicket as well as it’s inspiration from natural forms such as plants and trees. Which, as a deer, he was very fond of.
His mansion, completed in 1905, was constructed in the Art Nouveau style with an interior design based on the Belgian townhouses constructed by Architect, Victor Horta (As it reminded him of the interior of a Conservatory/greenhouse). The construction took longer than Florine Manor’s Construction due to Him making visits and communiques to Victor Horta himself, as well as visits to the buildings he designed in order to aid in the designing and construction of His Mansion on his estate, which he named it, “The Pines”.
It was during a party at Florine Manor that he would meet Arcanis and several other equestrian Sorcerers living in Canterlot at this time. That Marked the beginning of the group’s working relationship.
In the early 1920’s Coniferus had begun to hear rumors and stories of a dangerous and mysterious creature stalking the forest and terrorizing all that crossed it’s path. he would encounter the creature twice in 1929, the second time it was with Arcanis, who joined with him in the investigation. It was after the second encounter that he and his fellow sorcerers and wizards would study the creature for several years. it was not until 1935, When they were finally prepared to enter the forest and stop the creature for good.
The Details were never clear though it did involve A steam shovel and setting half the forest on fire. And after defeating the creature. He and the others returned with seven mysterious gemstones, which they hid in a cave and sealed the entrance with boulders. erasing any whereabouts of it’s location afterwards.
Coniferus would continue with his fertilizer business until 1971, where he mysteriously shut down the business and disappeared from public record.
His whereabouts are still unknown but in Crystal Prep Academy, a Teacher by the name of Dr. Conifer had just applied to teach for the Natural History class. As for his Estate, It was acquired by the city and has become a tourist attraction ever since.
Much like Arcanis, it was observed that he also never aged since 1866. The Truth is that they and other sorcerers have made themselves functionally immortal. They Cannot die of old age and do not age, but are susceptible to being killed by external causes. Their methods of achieving it, they refuse to disclose.