Verdigris is a survivor of Trotmund-Hoofson Syndrome, which usually kills foals.  The story of how isn't really known (yet), but there's a rumor Celestia had something to do with it.  As a result, he's an Alicorn, but that's not helping.

Physically, he's a little shy of Celestia's height and size, with a variegated light green, light blue, grey and black coat, with diffuse stripes of those colors through his mane and tail.  He has a large copper-colored patch on his chest that fades into the other colors, hence his name.

Mentally, he has the outlook of a stallion nearly twice his age.  Growing up wasn't easy for him, and he learned a few hard lessons early that stayed with him.

His home town is a small sea-side village far south of Canterlot, where anything new and different isn't liked; he spent his growing years shunned by the (still) superstitious towns-ponies.  As a result, he's self-reliant and reserved.

He's nothing like the other ponies in Oceanside, in more ways than his appearance.

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The being behind Verdigris is a divorced, long-haired, greying, fifty-something ex-Californian who has lived in Florida for the past twenty-plus years.  Former Navy man.  Unrepentant fan of Monty Python, Firefly/Serenity, Star Trek (Excluding Voyager and Enterprise) and Babylon 5.  Horrible punster, and doesn't mind trolling himself or his characters for a few laughs.  Has a sense of humor; you need one with the strange people he hangs out with.

Oh, he sometimes speaks of himself in the third person.  Nothing to worry about, really.  He's not related to Trixie in any way.  How could you think such a thing?

He's also known as Blackstar-1 on FanFiction.net.  You've been warned.