Earth Pony Coal Brightfire

[Pony_Sage]

Name: Coal Brightfire

Sex: Male

Age: Stallion [ Analog Human years Mid thirties ]

Species: Earth Pony

Pelt Colour: What is known as Roan.

See picture for better understanding. Picture!

Mane/Tail/Markings Colour & Style: Both his mane and his tail are kept cropped rather short. This keeps them from catching fire while he is working, also it keeps him cooler. His mane and tail are both solid black.

Eye Colour: A fiery red, almost as though they are embers of coal themselves.

Cutie Mark: Crucible pouring molten metal. Stylized version of this.

Physique: "Built like an Ox!" Most ponies say. He was always one of the largest ponies during his youth, the blacksmithing has only served to fill out his large frame with muscle. He has feathering fetlocks.

Origin: He was originally born to a loving earth pony family in the town of Rockwington. His parents payed a gruff griffin blacksmith so that Coal could apprentice under the Master Blacksmith. Once he reached the level of journeyman he moved out of his parent's home and struck out on his own.

Residence: Thunderhoove Volcano on the Gallopocus Island.

Roleplay Type: 'Mane' RP

Occupation: Blacksmith. If it is made of metal and you need it he can most likely make it. Although he is not as adept at the finer filigree. He has the facilities to both forge and cast equipment.

Motivation: To be know Equestria over as the best blacksmith there is. He is steadfast in this conviction and nothing can steer him astray.

Likes: The heat of a well fired forge. Iron, Steel, Bronze, Copper, Tin, any metal that he can get his hooves on. Hammers, anvils, files, punches, tongs, all his tools he holds very dear to his heart. He has a special place in his heart for Arnthrud, his hoof-hammers.

Dislikes: The cold. Running out of metal. Breaking tools. A forge going out. Ponies who do not respect his equipment or profession. Stuck up ponies who can not take a joke.

Companion: He has a companion friend that is a Bat. Her name is Sooty. One day while Coal was working on metal in a smithy the knells of Arnthrud pealed out over a forest it would seem. It fell upon the ears of a lost Bat. She followed the noise to Coal's shop and promptly flew right into his face. After the initial fright of the encounter Coal soon realized that the bat was lost and needed a place to roost for the day. He gently took her and placed her on one of his rafters as he worked through the day. The bat watched on and off all throughout the day. She seemed to like the pinging sound that rang out when ever Coal struck the anvil with Arnthrud. The bat also proved to be a good listener. Coal would spend hours talking to her. As night came she flew and he expected to never see her again. But the next morning there she was, hanging from the same rafter. Ever since that day Sooty and Coal have been inseparable. She even serves as his messenger when he needs to get a quick message to somepony in town. That took a little bit of training to accomplish but it works out just fine now. Sooty is a very laid back bat, she loves nothing more than to just relax on the rafters and watch Coal work and interact with his patrons.

Character Summary: Coal was born like any ordinary foal, to a loving earth pony family in Rockwington. He had brothers and sisters, more than enough to keep him occupied with games and such. His mother was a baker and his father a carpenter. Coal was a little different from his brothers and sisters. When he could have been out playing in the busy streets and markets of Rockwington he instead opted to peek intently in through the window of a nearby blacksmith's shop. He would spend hours watching the big griffin smith work the hot metal into all sorts of fanciful shapes and designs.

His siblings would often tease him about his hobby but it never phased him. He would just sit and watch the smith. When he was on the cusp of Colthood his parents surprised him with a gift. They would pay for his apprenticeship with that griffin smith that he watched everyday. Coal was unbelievably happy with this news. He could barely sleep the night before he started working for the Smith.

Coal's apprenticeship went the usual way an apprenticeship would in that line of work. He first learned how to build maintain and pump billows. He did this for about a year, then he moved on to actual metal working. He was at a disadvantage in this arena. Seeing as his Griffin Master could hold hammers in his talons and Coal could not. He started out by using his mouth to wield the hammers and other tools. He became proficient in this but never really excelled. He longed to work the metal with his hooves like his Griffin Master. This did not hamper Coal's resolve though. He pressed forwards until his apprenticeship was almost up.

He was always a grand dreamer, he would think of new and interesting ways to make something or a new improvement on an old design. While the Griffin Master appreciated these ideas he was a bit stuck in his ways and never implemented them. Coal soon reached the end of his apprenticeship and his Master was rather pleased with Coal's work. The Griffin passed him on to the stage of journeyman, as a present the Master presented him with Arnthrud. These were a pair of heavy iron shoes that Coal could slip his feet into and secure onto his legs with leather straps. These would function as Coal's new hammers, his dream of working the hot metal with his hooves was finally a reality! This day was full of surprises for Coal! He even received his cutie-mark as he began to try out his new hoof-hammers. This day could not get any better.

With his apprenticeship over, he embarked on the next leg of his journey. He packed up his equipment and sett off into the wide open world of Equestria. He wandered from town to town, always learning something new about his trade from the various smiths that he met through his travels. He would stay at a shop for as long as he was needed and then move on. His dreams growing ever grander with each year. He eventually reached the grade of Master Blacksmith.

He eventually washed up on the Gallopocus Islands. He loved the weather and the ponies there. He liked all the greenery and the easy access to the beach. It is just a wonderful place. Plus it afforded him with a unique opportunity to realize his grand dreams. He opened up a shop that was recessed into the side of the Thunderhoove Volcano. This let him have easy access to some of the volcanic vents. He uses these vents to fire what he calls his 'Vulcan Forges'. He can create temperatures that far exceed the temperatures of normal forges. This lets him work much harder metals and even liquefy metals so that he may cast items.

He is a very skilled smith, especially when it comes to crafting unique and one of a kind parts for airships and the like. Being that he is stationed on an Island there are not vast supplies of coal or metal. He uses his friend Monty's surplus shop as a shipping hub for his wares and required items. He usually gets coal and metal in weekly in huge loads. Most of the time these loads are just dropped from an airship on Coal's front yard for him to unpack.

His shop is a little out of the way and surrounded by greenery but it is well worth the trip. He makes some of the best goods in all of Equestria. Especially hardened metals and strong items. His hardened steel cutting edge equipment is starting to gain popularity among both the agrarian ponies and the enterprising Griffins. Hardened steel is a hard commodity to come by and is in constant demand.

Personality: Even though he is a very determined pony Coal often enjoys a good joke with friends. Sometimes you can find him in the local tavern just being rowdy with his buds. He is very friendly and just a nice all around pony. He even enjoys making iron toy puzzles for children. When ever a foal, colt, or filly stops by his shop he always has something for them to take home and play with.

[Thunder Boomer]

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[Skye]