Battle Pride

By RAGESTAR

• January 29, 2014

Age: 50

Gender: Male

Species: Non-Pony

Appearance: Pride, is a muscular, rust colored minotaur, with a steel horn replacing his right one, which he lost in a battle, a large scar over his left eye, which seems to be blind, but is actually enchanted with the power to pierce through enchantments and illusions, a gold ring through his nose, and a massive, deadly two handed sword on his back, engraved with strange runes.

Cutie Mark: Do I look like a fu**ing pony to you, kid?

Personality: The guy acts like he's all mean, rough, and tough, but he has a soft side that he doesn't show very much. A soft side that can only come from a father, and the bravery of one thats lost everything. He hates magic, and everything that has to do with it. He loves battle, weapons, and drinking.

Backstory: Battle Pride was raised in a small, secluded village of Minotaur, located in the middle of the everfree forest. His father was the town blacksmith, and his mother was mother was a merchant. In minotaur culture, when a minotaur is born, they do not have a name. They are instead referred to as "son" or "daughter", until the day that they earn a name for themselves. So since the day the young minotaur (still unnamed) could walk and talk, his dream was to become worthy enough for a name that would bring pride to himself and his family. And for years, that's all he worked for, never deterring from his goal. He tried his hand at many tasks, both simple and complicated in nature, but none of earned him a name, or bought out any noticeable potential. <br /><br />When the young minotaur was 18, he was drafted into the villages dwindling forces. The village had been feuding with the neighboring village, one that was over 5 times the size of their own, and much more heavily weaponized. It was the city of the griffins. While they resided far to the southern peaks of the mountains, their desire for territory pushed them to expand their reaches, in an attempt to gain more land for hunting ground. The young minotaur, while unsure of his new role as a soldier, took honor at the thought of protecting his home and the people who loved him so much. And when the first large scale battle between the two forces, the young minotaur was ready to die to protect everything he held dear. However, things did not turn out as he expected they would. He did not die in the battle, nor did their side lose the skirmish. Instead, the young minotaur fought valiently, tooth and nail for his home, and this driving motivation is what pushed him to his limits, and caused him to finally discover what he was good at...battle. His blood pumping, his mind racing, the feel of a bastard sword in his hands, it all felt so natural to the young minotaur, so...good.<br /><br />For his act of bravery, and his noticeable prowess on the battlefield, the young minotaur was granted the name of Battle Pride. With his newfound calling, and his evergrowing talent for battle, Battle Pride and his village won the war within 6 years. Battle Pride, raised to the rank of a general around that time, was even there to oversee the signing of the treaty. With the war over, and the respect for Battle Pride and his heroics still high, Battle Pride was named village chief. With his guidance and unwavering bravery, Battle Pride led the village through twenty years of peace. He even managed to get married and have children of his own. Battle Pride, with his many war scars and years of experience, planned to lead the village and his family, into many more years of peace...but little did the brave Battle Pride know, that his cherished time of peace, would not last...<br /><br />Not long after his children's first birthday, a small army of cloaked figures marched toward the village, their intentions just as much a mystery as their identity. At first, they thought they might be the griffin kingdom trying to rebel against the treaty, but after questioning the ruler of the griffin kingdom, it was discovered that this was not the case. So with their guard up, and their weapons drawn, the village guard confronted the mysterious troupe at the village gate. They were the first of many to come into contact with the strange group, and die...<br /><br />The hooded army marched into the village, killing all that stood in their way. Battle Pride, seeing the innocent villagers that he had failed to save, all dead before him, he flew into a blind rage. He picked up his bastard sword once more, and charged what seemed to be the leader of the cloaked intruders. Battle Pride, the undefeated warrior, beloved leader, and hero of the griffin war, was swatted away like nothing more than a fly. How was this possible? Hoe could a veteran warrior with an unbreakable will and unshakable bravery, be defeated so easily? The answer is magic.<br /><br />The hooded army were all magicians, possibly unicorns. Magic had always been seen as cowardly and distasteful to minotaurs. The only magic that they were comfortable with, was the enchantments that they put on their weapons and armors, an art which his father had mastered. The last thing Battle Pride saw before falling unconscious due to bloodloss, was the leader of the hooded magicians entering his house, and the last thing he heard, were the screams of his family as the hooded monster killed them...<br /><br />Battle Pride, broken and more than half dead, was found by an old hermit pony, and taken back to his shack. Once Battle Pride awoke, after much skillful healing work and many herbal treatments, the old hermit told him who he was, and where he found him. Battle Pride, ignoring his still fresh wounds, immediately limped back to his village as fast as he could...or at least what was left of it...<br /><br />The village that Battle Pride worked so hard to protect, was burned to the ground. Even the bodies were badly burned, seemingly thrown onto the fires of the houses to save the trouble of burying them. Battle Pride found his home burned to ash, and his family in much the same state. The maimed, heartbroken warrior, fell to his knees and roared in agony and sorrow. He had lost everything precious to him, and yet here he was, still living. A sign of disgrace to a warrior who was supposed to have fallen.<br /><br />One of his many stitches ripped open, and Battle Pride vowed on the blood of his ancestors and the graves of his family, that he would avenge them. So for the next half a year, Battle Pride healed, and trained his body to it's limits, and beyond. When he healed, he still had scars. Even more than the already impressive collection he had before the seige. He had broken off his right horn, lost his left eye, and gained a large scar running along the length of his chest.<br /><br />Despite the scars, Battle Pride was determined to get his revenge. Using his fathers forge, and what his father taught him, he forged an enchanted two handed sword, which he deliberately gave the ability to ignore all magical defenses and attacks. Dubbing it "Magebane". He also created a glass eye, enchanted with the ability to see through any illusion, disguise, or hiding place, no matter how clever they are. The last thing he created a simple, yet deadly, steel horn, to replace the one he lost.<br /><br />When the time had come to leave and start his quest for revenge, Battle Pride thanked the hermit for his help, and left on his adventure. Currently, his investigations have led him to Canterlot. Where he has been searching for more answers, and clues to the identities of the hooded army. He runs a blacksmith business on the side, and hunts wanted criminals for a living.