Here is the first of the mane characters in this story
Name: Checkmate
Gender: Male
Race: Unicorn
Body Color: Black
Mane Color: White
Cutie Mark: A White Knight from Chess
Talent: Strategy and Tactics
Occupation: Tactician For The Royal Guards, Technical Rank Being Lieutenant
Personality: Very curt and can come off as standoffish to those whom he is not familiar with. To any friends he makes, he is more light, but still tends take things seriously. Not one for pranks or jokes Checkmate prefers intelligent conversation any day. To those who don't know him, he may come off as emotionless.
Backstory: Born and raised in Manehatten, Checkmate is certainly no stranger to strife. His parents, although certainly not abusive, were negligent, and Checkmate quickly learned to only trust himself. Although intelligent from a young age, he didn't get his cutie mark until he was about half-way through schooling, defeating his teacher flawlessly in a game of chess. After his schooling, Checkmate moved out on his own, and, without any options, found himself joining the Royal Guards. Although physically weak, he managed to continually show his talent for strategy to his superiors, such as managing to contain a rampaging dragon with minimal damage to the area, and capturing a famed bandit leader, and as such found himself rising through the ranks fairly quickly. Unfortunately, during the changeling invasion of Canterlot, he was framed by a changeling for horrible orders, which led to his superiors transferring him to Ponyville, in a move that angered the once proud pony. According to them, he was transferred so that "He might make a friend or two to help him through his problems."
Likes: Quiet time, chess, victory.
Dislikes: Loss, those he considers "annoying" (Loud, obnoxious, pranksters, etc.), emotional people.