Jump to content

ooc (OOC) Defenders of Equestria


Gabriel Smith

Recommended Posts

Premise

 

To the average pony, Equestria is a happy, wondrous place to live that is presided over by it's wondrous princesses, and defended by the Elements of Harmony and the Royal Guard. It is an ideal Eudamonic society, and has very few problems.

 

Every ordinary Pony has been bought up in the image of a lie.

 

Equestria has been since it's founding (and before even that in many cases) been in a constant state of warfare. Mechanical Husks from an era long forgotten reassemble themselves in the shadows, amassing others like themselves for revenge. Blasphemous monsters from Tartarus, the Netherworld and a thousand other terrible places nopony was meant to know are always on the lookout to invade and subjugate - or worse. Even seemingly sweet and innocent Ponies can be a grave threat to the Princesses, conspiring in Cabals to further the goals of some unseen master, or even practising forbidden magical arts.

 

And the Element Bearers, the Princesses and even the Guardsmen cannot be everywhere at once.

 

And that is where you come in.

 

Overview

 

As the Premise above and the generic title might indicate, Defenders of Equestria is a Roleplay based around a new charecter or an OC who is a member of one of these individual factions. Whether hiding away by choice or by fear of persecution, exile or worse fates (real or imagined), your faction has a history of defending Equestria, and it intends to uphold it at any cost. It is your sword duty to defend Equestria from the threats that lurk on a daily basis.

 

The Factions

 

Monk Orders

 

img-1716409-1-warmachine_ponysona_by_att

An example of a Monk. Click Picture for original source image.

 

Monk Orders practise harmony with the mind and body, and rarely leave their Monastaries. A few Orders however are more combative, sending members of their Order out into the world to prove themselves by fighting to make Equestria a safer place, be it from Bandits or Muggers, to horrible Tartarus Spawn or worse.

 

At first glance, Monks do not look like warriors - their Gi's tend to pass for foreign clothing on Equestrian Soil, but only the unenlightened would take the Monk to be a simple traveller. All Monks are experts at using their Hooves in combat, and can augment it by channelling Ki - a spiritual energy most Ponies generate, but have expended most of it by the time Adulthood has been reached due to focus on other activities. Monks have learned to use Ki energy to empower their Hooves with enough force to shatter solid steel, render their fur harder than diamonds, or other seemingly impossible feats. This gives them an edge when dealing with Extra Equestrian foes.

 

However, the key to Ki energy is concentration. If the Monk channels his energy into his kicks and stamps, he cannot use Ki to protect himself. Consequently if a Monk has hardened his body, his physical attacks will be weaker than normal.

 

For weapons, all Monks are trained extensively with their Hooves, though some have come to use Claws, Staves and Gauntlets to enhance their own power. A Monk has virtually no armour, and thus depends on his Agility to evade and strike his opponent precisely.

 

Species Breakdown: Earth Ponies form 55% of all Monk Initiates, as they seem to generate surprisingly high amounts of Ki. 40% of initiates are Pegasi, whom while not tending to so much Ki, tend to utilise a lot of energy which can help them in combat. Unicorns form the remaining 5%, since most Unicorns do not develop Ki energy at all (since Magic replaces this). However, some Unicorns with extremely weak Magical Potential can boast small amounts of Ki, but will more often than not be outdone by a Pegasi or Earth Pony initiate of the same skill level.

 

Relations with other Groups: Most orders keep themselves to themselves, and thus are relatively secretive as a result. While they will help any party provided their cause is just, prying too closely into a Monastery has resulted in more than one pony conveniently disappearing overnight...

 

Knightly Orders

 

img-1716409-2-prince_knight_light___my_p

An Artist's Impression of how a Knight might have looked. Click Picture for original Source Image.

 

Before the Royal Guard, before the Princesses but sometime after the Windigoes, there were the Knightly Orders. Pre Celestian history is full of tales of these brave and noble warriors, and their famed charges were truly a sight to behold. Even when Discord took power, the Knightly Orders opposed him at every turn and gave no quarter. It is not uncommon to hear a tale or two of an Order who opposed Discord down to the lowliest Squire, and were annihilated in bold and heroic last stands.

 

Truly, it was after Celestia came to power that the Knightly Orders splintered. The Princess wanted to reorganise Equestria's military - and doing so also meant reforming the Knights. Arguing broke out - many Knights argued that Celestia was trampling over valuable tradition in her reforms, and that they would weaken the Order. Others simply chose to remain loyal to Princess and Country. The end result was that the Knightly Orders were dissolved, and formed the basis for the Canterlot Royal Guard.

 

However, this is a half truth. Only a small handful or Knightly Orders turned themselves in. Most of the Orders simply abandoned their old Strongholds, and secretly built new ones in remote areas. They still continue to secretly defend Equestria into the present day, though in nowhere near as many numbers or with similar grandeur.

 

Knights traditionally conformed to three Doctrines.

 

  • Orders that followed the Hospitaliser Doctrine tended towards helping out the common Pony. If ever there was an Order that fought for the weak and helpless, it was the Hospitaliser. Furthermore, Hospitaliser Orders had very advanced knowledge of herbs, medicines and healing magic, which they would use to heal the sick and injured free of charge. Needless to say, Hospitaliser Orders tended to be very popular with most local populations, and especially kept an eye out for recruits with medical knowledge.
  •  
  • Orders that followed the Templar Doctrine were concerned with the many multitude of veils between Equestria and the worlds beyond. All Templar Squires - regardless of their Cutie Mark - were selected because of a single important ability, referred to as the Mark of the Third Eye. This ability allowed them to see the unseen, mainly Ghosts, Spectres and other horrific monsters, and was crucial in fighting them.
  •  
  • Orders that followed the Teutonic Doctrine were some of the most aggressive and militarised orders, but also took their Honourable Warrior stance very seriously. Teutonic Orders however were the least popular, as the majority cared only for battle and little else.
  •  

All Knights however shared similar training and weapons - heavy plated armour (which is infact lighter than most Ponies would believe) was typically combined with a Sword and Shield, with many Knights practising a two-legged stance until it was comfortable (though since they're still four legged creatures, obviously this can be discomforting if kept up for long periods of time). Other favoured weapons included the Morningstar (a two handed Mace with two heads attached to a chain), Axes, Hammers and their traditional signature weapon, the Lance.

 

Species Breakdown: Knightly Orders will recruit from every species regardless of qualifications - they are however very much a Merit based organisation, and thus new recruits (referred to as Squires) will already have been seasoned warriors long before joining up. Of special note however are Unicorns, who receive additional training to become Spellswords (if Teutonic), Paladins (if Templar) or Wardens (if Hospitaliser). This allows them to focus their Magic on martial pursuits, dealing with threats from beyond the veil and tending to the sick and injured respectively.

 

Relations with other Groups: Knights keep themselves apart, but do keep open relations with other Organisations, on the condition that their presence is kept a secret (it is widely believed by orders that something terrible would happen if Celestia ever caught word they existed). Of especial note is the Inquisition and Templar Knights, who work together frequently due to their complementary abilities (the Inquisitor does the investigating, the Templar does the heavy lifting - so to speak).

 

The Inquisition

 

post-16722-0-93765100-1375566704_thumb.png

 

Inquisitor Trixie is not amused. Unfortunately, the source image could not be located, so this one is borrowed from a Booru. If you know the Artist in question, please give us a call so I can correct this!

 

The Inquisiton does not have a good reputation in Equestrian History. Formed at the time of Discord's reign, the Inquisition sought to protect the common Pony from his evil. As time passed and some Ponies started siding with Discord as hope waned, the Inquisition started becoming even more extreme with their methords. Stories of torture and mutilation passed from Pony to Pony as the Inquisition became almost paranoid and insane at just how despair ridden things were becoming.

 

So naturally when Celestia took power, the Inquisition were made enemies of the state.

 

In truth, most of the Stories passed around had been the work of individuals termed "radicals" by the Inquisition. Suspected Radicals were given a fair trial, and expelled if they were deemed to have gone too far. The Inquisition destroyed roughly 70% of itself in this fashion.

 

The Inquisition then had some serious rebuilding to do. While they share no love for Celestia (for the knowledge that if Celestia caught even the slightest hint of their activities, she would send the Royal Guard to hunt them down and expunge them from Equestrian soil), they still work to defend and make amends to the common Pony. Many Pony families find large tracts of Bits from mysteriously clothed strangers left at their doors.

 

In addition, the Inquisition has kept an eye out for dangers to said Ponies. Their agents work more akin to a Private Investigator, using knowledge, wit and deduction on their cases. When the villain is caught, he is then either banished or subdued. Many a Cabal or Demon that would be a problem has been silenced in this manner.

 

While Inquisitors do carry weapons, they prefer small, easily concealable devices - typically Knives and Daggers, though more exotic weapons have been noted occasionally. In truth though, it is an Inquisitor's mind that is his greatest weapon - his ability to think and act quickly, as well as the ability to read a Pony's body language allows the Inquisitor to nearly instantly assess and calculate a course of action. That said, an Inquisitor is not really a physical fighter - he lacks the agility and finesse of the Monk, or the staying power and brute force of the Knight.

 

Species Breakdown: Much like Knights, Inquisitors will hire almost everyone, though Unicorns typically get top billing due to their magical capability (Which is beyond useful in their line of work). Due to their lower intelligence, an Inquisitorial Earth Pony is a rarity.

 

Relations with other Groups: Terrible. Most groups simply do not trust the Inquisition on account of all the torture and mutilation - real or rumoured - the group is accused of. However, Templar Knights often find themselves teaming up with Inquisitors since the two often go after similar opponents.

 

Developers Note: Yes, I wasn't sure if we should go with the Inquisition or not, due to the images all the people have of Witch Hunting, Mutilation and the ever loving burning of things. While lampshaded in the fiction as being a very bad thing the organisation has tried stamping out, we know what most people are thinking here.

 

To be fair, it was a feverish idea burst at 11 last night. I didn't have a lot of alternatives coming to mind, and they bought something here narratively. Besides, choice demands a third group!

 

Rules

 

  1. All the Normal RP rules apply here.
  2. Yes I know it's tempting, but try to keep it to somewhere around PG-13 if possible. Aim for a British 15 Certificate as a worst-case scenario (if the US equivalent is indeed an R rating, disregard this line as I am POOR and BRITISH).
  3. We may not be using dice, but for the love of Celestia, TAKE HITS. Cakewalking your way though a fight makes a boring story. On that note, if I catch any Sues in the thread, I will befall fates upon you worse than what the Inquisition can provide.
  4. To put this out here now, I tend to design opposition that is not exactly standard RP fare. Consider this a warning.
  5. Good Luck, Have Derp.

FAQ

 

What about my Canterlot Royal Guard OC?

 

Nothing against them, but they are not the focus here. That said, I will approve of them, but you'll need to talk to me first about it, m'kay?

 

Can I suggest a Group?

 

I have nothing against suggestions of groups from others. However, I reserve the right to reject your idea for any reason (typical reason being it simply doesn't fit).

 

What races are you allowing?

 

For now, Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi. Other species are being considered, with the only ones not being allowed are Alicorns (because Alicorns, amiright?).

 

Can I use my OC, or do I need to make a new character?

 

If you can think of a way to make your OC fit (if he doesn't already), I will have no issues with you using an established OC. I will however be pruning over his sheet, which may prompt in negotiations.

 

Will you be using Atlas?

 

At this point in time, no. For now, I'm going to be far too busy with the whole Gaia role to be using GMPC's or the like.

 

I'll make a new character template when I wake up tomorrow at some time, provided some pony reads it. Right now though, I think Atlas is demanding his snuggles. And I am tirrrreee...zzz...

 

Character Sheet

 

This is based upon @'s character submission, albiet modified. Why? Because I have things to do, and I am still waking up, even as the clock treads on closer to 9AM (I need caffine! X3). Please note that some of these fields can be skipped if your OC exists in the database, though you may need to adjust some of them.

 

Name: Your character's name, Quest and Favourite Colour go here.

 

Age: How old your character is. Since your mainly a regular joe among the individual groups, we suggest somewhere roughly between 8 and 12. For those doing the math in Human ageing, this would calculate somewhere between 18 and 25.

 

Appearance: Either a short text paragraph, or an image to show what your Character looks like. Something out of that OC Pony Maker thingy-madoodle will suffice.

 

Affiliation: Is your character Monk, Knight or Inquisitor? Note that new factions suggested will need to be run past by me first.

 

Skills: Any appropriate skills your character has, along with a short (i.e: sentence or two) description of what it does. Note that skills automatically given to a Character (such as Mark of the Third Eye) are automatically assumed to be part of the character. We recommend no more than three skills to begin with. More would be subject to scrutinisation from us.

 

Equipment: Your character's starting equipment. Note that this is all given to you by your faction, and is thus free, but within reason - nobody is going to trust you with an Infinity +1 sword just yet. All characters are automatically assumed to have a purse containing 400 bits and a week's supply of food and water somewhere on his person, in addition to anything else he might be carrying.

 

Personality: How your Charecters acts and behaves, including interacting with others.

 

Backstory: Give a short backstory for your character. A paragraph or two at the most.

 

...I'm going to need to come up with a definitive list of skills and equipment now aren't I?

 

Character Slots

 

I've decided to limit slots for this RP, mostly because it would make things easier to keep up with. I am after all a tea drinking British moron, and so most of you will be active and posting when I go to bed. That said, people who have been accepted will be listed below.

 

In no particular order -

 

Confirmed

  1. Frosty V - Jaeger
  2. Higurashi - Steeleye Sungazer
  3. Hardway Bet - Power Trip
Edited by Gabriel Smith
Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-16722-0-54623200-1375600055.jpg

 

Right, FLAME SHIELD ENGAGED! LET'S DO THIS!

 

http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/acheron-r3018

I think this one would best fit in the Inquisition faction seeing as his magic is forbidden and also the fact that he'd have no qualms in giving someone a dreadful fate...

 

Actually, that sounds like the sort of individual they'd be going after - forbidden magic is still forbidden magic, and a threat to everyone.

 

This sounds interesting, but my OC wouldn't fit in this rp unless you add a pirate faction, which is unlikely...

 

It would take work, but I'd be inclined towards Pirates. Provided there's a Ninja faction as well X3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

attachicon.gif2262045-FlameShield.jpg

 

Right, FLAME SHIELD ENGAGED! LET'S DO THIS!

 

 

 

Actually, that sounds like the sort of individual they'd be going after - forbidden magic is still forbidden magic, and a threat to everyone.

 

 

 

It would take work, but I'd be inclined towards Pirates. Provided there's a Ninja faction as well X3

Crap... dang it, okay what am I supposed to do now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am most definitely interested in joining this, but I'm not sure about what group I would join, and it's almost 3 AM. So for now I guess I'll just declare my interest in this and get back to you later, after I've gotten some sleep.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am most definitely interested in joining this, but I'm not sure about what group I would join, and it's almost 3 AM. So for now I guess I'll just declare my interest in this and get back to you later, after I've gotten some sleep.

 

Noted. I await your decision when you are of more sound of mind and body. Until then, I'll be juggling things X3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are we allowed to have more than one character? I'm having trouble deciding which knightly order to join, but if I could join more than one, that would be easier.

 

Yes, your limited to one Order. This is however a Per Character thing, so if you think you can keep up with things...

 

Also, Gotta sit down and draft up a Character Template. Why today had to be Sunday I will never know X3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Gabriel Smith,

I'm going to use my character Steeleye: http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/steeleye-sungazer-r1455 for this rp. Here's a short C-sheet to detail what I'm shooting for.

 

Name: Knight-Paladin Steeleye Sungazer

Affiliation: The Ordo Templaris (on loan to the Inquisition)

Role: Escort / Interrogation

Skills: Combat Magic (weapon wielding and defensive ward spells), Mark of the Third Eye, Expansive Photographic Memory (He has borderline-perfect memory and recall due to his cutie-mark.)

 

Thoughts: It would be rather cool if we got an Inquisition character that I could pair him with. ~Squee~ :wub:

Edited by Higurashi
  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Gabriel Smith,

I'm going to use my character Steeleye: http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/steeleye-sungazer-r1455 for this rp. Here's a short C-sheet to detail what I'm shooting for.

 

Name: Knight-Paladin Steeleye Sungazer

Affiliation: The Order Templaris (on loan to the Inquisition)

Role: Escort / Interrogation

Skills: Combat Magic (weapon wielding and defensive ward spells), Mark of the Third Eye, Expansive Photographic Memory (He has borderline-perfect memory and recall due to his cutie-mark.)

 

Thoughts: It would be rather cool if we got an Inquisition character that I could pair him with. ~Squee~ :wub:

 

If nobody signs up for one, it's very likely I'll introduce one as an NPC. Regardless, Character approved.

 

Also, Templaris? Last I checked, even back then it was still just Templar X3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright. As well as my suggestion (See PM), if you don;t like that, I might join as an Inquisition character.

 

Wondering whether to join as Grand Inquisitor... nah. I'll just pop in as an OC that I haven't put to on the sheet yet. Please do me a favor and save me a spot if my suggestion doesn't work. Please?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(edited)

Alright, I guess I'll be joining the hospitaliser knights with the character I just made. Since he's new, his profile isn't fleshed out as much as I'd like yet, but it should suffice. Anyway, here's the link: http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/guardian-r4105.

 

 

I would like to join this RP, but im not sure if my OC fits. If I need to make a new one just let me know and I'll start working. Also I'll take that spot to be pairs for the steeleye character.

 

OC:http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/frost-typhoon-r4102

 

Well, kindest thing I can do is take a look...

 

@@Frosty V,  - I like his personality, but the main problem here is the backstory. This is why I've learned that linking OC's to canonical characters doesn't work.

 

@@Alex Kennedy - Well I don't know about "Gentle Giant" since Atlas is much, much bigger X3

 

Jokes asides, no major issues with this Character, though if you want to refine it a bit more feel free.

 

Alright. As well as my suggestion (See PM), if you don;t like that, I might join as an Inquisition character.

 

Wondering whether to join as Grand Inquisitor... nah. I'll just pop in as an OC that I haven't put to on the sheet yet. Please do me a favor and save me a spot if my suggestion doesn't work. Please?

 

@ - I've thought and I've thought about your decision, and your post here only forces my hand to reach a conclusion.

 

And that conclusion is a resounding no.

 

I did read your message, and was weirded out by it - so I decided to go sleep on it. And I find this when I wake up. You are solely interested in wresting away some power from us. I think your not even interested in this at all, and the evidence here speaks for itself. Your suggestions go against the very nature of the RP - infact plans at the minute don't even involve Tartarus*!

 

So my final decision is no.

 

* Because I can't add proper footnotes, I do have plans for Tartarus, just not right now. We'll be dealing with that eventually, just not right now.

 

Right, with that yelling out of the way, I suppose I should get to setting up slots and sheets, shouldn't I?

Edited by Gabriel Smith
  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Well I don't know about "Gentle Giant" since Atlas is much, much bigger X3

 

That's exactly what I was thinking the whole time I was making the character. Atlas is definitely more "giant", and perhaps more "gentle" as well, for that matter. I didn't want him to be freak of nature kind of big, but just much larger and stronger than an average pony, whereas Atlas is essentially built on a whole different scale than normal ponies.

 

On an random side note, in battle he wields a tower shield and mace when in a two-legged stance, and when on all fours, he uses only the tower shield, levitated by his magic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's exactly what I was thinking the whole time I was making the character. Atlas is definitely more "giant", and perhaps more "gentle" as well, for that matter. I didn't want him to be freak of nature kind of big, but just much larger and stronger than an average pony, whereas Atlas is essentially built on a whole different scale than normal ponies.

 

On an random side note, in battle he wields a tower shield and mace when in a two-legged stance, and when on all fours, he uses only the tower shield, levitated by his magic.

 

Hey! Atlas is cuddly! VERY cuddly! Your just jelly because the two of you have never met X3

 

On a side note, I've put up a quick Character Sheet above. Feel free to adjust and/or modify your Character as you see fit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the last thing I'm doing before I go to bed, so don't expect very high quality.


 


Name: Guardian, to protect the weak, orange


Age: 27 in human years, but looks like he's in his late teens


Appearance: 


Affiliation: Hospitaliser knight


Skills: 


 


Healing/protection magic: Exactly as the name implies, he's skilled in magic that heals wounds or protects ponies from harm (magical barries and the like). His magic is only about average overall, though.


 


Sturdy: He can take a hit and barely even seem to notice. Thanks to years of fighting, he's learned to largely ignore pain, and his natural size and strength make it difficult to seriously injure him.


 


(I might add a third skill later)


 


Equipment: Tower shield, mace, heavy plate armor. He rarely fights, and thus hardly ever uses the mace, but he makes a point of keeping it, and the rest of his equipment, very well cleaned and maintained.

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Gabriel Smith, You didn't have to announce it in front of the world... but that's alright. :) I respect your decision.

 

I'm sorry if I sounded like Wheatley a power hungry moron. I wrote it just before going to bed. I read, "Tartarus," And I thought, "practice with demons for my newest RP in the making." Yeah... sorry. It sounded like Tartarus was going to be one of the themes.

 

Though... Can I still join?

 

Name: Solar Flare

Age: 24

Appearance: He is a yellow Earth Pony with red hair. He has several scars across his body, the most noticable being right across his chest. His cutie mark is a sun behind two crossed blades.

Affiliation: Inquisition

Skills: ((still thinking...))

 

Equipment: He has light leather armor, two short swords, four flash crystals, and, for when he "gets to buisness," A large weapon that can be folded or unfolded. When unfolded, it looks like a large sword, when folded, an axe. It can be used in combat either way, but he prefers the sword form.

 

Better? I'm still thinking of skills that I can use for him...

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Gabriel Smith, You didn't have to announce it in front of the world... but that's alright. :) I respect your decision.

 

I'm sorry if I sounded like Wheatley a power hungry moron. I wrote it just before going to bed. I read, "Tartarus," And I thought, "practice with demons for my newest RP in the making." Yeah... sorry. It sounded like Tartarus was going to be one of the themes.

 

Though... Can I still join?

 

Name: Solar Flare

Age: 24

Appearance: He is a yellow Earth Pony with red hair. He has several scars across his body, the most noticable being right across his chest. His cutie mark is a sun behind two crossed blades.

Affiliation: Inquisition

Skills: ((still thinking...))

 

Equipment: He has light leather armor, two short swords, four flash crystals, and, for when he "gets to buisness," A large weapon that can be folded or unfolded. When unfolded, it looks like a large sword, when folded, an axe. It can be used in combat either way, but he prefers the sword form.

 

Better? I'm still thinking of skills that I can use for him...

 

It's alright, I may have snapped harder than I intended to.

 

Besides, this isn't "Traditional Brony Headcanon Tartarus" - especially given like Alicorn, the traditional depiction is a misnomer based on misconceptions. It's entirely likely if I had accepted the suggestion, you and I would still be butting heads over everything.

 

Regardless, I will get to reading your charecter though eventually. Probably after Lunch. And some Saint's Row related action. The morning has been very busy busy.

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like my character to not be a part of any of the groups. He works alone.

However, he would have a good rep. with the monks branch, as well as the knights. but the Inquisition despises him, as well as he despises them.

Is that okay?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...