878480

*Smiles at Eastern* Thanks, but we both know you already can, as much as you don't think so sometimes.

879185
I like to believe everyone who joined this group has the capabilities to write great stuff, though I will admit my forte lies in drawing rather then script. Your writing is still pretty boss. :)

879336

Well thank you kindly, Broadsword. Your drawing's nothing to sneeze at either from what I've seen of it.

878165
Damn! how long did this take to write?

879386

Approximately 3 and a half hours from 3:30 AM until 7 AM this morning. I don't particularly recommend doing something like that too often though, I got 5 hours of sleep and I still feel like this ->

I like to think it was worth it though.

... The difficulty of deciding who to put into what position is not becoming easier. Quite the opposite... Dang it there's some talent trying for this.

877601
And to answer your first question about the squads... No. In a small-squad based campaign I could see it however this is a large-scale conflict campaign. Making squads out of various units would be nigh impossible for me to keep track of. You can have a squad of one type of unit working with another of course, but custom-squad-building is unfortunately out of the question.

As for the second part about the investing, that sounds like a rather inventive solution to the money problem. I'm all for it. It'll of course be a might bit more unpredictable, I won't have much to base it off of other than common sense, but I can think of no reason a character wouldn't be able to do that, at least to a degree, especially in Whitegold, so certainly. Be smart about it and I'll probably reward you for it, unless you have terrible luck.

As for your individual analysis of the Houses, that sounds more or less right, pending alteration for game purposes of course. Everyone has an economy of some kind though, even Everfree... there's is just worse than all the others since they're actively trying to get to a point where it's no longer needed. So the short answer is no to squad mixing, yes to investing.

878165

"You say that these were in Pristine condition last time you checked?" Storm asked, looking over the Chariots.

"Yes sir," The quartermaster said, nodding. "The hubcaps were even polished."

"And when you came in this morning, this was their condition?"

"That's right."

"And they weren't used for any missions last night?"

"No sir, no one made a request for use!"

"Hmmm..." Storm was no detective, but he had learned a thing or two during his time with Fact Finder, who had been a Manehattan Private Investigator. "We have a couple of bloodstains here... This wheel looks like it's about to fall off... and this looks like a broken Ground Guard spear..."

"It's just like I said, they're trashed!" Special Delivery sounded irritated, not that Storm could blame him.

"Hold on..." Storm squinted. "What's that?"

(ABILITY ACTIVATED: Keen Observer)

"It's fur...And it looks familiar..."

"By Celestia!" The Quartermaster said. "I never would have noticed that!"

"Seeing things that are difficult to spot is my special talent," Storm said, shrugging. "On both a small scale and a large scale."

"I bet that's useful."

"More than you know." Storm studied the fur. "I think I know who's fur this is..."

"Who's?"

Breeze...

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened here..."

"What is it?!"

"A few of the soldiers must have gotten into a scuffle," Storm lied, standing up straight. "The Chariots must have gotten in the middle of it and got damaged."

"Ah. That makes sense."

"There's no way to tell who it was though, sorry Special."

"Fine... I'll just need to get them repaired before I send them out."

"See too it that you do." Storm nodded. "I'll have to get back to my unit."

~~~

"Commander Breeze did WHAT?!" The Sergeant sounded outraged. "She used our scout reports to launch an unauthorized attack?!"

"By all accounts, yes." Storm said. "It was a very bold move... and reckless."

"Can she do that?!"

"No," Storm said, shaking his head. "But we've broken the rules plenty of times ourselves."

"Dammit... that conscript is starting to do our jobs for us!"

"Calm down, we're all on the same side."

"Oh? That's quite a different tune from Yesterday when we were placed in a support role." The Sergeant snickered. "Is that Conscript Commander making you soft sir?"

"Don't you have a scouting mission to do?" Storm said, gritting his teeth. "Get to it! before I decide to redirect your trip to the border to a trip into Canterlot itself! I want a report in a few hours!"

The Soldier smirked, but did as ordered.

"One of these days sir, you won't be able to use missions as an excuse to end conversations."

"Right, just as soon as Tatarus freezes over. Get moving!"

As the Pegasus departed, Storm was joined a fully disguised Cipher.

"I will be taking my leave ssssoon my friend," The Changeling whispered. "If you wish me to help deliver your mare-friendsssss messssssage, we must obtain it quickly."

"She is not-...You know what? It's not worth it." Storm said, obviously aggravated and refusing to give Cipher the benefit of seeing him react. "Let's just go get that message. We'll see if she's with her unit. Just.. for the love of Celestia just stay QUIET!"

879452
So will you message us separately on who in or out or will you post it on Forum?

879936

For character selection? Seperately by personal messaging. The editing process will be done character by character for the selected for a faction. If we are unable to agree on the editing, then the next character in line for that faction will be selected for the editing process. Once the editing has been done fully, and the character is confirmed, the player and character for the faction will be posted up.

880010
Ok I can go with that.

879404
Your right it was worth it. I hope you get/got some more sleep.

880042

Well thank you. And nope, still haven't gotten any more sleep, but I think I'll turn in extra early tonight and I'll probably sleep like a log.

880069
Lol I think your Vinyl Scratch pic is probably how your feeling right now.

880104

Ha! I was just thinking the same thing.

879890

(Okay, I promise this post isn't nearly as long as my last one, less than half as long in fact. It does contain a description of an encounter Calm Breeze had with the Cult of Laughter, nothing too gore-y but certainly more graphic than my previous posts, so fair warning to you all.)

The Central Northern Expansion, just south of the independent town of Trottingham. It’s an evening in early spring and a small group of Stormwing soldiers lead by two unicorns are advancing on a grove of trees from which the sounds of strange music and laughter can be heard…

“Well, Lieutenant Ward,” Calm Breeze whispers as the column comes to a stop still some distance from the trees, ”you’re the volunteer here, that means you outrank me. How do you suggest we do this?”

“Simple, Conscript Lieutenant Breeze,” replied the dark purple stallion, voice touched by the Canterlotian accent he had back before he could no longer stand the superiority of the residents of that city, “you shall take your squad and move around the back of the grove, and I shall move in directly and engage them. Once you are in position, I want you to move in and strike those Smilers from behind while I have them distracted. Textbook bait and switch.”

Calm Breeze nods, “Sounds like a plan, Lieutenant.” She turns back and signals for her squad to follow her as she sneaks around to the far side of the trees, keeping a careful eye on the figures that seem to be dancing in a circle around a large fire.

A few minutes later, she and her squad are in position. They had lost sight of the camp as the passed around a small ridge an as they come around the far side it strikes her as odd that she doesn’t hear any sounds of fighting; Magic Ward said he would be attacking the camp first, and he should have engaged them by now. As she and her troops get closer and closer to the bonfire, the sight that greets their eyes horrifies them.

Lieutenant Ward and his squad are indeed among the troupe of Cultists, but they aren’t fighting them, they’re dancing with them. Round and round in merry circles, gay smiles adorn their faces and they appear to be under some sort of hypnotic trance-like state.

“Commander!” A voice calls out, though its origins are unclear. Lieutenant Breeze and her squad stand still, transfixed by the hideous display. None of them have encountered any organized troupes of the Cult of Laughter before, and none of them were prepared for the macabre spectacle they saw before them.

One by one, the Cultists turn on the poor ponies they have somehow enchanted, three were clobbered by mauls swung by grinning Revelers, two met their demise in a gruesome “group hug” from a Smiling Doll, one particularly unfortunate soul was tossed into the bonfire itself, he cackled manically as the flames engulfed him.

“Commander!” the voice called out again, source still unknown. A part in the back of Calm Breeze’s mind tells her the voice is familiar, but it can’t be calling for her, she’s still only a Lieutenant.

Finally, the troupe turns to the last remaining member of Lieutenant Ward’s squad, its leader. He stands there giggling like a foal as the Cultists surround him. Then one pony, a farmer who had fallen on hard times and turned to the Cult for solace, advances towards the delusional unicorn, he raises his pitchfork high, and plants it squarely in Magic wards face, letting out a scream of laughter as he watches the live drain from his eyes, smile still etched cheek to cheek across his face.

“Noooooo!” screams Calm Breeze, the sight of the other officer being brutally murdered finally snapping her out of shock. She turns to the rest of her squad and yells, “Have at them!” her whole unit is roused from their daze and they go screaming forward out of the trees and into the clearing that has so recently been covered in the blood of their comrades.

Calm Breeze is in a fevered rage as she reaches the first Cultist, everything turns blurry as she plants her spear through his chest, pulls her sword from its sheath, readies to swing it clear through the mad pony’s neck. Eager to take revenge for the fallen squad, she swings with all her might and-

“Commander Calm Breeze!”

Calm Breeze sits bolt upright in her cot, a cold sweat covering her body. She blinks a few times and looks around. As things come into focus she can see that she is within her tent, still on the hill near the edge of Stormwing territory, many miles away from the site of the horrendous slaughter she now realizes she was only reliving in a dream.

“Commander Calm Breeze, are you awake? There’s someone here to see you.”
She now recognizes the voice as that of Recruit Scowler. The dark-grey earth stallion is standing outside her tent, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of walking in on a potentially sleeping mare, especially his commanding officer. “Yes, Scowler, I’m awake. Who is it?”

“It’s Lieutenant Storm Chaser, Ma’am. He wants to talk to you. He says it’s very urgent, something about using his scouting reports without asking.”

Oh boy, this’ll be fun. “Tell him I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Yes, Commander.”

As she hears Recruit Scowler trot off, Calm Breeze rises to her hooves and shakes her head, pushing out the last vestiges of the nightmare she desperately wished hadn’t actually happened. She then quickly slides on her armor, neglecting the helmet as always. She then digs around for a pair of scrolls she means to give to Storm Chaser. As she does so she spies her face in the small mirror she was issued “so that you may maintain the proper appearance befitting a Stormwing officer” and sees that her mane is in such a state that from all the tossing and turning in her sleep that maybe a helmet would be a good idea after all. She dismisses this notion and, having found the scrolls, one large one bearing the address of her family home back in Manehattan on it and one much smaller one with the phrase “For Dusty” scribbled on the outside, she walks out to greet her visitor.

***

“Well, that went better than I thought.” Calm Breeze says to herself as she re-enters her tent, having talked with Storm Chaser about the unauthorized raid he figured out she conducted the night before, “So nice of him to agree not to tell command that he figured out I did it.” and having given him the two scrolls: one containing a message to her father for Storm to deliver through his contacts; and the other, information about the High Inquisitor who had murdered his family, ‘delicately extracted’ from the Inquisitor they captured the night before.

As she removes her armor and once more lies down on her cot to hopefully grab some actual rest for once, Calm Breeze muses, “You know, he really is a nice stallion. It’s great to know he’s got my back if I need him. Perhaps if this horrible war wasn’t on the two of us might…” she pauses, then shakes her head, “Nah, silly Breezy, he’s too much of an old-timer.” With that she giggles softly and shuts her eyes, drifting off to one of Princess Luna's favorite (former?) domains: the Land of Dreams.

(Probably one of the last posts of this length I'm going to make for a little while, hope you enjoy it. Oh, and I bet you thought the note to Storm Chaser was a love note, didn't you? )

880808
(Probably for the best, we're making a decision impossible on the poor GM )

Storm continued to read the scroll that Breeze had given him, memorizing and dedicating every detail to memory.

The murderer of my family... Storm thought. Fact might be the reason they're gone, but this High Inquisitor was the one who did the deed... he deserves no more mercy than that lying bastard...

"Have you got the message?"

Storm turned to see a disguised Cipher standing right behind him.

"I do," Storm said, handing it over. "You know where to go with it?"

"Yes," Cipher said. "I'll make sure it gets to Manehattan."

"Good," Storm nodded. "But I have one more favor to ask..."

"Does it involve the-?"

"No, this doesn't involve Breeze. At least, it doesn't anymore." The Earth Pony handed over the scroll. "Take a look."

"This... this is information on a High Inquisitor..."

"Correct."

"But there's nothing here about Fact."

"No, but this is the bastard Horn-head that did the deed."

"Ah..."

"I need this delivered to Desert Sun in Canterlot. He'll know what to do with it."

"I can't imagine he'll be happy to see me..."

"Maybe not, but he'll get over it."

"Very well," Cipher bowed slightly. "I will take my leave then."

"Thank you my friend," Storm said, putting a hoof on the Changeling's shoulder. "I owe you a great deal."

"With all the good you have done for me and the others?" Cipher shook his head. "No, you owe me nothing. Until next time my friend."

With that, Cipher stretched out his wings, taking flight into the skies.

"Until then..."

"Sir?"

One of Storm's scouts tapped him on the soldier.

"Yes?"

"We've concluded our scouting missions. Nothing's happening sir, Moon and Star are probably wary of sending more patrols after those conscripts attacked last night."

"That's... that's good news..."

"Sir, we can handle things from here. You could probably use a rest."

"I'm fine Sergeant."

"With respect sir, you're not. You're running on fumes, and we can all tell. Go get some rest, we have matters in hand."

"Very well. I'll be back in two hours. If anything happens, don't hesitate to get me."

So sleep it is... and dreams of sweet vengeance will follow...

881316

Very well, it is decided. We shall declare a truce until such time as either one of us is selected or another challenger should appear (at which point we shall gang up on er- I mean, we will welcome them into the competition with open arms, er- forelegs) .

881636

Yes....
We welcome the new people...

(Well, this is drastically incomplete, however even without the full unit list for Moon and Star I want to show that some kind of progress is being made. So here you go, all things are subject to change on whim, and the Traits are mainly a way for me to keep track of what makes a unit the unit and give me a better idea what to do.)

EVERFREE PLAYER:

Wildling Ponies: Squads of 10. Class: 1 Cost: 10 Bits. Maintenance: 1 Bit
ATTACK: +3
DEFENSE: -1
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Fast
TRAITS: Berserker, Fast, Unarmored, Offensive Force, Poorly Armed, Brave.
SPECIAL: Heart of the Forest: The Wildling Ponies belong in the Everfree Forest, it calls to them, caresses them, challenges them. It is their heart and their soul, and when in the Everfree Forest it gives them its power. Wildling Ponies gain a +3 to Attack and Defense when fighting in the Everfree Forest.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Wildling Champion: The Wildling Ponies come from the villages and settlements of the Everfree forest. In the villages contests of strength and power are constant, and from these contests the Champions are born, Wildling Ponies who have proven that their power is without question, and bear great honors painted upon their coats and braided into their manes, trophies of defeated enemies taken. They inspire every Wildling around them, and lead the charge against their enemies, eager to prove their prowess against their foes.

Zebra Skirmishers: Squads of 4. Class: 1 Cost: 30 Bits. Maintenance: 5 Bits

ATTACK: +8
DEFENSE: -2
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Fast
TRAITS: Ranged, Fast, Stealthy, Poisons, Underhanded, Accurate, Unarmored, Experienced, Offensive Force.
SPECIAL: Forest Shadow: The Zebra Skirmishers, when fighting in the Everfree Forest, are able to move with complete stealth. They are unable to be attacked by enemy squads until their position is revealed. They reveal their position for a turn after launching an attack upon the enemy, with a +4 to damage. If not in melee, they can fade back into the forest after the one turn of revelation.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Equipment Upgrade: Venoms of Blackest Bile: The Zebra Skirmisher poisons are actually comparatively tame to some of the weapons that the Equestria Divided war has seen produced. However, with the need for lethal force increasing, the Zebra Tribes are once again concocting their most dangerous and wicked poisons for use by the Skirmishers, bringing true pain and terror to their afflicted enemies.

EARTHBORN PLAYER:

Ponies-at-Arms: Squads of 10. Class: 1 Cost: 35 Bits. Maintenance: 5 Bits

ATTACK: +2.
DEFENSE: +4.
WOUND POINTS: 2
MOVEMENT: Slow
TRAITS: Well Armored, Drilled, Trained, Tough as Nails, Strong as Stone, Brave, Slow.
SPECIAL: Hard as Stone: Ponies-at-Arms squads can form together into formations, a maximum of five to a formation. These formations bring down the movement to Very Slow, however whenever attacked, by range or melee, a +2 to Defense is gained for each squad.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Sergeant-at-Arms: The Sergeant is a tough and grizzled Pony-at-Arms who is used to giving orders and taking hits. The Sergeant’s tough and strict discipline rallies the Ponies-at-Arms to fight harder and more efficiently in an organized group, and he stands shoulder to shoulder with them, ready to take as many blows as he tells them to stand against.

Battle Buckers: Squads of 6. Class: 1 Cost: 50 Bits. Maintenance: 10 Bits

ATTACK: +8
DEFENSE: +0
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Slow
TRAITS: Explosives, Ranged, Strong as Stone, Brave, Slow, Experienced.
SPECIAL: Family Ties: The Battle Buckers are a close-knit group, a lot of them family members, so whenever another Battle Bucker unit dies they get angrier. For every Battle Bucker squad wiped out, every other Battle Bucker squad gains a +2 to Attack, to a maximum of +10. Effect ends at battle’s conclusion.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Equipment Upgrade: Dragon Powder Bombs: The Battle Buckers typical bombs are replaced with a new powder made from a mixture of blasting powders and crushed dragon scales, found to be a heck of a lot more powerful an explosive than the previous set. The Battle Buckers may be a bit uneasy around the new, somewhat more volatile explosives, but they definitely pack a lot more of a kick than their old bombs.

CULT OF LAUGHTER PLAYER:

Converted Townsfolk: Squads of 12. Class: 1 Cost: 10 Bits. Maintenance: 1 Bit

ATTACK: -2
DEFENSE: -4
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Medium
TRAITS: Insane, Fanatical, Poorly Armed, Unarmored, Expendable, Weak.
SPECIAL: Suicide Cult: This ability only works if there is a Necromancer in the player’s Troupe. The Converted Townsfolk kill themselves during the turn, and immediately upon the next turn rise as Laughing Dead.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Prancing Preacher: The Converted Townsfolk are led by one who has been “touched” by the Laughing Mare. This pony is a happy soul, laughing, dancing, singing, and whipping the converted up into a frenzy into which they’re happy to give their lives for the Laughing Mare. They readily sacrifice themselves as fodder with this merry being leading them, and do everything they can to take as many of the Laughing Mare’s enemies with them.

Revelers: Squads of 8. Class: 1 Cost: 25 Bits. Maintenance: 1 Bit
ATTACK: +4
DEFENSE: -2
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Medium
TRAITS: Insane, Berserker, Fanatical, Experienced, Merciless.
SPECIAL: Frenzy: If the Revelers entered combat in previous turns and are still in the same confrontation this turn, then they may enter into a frenzy, gaining +4 Attack at the expense of -2 Defense. This ability is reusable during the same battle.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Revered Reveler: These elite revelers come not from petty militias and bandit groups, but from the former Royal Guard groups of Celestia and Luna. Powerful bloodthirsty warriors, driven mad by the state of collapse Equestria has suffered, they exist only to shed blood in the name of the Laughing Mare, so that she might come and make Equestria a happy land again. These Revelers are typically better armed and armored than their kin, and though just as crazy, much tougher and much more skilled.

STORMWING PLAYER:

Pegasi Hoplites: Squads of 6. Class: 1 Cost: 100 Bits. Maintenance: 10 Bits
ATTACK: +6
DEFENSE: +4
WOUND POINTS: 2
MOVEMENT: Fast
TRAITS: Well-Armored, Drilled, Well-Trained, Fast, Offensive Force, Brave, Elite.
SPECIAL: Cloud Ambush: Pegasi Hoplites hide behind a cloud, bringing their speed down to slow and moving the cloud as well as hiding behind it. When an enemy passes close enough, the Pegasi Hoplites can emerge and attack with a +6 Attack for that turn only. This ability is reusable, and the Pegasi can only hide when they are out of sight and have clouds to hide behind.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Hoplite Spartiate: The Spartiate is an elite veteran of battle, honed by years of war and armed with advanced equipment and additional weaponry. The Spartiates are formed from the shattered remnants of the first Phalanxes, all Pegasi Hoplite armies, of the House Stormwing. Now outdated, the Phalanxes have been replaced by multi-group Strike Forces, but these elite Pegasi who have survived the worst that the war has to offer are still highly respected and powerful upon the battlefield, and are thus assigned to Hoplite squads to bolster the ranks of the Pegasi, and act as living legends for the new recruits to look up to.

Ground Guard: Squads of 10. Class: 1 Cost: 20 Bits. Maintenance: 5 Bits
ATTACK: +1
DEFENSE: +3
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Medium
TRAITS: Conscripted, Drilled, Well-Armored, Defensive Force, Well-Trained,
SPECIAL: Honor and Glory: Only usable when the squads are upgraded with a Pegasus Veteran. The Veteran calls upon the Ground Guard to wear their wings with pride, and speaks of the glory of the fight and defending their lands, in ways that can’t help but move the Ground Guard. The speech gives the Ground Guard troops +2 Attack and Defense for the next 3 turns. Can’t be used again in the same battle.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Pegasus Veteran: Veteran Pegasi who have fought long and hard for House Stormwing are usually tested with a command of Ground Guard squads, before becoming officers. They bring their keen fighting skills to the fight, and have practice whipping a somewhat reluctant force into shape for battle. It tries them and their abilities as a leader, in combat however they prove that they are already extremely efficient…

WHITEGOLD PLAYER:

Whitegold Militia: Squads of 8. Class: 1 Cost: 25 Bits. Maintenance: 5 Bits.
ATTACK: +2
DEFENSE: +4
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Medium
TRAITS: Conscripted, Drilled, Well-Armored, Well-Armed, Defensive Force.
SPECIAL: Pikewall: Up to three Whitegold Militia squads can enter into a formation together at a time, standing shoulder to shoulder in a wall of pointed pikes in one direction. The Whitegold Militia units gain a +6 to Attack and Defense against enemy melee units who attack the wall. The pikewall cannot attack or move and can separate at any time. Ranged enemies do not activate wall buffs.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Officer Unit: Militia Sergeant: Whitegold Militia squads are well-trained and well-kept, however there’s nothing like the pounding hoofbeats and barking voice of a sergeant to make a squad find some way to improve. The Militia Sergeants check every detail, find every flaw, and constantly push their Squads to be at their absolute best, because if they aren’t, somepony is going to notice, and better that their somewhat sadistic sergeant find their flaws than their extremely sadistic enemy…

Ponies of Fortune: Squads of 8. Class: 1 Cost: 75 Bits. Maintenance: 10 Bits.
ATTACK: +5
DEFENSE: +1
WOUND POINTS: 1
MOVEMENT: Medium
TRAITS: Merciless, Underhanded, Greedy, Experienced, Well-Armed, Well-Armored, Expendable.
SPECIAL: Additional Motivation: You can spend twenty-five bits per Pony of Fortune Squad to raise their Attack by +1. This can be used again turn after turn, for a maximum of +5. Effects all Squads on the field and requires payment for all for any to be motivated. Effects only last the course of the battle.
UPGRADES: (Current)
Management Upgrade: Contractual Obligation: Taking this upgrade puts the Ponies of Fortune squads at your disposal as contract employees rather than simple freelancers for hire. The subtle distinction guarantees them a steady stream of work, and in return the cost of recruiting them goes down to 50 Bits, and their Maintenance fee becomes only 10 Bits.

(May be subject to Change)
HOUSE EVERFREE:
Funds: Abysmal.
Numbers: Very Good.
Settlement Number: Good.
Information Network: Very Poor.
Mobility: Good.

HOUSE WHITEGOLD:
Funds: Excellent.
Numbers: Poor.
Settlement Number: Abysmal.
Information Network: Excellent.
Mobility: Good.

HOUSE STORMWING:
Funds: Poor.
Numbers: Abysmal.
Settlement Number: Poor.
Information Network: Poor.
Mobility: Excellent.

HOUSE MOON AND STAR:
Funds: Good.
Numbers: Good.
Settlement Number: Good.
Information Network: Good.
Mobility: Poor.

HOUSE EARTHBORN:
Funds: Good.
Numbers: Very Good.
Settlement Number: Excellent.
Information Network: Good. (Due to Applejack’s special ability.)
Mobility: Poor.

THE CULT OF LAUGHTER:
Funds: Good.
Numbers: Excellent.
Settlement Number: Non-Applicable. (Parasitic settlement sharing style.)
Information Network: Very Good.
Mobility: Poor.

EVERFREE FORCES:
Wildling Ponies: Squads of 10. FREE
Zebra Tribal Warriors: Squads of 8. ZECORA
Zebra Skirmishers: Squads of 4. ZECORA
Everfree Wraiths: Squads of 6. FLUTTERSHY 1:
Swamp Shamblers: Squads of 4. DRUID:
Parasprite Swarms: SWARM FLUTTERY 2:
Iron Bulls: Squads of 4. IRON WILL
Timberwolves: Packs of 6. DRUID:
Everfree Ent: Squads of 1. FLUTTERSHY 3:
Swamp Hydra: Squads of 1. FLUTTERSHY 4:

STORMWING FORCES:
Pegasi Hoplites: Squads of 6. FREE
Ground Guard: Squads of 10. FREE
Wind Riders: Squads of 4. SCOOTALOO:
Heavy Lancers: Squads of 6. RAINBOW 1:
Thunderers: Squads of 4. RAINBOW 2:
The Fallen: Squads of 8. RAINBOW 3:
Griffon Prowlers: Squads of 8. GILDA:
Keythong: Squads of 6. GILDA:
Sky Chariot: Squads of 1. RAINBOW 4:

CULT OF LAUGHTER FORCES:
Converted Townsfolk: Squads of 12. FREE
Revelers: Squads of 8. FREE
Laughing Dead: Squads of 10. NECROMANCER
Smiling Dolls: Squads of 6. NECROMANCER
Jesters of Baltimare: Squads of 4. MAYOR MARE
Euphories: Squads of 4. DERPY
Grinning Worms: Squads of 1. LAUGHING 3:
Macabre Music Machine: Squads of 1. LAUGHING 1:
Cadaver Carousel: Squads of 1. LAUGHING 2:
Pillar of Joy: Squads of 1. LAUGHING 4:

EARTHBORN FORCES:
Ponies-at-Arms: Squads of 10. FREE
Battle Buckers: Squads of 6. FREE
Pegasi Auxiliaries: Squads of 4. APPLEJACK 1:
Equestrian Juggernauts: Squads of 6. BIG MAC
Hoof Cannoneers: Squads of 6. BATTLESMITH:
Appleloosan Rangers: Squads of 4. BRAEBURN
Buffalo Warriors: Squads of 6. STRONGHEART
Bucker Cannons: Squads of 2. BATTLESMITH:
Behemoth Cannons: Squads of 1. APPLEJACK 3:
Spotting Balloons: Squads of 1. APPLEJACK 2:
Avalanche Rocket Launcher: Squads of 2. APPLEBLOOM:
The Headbutter: Squads of 1. APPLEJACK 4:

WHITEGOLD FORCES:
Whitegold Militia: Squads of 8. FREE
Ponies of Fortune: Squads of 8. FREE
Dogs of War: Squads of 6. RARITY 1:
Arqueteers: Squads of 6. RARITY 2:
Gem Golems: Squads of 2. WHITEGOLD MAGICIAN:
Nighthooves: Squads of 3. FLEUR DE LIS:
Sapphire Sirens: Squads of 1. SAPPHIRE SHORES:
Praetorponies: Squads of 2. RARITY 3:
Illusion Projector: Squads of 1. WHITEGOLD MAGICIAN:
Field Trebuchet: Squads of 1. FANCY PANTS:
Airship: Squads of 1. RARITY 4:

Watch Everfree House zerg rush the other players after winning a couple NPC battles.

I think it would be wise to start setting distances and unit speeds or the usual number of days of travel between each settlement or area of importance. Multipliers could be added to account for the terrain, number of soldiers, speed of the slowest unit (which would mark the pace unless you don't mind waiting for them to catch up later), and any other conditions that might impede or accelerate travel.

Since there is a set amount of turns per day, it wouldn't do for a player to guesstimate the number of days it takes to march from point A to point B.

886440

When it says SCOOTALOO or DASH 4 Does that mean how many missions the character has done for them?

886949
Very real issues to consider. I can't tell exactly how I'll figure out the movement time for armies, however travel between Settlements will definitely be given set numbers for each army to work with, likely depending on their position and which Settlements are closest by.

887047
Ah, I can see how that would be the impression. Not strictly by number no. The names are there for unit unlocking, and the individual name means that that's the character you'll need to unlock the unit for you to recruit freely. This will likely take more than one mission to get Scootaloo, for example, to trust you enough to put in the good word that will let you recruit Wind Riders at will.

As for the ones with the House Leader name and then number, that one's about ranking up. As you perform more missions for the House, succesfully, you can be trusted with more responsibility and toys, as well as a higher rank, so that's just the order by which the toys are unlocked so to speak, with every promotion in rank given by the House Leader.

887101

Alright, makes sense.
I know I should have probably asked this before, but I realized that neither of the Candidates for House Stormwing are Pegusi.
Does the species of the Commander affect the travel time or the game in general?

887335

That's okey-dokey, questions as you think of them. And yes to a degree, however there can be multiple ways in a magical world to prevent not being Pegasi from slowing down the force. What's more, it's stated as a unit that the Sky Chariot is used as a transport for Commanders. It's also stated that larger ones are used for troop transport. Because of those and the implied use of them delivering troops to destinations, the House Stormwing mobility should be kept up despite species difference.

887433

Alright, I was just curious since it looked like you needed to unlock the Chariots for your commander to even use one

886949
(curls into a ball on the floor) Zerg rush....Zerg rush...so many Zerg...

887529
Oh yeah, I can see how that would be a bit confusing.

To clarify, you need that level of clearance to get one, not to have one. To be able to recruit it you need that unlocked, you can get higher up units as gifts without being able to recruit them yourself.

I see the Storm Chariot purchase as including an additional command unit, or possibly a siege weapon depending on further Stormwing lore and units, however right now a command unit who provides heavy bonuses to all those around them. To justify it's position as their most powerful unit, I'm thinking of it being a package of the chariot and a pony inside who gives a heavy bonus effect to Stormwing units, the exact nature of which I'm still working on. The difference between it as a piece of equipment to be used and a unit.

I haven't RP in a while, but this is too good to pass up,
Name: TwilightHorizon
Gender: Stallion
Race: Hippogriff
Faction: House Everfree
Rank: 7th Year Wilding
Title: Guardian/Hunter
Class: Wilding
Weapons and Armor: His Primary weapon is a Double Sided Scythe, though he does have limited training with a variedly of captured weapons from different Houses. The wooden parts are made from some of the oldest trees in the Everfree Forest, able to withstand direct blows from bladed weapons. He’s been known to throw his weapon like a boomerang, taking down flyers and those at medium distances. He also tends to coat his blades with poisons developed by the local Zebra Tribes when heading into battle. As for armor he’ll wear zebra made light armor for direct attacks, covering his chest, back, and arms. In addition he also wears his father’s gauntlets of Griffon design. He also developed the weapons he was born with, his Claws, Beak, and using his back legs for bucking. Just like most of the warriors of EverFree.

Special Ability: Having his mother been a Unicorn he was gifted with limited telepathy, which he keeps to himself and uses only in critical situations. The using this ability gives him severe migraines right after use, so he undergoes constant meditation to overcome this handicap. His overall magic is nowhere near a power of a fully fledged Unicorn, but it’s a deadly surprise to those threatening his family.
Strengths:
1) Best of Both Worlds: By having such a diverse heritage he has been given the best of both worlds. He’s just as strong as an average griffon and faster.
2) Born Predator: After living and fighting with the House of EverFree his senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing are all heightened, and being part Griffon a natural predator it’s nearly impossible to sneak up on him.
3) High Spirits: He also maintains an Inspiring personality; even if he’s in pain on the inside he never lets it affect those around him and instead tries to inspire them.

Fatal Flaw: As stated in his Special Abilities, using his telepathy cases him great pain right after using them, leaving himself open to attack, another flaw is that being a Half-Breed he’s been restricted to the Forest for most of his life, Griffons kill Hippogriffs on sight and even post bounties on their heads making him a target even in Pony controlled towns and especially on the battlefield. But thanks to his mother his knowledge on modern etiquette is more than other others who’ve lived in the forest most of their lives.

Battle Style: His father having served in the Griffon Military as a lieutenant taught him the fighting styles of the Griffon Warrior. That’s there more to fighting than just swinging a weapon, that it’s a combination of mental and physical strength. That it’s about picking your battles, and waiting for your enemy to give away their weakness, then striking their weakness with your greatest strength to achieve a swift victory.

Appearance:

His age is in the Mid Twenties; His head is typical of most Griffons while the rest of his body is dark blue coat and has black wings. His face, claws, arms, and back legs are covered in Tribal Tattoos typical of most fighters of EverFree House. He wears the claws of Griffons he’s defeated around his neck as proof of his veterancy, it’s also his small way of getting back at the turmoil his kind has suffered through.

Cutie-Mark: His mark is the Moon in front of the Sun setting behind a Hill.

Family History: His mother was a Canterlot ambassador to the Griffon Kingdoms while his father was her escort and translator. Over the years of service they grew closer and closer together while the princesses were in power. Even back then relationships between Ponies and Griffons was still considered Taboo by both races. And unions were out of the question. The situation then turned dire when the princesses when missing and the borders began to appear everywhere. The kingdoms soon afterwards went about a great purge to wipe out those who were considered half breeds and those who associated with them. Despite the barriers they not only fell in love but against all odds she became pregnant. His father deserted the army and with his pregnant was able to find the safe haven known as Ponyville. However after its destruction they fled with other refugees to the Everfree Forest with FlutterShy leading them. Truth be told his sisters and himself were some of the first births within the forest of EverFree.

Where he stands now he has the ability to move to the next level and become an EverFree Wraith but refuses. He knows that by becoming a Wraith that he’ll lose nearly all his memories and never become an accepted member of modern society when the conflict finally ends, despite the fact that he’ll be a far more lethal and fiercer in combat. He lives with his family consisting of his Griffon Father and Unicorn Mother and two younger Pegasi Sisters.

Hippogriffs: In order for one to be born the Father has to be gryphon while the mother can be any pony type. Also as an added bonus form its heritage it can either achieve weather manipulation "Pegasi", Added Strength "Earth", or ability to wield limited magic, not as much as a fulfilled "Unicorn" but advantage in combat is a warm welcome. There is also a myth that a Hippogriff can only be born when a gryphon and pony fall in true love, which could explain why there are so few of his kind in the world.

Lately, I've been wondering about the amount of control a player would have on NPCs of their House, already existing or created by the player. I assume that pretty much all important NPCs in each House would be primarily controlled by the GM, and any action our characters takes towards one of those NPCs would have to be run by the GM for approval. We as players wouldn't be able to give them agendas of their own.

I'm asking this because there are a few high ranking NPCs in each House that seem to have their own agendas that don't exactly run parallel to those of their House's leader, such as Diamond Tiara and Trixie. There would be stuff happening that wouldn't be tied to our little skirmishes, or that could be benefitting or hurting certain NPC parties without our character's knowledge, and I was basically wondering who would be running those shows or if we could run or make up some of those shows if we wanted to.

Also, I was wondering how one would go about creating new NPCs when it made sense. For example, imagine Dancer looking for an old contact for help. Would we have to run that NPC by the GM before making the move? Once it's created would it be under our control or under the control of the GM?

So yeah, just wondering how this RP's NPCs would be managed in general.

896803

To a degree that will be an experiment in and of itself, fine-tuned through the course of the game I imagine. However for important NPCs who have a very real impact on mission structure and your rewards in the game, I will be playing them.

For other NPCs, especially those created by yourself, you will play them. I notice that your character has a confidant and bodyguard of sorts, and he is yours to play, describe, and give life to. If however the character shows up on the battlefield, I determine his effectiveness.

You command your soldiers, and can play them doing as you command of course. However how well they do, who they kill, versus how many of them are killed, is decided by me, and probably a pair of dice. So while you'd play this secondary character in a social situation and direct him in a battle, in the midst of combat I'd roll for him, and I'd be the one to put down how well he did.

Social interaction with characters you've made is free, able to be included in the same turn as you're doing something else, or accompanying you. Social interaction with important NPCs however, especially since it can potentially gain you a stronger relationship and extra supplies, will take a turn, possibly several over the course of a conversation.

To your Dancer trying to contact an old contact for help... That one, I'd likely take into account her strengths and history. Then I may just allow it, or depending on the situation make a random roll. In that case however I probably wouldn't play the contact. Depending on what was asked for, I'd more likely send a private message of what the contact has to tell your character and leave it to you to write it out. Because the contact would be somepony created by you, unless it was an important NPC, in which case I'd play of course.

So I hope this answers the question at least partially, and if you're still confused or have questions, please feel free to ask.

898046

Ok, I know this might be a stupid question, but will there be "personal" quests along with House Quests?

Like Breeze searching for her mother or Storm hunting down Fact Finder ect. ?

898046 Alright, that sounds fair enough. If I think of anything else, I won't hesitate to ask.

899726 Well, it's already been said that you can try to do whatever you want with your resources, so I would think that if your character wanted to pursue a personal vendetta, he would be more than able to do so.

If you mean secific missions given by your house members, I'm not really sure. It would be cool for someone in your house to tell you they have a lead on a 'personal quest' of yours.

899726
To quote an old phrase, the only stupid question is the one unasked. While there can be exceptions to this rule there usually isn't, every question about the game and world that I need to answer makes them a little bit more real, a little easier to work with.

And Lazo is right. Personal missions are mainly yours to pursue, your NPC importants aren't likely to actually care much about your personal vendettas. However, as they see YOU pursuing them, they might start offering rewards of information or hints in exchange for your aid. So personal missions can become a part of the equation, however as they are personal, you'll have to start them off on your own time and resource. BUT... and I make no promises on this, if it's a particularly long and vicious personal mission, with difficulty and blood and sweat and tears, I will likely give a strong reward for it's completion.

900733>>901726

Ok, I was thinking a scene like this would be cool haha

~~~

"Oh and Commander..."

Storm turned, raising his brow at the mare.

"Yes?"

"Our scouts recently returned with some reports you might find interesting..." Scootaloo said, spreading paper out on a table in front of her.

Storm looked over the papers, then his eyes widened in shock.

"It appears a High Inquisitor has been leading Moon and Star units against our forces and basically making life hell for everyone."

"This is..."

"Fact Finder, yes. From what I understand, you two have a history."

"You could say that..."

"He has no morals, no ties, and seemingly, no weakness."

Storm looked up, fire in his eyes.

"When do I get to kill him?"

Scootaloo smiled.

"You are so pleasantly simple sometimes."

895733

That's pretty darn cool!

(Alright. The final unit list still isn't up and I don't know when it will be up, cool things do tend to take time. However I'm feeling the need to move things along and start to get stuff done, so here's what I'm going to do unless there's mass disagreement. I'm going to set a date for character editing and selection.

On May the 1st I will begin the character selection process. What exactly that will entail aside from editing will be seen on the day of.

913110 Alright. I was thinking you might even have to start without the final Moon and Star before people lose interest. We have the WIP list, we should be able to get something useful out of that.

It hasn't started yet! Thank goodness; I'd forgotten about it until today.

Okay. As of now I am going to proceed with character selection over the next few days omitting the Moon and Star character slot, as there is still no official completed list for it.

I will manage this on a personal basis. I am aware that by now interest for this RP may have dried up, and so I will be private messaging individuals with character sheets that I select to see first if they are still interested, and provide editing to the character. If they are not, I will move on to the next interested party. If a slot is left empty because none of the applicants are interested, then I will accept that to.

I will post up the selected party only after the character is edited. When the character editing it completed, I ask that you post the edited character as a response to this post.

So please be more patient than you have already been as I undergo this process, and thank you for the patience you've already shown.

938581
Sweet! I've been looking forward to this for a while!

Okay, much to my delight Poor Yorick has posted up the final roster, and so the position for Moon and Star player is once again open. Yaaay! Selection will continue now with that in mind.

Oh, and just to make this clear to everypony...

This is freaking hard. There've been so many good characters posted up and a good number of people trying to join that it is difficult for me to decide between them. I ask that you please not be insulted if you don't get picked. And I hate to disappoint anypony... But I'm going to have to. So even as we go into this thank you everypony for auditioning... and please don't be offended if I pick somepony else.

944039

Its all good the the hoo-stables. Here's to the results!

944039

(Well, I hope I'm doing this right, if not I can fix it.)

(Pre-Note Edit: There are two (or was it three?) additional backstory "flavor" add-ons for Breeze that are posted further back in this thread. While they do serve to further flesh out her character and I do consider them to be "canon" I will not be reposting them as I feel that would constitute some sort of words-per-post-based crime against humanity, but please feel free to go back and read them if you'd like, they're not going anywhere.)

Looks like Stormwing has a commander now, sorry Storm Chaser, it was a pleasure and an honor competing with you.

Here's Calm Breeze's character sheet one more time for official measure by request of Allsmiles (and yes, it's still just as long as ever):

Name: Calm Breeze

Gender: Female

Race: Unicorn

Faction: House Stormwing

Rank: Conscript Commander

Class: Honorary Hoplite

Title(s): ‘Breeze’ by close friends (only lets her parents call her ‘Breezy’); ‘Spirit Wings’ by members of House Stormwing; ‘The False Alicorn’ by members of House Moon and Star; ‘That Bloody Flying Unicorn’ (or some variation) by just about everyone else.

Weapons and Armor: Standard-Issue Pegasi Hoplite Spear, which she can wield either with her telekinesis or in the standard Pegasi manner (see below) and Standard-Issue Pegasi Hoplite Body Armor, but refuses to wear a helmet since she doesn’t like having anything between her head and open air. She also wields a short curved sword (much like and Ancient Spartan Kopis if you want a reference) in addition to her spear which she can make great use of thanks to her magic as it is unsuited for use with wings (again, see below).

Special Ability:

-Pegasus at Heart: Can form ethereal pegasi wings with full ability to use them as any normal pegasus could at the expense of not being able to cast all but the most rudimentary spells due to the intense magical strain and the fact that the essence of her horn is temporarily used to create the wings (meaning it can’t be seen), which also leads to reduced overall endurance.

Strengths:

-Natural Logistician: Growing up with her father being a master trader, Calm Breeze picked up a firm grasp of money management and understands how to get supplies from Point A to Point B in a very efficient manner.

-Sky Bound: Part of her innate pegasusness is her ablity to sense weather patterns and conditions with an alarming amount of accuracy considering she’s a unicorn, so much so that it’s her special talent. She also has the natural ability to walk on clouds without the need of active magic and is even able to kick lightning out of clouds when she tries hard enough, though not especially well (she only discovered this last ability recently when she was corned by an Earthborn Juggernaut and used a discharger left by a fallen Stormwing Thunderer out of desperation to fight him off).

-Soothing Compassion: Calm Breeze has a good sense of both honor and mercy; she cares deeply for those who serve under her and those who are in need (such as refugees) which leads to steadfast loyalty from her troops. She would also never fight an opponent too tired, too injured or otherwise incapable of fighting back, unless they swear allegiance to House Moon and Star (more on that below).

Fatal Flaw:

-Icarus’ Folly: The time when she flew herself ragged to the point where she needed 3 days in hospital to recover from exhaustion alone to get help for Outpost Mare’athon was not the only time Calm Breeze pushed herself so hard (due to edits this is actually explained at the bottom of this post, sorry for any confusion). Throughout her military history, and even before ever picking up a spear, Calm Breeze has always been determined to go just a little bit further, just a little bit harder, just a little bit longer, especially when acting on behalf of those she cares for or feels bound to. This can lead to her over-exerting herself if she feels the situation calls for it, often with blatant disregard for her own safety.

Battle Style:

-Personal Combat: Though equipped with a spear like most Stormwing Hoplites, Calm Breeze also carries a short curved sword which she wields through her magic. It’s her preferred weapon for individual combat due to its maneuverability and versatility, she usually only uses the spear for initial strikes or surprise diving attacks, though due to her not being able to use her magic effectively while she has her wings out, she is forced to use the spear for any aerial combat. Her knowledge of combat magic only extends as far as simple barriers and low-grade telekinetic blasts.

- Group Tactics: Calm Breeze’s unit, Gale’s Vengeance (in honor of Breeze’s mother, explanation below), has gained a reputation both among House Stormwing and among its enemies, particularly House Moon and Star, as being a one of the House’s more mobile and brutal unit of shock troopers, especially considering it’s made up largely of non-pegasi soldiers, it even contains one griffon (Grendle Greywing) sent from the Expeditionary Force as a token of recognition from Gilda of their accomplishments.

They often go on independent raids and in general combat they prefer to hit an opponent’s flanks or rear, but they aren’t above a full-frontal engagement, particularly if it’s not what their enemy is expecting. Calm Breeze fights under the assumption that often the best course of action in battle is the one which the adversary least anticipates, regardless of how out there it may seem. They once caused a force of Alicornists that had them outnumbered 3-1 to retreat by simply mounting a full-scale charge, thereby convincing the Unicorn commander that there must be more troops behind them or they wouldn’t be so foolish (foalish ;) as to rush in as they were.

By far their most common adversary is House Moon and Star due to Calm Breeze’s personal vendetta against that House (also explained below, in fact, a lot of things are explained below so once you've read that everything else should make more sense) and she attempts to avoid conflict with members of House Whitegold if at all possible due to family connections in Manehattan (most notably her father). Though these rules of engagement can cause some friction with Stormwing higher-ups, her troops are perfectly willing to accept them out of loyalty and devotion to their commander.

Appearance: Slightly above-average height and slightly below average weight. Not especially tall or skinny but has been described as somewhat gangly. She is about twenty. Her coat is a rather dark blue-green and she has a platinum blonde mane and tale, both of moderate length and mostly straight but slightly wavy and with a few dark streaks. Her eyes are brownish-orange and she keeps a feather from her mother braided into her hair as a keepsake. (Link for general idea, but not quite specific enough to be fully ‘canon’.)

Cutie Mark: Dark red heart with pegasi wings on the sides in a stormy grey-blue that match her mother’s for reasons that should by now be somewhat obvious (her pegasus-like spirit for those who have been skimming).

Notable Information: Born in Struttgart to a unicorn father named Geld Thrift who was part of a wealthy trading family based out of Manehattan, and a pegasus mother named Swirling Gale who worked in weather (of course).

Lived there for 5 years before the disappearance of the Royal Sisters caused her father to insist that they would be safer in Manehattan due to the city’s high walls and his family connections there.

As she grew up she wanted to work with weather like her mom, who thanks to a few bribes and favors got a job as one of the few pegasi on the small weather team Mistress Rarity allows to take care of her precious city. As a unicorn though this was rather unlikely and so she resigned herself to learning her father’s family trade instead, that of course being trade itself. Her mother gave her one of her own flight feathers as consolation and she has kept it with her ever since.

Many years later, a few weeks after her twentieth birthday, Calm Breeze was working at the shop her father set up beneath their house in the Merchant District when a letter arrived for her mother. It was from her mother’s sister, Swiftfeather, who had stayed in the north and eventually joined with House Stormwing for want of a better option. It spoke of an urgent family matter that was too delicate to detail in a letter and begged Swirling Gale to come speak with her right away.

Against the protests of Geld Thrift, who thought the whole thing a foal’s errand and doubted the letter’s authenticity, Swirling Gale set out to go, assuring her family that her time as a weather pegasus granted her great endurance so she could make the journey in no time and she could always duck into a cloud bank if things got too dangerous. She made her farewells and promised to be back or at least to send word within two weeks before taking to the sky.

After a month of hearing nothing about her mother’s whereabouts, Calm Breeze had begun to worry herself sick, which is to say nothing of her father’s reaction which, fearing he may have lost his wife and not wanting to lose his daughter, who he knew would go after her mother regardless of what he told her, included hiring a personal bodyguard to both keep watch over Breeze and make sure she didn’t run off.

Breeze managed to slip out anyway by convincing one of the few traveling caravans to take her with them on their journey north to Struttgart. Having secured safe passage through the lands of House Moon and Star by offering them a hefty tariff from their profits and by agreeing to be escorted by a detachment of Alicornist soldiers, including one member of the Celestial Inquisition, they managed to pass through the Canterlotian Mountains without incident.

However, even the lands beyond the mountains were not entirely secure and the caravan was beset upon by a group of Stormwing raiders who, having seen the Moon and Star escort, assumed the caravan was a military supply train. The soldiers were quickly overwhelmed along with the caravan members who fought back in an effort to save their wares. Calm Breeze was the only caravan member with the sense of mind to surrender, knowing she had neither the experience nor the equipment to fight a flight of battle-hardened pegasi. She, along with the Inquisitor, who had been captured alive due to Order 273, regarding the knowledge of certain enemy combatants and its value to the Stormwing war effort, were bound and tossed into one of the chariots the pegasi brought with them along with any of the supplies the Stormwings thought they could use, and they were hauled off to one of the many Stormwing outposts that dotted the border between their lands and Moon and Star’s.

It was there that she curiously met, of all ponies, her aunt Swiftfeather, who, as it turned out had joined the Stormwing army having been a royal guard before her charges mysteriously disappeared and not knowing what else to do. She told Breeze that her mother had never arrived and in fact she had heard news that she had been captured by House Moon and Star and been executed as a spy for House Stormwing. All that had ever been found of here were her wings, laying on the ground, broken and bloody. In reality her mother was still alive and had simply been stripped of her wings, enslaved and made to work in one of the labor camps outside Canterlot. Swiftfeather didn’t know this for sure, but it was a common enough practice that she had strong suspicions. However, sensing an opportunity, she let Calm Breeze believe her mother had been brutally murdered at the hooves of the Alicornists.

Calm Breeze was crushed at this news, and it was in this moment of extreme emotions, both grief at the perceived loss of her mother and anger at the vile unicorn supremacists of House Moon and Star that took her from her, that she was offered a chance, a chance at vengeance: join House Stormwing as a conscript in the Ground Guard, and fight for them against their enemies, including House Moon and Star. Breeze, having no other choice but indefinite imprisonment, accepted the offer. The Inquisitor received no such proposal and the last Breeze saw of the poor mare was when her aunt led Breeze to the Conscript Barracks a pair of Stormwing guards hauled the Inquisitor off to another building for ‘information extraction’ (though the screams she heard later made her think they had simpler goals in mind).

A month of intense training followed, after which Calm Breeze had begun to resemble something of a soldier. Freshly christened as members of the Ground Guard, swearing utter allegiance to House Stormwing, Calm Breeze along with the rest of the batch of conscripts were given their symbolic wings and told of their first posting: Outpost Mare’athon.

Calm Breeze along with the rest of her group joined the small contingent of Ground Guard conscripts stationed at the outpost, bringing their total number to around 60. They were stationed there for about two weeks when the outpost was attacked by superior forces loyal to House Moon and Star. The only pegasus present at the outpost, its commander, Whirlwind Fury, was gravely injured early on in the siege. Calm Breeze, in a desperate attempt to go for help, attempted to cast the Gossamer Wings spell on herself and found instead that she had given herself two fully-fledged, if somewhat less than corporeal, pegasi wings. Not wasting any time on shock she bolted for the sky and was surprised at how natural flying came to her as she made for the nearest Stormwing holding, Las Pegasus. She landed in front of (actually just about crashed into) Wing Commander Spitfire herself and managed to pant out the phrase, “Moon and Star… at Mare’athon… send help.” before passing out from the immense physical exertion of flying so fast and far with her new (and temporary, as would later be revealed to the surprise of the Stormwing medics who were taking care of her when the spell wore off) wings.

Spitfire led the relief flight personally and the outpost was saved along with the remains of the conscripts who had been posted there, which amounted to only about a quarter of their original number. Commander Fury tragically perished from his wounds shortly after the last of the Alicornists were driven off. In recognition of her courage and determination to save the outpost, Calm Breeze was promoted to the rank of Conscript Lieutenant and given the title of ‘Honorary Hoplite’ along with command of the remaining 16 able-bodied members of the outpost’s original garrison. This group of survivors would later go on to form the core of Calm Breeze’s own special unit, Gale’s Vengeance, so named for the desire she felt to see justice done to those she thinks have taken her mother from her.

944039
Welp, here's Dancer.

Name: Dancer

Gender: Mare

Race: Unicorn

Faction: House Whitegold

Rank: No real Rank as of yet.

Class: Blade Dancer

Title: No title other than her own name.

Weapons and Armor: Dancer's armor is relatively lightweight, being made mostly of 'Harsh-Tree Pulp' (taking a page out of Luna's book and using something more animal friendly than leather), with only a few metal plates covering her legs. The barrel section of her armor is covered in small pockets, most used to store small knives and blades to complement Dancer's battle style. Her main weapons, unadorned, but deadly griffin scimitars, are usually sheathed along her sides.

Special Ability:

Whirlwind: When Dancer is in a field of battle, she tends to pick up discarded weapons (at times wrenching them from her enemies if their grip is weak enough) and use them to her advantage, be that by flinging it back at her enemies, or by wielding it along with her own blades. When enough suitable objects are present, Dancer has proven herself capable of summoning walls of swirling blades to fend off attackers and launch barrages of them. Unfortunately, she can barely move when trying to control such a large number of objects, and doing so for any amount of time is highly taxing to her magic.

Strengths:

-Lady: Due to her time working for influential ponies, Dancer has little to no problem fitting with the higher echelons of Manehattan's society. She is aware of the constant games of power and subterfuge and has the wit and smooth-tongue to play them, should she need to.

-Well-connected: Dancer has worked with several important ponies of House Whitegold, most of them owning a business of repute. She could probably get favors or discounts in supplies, should she decide to contact them.

-Graceful Killer: She has succesfully merged her dancing and martial skills into a single, both beautiful and deadly fighting style that only finds a match in flying opponents that can stay well away from her range or targets too heavily armored to deal with blades.

Fatal Flaw: Music-based magic tends to have stronger, or unexpected effects on Dancer. Even when affected by a Siren's buffing magic during battle, she has a tendency to attune her movements to the song, revealing exploitable patterns to keen combatants.

Battle Style: Dancer is the kind of commander that picks her battles, often avoiding unneeded fights and choosing only those she knows she stands a fair chance at winning. Even then, when confronting an enemy force, Dancer usually has her forces whittle down those opposing her as much as possible before openly confronting them, be that by sending Nighthooves to sabotage enemy artillery and take out enemy officers or by ordering Diamond Dogs to dig and collapse tunnels under their march.

Dancer herself is a skilled telekinesis user, and that is reflected on her ability with her weapons of choice. With quick slashes and graceful movements, she is often able to keep opponents at a range suitable for her fighting style, sometimes using her magic to launch daggers at her opponent when hard pressed or when closing in. She is able to weild all of her knives and daggers at once, but doing so is very taxing, due to the mental strain of keeping tabs on all the knives separately. When doing this, she is usually forced to stay still, relying on her blades for protection, lest she disrupts her concentration. She is also an adept unarmed combatant, but she is at her best when using her blades.

Appearance: Dancer's coat is a pinkish white, while her tail and straight, long mane, which is usually tied in a ponytail, are lilac, with a few darker streaks of color complimenting her cutie mark. Her eyes, in turn, are a contrasting amber. Dancer has a slim build, with long legs that bring her only slightly taller than other mares and a sleek, graceful form one would come to expect from a model, often distracting others from the toned muscles under her coat. It is obvious either way that she is around her early twenties, in the prime of her life.

In important occasions, she can be seen wearing a simple and form-fitting purple dress, quite unlike the more elaborate clothes of the Whitegold nobility. The dress leaves her front legs bare while covering her barrel, flanks and back legs. In more informal settings, she often favors a white, loose cotton shirt, or being outright furclad.

Cutie-Mark: A Viscaria flower.

Notable Information: Before the princesses dissapearance, Dancer's parents led one of the few private security firms in Equestria, the BRM (Back Rank Mates), which later expanded and went to become one of the most succesful mercenary groups around. Because of that, Dancer has become acquainted with a soldier's lifestyle, the highborn's games of power, and several important ponies in need of a helping hoof.

Dancer showed interest in her namesake since an early age, finding her way into any show that featured them, regardless of style, and watching them with wide eyes and rapt attention until her parents agreed to find her a teacher. Unfortunately for her, her lessons were cut short by the sundering of Equestria, leaving her to follow her parents new business as hired swords. Her magical power developed a bit later, but since her Earth Pony parents were woefully lacking in the knowledge she needed to learn about her new powers, she was forced to learn most of magic's intricacies by herself. This means that, while her telekinetic control improved greatly—to the point that she could likely open a lock with just her magic should she receive the proper instruction—, she doesn't know many other spells, barring lighting her horn for illumination or sending out small sparks suited only to light a match.

Her parents and a large amount of the company died about a month ago, in a particularly difficult job. This left the other leaders of the mercenary company warring for leadership and eventually dividing what was left under three banners. The Blood Hounds, a company composed mostly of Diamond Dogs that resembles a gang more than a mercenary company, the Shroud, formed by the shadier elements of the previous organization, and the Blue Shields, the most diversified of the three, both in talents and services rendered.

Dancer, unwilling to follow the upstarts that had had destroyed what her parents had created, walked away, followed only by a former Moon and Star slave Earth Pony, Baritone, who had been tasked with protecting her by her late father.

Rarity, having heard of this development, and having had prior dealings with the last leader of the mercenary company, decides to offer Dancer a business opportunity.

944039
Name: Xerihan the Gilded

Gender: Stallion

Race: Gryphon

Faction: Cult of Laughter

Rank: Revered Jester

Class: Jester of Baltimare

Title: The Guidon of Joy. Xerihan is one of the more prominent members of the Jesters of Baltimare, though his work is normally based around the city of Trottingham. His prominence is partly due to the fact he is a gryphon, and that when forced to flee, both bystanders and guards alike can be found laughing and hallucinating for up to an hour, all caught in his wake.

Weapons and Armor: Wears a simple vest, as well as the bronze mask that is typical of the Jesters. His claws have been replaced by metal knives and jagged edges. The blades are sewn into his skin, constantly causing him pain, though their effectiveness in combat is rarely outmatched. Furthermore, his entire body, including his vest, is coated with a dull pink. Opponents that face him in close quarters will soon find themselves laughing uncontrollably, and at the mercy of his claws. Also wields the explosives and stage props customary of the Jesters, with several pouches containing his supplies.

Special Ability: Pinkie Powder, the name that Xerihan cheerfully refers to for his blend of drugs. It is a modified version of 'Salt', the colloquial term for a powdery substance that induces hallucinations and euphoria. This special blend is modified or 'blessed' by the acolytes in the Cult, causing amplified effects on its users, but shortening its duration. Pinkie Powder also affects users differently; members of the cult will find themselves much more alert and energized for half an hour, though most will collapse from exhaustion once it wears off. Enemies will endure horrific hallucinations and ceaseless laughter, for the same duration, and will similarly be exhausted. Bystanders will experience the base effects of salt, though its duration and after-effects are still the same. High chance of addiction for users.

Xerihan can use this powder in battle, flying overhead and letting the soft pink powder drift to the ground. This causes confusion and frenzies the ponies below, spreading the effects of the drug.

It should be noted that Pinkie Powder does not affect the undead, nor any beings from the Astral Planes. Plus, an individual with extraordinary willpower can push past the effects the powder.
(Think of this as a mix of meth and cocaine, and you won't be too far off the mark here.)

Strengths:

1) As a former gryphon noble, Xerihan still maintains connections in the gryphon tribes. He can more easily acquire/convert gryphon units to his cause, and at reduced cost. (May be changed in future)

2) Resistance/Addiction to Pinkie Powder. Being in such close proximity to Pinkie Powder has made Xerihan resistant to its effects, to the point where he can coat himself in it when needed and won't experience any hallucinations. Enemies that fight him in close quarters have a very high chance of inhaling the powder and becoming incapacitated.

3) Despite being borderline insane, Xerihan is an extremely charismatic individual, no doubt from his heritage and upbringing as a noble. He can just as easily charm potential allies as he can intimidate his foes.

Fatal Flaw: Depression brought on from his addiction. Xerihan can no longer experience happiness; his brain has been altered to the point where endorphin receptors in his brain won't fire unless he has inhaled Pinkie Powder. If he hasn't taken his drugs, he can experience withdrawal symptoms in as little as twenty four hours. Paranoia and severe depression kick in not long after, drifting into suicidal thoughts in three days.

Battle Style: A support role/ assassin. Xerihan prefers to fly over the battle or rooftops, and see what is happening from above. He can then disperse Pinkie Powder as he sees fit, or swoop in and viciously maul a troublesome opponent. In direct conflict, he will evade his opponent and confuse them, and take potshots with his claws as he quickly dives in and retreats. Should he be in a position to surprise his opponent, he will wait until he has an opening to make a killing blow with his claws.

Appearance: A white gryphon, with a very lean and agile build. When dressed as a Jester, Xerihan wears the normal vest and bronze mask, with his metal claws clearly visible. His body is also coated with Pinkie Powder, giving him a pink hue. Has a black mane that is combed back at all times, and his eyes are blood red from addiciton, though most won't see it due to his mask. Several pouches adorn his sides, holding everything from small bombs, knives, and Pinkie Powder, to ball point pens and plastic spiders.

Outside his role in the Cult, he cleans up quite nicely. He wears nice clothing, indicative of his previous status as a noble. Gloves cover his front claws, hiding the hideous amalgam of metal blades. Similarly, he takes eye drops to subdue his red eyes. Approximately twenty three years old.

Cutie Mark: No mark of his own, though his symbol is a bronze mask that weeps pink tears.

Notable Information/ Bio: Xerihan was born into a large family of lesser nobles in the gryphon tribes. He was brought up to be both a diplomat and gentleman, and it shows through his manners and charisma. From a young age, he was drafted into the militia and trained to fight - typical for the sons of reputable houses. His skills in combat were honed, and he found it easy to fight and win with his claws. As a gift, his father bought him a fine pair of metal gauntlets that augmented the killing power of his claws with small metal blades.

Once Xerihan was of age, he enlisted into the army and served as a border guard, flying the boundaries of the gryphon tribes and Equestria. His introduction to salt took place on a typical patrol day, where a sacked caravan had been found near the border. Searching the wreckage, he found a well hidden pouch of the substance and decided to keep it for himself. He quickly became addicted, and so started his downfall.

Finding and using salt became his primary focus, and often interfered with his duties as a guard. His position as the son of a noble kept him safe, but frustration among his colleagues grew. They found an opportunity to be rid of him when a particularly nasty fight broke out with a group of manticores. Xerihan was nowhere to be found, and was later found high and incapacitated in the company's barracks. Tried and convicted of cowardice, his claws were severed and he was banished from the gryphon tribes. Upon
hearing the news, his family disowned him.

With nowhere to go and bleeding profusely, Xerihan beat the odds and made it to Trottingham, where he received medical attention. His claws were gone, and all he had left was the metal gauntlet. Now poor, in an unfamiliar city, disabled, and permanently addicted to an illegal substance, Xerihan found it too easy to fall into despair.

His salvation came from the Cult of Laughter. Upon hearing their cheerful cries and promises of a better future, Xerihan gladly embraced the Cult and became one of its most faithful adherents. Finding aid in the community, he began to work as a Jester and built himself up from there. The blades of the metal gauntlet were attached to what remained of his limb, using the necromatic magic of the Cult. Now with weaponry and working talons again, he found that his work came naturally easy.

The Cult immediately knew of his addiction; instead of fighting him over it, they used it. They supplied him with salt, which augmented his natural abilities significantly. Xerihan became resistant to its effects here, and proposed creating an augmented version to use in battle. With the blessing of the mages in the group, they created Pinkie Powder for his personal use.

With all the tools at his disposal, Xerihan quickly rose to prominence in the Cult and the City of Trottingham. An upstanding, elegant citizen by day; a crazed, efficient murderer by night.

KInda sad that Storm didn't make the cut, but congrats to everyone who did!

I'll be watching this with peaked interest!

Let Song join the field!
Name: Wither song

Gender: Mare

Race: Unicorn

Faction: Moon and Stars

Rank: Inquisitor

Class: Mage

Title: The Mad Conductor

Weapons and Armor: Light Leather Armor, with a long white trench coat, The saber she carries at her side is a family heirloom named “Shadow Fang” as it is the legend past down by her family it was made from the fang of a black dragon their Aunts defeated during the founding of old Equestria. The blade, which is completely black, is slightly curved with silver linings covering the blade. The guard is made from silver as well with a chain at the end with that connect to a crescent moon.

Special: Instruments of War: With using her magic to convert her will into those around her she give a heavy moral boost for all who accompany her. She can increase the range of her spell, but the boost drops the wider the range and the more ponies under it.

Strengths: War Monger- Vast military knowledge of tactics and strategy allowing her to change the flow of battle.

Pony of Passion: Song speaks with such passion that she can turn others to her side with the passion she has for war and the vast joy it gives her. This inspires the ponies under her command into a zealous state of mind before battle.

Pony of Vision: Song is a pony with a vision; she sees all of those around her, Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth ponies marching under one banner, hers. It is with this vision in mind that she is one of the few who trains and help those all Unicorn, Pegasi and Earth Ponies, bought into her service. She welcomes all who come to her with open hooves and a smile all towards her grand goal.

Fatal Flaw: My Beloved Enemy: If there is one flaw to Song it is her it is her temper. Song as is, is really a hard one to anger, but for those who do so she will bring all that she is down on them. she is also weird in that her those who escape her wrath, she grows to love them. Someone who can fight her on even ground and gives as good as she does. For those who fighter her she love them, and hates them. Both inside and outside her house she will ignore anything if her beloved enemy enters the field.

Battle Style: A very swift and elegant style as fitted for one of noble birth in saber combat she prefer full combat then wasteful display of magic. Instead using it to help her body dance around the battlefield her saber dancing from one hoof to another, even using the sheath as a club. Her favorite strategy is what she dubs the Lighting War (Yes I know Blitzkrieg, but they don’t have German in mlp) attacking fast and doing as much damage as possible. While leading though she is in the thick of it leading her troops from the front lines.

Appearance: A slim mare with a coat as white as the fallen snow and eyes that reflects the ice of a harsh winter. Her mane while short is long enough to seem like a field of gold with a horn that is curved and clean at she blade she wields. Her body is covered by the white trench coat she wears hiding the light silver armor she wears.

Cutie Mark: A steel violin over a black globe

Information: Wither Song, younger sister to Prince Blueblood, she at an early age was drawn to the history and a war time of the three tribes. Her family tried to discourage, giving her lessons in dance, song and magic. Still even when grooming to be lady of statue she never felt anything to her family name or the life of a noble. As she grew, her family stopped trying to fight it and decided to enlist her in the Equestrian military. It was upon her graduation did her father give her the heirloom “Shadow Fang” saying as she was first of their line to enter the military in centuries he knew she’d would be the one to master and use their family sword. it was when Luna returned did she jump to be in her honor guard, if asked she’d say her time as one of Night mare’s guards as one of the best times of her life.

Well for while anyway. It was not to long after the return of Luna did Song stared to feel off. Her family and friend asked many times what was wrong as Song started to act weird, her normally bright face no longer smiled nor did her eyes sparkle, it did not even show grief or sorrow. To Song's frustration she felt nothing. It had been a gradual thing, but she could not take any pride or joy in her life as it was. For two years she tried all she could to get something back into her heart. Then the Princess vanished, if she could she would have cried, but what happened next stared her down the road she walks.

It was not long after the elements dispensed, and the loss of her brother to the now corrupt element of generosity that Song felt something in her dead heart. Hate, hate in its purist form. She looked in rage as Rarity took and destroyed all that was her family, all that was her home. Then the first battle with the new House Earthborn did she suffer her first defeat at the hand of Big Mac and his juggernauts did she loose outright. Her hatred grew at the humiliation. Then finally it was the battle of New Ponyvile that set her on her path. It was joint Whitegold and Earthborn army that marched to meet Moon and Star’s invading army. An Army Song was a part of it was during the slaughter or their troop did Song find her true love. War, the smell of the burning buildings, cries of anger and angst, the roars of cannon fire. She finally felt something after so long. With a song in her heart and a dance in her step she took command that day. And with her gain her nickname “The Mad Conductor” for her turning of the tide. After the battle she returned to the still young Moon and Star and joins the inquisition.

There she worked her way to finding any dealing with Whitegold. Her success gain the attention of twilight and for her deeds grants her a noble status back. But this also brought the air of Grand Inquisitor Trixie who views Song as the one real threat to her status as Grand Inquisitor. More so of the rumors that Song shares Twilight’s bed. Song and Trixie have never missed a chance to outdo each other always looking for fault and a way to gain power. But Trixie did gain something however. She gained a new fear. after a year of this she worked to seduce Song and use it to her advantage, only for it to be turned around, it was there that she asked Song something’s.

“Why do this, whore yourself to the powerful?”

Song smiled as she nuzzled Trixie.

“Why do this, you work for us yet you don’t follow our ways?

Song laughs as she kisses her.

“Why do you fight?”

Song gets up and puts on her armor and coat.

“If we ruled…what would you do?”

Song just smiled singing song as she walked away from her toward to the door.

“~Welcome to this crazy time~”

“~You have entered the era of madness~”

Oh wow, the new task force has Willow's ability... Now I've got to change it.

944600>>944935
But you guys posted your characters already.

945252
Sister?

945500
We were asked to repost with some changes made to the characters.