Apate Metis (Artful Campaign)

By Durandal

• July 23, 2013

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Species: Non-Pony

Appearance: In his normal form, Metis looks little different from most changelings, though his carapace and eyes take on a purple color, instead of their normal blues. Being an intelligence officer, Metis owns an Officer's uniform, comprised of a simple chest piece that connects to his carapace, and an officer's cap.<br /><br />Metis' disguise takes on a unicorn stallion with a khaki coat, olive green mane, and bright orange eyes. Art is of a slimmer physique, built for running instead of fighting. Art normally dons his Imperial Officer's Dress Uniform, which consists of a light grey long-sleeved choker-collar tunic with yellow trim, along with a white peaked cap and tall rubber dress boots. His Imperial Officer's Service Dress is normally used when on the field, and is comprised of a khaki field jacket with a khaki peaked cap and tall rubber dress boots.

Cutie Mark: Artful Campaign's cutie mark is a silhouette of a rook, signifying his ability as a tactician.

Personality: The reason behind Metis' position is the fact that he can read others. He can understand what someone wants - griffin, pony, changeling, or otherwise - and knows how to use it to his advantage. This ability to manipulate has driven his career, providing him with a status far beyond that of an average drone.<br /><br />Try as he might to repress it, however, Metis also has a fatal flaw - curiosity. Though harmless in less totalitarian societies, the society of the Hive does not tolerate inquiry. Many a time have his questions been answered with threats of demotion or worse. To make matters worse, Metis is also mischievous. He enjoys a little fun, and does not respect rules nearly as much as his colleagues. <br /><br />As a result of being in the field so often, Metis has become aware of cracks in the Hive's teachings. Though he knows to keep silent, Metis grows suspicious of the Hive with each interaction. This has caused a great amount of personal struggle in Metis, as he attempts to reconcile what he has learned outside the Hive with what he has been taught.<br /><br />Along with constant questioning, Metis is constantly revising his moral compass. The push-and-pull of balancing two worldviews leads to him never quite knowing whether he is in the right. Combined with his difficulty in relating to ponies, this leads many to believe he is crooked.<br /><br />Overall, Metis survives as a changeling only because of his sharp mind - he knows when to keep quiet, and knows who to convince to keep out of trouble. <br /><br />However, he has also grown quite a case of nerves. Intense paranoia and near-constant anxiety mean Artful is high-strung, critical, and quick to anger.

Backstory: Metis was born, raised, and taught the same way any changeling was. Born from a cocoon, he was provided to a caretaker who named him and taught him the ways of the Hive - obedience to Chrysalis and the chain of command, how the changeling race was superior, and the importance of feeding off love. All in all, he was part of the 'system', as it were - simply another changeling.<br /><br />However, as he grew, it became obvious that he had a talent for manipulation. At first used for his own mischievous ends, officers soon realized his potential. Taking him under their wing, he was taught the ways of an intelligence officer, specifically, an infiltrator. <br /><br />During his training, it was realized that he had a talent for tactics. This discovery helped him avoid a large amount of scrutiny leveled against him. He was inquisitive and unruly, but far too great an asset to be disposed of. Even with this stopgap, he realized how much he clashed with the rest of the Hive. Earning himself several rivals and threats of demotion, he saw it fit to insist on working in the field. While this new found freedom has preserved his personality and life, A loose tongue could still mean his death.<br /><br />Artful Campaign, his guise on the field, has a history similar to his own - though of little interest at first, Art's ability with tactics earned him a position amongst the Royal Guard's Officer Corps. He is known to prefer working within the Castle itself, however he is known to sometimes participate on the field.