searching Invictus // Act One {OOC}

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Almost two decades ago, the city of Cambraya sat tall and proud against the glittering expanse of the Frozen North.
It was situated on the farthest side of Mount Everhoof, at what many considered to be the very border of the known world. Beyond it lay a vast expanse of lands untouched and unexplored.

Cambraya was a small and humble city, hewn from cold, grey stone as rough and rugged as the landscape around it. There were only a few residential homes, clustered together at the city's heart, but besides those, Cambraya was absolutely dominated by sprawling research buildings, each capped with towering, imposing spires that acted as beacons on the horizon.
The population was even more sparse, at less than three hundred individuals.
It was far from idyllic or homey, and was never meant to be so. Cambraya was a city of research and discovery, though to this day, no pony knows what exactly it was that they studied.
It wasn't such a problem at first. Most if the important details of the city were public record, and it wasn't uncommon for scientists to jealousy hide their research until completed. No pony minded much.

But as far as any pony knows, Cambraya’s research was never completed.

Twenty years ago to the day, couriers from the Crystal Empire, Cambraya’s nearest neighbor, received multiple and consecutive distress signals from within the city. They were choppy and barely legible, but it was obvious that something terrible was happening.
Princess Cadence was quick to respond, and sent a contingent of her soldiers to their aid.
As they trekked their way over Mount Everhoof, faces bent against the icy wind, the soldiers reported seeing a bright, green light in the distance, emanating from what they assumed to be a spire from one of Cambraya’s research facilities. The light pulsed and flickered unnaturally, and each pulse sent out a wave of energy that the soldiers could feel, even from such a distance.
But within a matter of seconds, the light had sputtered and died, almost as quickly as it had appeared.
And so the soldiers pressed onward into Cambraya.
But what they found upon arriving was the complete disappearance of every mare, stallion, and foal in the city. No bodies. No blood. No signs of any struggle.
Cambraya was at rest. Quiet and peaceful. The only sounds around were the whistles of the wind, weaving through the buildings, and the metallic, clanking footsteps of the armored soldiers.

What followed was an entire year of exhaustive investigation into the Cambraya Disaster. Pillars from each of Equestria’s largest communities contributed what they could to solve what had quickly become one of the most unsettling mysteries in pony history.
Anyone and everyone, from Yakyakistan to Mount Aris, all wanted to know the same thing:
What happened to the ponies of Cambraya?

Unfortunately, they would find no answer.
And after months upon months of searching, the hopes of the public faded, until the story of Cambraya was set adrift on the annals of history.
In the twenty long years since the incident, no new clues as to what went on that night have ever been located. No new evidence as to who might be responsible has come to light and, most distressingly, no survivors have ever been found.
 

On this, the twentieth anniversary of the tragic Cambraya Disaster, billionaire philanthropist Maronargo looks you in the eye and asks that same question.

What happened to the ponies of Cambraya?
And, more importantly:
Would you like to find out?

 

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Hiiii there c:
This is my first roleplay on this site,,,,
But! I’ve hosted RPs on plenty of other forums, so uh
Rest assured I do know what I’m doing,,,,

So with that in mind, welcome to Invictus!!!
This is a revamp of a roleplay I did ages ago on another fantasy based forum, now pony-fied for your enjoyment. The premise is based around a 1 x 1 roleplay I did years ago with and old friend, as well as several podcasts that I enjoy listening to, namely Limetown and Lore. Both of which are delightfully spooky and exciting- atmospheres that I hope to emulate here! 

Now I bet you’re wondering about that big old “Act One” slapped onto the title
Invictus is a fairly massive story, split into two parts that I will just label as “Before” and “After” so as to avoid some hefty spoilers. 
Just, rest assured there is a reason. Act Two is called “After” because it is vastly, vastly different from Act One, and I will even be opening up the floor for new participants when we get there. For Reasons,,
Hopefully, that only serves to get you hyped for the story though, because I promise if you hang in there, it’s going to be so much fun!

That said, allow me to explain the setting of Invictus-verse, so we’re all on the same page.

 

It takes place a good thirty years after the canon events of Friendship is Magic. The world hasn’t changed too much, except the characters we all know and love are a great deal older, and technology and magic have been pushed a little farther. Technically the less said about the state of Equestria, the better.
Because Act One takes place far beyond any territory we are familiar with, specifically towards the northeast, beyond Mount Everhoof and Bug Bear Territory.

Your character is contacted by one Phoebus Maronargo, a mysterious philanthropist from the far reaches of Abyssinia. The mystery of the Cambraya Disaster has fascinated him since childhood, and for one reason or another he has chartered you and your companions to look into the situation for him. He has offered to provide you with all the tools and supplies you may need, as well as a hefty sum of cash to compensate you for your services. 

All you need to do is decide whether or not you will accept his offer. 

 

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Rules and Guidelines!!
Please be sure to read them carefully!

• All established forum rules apply always.
• You may use any race within the MLP-verse for your character.
• When submitting your character, please highlight for me why Marenargo would have seen fit to contact them. Give me a reason why they should be in the party.
• When submitting your character, please include the codeword “purple” at the top of your post, to signify that you have read and understand all the rules and guidelines.
• While the main focus of Invictus will always be the story told, feel free to develop your own side-plots for your characters. Used correctly, they can really flesh out the universe.
• Invictus is going to be on the more mature side. So while you should take care to still follow forum rules, you can afford to let loose with your character.

 

 

Participants:

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