ooc The Dark Millennium - a combat & exploration RP - updated rules for joining

[Hederik 119]

2018 UPDATE - MOST IMPORTANT TO ANYONE NEW TO DARK MILLENNIUM

As of 2018, this session is being continued via Discord. This leaves me with nary a reason to continue to peruse the forums, so any contact through it will be ineffective or at least prone to be highly delayed. For reasons that should be obvious, I will not share the direct link to the Discord server the RP is using - instead, please join this one to contact me and request the possibility of entering the real thing: https://discord.gg/JXbthSm New players are certainly welcome to join, presuming they meet my requirements and (well duh) are interested in this kind of roleplay.

If you're just reading this topic for the first time, do read it carefully. Some of the information concerning recruitment may be outdated, but other than that it all stands. If afterwards you feel this is something for you, please do contact me through the above means.

Have a nice day everybody!

 

Source: background from pixabay.com, put together by @@Once In A Blue Moon.

 

Quote

Status: Officially launched on the first of June

RP link: indubitably

 

Concerning further applications

 

I'm pretty happy with the number of players currently participating in the RP. However, I'm always looking forward to meeting other outstanding roleplayers and won't begrudge them the little extra time if they decide to apply for the Dark Millennium.

 

As I'm in no immediate need of more participants, I no longer hesitate to put clear demands towards those wanting to join, and those are mostly concerned with reading: knowledge of this introductory post and of the RP events so far are a must. Looking through the OOC may prove beneficial too (there is a list of points of interest in the post below this one), but is not mandatory.

 

As to the roles that those joining at this point would find available to fill, there are four possibilities:

a) following the original guidelines and joining into the RP in a way vaguely resembling that which was the fate of the first players,

b] adopting one of the OCs that have already been established in the story. Again, knowing what was (t)heretofore their life is obligatory, and I'd expect their new owner to follow the bits of their characters that have already been described,

c) related to the above: there are also a few yet undescribed characters in the two older units, so I could be persuaded to allow someone to claim a spot there. See race/sex restrictions in the second post; standard expectations still in effect,

d) something else entirely. Requires having a good idea of what role the player would expect to play in the story, what their background would be etc., as well as willingness to cope with my demands to change anything that wouldn't fit the story or my vision of the world the Dark Millennium plays out in. In cases of extreme disagreement with the player vision, I may even deny their ideas entirely, but I will strive to avoid this if at all possible.

 

For the practical reasons (ease of scrolling), every part of this post has been made expandable.

 

What this RP will be, in a few words

 

 

 

Dark Millennium is a guided adventure for a few players, in which their characters will traverse a world immerse in darkness, intent on saving the future of their world. Passing through wild and dangerous lands, they will have many an occasion to learn a little more of the world's past than even its original inhabitants had known... and to actively oppose what is its present and undesirable future.

 

 

Important technical note about gameplay

 

 

 

There are no stats, no dice rolling, no action management, no nothing. Success of any action depends on three factors: choice of an action, quality of its description, and the whim of the DM.

 

Also (less technical), following a trend set by my favorite Fanfiction writer, alicorn is the material unicorns' horns are made of and what is typically referred to as an alicorn should be named a winged unicorn instead.

 

 

Semi-optional reading: Introductory post

 

 

 

 

“In combat, the knowledge about one’s opponent is vital. Never underestimate the advantage such familiarity may avail you!”

 

The officer’s voice is loud and clear, easily reaching all his charges present in the spacious training room. There aren’t many: Officer’s School is quite a prestigious learning facility, after all. Little as some of those gathered here might like it, they are the best of the best, the cream of the crop. Why it is so important for the society’s elite to stand through the same lecture every year is a mystery, though.

 

“The pegasus’ bones are partly hollow inside to facilitate flight, but  the fact has many more implications, the most remarkable being increased agility and grace. Furthermore-”

 

Several years of elementary school alongside a few dozen peers, a few more spent in the company of about third that number in martial academy. Lessons in all walks of life, mathematics, biology, but above all, physical training. Countless hours spent in misery and frustration, running to the point of exhaustion plus an hour or two, exercising in heavy armor in sweltering heat and week-long camping trips in the mountains, without warm clothing, disallowed to light a fire at night and lacking sufficient provisions. A moment of joy upon being chosen to attend the final step of education...

 

…and then, specialized weapon sessions aimed at finding out what each of the students was best at, followed by continued practice with all of them anyway for some reason. Magic sessions that leave the unicorns almost senseless for days at a time, flying regimen after which pegasi can’t sleep due to their wings aching. And even more running, kicking and swinging this and that for the earth ponies. Oh, yes, and hours upon hours of lectures.

 

“-while their highly developed nervous system makes a unicorn’s horn a nuisance for those untrained in non-weapon combat and is possibly the weakest point of any defensive wear, those properly trained will be aware that it is perhaps more of an actual weapon then the unicorns’ magic itself. Composed of alicorn, quite possibly the hardest substance in existence, a unicorn’s horn can pierce through materials impenetrable even to hardened steel. While its focal position and seeming conflict between its dual functions may create an illusion of it not being suitable for a close-range weapon, the truth is quite the opposite-”

 

Light falls in generously through immense, empty windows whose gothic arches meet so high the room provides appropriate space even for complicated aerobatics to be practiced. Despite how its tenants live (sans the serving staff, tasked with dishing out monologues, drills and the like), the Officers’ School is, after all, nothing short of a palace. Located high on a mountainside, at that. Advantages? Makes it easier to stop the students from visiting home. Er, sorry, Miss Educated Speech Only! The correct answer is “facilitation of Apprentice Officer excursion limitation”, ma’am!

 

Ah, home. An utopian view, spread before the eyes of every student, every hour everyday, to the point that even when it’s not there, it seems to only serve to build tension for when it can next be gazed upon. A beautiful village populated by jolly ponies of every merry color there is, frollicking contentedly in their picteresque paradise. An elongated lake with crystal clear water fed by three tall waterfalls along the western wall of mountains. Wide, rolling pastures and a sizable forest stretching all the way to the southern mountains’ slopes. Every sight, every aspect bringing to mind the happiest memories. The world those trained here are forever cut away from.

 

Granted, there are several occasions a year when the officers-to-be are allowed in the village. What’s more, they’re welcomed with praise and adulation whenever they do. Most would like nothing more than to be let back into that cheerful society. But this can never be, even were it allowed. For there is one field of knowledge left solely to the elite: history.

 

“-superficial lack of advantages masks the fact they’re natural counters to both its fuller-equipped counterparts. The anatomical resemblance leans heavily towards unicorns, although there are several marked differences in neck build and bone resistance, surfacing the clearest in, although not limited to, the thickness of the skull and potential for withstanding applied back pressure. Note also that-”

 

What shape is the world? To most in Pony Valley, there’s a lake, a forest, an orchard and their village. Lots and lots of steep, snow-covered mountains around. Oh yeah, and that cold stone structure near the sky nopony ever goes to or comes back from if that’s where their educational path takes them. Beyond that? Even if there is something, who would ever care and why? Those who have been taught about the ways of Equestria see the bitter irony clearly.

 

Equestria: the ancestral land of all ponies, from whence they all came here. Said to be vast beyond belief, its population unimaginable to those who spent their lives in such a cloistered community. Although the downfall of that ancient monarchy is only hinted at during the lectures, this is, as intended, the driving force for all adepts to apply themselves to what they are taught. Ideals, cautionary tales, dreams and stories of past greatness all serve to fuel the young officers’ zeal in doing the best for their country.

 

Thus, although graduation is only a distant prospect for now, Apprentice Officers know to take all that comes their way with thankfulness while youth, comradeship and the sense of amazement are there. The fact there are no old officers doesn’t seem so strange, after all, when a perspective of an isolated life is considered, fated to forever hold a knowledge that can never reach society. Constrained to a meager clique of other high-ranking officials sharing the same dreadful consciousness, bound to be put in charge of a future wave of recruits and lead them on to the same misery.

 

A more detailed summary of the plot

 

 

 

Equestria as you know it is gone. Ponies live in Pony Valley - a secluded colony - mostly unaware of their past. The world around hasn't forgotten about them, however. It just cannot find them... But soon, it might be able to. That's why action has to be taken the ponies first. A minute unit of highly-trained fighters under strong leadership sets out to battle the darkness when possible, sneak by it when necessary and deal it a final coup de grâce in a breath-taking finale.

 

Having learned the above, a small group of ponies sets out to a perilous journey that will take them through two remote parts of the world, eventually culminating in the heart of destroyed Equestria. Their mission: to locate and annihilate three portals, dimensional rifts, whatever you call them, that constitute a link between their world and one that seeks to conquer and enslave it. Being constantly outnumbered, the unit will have to rely on stealth and careful planning to achieve its goals, but rest assured, strife will be aplenty as well. While pursuing the ultimate goal, they will have the unforeseen possibility to learn about the world lost to ponies many years ago... possibly more than most of its previous dwellers knew themselves.

 

 

What you as a player can expect to experience

 

 

 

In terms of playing your role, you can be sure that your character won't lack occasions to:

• Participate in skirmishes, mostly as part of a team, but some solo action is possible as well
• Interact with others in similar circumstances, on and off the field
• Learn from tales relaying pony history, from ancient to recent, told to the best of my ability
• Explore various dangerous locations
• Listen to a story or two -- a sample given below as a bonus
• Witness titans clash from a semi-safe position

 

 

 

Concerning character creation

 

 

 

Your character will be a cadet in Pony Valley's Officers' School. The extent of their knowledge is described rather exhaustively below. As to actual abilities, there is intentionally no specific description. Anything goes, provided reasonable moderation. That includes weaponry of choice (in the posts below there is a discussion concerning what will be an appropriate pick) and a free selection of magic (consider Season 1 Twilight as a border you can at best get close to in relative power). Any basic pony race goes.

 

I should probably point out the level of familiarity between different players' characters. Although Pony Valley has a rather limited populace, it is still probable that not all the ponies know each other personally. An elitist organization like the Officers' School, however, is picky enough that its members will at the very least recognize each other from previous sightings, common meals, morning calls, classes attended, training sessions endured together, etc. In particular, as I intend for all the player characters to share an almost identical level of knowledge, they will be spread over at most two - and preferably one - group of Cadets, and know each other at least by name, likes and dislikes, plus favored fighting style. If someone should like to have their characters closer together, that will also be acceptable (the time for socialization may be limited, but for pony's sake, you are spending entire years together), but the above list is a minimum.

 

Your typical Pony Valley dweller will know:

• basic living things, like hygiene, cleaning, walking, sports, partying, sleeping, eating, school system, society standards, etiquette, cutie marks.
• unicorns can use their magic as per usual; pegasi can fly, although they never try to soar so high as to cross the mountain peaks or even see beyond them. There are tales of those who tried and failed, and the popular belief is that pegasi just cannot sustain flight at such high altitude.
• how to read and write, plus a selection of literature and poetry, however none that deals with history more ancient than the previous generation (so basically nothing more than a grandma could tell you), none that speaks of lands outside the Valley (especially having to do with Equestria). There will likely be a smattering of fairy tales, legends and such, some of them inevitably containing grains of truth about the old world - feel free to experiment with what your character could have read somewhere, but be warned that (prior to the proper Officer training) it will most likely be perceived as tall tales.

 

Things they will not know or understand:

• when was the Valley colonized, what surrounds it, how long ponies have lived there.
• winged unicorns or intelligent species other than ponies - while prevailing in legends, these are believed to be make-believe creatures. This would include zebras, dragons, changelings, griffons, minotaurs, etc.
• what money is and how it functions - indeed, the Valley is a fully operational communist society. Please note, I do not condone or advertise communism in any way by making the Valley so. I heartily invite you to investigate in-character how such a thing is possible and how exactly it works. Bottom line is, everybody works at what they're good at, producing enough for the entire community to be satisfied and expecting nothing in return. Idyllic, dream-like, improbable, but true.
• some of the more modern technology, like trains, balloons, photo cameras and the like. I don't foresee it being a thing, but am open to discussion anyway - I suppose electricity or whatever its Equestrian substitute is could readily exist in the Pony Valley.
• while the existence of weapons and their purpose is generally understood, they are something of an abstract idea to the Valley. No sooner than martial school do they learn to wield any of them. I am reluctant to allow any firearms, but as long as they're properly not-overpowered, I might agree

 

As Cadets, Apprentice Officers nearing graduation, or however you call the state PCs will begin the game in:

• know that there has indeed been an Equestria, and that it is no more, although how, why and when it disappeared is known to none
• some of the Equestrian history, from the tales of its foundation as told in Hearthswarming Eve episode, through Celestia and Luna's adventuring years, up to and including the events of Season 1 (the nation-wide important ones, at least). Tales of what has transpired further on, such as Season 2, elements from Season 3 and what non-canon history there happened afterwards may have been hinted at here and there by teachers and/or officers further on with their training, but no solid knowledge of those times can be claimed by any of you.
• obviously, the PCs will know the extent of weaponry offered to them and be somewhat proficient in wielding at least one. Similarly, wearing and caring for a personal suit of armor is so deeply drilled into their minds it comes as naturally as the weapon handling.
• there are other tidbits that will be known to all who join, but as they won't influence character creation, I reserve the right to reveal them no sooner than during the RP.
• importantly, the Cadets realize there actually exists a world beyond the mountains, but had at best caught glimpses of it during the rough training mountain trips. It is said/known to be desolate, hostile and dangerous.
• above all, the PCs are soldiers. They have military hierarchy and are conditioned to display obedience bordering on mindless. This is not to imply any brainwashing, simply that they're used to being ordered and following said orders without complaint or needless questioning.

 

 

 

How much of the show remains true in this RP?

 

 

 

As this RP is largely inspired by canon information, I want to hereby make this crystal clear:

 

a. Season 1 and Season 2 are fully canon here; everything that happened there took place in this RP's past

 

b. At some points, Season 3 has some facts in common with this RP's past

 

c. Seasons 4, 5 and 6 never took place; forget any knowledge acquired from them

 

 

Further reading: a snippet of one of the stories to be heard

 

 

 

There once lived a unicorn princess whose lands were vast and prosperous. Her subjects’ toil fed her court and the surplus of their harvests filled her storage and assured that the alliance with a bordering pegasus nation blossomed. In return, the pegasi moderated the weather over the princess’s land when flood or drought threatened to occur and paid her a handsome tribute. The princess respected her subordinates’ aptitude towards work and thus avoided it, instead taking it upon herself to meet the nation’s pleasure quota. Other noble unicorns populating her country saw the sacrifice she was willing to make for his people and pressed their offspring to emulate such selfless behavior. Fathers and sons alike spared no resources in assisting their ruler along her arduous path and offered to join her permanently to alleviate some of the strain she put upon herself. The princess saw that and smiled, for she realized how much these efforts brought her people together. She couldn’t bear to take that away from them, and so she went on with her quest in solitude. But neither could she admit that the nobles’ efforts were in vain, so much good did it bring out in them, and so they continued on trying to cajole her.

 

For archive purposes only: the original version of this post

 

 

 

First of, hi. This post will be rather long as I tend to run my keyboard raw once I start hitting it. Stay with me, though.

 

The setting, the adventure, the general feeling

 

I'll try to be general here, as I hate spoiling my own work. Equestria as you know it is gone. Ponies live in a secluded colony, mostly unaware of their past. The world around hasn't forgotten about them, however. It just cannot find them... But soon, it might be able to. That's why action has to be taken the ponies first. A minute unit of highly-trained fighters under strong leadership sets out to battle the darkness when possible, sneak by it when necessary and deal it a final coup d'grace in a breath-taking finale.

 

Obligatory introductory post, hidden to keep this invitation at least somewhat compact:

 

 

“In combat, the knowledge about one’s opponent is vital. Never underestimate the advantage such familiarity may avail you!”

 

The officer’s voice is loud and clear, easily reaching all his charges present in the spacious training room. There aren’t many: Officer’s School is quite a prestigious learning facility, after all. Little as some of those gathered here might like it, they are the best of the best, the cream of the crop. Why it is so important for the society’s elite to stand through the same lecture every year is a mystery, though.

 

“The pegasus’ bones are partly hollow inside to facilitate flight, but  the fact has many more implications, the most remarkable being increased agility and grace. Furthermore-”

 

Several years of elementary school alongside a few dozen peers, a few more spent in the company of about third that number in martial academy. Lessons in all walks of life, mathematics, biology, but above all, physical training. Countless hours spent in misery and frustration, running to the point of exhaustion plus an hour or two, exercising in heavy armor in sweltering heat and week-long camping trips in the mountains, without warm clothing, disallowed to light a fire at night and lacking sufficient provisions. A moment of joy upon being chosen to attend the final step of education...

 

…and then, specialized weapon sessions aimed at finding out what each of the students was best at, followed by continued practice with all of them anyway for some reason. Magic sessions that leave the unicorns almost senseless for days at a time, flying regimen after which pegasi can’t sleep due to their wings aching. And even more running, kicking and swinging this and that for the earth ponies. Oh, yes, and hours upon hours of lectures.

 

“-while their highly developed nervous system makes a unicorn’s horn a nuisance for those untrained in non-weapon combat and is possibly the weakest point of any defensive wear, those properly trained will be aware that it is perhaps more of an actual weapon then the unicorns’ magic itself. Composed of alicorn, quite possibly the hardest substance in existence, a unicorn’s horn can pierce through materials impenetrable even to hardened steel. While its focal position and seeming conflict between its dual functions may create an illusion of it not being suitable for a close-range weapon, the truth is quite the opposite-”

 

Light falls in generously through immense, empty windows whose gothic arches meet so high the room provides appropriate space even for complicated aerobatics to be practiced. Despite how its tenants live (sans the serving staff, tasked with dishing out monologues, drills and the like), the Officers’ School is, after all, nothing short of a palace. Located high on a mountainside, at that. Advantages? Makes it easier to stop the students from visiting home. Er, sorry, Miss Educated Speech Only! The correct answer is “facilitation of Apprentice Officer excursion limitation”, ma’am!

 

Ah, home. An utopian view, spread before the eyes of every student, every hour everyday, to the point that even when it’s not there, it seems to only serve to build tension for when it can next be gazed upon. A beautiful village populated by jolly ponies of every merry color there is, frollicking contentedly in their picteresque paradise. An elongated lake with crystal clear water fed by three tall waterfalls along the western wall of mountains. Wide, rolling pastures and a sizable forest stretching all the way to the southern mountains’ slopes. Every sight, every aspect bringing to mind the happiest memories. The world those trained here are forever cut away from.

 

Granted, there are several occasions a year when the officers-to-be are allowed in the village. What’s more, they’re welcomed with praise and adulation whenever they do. Most would like nothing more than to be let back into that cheerful society. But this can never be, even were it allowed. For there is one field of knowledge left solely to the elite: history.

 

“-superficial lack of advantages masks the fact they’re natural counters to both its fuller-equipped counterparts. The anatomical resemblance leans heavily towards unicorns, although there are several marked differences in neck build and bone resistance, surfacing the clearest in, although not limited to, the thickness of the skull and potential for withstanding applied back pressure. Note also that-”

 

What shape is the world? To most in Pony Valley, there’s a lake, a forest, an orchard and their village. Lots and lots of steep, snow-covered mountains around. Oh yeah, and that cold stone structure near the sky nopony ever goes to or comes back from if that’s where their educational path takes them. Beyond that? Even if there is something, who would ever care and why? Those who have been taught about the ways of Equestria see the bitter irony clearly.

 

Equestria: the ancestral land of all ponies, from whence they all came here. Said to be vast beyond belief, its population unimaginable to those who spent their lives in such a cloistered community. Although the downfall of that ancient monarchy is only hinted at during the lectures, this is, as intended, the driving force for all adepts to apply themselves to what they are taught. Ideals, cautionary tales, dreams and stories of past greatness all serve to fuel the young officers’ zeal in doing the best for their country.

 

Thus, although graduation is only a distant prospect for now, Apprentice Officers know to take all that comes their way with thankfulness while youth, comradeship and the sense of amazement are there. The fact there are no old officers doesn’t seem so strange, after all, when a perspective of an isolated life is considered, fated to forever hold a knowledge that can never reach society. Constrained to a meager clique of other high-ranking officials sharing the same dreadful consciousness, bound to be put in charge of a future wave of recruits and lead them on to the same misery.

 

Other important technical notes

 

1. There will be no dice rolling in this thread-room. I firmly believe in quality description as the best measurement of any given action's possibility of ending in a success. Also, DM knows better than dice when easy victory or inevitable defeat is more appropriate.

 

2. I've met with several ways of determining whether a PC's action succeeds, the most crazy of which was actually writing together with the players in a Google Doc and correcting them whenever their description didn't fit what I actually intended to happen. Never again. For the purpose of this RP, a traditional post-by-post system shall be enforced, perhaps best explained by an overly-simplistic example in the below spoiler. Or you may just check out Bloodlines, it represents the style I have in mind pretty well.

 

 

 

DM: The group entered a dark room. There are three Scary Foes inside. The one on the left leaps towards Player A, the one on the right mimics its actions, targeting Player B. The last Foe stays back and mutters something.

Player A: Character A attacks so and so. If the Foe attempts to dodge, he steps to the opposite side to avoid collision and immediately turns to face the enemy.

Player B: Character B decides the Foe on the back is the worst danger, so he tries to slide between the legs of the approaching Foe, kick it backwards to throw it out of balance, then runs towards the muttering Foe.

DM: Foe attacking Character A doesn't anticipate his attack and is hit so and so, but then returns its own attack [ description ]. Character B successfully passes the charging enemy, but is then hit by [ whatever spell the third Foe was casting ]

 

3. If this hasn't become obvious by now, this falls under Advanced. I much prefer quality posts once every few days than obnoxious one-liners without style or thought.

Edited: the previous statement still holds, but I have thought it through and forcing 800 characters may put a serious strain on combat scenes, as it often consists of just a description of the next move to be pulled off. All in all, it was at odds with rule 2. and that one definitely outweighs this. I'm open to discussion about this in any event.

 

4. I realistically expect to kick this off with as few as one or two players only. There is a point set in the adventure for new players to join, once first of the three or four main arcs of the adventure is over. Overall, 2 to 4 players is a crowd I aim to entertain, although should the circumstances call for it, I'll roll with a single player. And (like that's gonna happen) the upper limit is negotiable as well.

 

OK, that's cool and all, but who in Celestia's name is this guy?

 

True, I don't expect to be recognized around here, unless by some cosmic coincidence the name Twierdza LOTR rings a bell to anyone. No? So I thought.

 

My RPing career is long, if full of huge gaps. At one point, I've been one of the head GMs of an entire PBF forum with a population of more than two hundred active users. The forum's unfair fall has broken my RPing spirit for a long time, but I've returned to it several times since. I experienced many problems and learned from them - I fully expect this to be something of a crowning achievement.

 

Enough rambling though, should you want to know more, just ask me about it.

 

Edit #1: while there's nothing happening around here, you may check out my writing style in Bloodlines, an RP I joined as a player.

 

Edit #2: so I launched another RP project on the side. This should provide you with all the necessary insight.

 

Character expectations

 

Your character will be a cadet in Pony Valley's Officers' School. The extent of their knowledge is described rather well in the introductory post, I should think. As to actual abilities, there is intentionally no specific description. Anything goes, provided reasonable moderation. That includes weaponry of choice and a free selection of magic (consider Season 1 Twilight as a border you can at best get close to in relative power). Any basic pony race goes.

 

Fanon vs canon

 

As this RP is largely inspired by canon information, I want to hereby make this crystal clear:

 

a. Season 1 and Season 2 are fully canon here; everything that happened there took place in this RP's past

 

b. At some points, Season 3 has some facts in common with this RP's past

 

c. Seasons 4 and 5 never took place; forget any knowledge acquired from them

 

d. Following a trend set by my favorite Fanfiction writer, alicorn is the material unicorns' horns are made of and what is typically referred to as an alicorn should be named a winged unicorn instead. Deal with it.

 

Closing remarks

 

If anyone has made it through, any input will be appreciated. Most of all though, if you feel this might be the RP for you, come on in! Adventure awaits...

 

 

Edited March 29, 2018 by Hederik

[Hederik 119]

The Dark Database

Now with spoilers to decrease scrolling necessary

 

Player Characters

 

From left to right: Colenso Void, Silver Heart and Carto Sketch. Image courtesy of @@Once In A Blue Moon.

 

Carto Sketch, an earth pony mare played by @@Once In A Blue Moon

(character page)

 

Colenso Void, a unicorn stallion played by @@Colenso Rivers

Name: Colenso Void

Race: Unicorn

Gear:

• Light battle armor
• Long cloak
• Carver edge (Battle scythe blade without the pole)
• 6 throwing knives.

Bio: Void knew as a young colt that being a unicorn meant he had a certain position and set of expectations in life. So from a very early age he showed an exceptional thirst for knowledge, both scientific and arcane. However, knowledge eventually runs dry, especially in the Valley, and in order to serve the inhabitants to the best of his abilities, he had to acquire what the rest of the world may have to offer. That is when he decided it was better for him to join the Pony Valley's Officer School.

Personality: Colenso is a very friendly, and thoughtful type. He is very diplomatic, a great talker, and yet can be a bit deceptively so. He often betrays his best interests and sacrifices his own identity to avoid conflict, and never seems to take his own advice. He stores all his negativity away within him.

Combat style: Reality is, his magic repertoire consists of primal magics which tend to be, while not the most directly destructive, can oftentimes catch opponents off guard or debilitate them. He is also a very capable combatant, multi-tasking using his unicorn magic to use multiple knives and his blade all at the same time.

Appearance: Slightly above average height, average build. Dark metallic grey fur with a blue luster, fur farthest from torso (like lower legs, ears, etc) fade into a bright red (Similar to the patterns on a siamese cat). Black mane and tail with indigo streaks, lengthy, straight and styled in layers. Eyes blue-violet.
Cutie mark: spherical black and violet gem surrounded by nine sharp violet gems, the bottom ones melting into a liquid and the top fading. Signifies his arcane talents.

 

 

Silver Heart, a unicorn mare played by @@SilverHeart

Name: Silver Heart
Race: Unicorn
Gender: Mare
Gear:
Light body armor.
Medical Supplies
A metal weight attached by a chain to a smaller weight. (A telekinetic weapon that is used much like a flail. The smaller weight is gripped in a Unicorns telekinesis which allows them to swing the heavier weight with more force than they would otherwise produce.

Bio: Silver Heart grew up in an orphanage. She spent her early years hoping that a family would adopt her. Eventually, like many other orphans, that hope died with age. To keep herself sane, Silver started finding ways to keep herself busy. This usually consisted of caring for the sick and injured children. In her teenage years, Silver spent her spare time acting like a sister figure to the younger ponies in the orphanage, thus she fulfilled her desire to feel loved and needed. As she grew older Silver started to study medicine and healing magic, something that she found quite fun. When she wasn't helping to take care of the other orphans or studying medicine she would walk around the Valley exploring every where she was allowed to go.

News of her hobbies eventually reached the recruiters for the Academy and Silver was drafted to be trained as a combat medic.

Personality: Silver tries to come off as a cheerful and friendly pony though sometimes the realities of life get her down.

She suffers from some anger and abandonment issues. At a relatively young age she was told by some of the older orphans that many of the foals left at the orphanage were unwanted by their parents. While she tried to ignore it, the thought that she had been abandoned by her parents never really left her subconscious.

Combat style: Silver prefers to keep a distance between herself and her foes. She supports her allies with her magic while she takes advantage of the range if her weapon.

Appearance: Silver Heart is a mare of average height. She's slightly underweight for a Cadet. Her coat is a nearly white grey and her mane is a deep purple. Her mane is shoulder length and wavy.

Cutie mark: A green Caduceus in the shape of a tree over a red heart.

 

 

Azure, image author uncertain, copied from the character's general profile.

 

Azure, a unicorn mare played by @@AzureNightLight

Appearance:

Azure is a white unicorn with teal blue eyes, having two different shades of sky-blue in her mane and tail. Her cutie mark depicts three blue stars and a quill.

 

Gear:

- Her notepad of star sketches.

- Saddlebags.

- Camouflaged padded armor.

- Armor has 6 small sleeves for housing 6 crossbow bolts.

- A sextant.

- A portable telescope.

- Quill and ink.

- A compass.

- Rope.

- A crossbow. It has a wooden handle and a metal stock and barrel. It can hold only one shot and can knock the average pony out if aimed correctly.

- 20 crossbow bolts and 6 stored in quick-access.

 

Skills:

- Navigation

- Celestial Navigation

- Basic self-defense.

- Assembly of crossbow bolts.

 

Spells:

- Basic Levitation

- Precision Levitation

- Zoom-and-Enhance (User can zoom and enhance his/her vision. Effects can be toggled on or off. The spell is a massive strain on the user. One minute of use equals one hour of drain. Can be lessened with further training.)

 

Role:

- A scout and a navigator.

- Part-time tactician.

 

Personality:

She is an introvert. She is private and reserved. She is patient. She hates the conflict between others. She is idealistic... but sometimes too idealistic. She does not take criticism well and usually takes them personally. She does not like being restrained by rules.

 

Hobbies:

- Reading

- Stargazing

- Singing (Something she isn't particularly good at, but she is willing to learn and try nonetheless.)

 

Backstory:

She was curious. About the outside world. What was it like? There were legends. Legends of creatures and monsters. Monsters capable of crushing rocks with their teeth and incinerating trees with their breath. Creatures capable of disguising themselves as anypony. Creatures that are capable of rivalling pegasi in both strength and flight. Legends were, sadly, only legends. They weren’t real. They probably were made up by some mad pony. But what if they weren’t? It frightened her; it frightened her to no end, but it also had a strange enticing pull to discover, to uncover, to map, the mysteries of the outside world.

 

Of course, when the signups for becoming an Apprentice Officer opened, she knew exactly what to do.

 

 

 

 

Non-player Characters

 

The youngest unit [including Colenso, Carto and Silver]

 

 

 

Cirrus Streak, vectorized by @@Hederik.

 

Cirrus Streak, a beige pegasus mare with a two-tone blue mane, her cutie mark depicting an elongated cloud slashed in two. Wears lightweight leather armor with an added layer of scale mail protecting her breast and flanks. Her weapon of choice are throwables, knives and others, which she carries on a double belt around the waist and flings using hooks attached to the tips of her wings while grounded and similar hooks near her hooves while in the air. Lighthearted and amiable.

 

Midnight Rover, vectorized by @@Hederik.

 

Midnight Rover, quite tall and leaning towards being massive, a sapphire blue unicorn, his hair a little more toned hue of blue. Wears full heavy plate armor and is able to fight using a wide array of weapons. His magic seems limited to force pulses and telekinesis, especially for wielding weaponry. A little more solemn, but loyal and protective of his friends.

 

'Toad', a stout yet short earth pony, rather irritable.

 

Reverie, a silent unicorn stallion. Became very strange after the detailed nightmare on the day before Star's lecture.

 

Gale Wind, a pegasus mare, called Gal for short.

 

Rabble Buster, a chestnut earth pony stallion.

 

Nix Fumble, an overlooked earth pony stallion. A little clumsy, although contrary to the DM probably able to count to ten properly. Displays a friendly, open attitude to the world.

 

Azure's unit (senior to the above)

 

Viridian Skies, a pegasus stallion, the top fighter of Azure's unit and something of an unofficial leader to them.

 

Comet Chaser, a pale orange pegasus stallion. Prone to bicker with Verdant Vine.

 

Verdant Vine, a greenish unicorn stallion. Shares Comet Chaser's aptitude for mischief. An outstanding magic user.

 

Six more ponies, at present remaining anonymous:

- pegasus mare

- pegasus mare

- earth pony mare

- earth pony mare

- earth pony stallion

- earth pony stallion

 

Steel Resolve's unit (the oldest of the three)

 

Steel Resolve, a dun-colored unicorn stallion with gray hair. Calm unless irritated, disdainful towards Jade Facet and his entourage.

 

Black Rose, a dark red earth pony mare with jet-black hair. Close to Steel Resolve.

 

Jade Facet, a lumbering mass of an earth pony, a constant bully. Coat color to match his name, hair blonde and unkempt. A near-graduate. Almost always accompanied by twin unicorn siblings from his group: Minx (mare) and Jinx (stallion), their true names all but forgotten. Coats ivory, hair light violet for Jinx and almost pink for Minx.

 

Luscious Spirit, a stout, ivory earth pony mare. Prone to laugh and tell bad jokes.

 

Frigid Mind, a gaunt, skinny, light brown unicorn stallion with an almost cleanly shaven, neon orange mare. Has a long scar along the right side of his face, going from his neck almost to the eye. Possesses a lot of knowledge about magic. Bitter and likely to look down on others.

 

A currently unnamed pegasus mare, Luscious Spirit's friend.

 

Two more ponies, at present remaining anonymous:

 - pegasus mare

 - earth pony stallion

 

Other officers in training

 

Ardent Rush, a pegasus alumna of the academy. A sight to behold, her coat a shade of blue so dark it borders on black, with a mane of interwoven gray, gold and azure hair and piercing magenta eyes. So far has been seen using no weapon. Fights mercilessly and shows little respect for either authority or other Cadets.

 

Alto Cord, an earth pony, a low performer in combat training. Carto Sketch's friend. A great mathematician and a skilled musician.

 

Supervising officers

 

Major Flowing Tide, a pegasus mare. Experienced tutor, widely known and respected among the Cadets.

 

Colonel Twine, a quarterstaff-wielding unicorn. Notorious among the PC's group for having once been beaten by Midnight in single combat.

 

Fair Lock, an artisan, master smith and quartermaster of the academy, living on its lower level near the forges. Ashen gray coat and constantly greasy red-and-orange hair. Muscular front legs and chest, emaciated flanks and missing both hind legs. Very well-read, jovial and gregarious, delights in gossip and seems to know of everything that happens in the school.

 

Avidity, a low-ranking yet scholarly earth pony mare, known first and foremost for teaching the classes in history and literature. Gentle and prone to laughter, she nonetheless has a sharp mind and knows an impressive amount of facts and theories regarding the history of Equestria.

 

General Hardy, a pegasus mare and the highest ranking official in the entire military organization of the academy. Rarely to be seen. Sky-blue coat and an unkempt mane in a variety of blue and violet hues (traits that might be confusing to some, as accounts differ quite widely on what the organization's highest ranking officer looks). What really sets her apart, aside from a lordly posture and a sharp look of her magenta eyes, clearly used to commanding others, is her armor. On her breast, a plate of some almost black metal alloy rests, cut through the middle with a red, zigzagging streak, seeming to be composed of several gemstones fit so tightly together that they appear to create one whole. Her front legs up to the knees are covered almost entirely by similarly dark bracers, fitted with some custom features along the sides.

 

Star, a mysterious unicorn mare whom nopony knows absolutely anything about. Nor has tried to guess her identity. Total unknown. More serious entry coming soon.

 

Other important information

 

Rather than copy-paste these things here out of context, I'll instead link a few posts with relevant information about the setting:

 

Regarding weaponry - what exists and how it is held

The above continued

How magic works on other ponies, and how to describe casting spells

About the connection between casting spells and physical fatigue

A word about cosmology and general physics

 

Index

 

Day one begins

Training session between Carto Sketch and Colenso Void

Ardent Beatdown

Meet the Bullies

The Artisans legs

Evening Readers' Club

Day two begins

A Stellar Lesson

A song to speed you on your way & camping out

 

Memorable quotes

 

beating a unicorn's head against the ground repeatedly was a tried and true way of breaking their concentration

 

 

"Squish some bugs, smash some gateways, suffer a scar in the course of our heroic endeavours and we all return as heroes; medals and appreciative stallions all around," Cat chipped in, not entirely serious but thoroughly enthused by this point, "Come on, we've just learnt the secret purpose behind our training, vital to the survival of life as we know it, and they've chosen us to play a part in a critical mission. Mornings don't get much better than this."

 

Midnight Rover, quite tall and leaning towards being massive, a sapphire blue unicorn, his hair a little more toned hue of blue. Wears full heavy plate armor and is able to fight using a wide array of weapons. His magic seems limited to force pulses and telekinesis, especially for wielding weaponry. A little more solemn, but loyal and protective of his friends.

Edited July 16, 2016 by Hederik

[Hederik 119]

For archive purposes only. Unauthorized access will be severely ignored.

 

 

The original contents of the second and third posts

 

I don't know how harshly a "bump" is looked upon around here, so let me make this more of an advertisement.

 

What you can expect

 

In terms of playing your role, you can be sure that your character won't lack occasions to:

• Participate in skirmishes, mostly as part of a team, but some solo action is possible as well
• Interact with others in similar circumstances, on and off the field
• Learn from tales relaying pony history, from ancient to recent, told to the best of my ability
• Explore various dangerous locations
• Listen to a story or two -- a sample given below as a bonus
• Witness titans clash from a semi-safe position

At the time of writing this, I have only 28 pages of a Google Doc filled with plans, but I'm constantly working on expanding it. Included therein is a semi-detailed plan of the adventure, so it won't trail off in the middle for lack of ideas.

 

In closing

 

I'll appreciate any response. If you're on the fence, that's something to know. If you're definitely not interested, hearing your reasons would give me something to work with as well:

• is combat-oriented RP not what people are into these days?
• is the (abandoned) advanced tag a scare-off?
• is it the dark theme, maybe?
• or is the race choice too restricted?
• or maybe the lack of diacritics in "coup de grâce" was at fault?

If this fails to launch at all, I'll want to try something else one day and such insight may be precious.

 

Oh yeah, the bonus I promised

 

There once lived a unicorn princess whose lands were vast and prosperous. Her subjects’ toil fed her court and the surplus of their harvests filled her storage and assured that the alliance with a bordering pegasus nation blossomed. In return, the pegasi moderated the weather over the princess’s land when flood or drought threatened to occur and paid her a handsome tribute. The princess respected her subordinates’ aptitude towards work and thus avoided it, instead taking it upon herself to meet the nation’s pleasure quota. Other noble unicorns populating her country saw the sacrifice she was willing to make for his people and pressed their offspring to emulate such selfless behavior. Fathers and sons alike spared no resources in assisting their ruler along her arduous path and offered to join her permanently to alleviate some of the strain she put upon herself. The princess saw that and smiled, for she realized how much these efforts brought her people together. She couldn’t bear to take that away from them, and so she went on with her quest in solitude. But neither could she admit that the nobles’ efforts were in vain, so much good did it bring out in them, and so they continued on trying to cajole her.

 

Borderline-Unlawful, Monotone Plea (BUMP)

 

I still hunger for players. Having just returned to my script after letting it gather dust while this topic did the same, all the more so at present.

 

As I have to keep my thesis as a top priority, the RP will most likely launch no sooner than somewhere in May, maybe the beginning of June. Supposing there are players willing to participate in it. While it may seem arbitrary to plan an RP so far ahead, I believe it to be beneficial for both sides - the players know ahead of time when their time will be needed, I know ahead of time if anyone is even partially interested.

 

So... that would be it. Feel yourselves invited.

 

... for the third time in a row. Signed, Hederik™ SPAM generator.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Hederik

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

Hmm... I really like the concept. I'm currently running one RP elsewhere on this site, running a pen-and-paper RPG in real life and part of a pen-and-paper RPG in real life, so I am busy at the moment. However, my RP on this site is now on a timer (five RP days until Canterlot is blown up) and after that I will have more time free time - given that it appears similar to this one I could even nudge the players in this direction if they wanted something similar.

 

So yes, that's one 'interested' with the caveat that circumstances might change. 

 

As for advice to draw people in, I have one suggestion; give more of an idea of 'this is the threat / issue / crisis around which the RP revolves.' This doesn't fit open-ended RPs, but if you have a specific chain of events in mind then this would be good. You needn't spoil any plot points, but I think that some way of making a problem that the players will resolve apparent would help. Which is tricky for a 'mystery', but if you want a good example of a hook that draws people in without revealing much then I would recommend watching the introductory sequence to 'Darkest Dungeon', which has a dark / horror / mystery / exploration / combat theme.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hederik 119]

Come on, I just made a reference to Darkest Dungeon a day or two a ago! In a PM, so you had no way of knowing, but how small can this world be?

 

Also, there IS nothing to be revealed about DD after the intro. I mean, you go through the different realms and hack everything in your way, driving to the ultimate goal of reaching a lair of horrors in the titular DD. Unless there is some huge reveal in that ultimate part of the game, I haven't played since a few good versions back.

 

Anyhow, I suppose it is prudent do divulge more of what is to be expected. The characters are supposed to learn this before any real action begins anyway, and the knowledge may help with the choosing of a character's strengths and attributes. Here goes nothing then, but first, for clarity's sake:

 

 

 

The setting, the adventure, the general feeling

 

I'll try to be general here, as I hate spoiling my own work. Equestria as you know it is gone. Ponies live in a secluded colony, mostly unaware of their past. The world around hasn't forgotten about them, however. It just cannot find them... But soon, it might be able to. That's why action has to be taken the ponies first. A minute unit of highly-trained fighters under strong leadership sets out to battle the darkness when possible, sneak by it when necessary and deal it a final coup d'grace in a breath-taking finale.

 

An outline of the story

 

Having learned the above, a small group of ponies sets out to a perilous journey that will take them through two remote parts of the world, eventually culminating in the heart of destroyed Equestria. Their mission: to locate and annihilate three portals, dimensional rifts, whatever you call them, that constitute a link between their world and one that seeks to conquer and enslave it. Being constantly outnumbered, the unit will have to rely on stealth and careful planning to achieve its goals, but rest assured, strife will be aplenty as well. While pursuing the ultimate goal, they will have the unforeseen possibility to learn about the world lost to ponies many years ago... possibly more than most of its previous dwellers knew themselves.

 

 

 

Would that be better? Also, I'm very glad to have you on board, even if only with one leg for now. I understand caution and hope that we may come to enjoy this together.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

Also, there IS nothing to be revealed about DD after the intro. I mean, you go through the different realms and hack everything in your way, driving to the ultimate goal of reaching a lair of horrors in the titular DD. Unless there is some huge reveal in that ultimate part of the game, I haven't played since a few good versions back.

 

I'm too incompetent (and cautious) to get too far, but there are snippets every so often that hint at ... stuff. Anyway, what I was getting at was one could have put a really good story behind that intro and you would have motivation to go forwards without knowing what on earth was going on (rather like Dark Souls... apparently. I didn't like it, but I am told that the story is good in a rather sparse way.) Having read the preliminary post again a few times, and let it sink in, I think I might have caught a whiff of that 'lure of the dark unknown' without knowing it, so maybe it did a better job than I realised.  

 

I digress. I thought that I would sketch out a character design that I could bounce off you to see how well it would fit in (what sort of age should I be looking at? That sort of thing.) 

Edited April 4, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hederik 119]

Ah yes, the narrative parts before bossfights. Maybe I just didn't get far enough (I think I managed the second wave of them on the first play-through, but that was so long ago) but from what I recall these are rather well-worded than building suspense. Maybe I'm missing the big picture however, especially since I've never even come near the Darkest Dungeon itself.

 

 

 

Having read the preliminary post again a few times, and let it sink in, I think I might have caught a whiff of that 'lure of the dark unknown' without knowing it, so maybe it did a better job than I realised.

If it has to be read several times to elicit that feeling, it could most likely use some improving... I'm glad to have caught your interest (again), however.

 

 

 

I digress. I thought that I would sketch out a character design that I could bounce off you to see how well it would fit in (what sort of age should I be looking at? That sort of thing.)

I like it so far. I initially cringed at her even knowing there is a world outside the Valley, especially the part about "potentially one day leaving the valley". The ponies in the valley want nothing to do with outside world when they ever acknowledge it should exist (which is rarely) and they certainly have no insight into what goes on behind the Officers' School's walls. That being said, it was an initial reaction. Considering Cat's area of interest and the fact that martial training would take her beyond what to most is a border of their world, it actually works quite well in a role of dream-like expectation - and her skillset will most definitely prove useful.

 

As far as age is considered, I'd suggest young adult, around the age Mane Six are in the show. Reasons for that include a long training drawing to a close and the fact that for some reason officers beyond certain age, apart from the teachers, are a rare sight in the school. Not that there is anything wrong with pony vitality in general; the Valley has its fair share of seniors.

 

Also, I'm ridiculously pleased at that footnote

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

I initially cringed at her even knowing there is a world outside the Valley, especially the part about "potentially one day leaving the valley". The ponies in the valley want nothing to do with outside world when they ever acknowledge it should exist (which is rarely) and they certainly have no insight into what goes on behind the Officers' School's walls.

 

Ok, I hadn't realised that 'outside the valley,' and what officers get up to, was quite so completely unknown. I've had a bash at re-wording it without changing the concept.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hederik 119]

@@Once In A Blue Moon, It was quite OK the way it was, but the new version will work well too. I'll try to better outline the extent of a typical Valley pony's knowledge, complete with a comparison to what a PC Cadet is aware of... when I find a longer while.

 

I. HATE. HOW THE POSTS. ARE GETTING JOINED WITHOUT A BREAK.

 

Your typical Pony Valley dweller will know:

• basic living things, like hygiene, cleaning, walking, sports, partying, sleeping, eating, school system, society standards, etiquette, cutie marks.
• unicorns can use their magic as per usual; pegasi can fly, although they never try to soar so high as to cross the mountain peaks or even see beyond them. There are tales of those who tried and failed, and the popular belief is that pegasi just cannot sustain flight at such high altitude.
• how to read and write, plus a selection of literature and poetry, however none that deals with history more ancient than the previous generation (so basically nothing more than a grandma could tell you), none that speaks of lands outside the Valley (especially having to do with Equestria). There will likely be a smattering of fairy tales, legends and such, some of them inevitably containing grains of truth about the old world - feel free to experiment with what your character could have read somewhere, but be warned that (prior to the proper Officer training) it will most likely be perceived as tall tales.

 

 

Things they will not know or understand:

• when was the Valley colonized, what surrounds it, how long ponies have lived there.
• winged unicorns or intelligent species other than ponies - while prevailing in legends, these are believed to be make-believe creatures. This would include zebras, dragons, changelings, griffons, minotaurs, etc.
• what money is and how it functions - indeed, the Valley is a fully operational communist society. Please note, I do not condone or advertise communism in any way by making the Valley so. I heartily invite you to investigate in-character how such a thing is possible and how exactly it works. Bottom line is, everybody works at what they're good at, producing enough for the entire community to be satisfied and expecting nothing in return. Idyllic, dream-like, improbable, but true.
• some of the more modern technology, like trains, balloons, photo cameras and the like. I don't foresee it being a thing, but am open to discussion anyway - I suppose electricity or whatever its Equestrian substitute is could readily exist in the Pony Valley.
• while the existence of weapons and their purpose is generally understood, they are something of an abstract idea to the Valley. No sooner than martial school do they learn to wield any of them. I am reluctant to allow any firearms, but as long as they're properly not-overpowered, I might agree.

 

 

As Cadets, Apprentice Officers nearing graduation, or however you call the state PCs will begin the game in:

• know that there has indeed been an Equestria, and that it is no more, although how, why and when it disappeared is known to none
• some of the Equestrian history, from the tales of its foundation as told in Hearthswarming Eve episode, through Celestia and Luna's adventuring years, up to and including the events of Season 1 (the nation-wide important ones, at least). Tales of what has transpired further on, such as Season 2, elements from Season 3 and what non-canon history there happened afterwards may have been hinted at here and there by teachers and/or officers further on with their training, but no solid knowledge of those times can be claimed by any of you.
• obviously, the PCs will know the extent of weaponry offered to them and be somewhat proficient in wielding at least one. Similarly, wearing and caring for a personal suit of armor is so deeply drilled into their minds it comes as naturally as the weapon handling.
• there are other tidbits that will be known to all who join, but as they won't influence character creation, I reserve the right to reveal them no sooner than during the RP.
• importantly, the Cadets realize there actually exists a world beyond the mountains, but had at best caught glimpses of it during the rough training mountain trips. It is said/known to be desolate, hostile and dangerous.
• above all, the PCs are soldiers. They have military hierarchy and are conditioned to display obedience bordering on mindless. This is not to imply any brainwashing, simply that they're used to being ordered and following said orders without complaint or needless questioning.

 

Well, this should be rather satisfying, but if I left anything unclear or forget to cover an area of knowledge, you need only ask and I'll gladly clarify anything.

 

EDITED AGAIN

 

I should probably point out the level of familiarity between different players' characters. Although Pony Valley has a rather limited populace, it is still probable that not all the ponies know each other personally. An elitist organization like the Officers' School, however, is picky enough that its members will at the very least recognize each other from previous sightings, common meals, morning calls, classes attended, training sessions endured together, etc. In particular, as I intend for all the player characters to share an almost identical level of knowledge, they will be spread over at most two - and preferably one - group of Cadets, and know each other at least by name, likes and dislikes, plus favored fighting style. If someone should like to have their characters closer together, that will also be acceptable (the time for socialization may be limited, but for pony's sake, you are spending entire years together), but the above list is a minimum.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Hederik

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

Well, this should be rather satisfying, but if I left anything unclear or forget to cover an area of knowledge, you need only ask and I'll gladly clarify anything.

I'm sure I'll have more questions on occasion, but any suggestion that I would stagger such questions to keep bumping the RP up the listings would be a slanderous untruth.

obviously, the PCs will know the extent of weaponry offered to them and be somewhat proficient in wielding at least one. Similarly, wearing and caring for a personal suit of armor is so deeply drilled into their minds it comes as naturally as the weapon handling.

 

Specifics for each and every weapon aren't necessary, but a vague idea about how weapons are wielded might be useful. Unicorns are fairly straightforwards, 'they use magic', but how would an earth or pegasus pony wield a sword / bow / sling / etc? Is it held in the mouth, attached to a bracer on the foreleg, or some other method? Would ponies even have the equivalent of a great-sword, or other large two-handed(/hooved) weapons for use in close combat? Are there any weapons that don't have a human parallel (pegasus wing-blades, unicorn horn spikes etc.)?

 

Would the cadets have trained to fight in tight and / or skirmish formations, or against much larger opponents (such as a hydra) and in all of the previous cases would there be favoured weapons for commonly-required tactics? (So if skirmishing is standard practice, which seems appropriate for stealthier units, then bows, slings and light armour might be more in favour whereas if heavy cavalry charges are popular then lances and heavy frontal armour would be more popular, and so on.) Again, in-depth detail isn't needed but knowing what the standard practice is will help in deciding what sort of weaponry and training a character specialises in.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hederik 119]

 

 

any suggestion that I would stagger such questions to keep bumping the RP up the listings would be a slanderous untruth

I wholeheartedly applaud the sufficiently surreptitious method of maintaining an advantageous position while adhering to the unwritten rules of good forum conduct.

 

 

As for the weaponry, I just happened to have a cursory exchange of opinions on the topic with a friend lately, maybe I should try and drag him into this discussion. Not being any expert in the field of weaponry, I don't deem to append to what follows any name prouder than "here's how I imagine things".

 

(As a random thought, it also occurred to me that no knowledge of weapons would be available to the "common" ponies, even though I'd expect forges to actually exist there. So either there's a blacksmith contractor that moves to and fro form the village, or - more likely, and more to my liking - the school has its own forgery, and at least element of smithing are a part of the Cadets' training. Some would certainly prove more efficient at it then others, but they'd all know the ABCs.)

 

Unicorns aside, what this problem always boils down to is how efficiently a thing can be gripped with a hoof. The show is obviously very loose in its approach to making this aspect realistic. Furthermore, human weapons at large would require a pony to stand on their hind legs to properly swing anything - a leap I am not willing to take. While it obviously is possible for a pony to rear and pound whatever's before it with their hooves (one of the most common close combat practices, I'd imagine), prolonged keeping of such position seems unfeasible.

 

I toyed with the idea of a sword attached to a pony's leg, but I don't see it working. If the blade was constantly attached to the leg, it should hinder movement greatly, even if it were pointed at a right angle from the leg. The other option would be for it to be mounted on some kind of spring to allow for movement... but then it would needlessly wear out against the ground, and in case its purpose would be defeated if it gave before an obstacle during a fight. I could see a pony using a nunchaks or flail, if the hilt was firmly attached to a foreleg and there was an easy method of securing the 'swingable' part so that it wouldn't stand in the way of moving comfortably.

 

Conversely to what I've stated above, the ponies do show a proficiency for walking on three legs without a hitch, so maybe the idea of a hoof-held weapon isn't as impossible as I'd made it to look. Nonetheless, a quick and trustworthy method of attaching/detaching said weapon would be necessary, as I can't imagine anyone taking a minute or longer just to grab their tools of war.

 

Mouth-held weaponry seems more in line with a pony's natural predispositions, especially since we so often see them using their teeth where a hoof grip wouldn't seem right. That being said, holding a thing and swinging it are two worlds, before we even mention that the held thing should strike something and transfer recoil along its length. Perhaps a mentioned sling (David vs Goliath style of course) would be the most probable mouth-held weapon, although I have my doubts about its accuracy when wielded thusly.

 

What I like most when it comes to pony weaponry is what BlackRoseRaven described as 'crosshatch blades'. Despite there not being a clear description of said blades (or my being unable to find it), I generally assume it to be a sort of bracer with blades sticking out if its side, either in a spiraling fashion all around or merely as straight segments, aligned either perpendicular or parallel to the leg's length. In his stories, it is generally worn by pegasi, although I imagine earth-bound ponies should be just as able of utilizing it.

 

The mentioned wing-blades, while somewhat similar, bring to mind an objection. Wings need to be both flexible and light in order to fulfill their functions without promptly tiring their owner out. I'd imagine a protective layer of leather along the wing's main... shoulder, I think it's called -- to be the uppermost level of sustainable armoring.

 

Horn-related weaponry I'll be most adamant about. I hinted to it in the introductory post -- for the ease of reference, I repeat the excerpt in question below; I think it speaks pretty well for itself.

 

 

“-while their highly developed nervous system makes a unicorn’s horn a nuisance for those untrained in non-weapon combat and is possibly the weakest point of any defensive wear, those properly trained will be aware that it is perhaps more of an actual weapon then the unicorns’ magic itself. Composed of alicorn, quite possibly the hardest substance in existence, a unicorn’s horn can pierce through materials impenetrable even to hardened steel. While its focal position and seeming conflict between its dual functions may create an illusion of it not being suitable for a close-range weapon, the truth is quite the opposite-”

 

Ranged weapons are quite possibly the hardest to apply, given the amount of precise handling they require to be useful. Aside from aforementioned mouth-held slings (which, at second thought, would work just as well if attached to a hoof, especially since their impact on the possibility of moving freely would be minimal that way), I only imagine two types of weapons that could work in the pony reality: throwables (shurikens/knives and similar) and crossbows. The latter would be rather complicated constructions, but attached properly to a bracer they should be very manageable to any pony, given that there would be some ingenious method of reloading them using hooves only.

 

At the risk of sounding boring with my repetitions, I'll underline that this is only my view on these things, largely composed on the spot and not given *very* much thought to. By no means am I unwavering in my standing, on the contrary, I invite discussion and proposals of your own ideas, especially those in the realm of "having no equivalent in human world" and thus proving difficult to imagine off the top of one's head.

 

 

Would the cadets have trained to fight in tight and / or skirmish formations, or against much larger opponents (such as a hydra) and in all of the previous cases would there be favoured weapons for commonly-required tactics?

First off, the range of opponents the officers will be expecting to face off against, as this should prove more compact an answer. Little is known of what may stand in the way of those brave enough to venture outside Pony Valley, even to those highest standing officials that will prompt the whole adventure to start. The training should have the soldiers ready to face opponents up to the size of a minotaur, I'd estimate. Which is not to say fighting a bigger beast should prove impossible, just not necessarily covered by received instruction.

 

As for formations. No massive battles are to be expected - indeed, should there be a massive battle, Pony Valley would most likely end up being blown off the surface of the planet. Nor are cavalry charges a thing I'd expect a small force such as will be the focus of this RP to perform. Skirmishes are the name of the game, and skirmish tactics are what the cadets should be most proficient at. As for preferred equipment for such, any weapon that is agreed upon should work (save the mentioned lance, perhaps). As you listed out two ranged weapons, I feel I should point out that for a back-line/supportive fire/magic coverage, there needs be a strong frontline to hold whatever is being fought off away from the shooters/casters. So I'd lean towards more of a melee force, and at the very least I assume every character should have at least some knowledge of close combat, even if their primary focus should be on long-range attacks. With all that in mind, there should be at least a few NPCs traveling with the actual characters, so we'll round the roster out nicely whatever the PCs end up picking as their main area of expertise.

[Hederik 119]

Happy annithirdsary, thread!

 

...was it really that bad? Ok, happy fourth monthiversary then.

 

...still not? Come on, it's canon. Almost.

 

Anyway, here's for even more action in the next four months of Dark Millenium's existence.

 

Also, I re-made the opening post. I hope the practicality of its layout won't scare too many potential visitors off, heh.

[Colenso Rivers 85]

Would you rather have a pony practicing primal magics, one practicing dark sorcery, or a more telekinetic magic user? Don't question the fact that I refuse to play as anything but a unicorn. Ahhhh... I believe the dark sorcerer would be best for this. Give me time to finish him. For right now, just know he will know a fairly limited amount of spells to begin with, one to two dependent on your discretion, will never learn any raise dead or spells of the like and will know no spell longer than medium range.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Colenso Rivers

[Hederik 119]

I have no idea what you mean by a primal magic, and the question seems rhetorical in any event since you appear to have already chosen a character from those listed.

 

Are you quite certain you've even read the introductory information given at the beginning of this thread? I know there's more to read than is usual, but then that's what you should expect when dealing with me in RPs. And I find it hard to imagine a possible explanation for a 'dark sorcerer' originating from Pony Valley, the idyllic sanctuary it is. Unless we've a vastly incompatible notion of what such description conveys -- I'll at least reserve any finality of judgment until you present a more fleshed-out vision of your character.

 

Unless you were thinking of playing a villain or an otherwise 'evil' character. In that case, the idea is irrevocably doomed.

[Colenso Rivers 85]

@@Hederik,

No, no no no. You've got me all wrong. I've read the entire thing, and by "dark sorcerer" I merely mean the nature of the destruction type magics he practices. I know it is season one twilight equivalent, but if he say, spent all his effort on these magics rather than telekinetics and the other things twilight is capable of, then he would be able to come up with one or two spells. He will be like every other warrior, and as any true leader knows, train them in what they are good at. He would actually be a very nice fellow. Plus, I gave you other options just in case this one is a flat out no. Primal magics are the most basic and pure of magical energy, understanding it, means understanding magic and how it works on the most fundamental levels, manipulation of it is often associated with gravity, and space.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Colenso Rivers

[Hederik 119]

Random update. I just spent two days working on an aspect of the story that might never get explored only because the notion is awesome and helps me tie the whole idea of the plot together. Also, if you ever plan to launch a story-driven RP or compose any prose beyond the scope of a few thousand words, XMind is an amazing tool to use. Mind maps are so much better than text documents where you need to endlessly scroll in search of the section that covers what you're interested in at the moment.

 

Now watch as I become invisible again.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

 

 

XMind is an amazing tool to use

 

Now this is really useful - I wish I'd had this on any number of earlier occasions. 

 

 

I've been thinking about how the ponies might use weapons, and I recalled a scene where Twilight makes a sweeping gesture with a front leg making a full 360 degree rotation in front of her. Combined with the ability to move the leg 90 degrees to the side, which I also recall seeing, I reckon that small one-hoofed weapons such as short-swords and slings can probably be wielded without undue difficulty. Three legs isn't ideal for walking on, but with practice and good balance they can manage for a short while (I envisage the ponies charging and using their bulk as a weapon before drawing a sword or knife and delivering a killing blow to a knocked down opponent.)

[Hederik 119]

 

 

Now this is really useful - I wish I'd had this on any number of earlier occasions.

The question, for me at least, is as usual: why haven't I thought to look for it earlier? I've known about mind maps for years...

 

 

In regards to pony anatomy and the ranges to which their appendages can bend, I agree with the show's approach. It's not a scientifical research paper, it's basically grown men telling each other stories of little fantasy horses for entertainment purposes. As long as we leave Pinkie Pie's abilities to herself, no one's going to scrutinize an angle at which a leg has to be bent.

 

There are more problems with wielding a sword in three-legged stance, however: two that come to mind first are also concerned with taking a swing, however.

* Primo, the hindquarters of a pony's body could potentially be endangered with a too-wide swing. (Negligible with sufficient training.)

* Secundo, a swing requires balance way beyond that necessary to walk. I imagine the positioning of the other three legs would have to become very awkward to allow for it.

* Tertio, a big part of the swing's force comes from moving not just the arm, but rotating the wielder's whole upper body along with it. A thing that can't be easy when said body has its weight center in a different point then where the swinging appendage is attached.

 

A persistent obstacle, too, is the lacking ability of a hoof to grip, demanding a weapon that doesn't require gripping, yet can be secured tightly, equipped and unequipped with minimal trouble and delay.

 

Your vision rings true with me, but my objections still stands: how would said pony draw the blade after such a charge to use it quickly and effectively? The easiest answer is if it were permanently attached to the outer side of their leg, as I rambled about when mentioning crosshatch blades.

 

To be perfectly clear: I do not think the way I see these matters is the only right one. Or even that it must be entirely right in itself. I do desire for the ponies to be able to wield weapons. It appears I just like to torment myself with searching for the hardest way to implement it, heh.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

@@Hederik.

 

With the end of May approaching, are you going to set a specific date soon? My hope is that a specific start date will attract more players. I've also thrown together a title card for the top of the page, which I hope will also grab people's attention:

 

 

 

 

 

Note: background image is from pixabay.com, which claims that it is in the public domain with no attribution required. Also, my spellchecker puts it as millennium, with two ns rather than one. 

 

Also, I've thrown together a gear and weapons list for Carto Sketch, which you might want to look over (minor things such as binoculars and compasses might or might not fit.)

Edited May 19, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hederik 119]

 

 

Also, my spellchecker puts it as millennium, with two ns rather than one.

 

So shameful...

 

 

 

With the end of May approaching, are you going to set a specific date soon?

There was lots of time to garner attention, so unless anyone objects, we begin on the first of June! With how slowly RPs usually begin, what with all the 'before' stuff, latecomers will probably be able to catch on anyway. Plus, there's still the option of joining at a later time, built in from the very beginning.

 

 

As for your list of equipment, I oppose nothing. Compass is easily fitting for an Equestrian setting (as we presume there is a magnetic north), binoculars even more so (I seem to remember some instances of such being used, and Twilight definitely had several telescopes). As the discussion about weapons reached a lot of moot points, I'm okay with the shortsword too. The only thing I'd like to point out is a total lack of armor listed - it doesn't have to be plate, but you'd better have some form of protection, especially since after all that training endured Cat definitely is used to it.

 

Also, the PCs are currently in a well-equipped military base located within a pseudo-communist country. You do not need to carry dried food around, and you'll be provided with whatever should be necessary for the road ahead once the journey begins.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

So shameful...

 

I missed it when I was typing it out as well - the first iteration of that only had one n as well. Also, if you want any of the words changed I still have it saved so that wouldn't be any trouble. 

 

 

 

The only thing I'd like to point out is a total lack of armor listed - it doesn't have to be plate, but you'd better have some form of protection, especially since after all that training endured Cat definitely is used to it.

 

Oh yes, that would probably help.

Edited May 20, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hederik 119]

 

 

Also, if you want any of the words changed I still have it saved so that wouldn't be any trouble.

Yeah, let's go back to the wrong version because it is historically connected to this RP

(no, not really)

Misunderstandings aside, I think it does its job well - I probably should've thought of it and put something up myself, but, well... I didn't.

 

 

 

Also, as we've hit two pages: a wild statistic appears! It took an average of 7.18 days for a post to appear in this thread... let's hope the IC thread's liveliness surpasses this.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

 

 

Also, as we've hit two pages: a wild statistic appears! It took an average of 7.18 days for a post to appear in this thread... let's hope the IC thread's liveliness surpasses this.

 

How are you planning to manage that? Posting guideline / schedule? Arranged time for roughly simultaneous posting? Freestyle? 

[Colenso Rivers 85]

Name- Colenso Void

Make and Model- Unicorn

Gear-Light battle armor,. Long cloak, Carver edge (Battle scythe blade without the pole), 6 throwing knives.

Bio- Void knew as a young colt that being a unicorn meant he had a certain position and set of expectations in life. So from a very early age he showed an exceptional thirst for knowledge, both scientific and arcane. However, knowledge eventually runs dry, especially in the valley, and in order to serve the inhabitants to the best of his abilities, he had to acquire what the rest of the world may have to offer. That is when he decided it was better for him to join the Pony Valley's Officer School.

Personality- Colenso is a very friendly, and thoughtful type. He is very diplomatic, a great talker, and yet can be a bit deceptively so. He often betrays his best interests and sacrifices his own identity to avoid conflict, and never seems to take his own advice. He stores all his negativity away within him.

Combat- Reality is, his magic repertoire consists of primal magics which tend to be, while not the most directly destructive, can oftentimes catch opponents off guard or debilitate them. He is also a very capable combatant, multi-tasking using his unicorn magic to use multiple knives and his blade all at the same time.

Appearance: Slightly above average height, average build. Dark metallic grey fur with a blue luster, fur farthest from torso (like lower legs, ears, etc) fade into a bright red (Similar to the patters on a siamese cat). Black mane and tail with indigo streaks, lengthy, straight and styled in layers. Eyes blue violet.
Cutie mark: spherical black and violet gem surrounded by nine sharp violet gems, the bottom ones melting into a liquid and the top fading. Signifies his arcane talents.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Colenso Rivers

[Hederik 119]

 

 

How are you planning to manage that? Posting guideline / schedule? Arranged time for roughly simultaneous posting? Freestyle? 

For the time being, I hope not to have to manage it beyond keeping myself on a short leash when it comes to periods between posts. If need arises, we'll start thinking of something else. As for posting order, it should follow something like: DM - 1 from every player - DM - 1 from every player - repeat, especially during action scenes. During more relaxed occasions this can be broken, if, say a single player starts a conversation with some NPC or there is some interaction between two players.

 

 

@@Colenso Rivers, your character is approved. Again, the inhabitants of Pony Valley at large wouldn't even know about there being a world outside their sanctuary, but a particularly learned individual might have guessed at it. The wielding of six knives at once is quite a feat, but I'll allow it for now; if it proves overpowered, we'll find a way to curb it. For now, I'll say horn foiling won't be your forte, or at least that I'll be impossible to use the knives while horn foiling. Also, I like the "arcane talents" ending much better than the "alchemical skills" one, as the latter lacks a base in the character's story.