Steel Accord

Certainly not. My point was that a knight in armor wouldn’t be universally slower or less agile than a samurai. Who would likely also be wearing armor.

I am playing the absolute shit out of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. It really sparked a passion for Lord of the Rings in general. So much so I'm actually reading Fellowship for the first time ever. (Having only read the Hobbit in high school.) What makes the game great though is that it works as both an adaptation of Tolkien's Legendarium and its own little sphere it created with itself with the orcs. It gave them distinct cultures and really strove to make them unique and very memorable. I even sort of hit upon a fun theory. All of the orcs can come from different tribes, have different classes, different skills and weapons, and have different voices, builds, and other visual details. Meanwhile Talion and Celebrimbor are set characters that the orcs can kill for prestige even though they know that the Bright Lord will just come back. In other words, this is an MMORPG in reverse! The orcs are the customizable player characters and YOU are the world boss that "the players" kill for the loot, achievements, and challenge.

The armor thing isn't true. Sidebar: Samurai also wore armor. Like, they're famous for their armor. You do know that knights fought pretty much everything that an army could throw at them right? Pikemen, cavalry, archers, massed infantry, firearms! Saying a knight can only fight another knight is like saying a tank can only fight a tank. Not only is a tank already nearly unstoppable to most ground forces, you usually send in a tank to kill a tank, because another tank is the only thing that CAN stop it.

First of all, thank you for responding at all. Secondly though, that’s the thing, because it’s Equestria, they wouldn’t really know about Earth styles, or at least they wouldn’t call them those things. Part of his quest is actually finding the remnants of lost books, scrolls, and other traces of fighting forms. Because Equestria doesn’t see a lot of conflict, their knowledge of what we would call martial arts, that is to say, fighting systems rooted in warfare but with philosophy attached to them, by and large died out after the pony tribes united. (Unless one counts something like the Mighty Helm or Flash Magnus’ Legion.) All other conflicts being resolved by powerful magic rather than a one on one duel. Were I to give White Belt a close approximation at the start of his journey, it would be Kenpo Karate. (He’ll learn more.) I guess “sport” is the closest comparison although he’d call it a lifestyle. It is his cutie-mark. He loves to fight others, win or loose, but in the friendly sparring sense. He’s not really interested in tournaments or the like. Even if he was, there’s not really any such competitions held in Equestria. Although he will fight if he has to defend himself or if something important is on the line. But then again, so will a lot of ponies. It’s not a family tradition and the only real “idols” would be Rockhoof, Flash Magnus, and more obscure legends or martial prowess that are a rarity in their world. The idea for the story he’s in is that Equestria is a little like the Western world before Bruce Lee really broke down the concept of Kung Fu as philosophy as fighting rather than purely for the utilitarian purpose of battle. And that he’s trying to prove to a resistant community that the path is not in of itself violent.

There's a character I would like to base a fanfic around but I'm having some trouble with his details and making him seem like he could plausibly fit into Equestria. Personality: To help matters, White Belt is an introvert but not at all shy or anti-social. He just prefers one or two friends to hang with as opposed to big groups or parties. He's very measured and cautious, preferring to act on principle rather than his gut. Lastly, despite his lifestyle and passion, he's not at all violent. He enjoys fighting because it's exciting, engaging, and he gets to learn about himself and his opponent. He doesn't even really mind loosing unless the other guy is a sore winner. Colors: First of all, I gave him the name "White Belt" so I thought that would fit with the occasional color naming convention like Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, etc. I have to wonder though, is white really the best color to give him? Is it either too common or does it scream "obvious OC?" And if I do, what color besides black would be the best? Name: On that note, while I do love the White Belt because it calls to mind my interest in the martial arts but also my limited skill in that area (something reflected in the character at the start of his story), I'm not sure it would be my only option. Do you guys have any martial arts themed names for an earth pony you could think of? Cutie-mark: This one's a bit harder to decide because I have a few prototypes and I'm not sure which would fit the idea best. I thought of maybe a spear with some comet like swirls around it. Maybe a Yin-Yang but I thought that might be too obvious. What do you guys think? What's a martial arts symbol that conveys a love of fighting but not a wish for conflict? Fighting: One of the things that I could also use a second opinion on. Obviously by now we've seen plenty of episodes where ponies, and especially the Mane Six themselves, throw down. However what do you think is the acceptable limit to push that for a character like this? I'm not trying to go straight TV-7 with my story but I also don't want to make it like Mortal Kombat or perhaps more closely Fallout: Equestria in terms of like gore and brutality. (Which the later has the excuse of being a fusion fic with a violent post-apocalypse setting.) Thanks ahead of time for your input.

That's more than I know so that's fine. I don't need encyclopedic knowledge, just enough so that when you create your main character and a bridge crew (and maybe some villains) it would be authentic. Would you like to discuss details? I'm handling the Star Wars half, which is why I was looking for a trekky.

Pitch: Who remembers this old debate? Death Star vs. the Enterprise? Kirk putting the moves on Leia? Could a lightsaber block a phaser? One thing I never got though was why no one ever dug into the real meat of that divide. There are deeper and more important ideas between the preeminent space operas than which players would win in a fight. So why not explore some of those? In order to do that though, I need a proper counterpart. Not only do I love Star Wars, I'd say I stand with it, the Jedi, and the Force ideologically if asked which of these two franchises I side with. So I'm looking for someone on the flip side of that coin. Someone who stands for Star Trek. Who sincerely believes in the principals purported by the show, creators, Star Fleet, and the Federation. Setting: Couple of contenders but an AU for both franchises either way. -The Empire was crushed shortly after its rise by Star Fleet's intervention upon discovering the Galaxy. Where that fits on the Trek timeline(s), I'll leave to you. This leaves the Jedi still scattered to the wind and possibly just as afraid to make contact with each other as under the Empire. What with Star Fleet's ability to sway people to their ideological side and desire to uplift civilizations to their next phase by . . . abandoning certain practices. Hopefully, you get where I'm going with this. -The Republic is integrated into the Federation and the Jedi Order still stands but they don't integrate into the Federation along with the Republic. Instead, they're now stand apart, hiding in the Galaxy still living as guardians of peace and justice but still of interest to Starfleet. -Flat out crossover where a Federation Starship ends up in the new galaxy or a Jedi and his companions end up in the Milky Way. Maybe on the "mirror universe" principle of Trek. Characters: I'd prefer us both to play original characters. Frees up the plot specifics and allows for a lot of unique interplay not hampered by canon personalities or place in the story. We'd also both be playing multiple characters with you playing the Star Fleet crew with maybe the Captain as the main character on your side. Where canons would show up is in the villains such as if Darth Vader is to make an appearance or maybe one of the Star Trek hostile factions or a particular character you like who isn't as much a personal nemesis to any of the canon crews. I'm trusting your side of the coin on that. Story: This relies on a bit of input from your end, as the idea I'm proposing is placing both our characters to debate and defend their unique perspectives of their respective franchises. Ideals that are neither negative but both of which contradict each other in a lot of ways. True good vs. good, white and white morality. How that comes about though would depend on both our character's circumstances clashing with one another while not necessarily opposing. (Although maybe they do.) The plot can be whatever we decide it to be but the story is ultimately providing each side a stage to share our worldviews and ultimately reach a compromise. Minor details: -Thread based -1st or 3rd person -Don't stress word count. Especially since the heavy scenes are meant to be conversational. -Not meant to be an epic. More like a narrative thought experiment. (Short to medium length RP) Although certainly there can be action, drama, etc. especially if one or more villains show up. So post here or PM for interest.

Impossible to really say at this stage. I do martial arts but I don't really have the time to attend regular classes or advance in a meaningful way currently. So I'd like to think my final boss would be some sort of final opponent to attain some kind of high rank in Kung Fu. Make it like a Street Fighter arcade mode final boss.

Not much honestly. I'm hopeful for the future. Anyone who knows history can tell that the human race has been on a steady up-tick with plagues, cultural collapse, and world wars only delaying that.

I find that that's actually a bad start to a relationship if that plays out in real life. There's an app you can get called shazam though. You let it listen to a song and it shows you what that song is.

Interesting way of putting it.

I got a whole playlist of romantic songs. One about longing for love is Nickleback's Gotta be Someone.

I got two go to romances right now that I think really hit the right buttons. One is a simplistic kind of romance that isn't really the focus but it still feels genuine. The other is a steamy, sexy, yet still somehow grounded and mature tale where the romance very much IS the focus. Tangled: the Series. For those who don't know, yes, the Disney movie had a tv spinoff. For those of us who grew up with the Aladdin tv series, that should feel familiar. Anyway, the romance between Eugene and Rapunzel isn't really the focus of the show, in fact it gets a lot less attention than Jasmine and Aladdin's relationship. However the show surprises me all the time with just how serious Eugene takes his commitment to Rapunzel. He's the familiar rogue we know and love him as from the film but no matter what Rapunzel wants to do, from entering a contest to jumping off cliffs, he never once complains or protests. When she's feeling low or unsure of herself, he's always there to give some words of encouragement, and it's not like he's just telling her to make her feel better. When he says that she can do anything, you really feel like he believes it. It kind of hit me out of the blue why. (Movie spoilers) He literally died for her! And yet it's because of her that he's alive again. So this is a man who laid down his life to save a woman and she repays that by giving him new life. Eugene's devotion to Rapunzel is absolute. It's simple, yet it's also incredibly deep. The next is Lore Olympus. It's a webcomic detailing the romance between Hades and his eventual wife, Persephone. For those who don't know, the biggest myth Hades is known for that doesn't have him as a side character to a hero is the taking of Persephone. Where he spirits the goddess of spring to his home in the Underworld to take as his bride. (As promised to him by Zeus.) Without going into the whole myth there's some debate as to how consenting Persephone was and even if she wasn't at first, in all subsequent myths where Hades appears, Persephone is always at his side and even is possessive of him when other suitors try to make a move. In stark contrast to Zeus' many, many affairs with . . . pretty much anything with a pulse, Hades remained totally faithful to Persephone and again, that devotion was returned by her. I mean A) this is already hits my romantic buttons. B ) the webcomic greatly expands upon this dynamic. At this point in the comic they're not even together yet but their chemistry is unbelievably well written and very real seeming. They're relaxed around one another, they talk honestly with one another, they give each other meaningful gifts, they want to touch and hold the other (even though they know they really shouldn't), they can call the other out when they made a mistake but not in a petty way, and they miss the other when they're not around. I don't know, part of it is coming from one of my favorite Greek myths, and another definitely is that Persephone as depicted in the comic is the sexiest character I've ever seen illustrated, but I do think there's just something to how the romance really works as both a re-telling of the myth and a very good depiction of healthy relationships.

Ah, prior investment. Makes sense.

Well to put it into two categories . . . Personality/Hobbies/Habits: -Effeminate/girly. I like a woman who wears her femininity on her sleeve. Not that she can't like manly things as well or that she NEEDS to be a Princess. Just leaning more towards Rarity or Fluttershy rather than Rainbow Dash or Applejack if you catch my drift. (Although the cowgirl, Southern Belle thing also has its charms, not going to lie.) Such does NOT exclude girls with a more gothic sensibility as that can be a part of a sort of "dark lady" persona. -Something to learn. I'd like it if we actually learned not just about one another but from one another. Maybe she has a perspective I didn't consider. Maybe I have something to teach her. -Martial Arts. Not strictly necessary but would be a great bonus. There's something very appealing about a woman who can kick my ass. And it'd be a shared passion we both have that's both deeply personal, requires a lot of hands on physical contact, and constantly pushes us to be better. -Intelligence. That is strictly necessary. Dumb is a total turnoff. Not that she has to know everything but I really appreciate women who are deeply knowledgeable. Especially if it's in a subject I'm not that smart in because then she has something to teach me. -Teasing. Dear God, if there's one thing I learned from my only relationship thus far, it's that I like a girl who pops my monocle. Someone who just likes to flirt, but only with the one she's with. As it shows she has somethings that she doesn't share with everyone but does with those she loves. There's a level of trust there. And, I just liked the dynamic. She says something mildly scandalous, I blither in faux-shock, she laughs. . . . I miss that. Physically: -Not blonde. Not that blonde hair is unattractive. Just that I always have a thing for hair color other than it. Brunette, red head, especially black or raven hair. -Long hair. I don't know what it is, but long hair on a woman just drives me nuts. We're talking like down to her back, Rapunzel hair. Especially if she wears it tied up and then lets it loose. https://i.imgur.com/4PmtSl9.gifv -or- https://i.imgur.com/5PBD6Pj.gif Pure seduction right there. This also covers big fros for black women. Speaking of which. -Black women. Not like exclusively or anything. After having . . . something, I'm not sure what it was honestly, with a neighbor of mine (definitely felt like more than friendship) though, I just find them to be appealing on some level. (Said neighbor also was a fan of Classic literature so she already ticked my "intelligence" requirement.) -Curvy. Inching up to a point that's getting a little uncomfortable for me to really dive into. I'll do my best. You know the song "Baby got Back?" Yeah switch that around to the "upper portion" of a woman's body and that's where my preference lies at. She doesn't need to be a supermodel or anything, just so long as what's up top is bigger than what's in the middle.

*cough* As for a . . . real weapon?

Why use a stun gun when you have your fists and feet? I mean those are my weapons of choice if I had to defend myself. The topic question, for me, is more just what weapon I'd like to own for fun. (Even if I just kept it at a shooting range not my own home. Although my home would also have swords mounted on the wall.)

Nice to know I'm not the only one who goes old school.

Any particular reason it appeals to you? Not disagreeing, just curious.

Not sure if I would want to own one, but I LOVE shooting lever-action Winchester rifles. Just something satisfying about locking it back before firing. Proper wild west weapon. That doesn't really contribute to the topic. If you want a gun that doesn't hurt anyone, buy one and keep it stored properly. Maybe out to a shooting range once or twice. That weapon will never hurt anyone. My Dad has one of those. It's his favorite thing around the house. Me? I can't bear to use it. I try to scoop up bugs and just take them outside.

Definitely lawful good. The things I honor are virtues like faith, integrity, honesty, loyalty. Codes of honor, law and order, there's a right way and a wrong way, etc.