Dio

Yaaaaaayyyyyyy! I love it! If there's a high-res version you could send me I would love it even more!

Thanks, Rosie. I'll take care of this after I get out of this mountain of schoolwork

I always feel rude asking for art, but I finally decided to bite my tongue and do it. Can you render Acclaim for me? She's one of the Night Guard pegasi like the ones that pulled Luna's chariot in "Luna Eclipsed." Having her in Lunar Guard armor with the bat wings would be cool, too!

It could be posited that Starswirl's spell was an attempt to "break the bonds" of one's cutie mark. Throughout the series, it has been explicitly stated that a cutie mark is the mark of one's destiny and a reflection of their talents and worth as an individual. On the one hand, it gives those with cutie marks a reason for living and a concrete goal to strive for as they attempt to self-actualize. On the other, being locked down to one life path because of what one's cutie mark says can potentially be disheartening. Perhaps Starswirl was not trying to alter others' destinies, but his own; in the process allowing others to be free from what he saw as shackles to the whims of fate.

Equestrian mornings were always a thing of beauty. From grassy valley, across wheat-blanketed fields, sprawling apple orchards, and vast forest sweeps; from the lowest river plain to the highest mountaintop; from the expanses of the wild blue to the cloudy wisps at the dizzying reaches of the atmosphere, morning dawned. Fire kissed the horizon, a sultry red-orange glow that stretched its lucid rays across the earth, sea, sky, and aether. A lone pegasus gingerly closed the locker door, hoofing the lock into place and giving the dial a twist. A blast of hot breath escaped her nostrils as she stepped out of the locker room. Freshly awakened muscles twitched beneath goldenrod-yellow fur while a jet black mane and tail ruffled softly in the wind. Stepping into the soft orange glow outside, the mare stretched her wings to their full extent, revealing black pinion tips, contrasting starkly with her subdued fur and plumage. Sunrise was different from Cloudsdale. There was little dust or haze at altitude, allowing Sergeant Acclaim to enjoy a full unadulterated view of Celestia’s dawn. The sergeant was free of her usual regalia and appointments. No armor, saddle blankets, hoofguards, lances, tail or mane ties, or helms; only fur, feathers, and sinew. Acclaim smiled. This was was how a pegasus should live! The sergeant stretched her legs and wings, working each appendage through its full range of motion and limbering each muscle as she reached it. She was back in the Twin Cities of Cloudsdale and Trottingham for R&R to be sure, but you could never quite take the army life out of a soldier. Endless PT routines drilled into her head a fixed waking time at “the flank crack of dawn” as civilians would put it. So there she stood, her hooves on the outermost ring of Cloudsdale’s famous Cloudeseum, the sky above, the sunrise below, and horizon before her. Her warm up complete, Acclaim took a deep breath and leaped forward into the blue.

Double Tap followed Ghost Writer’s gaze around the room. The ceiling. The dresses. The floor. The windows. Not exactly the most interesting or distracting of views. But closer inspection seemed to suggest that the distraction was deliberate. Of course! How could he have forgotten? Ever-introverted Ghost Writer was flank-showoff Spotlight’s polar opposite when it came to interactions involving anypony other than the troupe itself. [colour=#ff0000]“Well now from that little speech, I’d have to disagree.”[/colour] Taps gave Writer a sidelong smile. [colour=#ff0000]“In fact, I would say you’re quite good with your tongue.”[/colour] Pausing a moment to let the jest sink in, he continued. [colour=#ff0000]“Come now. Not everypony is a brat like Spotlight or a high-society cur like some Canterlotians I know. Conversation and company isn’t as hard as you’re making it out to be.”[/colour]

I didn't expect this to cause such a stir. Thank you for your suggestions, Templar, but I will defer to RPH judgment on whether or not actual changes need to be made.

Bump for great justice.

Alistair Goldmane It’s not the takedown, it’s the thrill of the hunt! RP Type: Mane RP Name: Master Gunnery Sergeant Alistair “Goldy” Goldmane, also responds to “Gunny” or “Master Guns” Sex: Male Age: Griffon nearing the end of his prime Species: Griffon Art courtesy of Elderflower! Big cat colour scheme: White tiger Raptor colour scheme: Harpy eagle Eye colour: Green Physique: toned, but not massive. Built more for endurance than raw strength. Residence: Born in Talonopolis. Currently operating out of Stalliongrad. Occupation: Former Aquellian Marine. Currently first mate of the airship Artorius and security chief when required. Character History The Goldmanes are a large clan living in the canyons of Aquellia. Though the clan has members throughout the country, the vast majority of them live near Talonopolis. The families run the gamut from factory workers to hunters to schoolteachers to Aquellian Marines. Alistair was born into a rural family near the outskirts and thus learned from an early age to be independent, self-sufficient, and keenly observant of the land. Alistair grew up hunting and fishing in the Raptorclaw's alluvial plain. His family hunted, fished, and farmed the land for sustenance while his father and brothers worked in the Talonopolis factories. When he came of age, Alistair was encouraged to venture beyond the canyon confines on his fledgling pilgrimage. While some Goldmanes elected to venture out into the world on their own, Alistair was proud to count himself among those who enlisted in the marines. He was assigned to an airship that traveled overseas, giving him the taste of adventure he’d always wanted. After years of service, Alistair was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant. Upon his return, Alistair found himself burdened with ennui. All that could be done in his provincial life at home could not compare to the things he had seen and done on board ship across the sea. One day, while perusing additional employment opportunities in Talonopolis, Alistair discovered a flier requesting experienced former military griffons and ponies to staff a security company that guarded cargo running between Talonopolis and Stalliongrad. In his travels, Alistair had heard much about the city in the north. While he couldn’t care less about its industrial districts and shining spires, the unspoiled wilderness surrounding the city proper tempted him. Thus, with only a few words for his family, Alistair was off again, this time to Stalliongrad! When he arrived he was amazed by the city's sheer size, diversity, and opportunity! It was even better than the recruiters had said! The company, a subsidiary of Kalinka Shipping, quickly assigned Alistair to the work pool where he was soon assigned to the airship Artorius under Captain Sturmovik. Though the good captain came off stern and uncompromising, the marine and the mariner soon warmed up to each other and became fast friends. To this day Alistair serves Sturmovik aboard the Artorius. He relishes in the adventure that seems to follow that ship, like an albatross, wherever it may venture. Character Summary Alistair has a special affinity for the great outdoors and a wide array of survival skills to go with it. In the wilderness, Alistair can always be counted upon to be able to start fires, set up camps, render them safe, and identify safe and unsafe food and water sources. On shore leave, he enjoys pub games like cards and billiards. Despite growing up around Talonopolis and now living in Stalliongrad, Alistair has a strong dislike of the inner city. He very much prefers natural surroundings to the forests of glass, steel, and dead wood that comprise the larger cities in the world. The stuffiness of social functions and the need to be in suits or formal wear to even get in is a severe turnoff to a griffon who spent most of his career in ghillie suits or flight jackets. The former marine is adventurous, gregarious, and always looking for something new to do. He loves the feel of the wind through his feathers and the thrill of taking game. Because of his hunting and military background he is adept at the use of bow, spear, and blade, though these days he prefers to do his fishing with a fishing rod. Age has mellowed Alistair out but not taken the vitality from him. Note: This character is a rework of a character that I originally created, but gave away the rights to. The former player, Pony_Sage, has in private conversation given me back the rights to the character. Record of this can be found in Alistair's old application. This transfer has been authorized by Manestream.

Character rework in progress.

You are very much appreciated, lurv princess - Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab using Tapatalk HD

We love you and miss you Science Pony. - Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab using Tapatalk HD

Spotlight. Double Tap visibly bristled at the thought of her. If Ghost Writer would have let him get away with it, he’d have tarred Spotlight’s feathers long ago. The bratty, entitled, exasperating, prima donna showmare of a star was entertaining enough off set when she’d had enough drinks in her, but trying to keep everything together through costume changes, lighting changes, sound tweaks, and stage resets without her complaining about her hooves being scuffed or mane mussed or makeup smeared was getting to be unbearable. After the morning whirlwind of rehearsals, heavy lifting, and nonstop production headaches, Taps was looking forward to a light lunch and a heavy drink. Of course as luck would have it, both would have to wait until after the current task was complete. Heavy lifting begot more heavy lifting, and while no draft horse, Double Tap was the only stallion with any experience handling such things on set. Thus it took only a nudge from Spotty dearest to have Ghost Writer send him rolling down the road, utility cart in tow, to fetch materials for the props inevitably ruined by a morning mishap involving a stage light, a bag of feathers, and a bottle of liquor. “So... are you... well?” The question was half-asked, half-stated, a dash of awkward, and all jarring. Double Tap snapped his head to Eloquence, nearly tripping over a small stone in the road while he did. He grunted as he righted himself, sighing at his own lapse in awareness. Thinking. Thinking was dangerous. He’d have to do it less often. “Uh... Do you have the list of items we need to acquire?” The question came again, half-asked, half-stated, with just a dash of awkwardness. Double Tap was one of the newer members of the troupe, having been hired on as a specialist stage hoof during their last stop in Canterlot and as of yet was not as intimately familiar with the mannerisms of the others so much as he was with Spotlight’s bravado and Ghost Writer’s particular... tastes. Eloquence, though, was an enigma, having kept mostly to herself during introductions and being quite quick about completing tasks before retreating to wherever it was zebras retreated to when their tasks were completed. [colour=#ff0000]“List is in my saddle,”[/colour] Taps replied flatly, turning his eyes back to the road. [colour=#ff0000]“And alive, yes. Well, not so much. If I’d had my choice, my flank would be under a tree, asleep instead of hitched up to a cart headed for town.”[/colour]

Tick stammered a barely intelligible response. Of course he had an insider. Infiltration might have been possible against an enemy position in the dead of night, but getting your hooves into a bureaucracy as thick and thorough as the Royal Equestrian Army by yourself was a task bordering on impossible. Sometimes even the legitimate requests got filtered out because of it. “Your orders, sir? Your highness?” [colour=#000080]“You’re the expert.”[/colour] But suddenly all eyes were upon Shining Armor. The captain’s eyes darted back and forth, first meeting the Princess, then the drill sergeant, then the terrified private Tick. Raising an eyebrow for a brief moment, the captain finally spoke. [colour=#0000ff]“Seems like you’re in a lot of hot water, private. We might be able to turn down the heat, but only if we know the whole story. So how far down does the rabbit hole go?”[/colour]

Documentation, documentation, documentation. History had a way of worming itself back into the present whenever the Princess was involved. Tea was the order of the day, a comforting routine in a morning that was expected to be quite eventful, should the Guard reports and Pathfinder’s purported knack for trouble hold true. Celestia had taken the time the night before to do some reading on the legend itself, but it was only now that she was able to get a clearer picture of the real world situation. [colour=#ee82ee]“Good morning, Aunt Celestia! I hope you’re as excited as I am.”[/colour] Celestia returned Cadence’s chipper greeting with a smile. [colour=#dda0dd]“The adjutant’s notes seem to indicate we’re in for an interesting time.”[/colour] A squeaking and clacking of hooves on the marble floors indicated the arrival of another pony. Celestia looked up from her papers to find Luna skidding to a halt just outside the boardroom, slightly winded. [colour=#000080]“Good morning,”[/colour] she squeaked. Celestia stifled a giggle with a hoof. [colour=#dda0dd]“Good morning to you as well, sister. Care for some breakfast? The kitchen sent tea, hot chocolate, and coffee and some pastries for us. Pathfinder and company will be brought in when we are ready.”[/colour]

Being reworked. Moved to applications at OP request.

"Storm isn't my middle name... it's first and foremost!"

"Though I am not a native of these lands, your attention to their detail is impressive, milady," she complimented, her compulsion in the mare's presence causing her to use the honorific title. "I hail from the frozen crown of the world, a far harsher place than even this. Hopefully this journey proves a challenge even for myself. If all goes well, you shall not lack for tales to weave into your songs, bard. Perhaps your skills will even call the spirits to aid our passage through lands and caverns untold. We leave at dawn." For a fraction of a split second, Celestia’s -- Andromeda’s -- smile faltered. Was the hammer mare so perceptive as to pierce her carefully-assembled persona at first glance? Regardless, it would not do to drop character. Besides, Mjolna, if her name were recalled correctly, seemed to be intent on wrapping up for the night. Andromeda had caught them at just the right time. [colour=#4b0082]“I cannot guarantee the aid of the spirits,”[/colour] she replied. [colour=#4b0082]“But song and tale I am most excited for!”[/colour] As Mjolna went back to nursing her drink, Andromeda glanced quickly at the assembled company. The lady of the hammer. A scholarly pegasus of the name Darkest Dawn. A gruff griffon whose name could have been misconstrued as the aftermath of a chili cookoff. Finally, a little mare with a big sword. Interesting characters to say the least. But most interesting of all were the unicorns that seemed to keep to themselves. Even without sampling the aether around her, Andromeda got a strange feeling from those two, a chill that seemed to transcend the draft that had just worked its way back down the fireplace flue. Destiny was obviously a mare of great intelligence and power; the overheard bits of conversation were enough to deduce that. But this “Strider,” was more difficult to read. Andromeda shook her head, sniffing at her own overanalysis. She required more drink and more merriment. After all, this was VACATION! Work could wait until she got back to Canterlot. [colour=#4b0082]"To adventure!"[/colour] she said with a smile, raising her stein high. ------ Andromeda bounded through the snow after Mjolna, her long loping strides more akin to a deer than a pony. It was all she could do to keep from breaking the spell and unsheathing her wings to take flight. She laughed with her excited comrades, the rush of wind through her mane both liberating and exhilarating. Few occasions had allowed her to be so involved in the world over which she held dominion, an irony that she who was to be in touch with her kingdom was kept sequestered away much of the time. But that would change. Andromeda would change it. [colour=#4b0082]“So,”[/colour] she called to the hammer mare and the griffon. [colour=#4b0082]“Every place has tales attached to it, and Naskralar is no exception. Tell me, molot'chka, which of the tales drives your grand adventure?”[/colour]

[colour=#ff0000]“It’s all in good fun!”[/colour] he chuckled. [colour=#ff0000]“I’m sure Spotlight knows I have no interest in her flank. Sadly, neither does my hat.”[/colour] Pulling the hat off Ghost Writer’s head with his magic, he held it aloft before him in mock Shakesbeardian eulogy. [colour=#ff0000]“Alas, poor hat, I knew him well!”[/colour] The way he saw it, he was doing Spotlight a favour. After all, if she had actually taken her manuscript to be published, it would have been the laughingstock of the publisher. He hadn’t seen such tripe since he’d had the misfortune of selecting from his mother’s “other” bookshelf when he was bored and in need of reading material. Needless to say, romance was not Double Tap’s favorite genre, though Spotlight seemed to be starry-eyed and dizzy-brained over it. And so with merely the flick of a hoof, the manuscript was put out of its misery, the victim of a half-pint of cheap domestic brew that Taps had hardly considered drinkable anyways. Two birds with one stone as the hunter griffon would say. Spotlight, however, was less than amused. [colour=#ff0000]“I knew she wasn’t happy about my work, but I really do wish she hadn’t taken it out on my previous hat,”[/colour] he sighed, flipping the fedora onto his head. [colour=#ff0000]“Now as for the Gala, there are many things you can do!”[/colour] [colour=#ff0000]“I was there a few years ago while I was still, er, freelancing. There’s food, music, dancing, socializing, DRINKS. And let me TELL you about those drinks. Best bartenders in Equestria; the Princess must have gone out of her way to find them! I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a GREAT time to me!”[/colour]

Another day, another batch of letters. The sheer variety of mail was astounding. Personal stories, silly anecdotes, friendship reports, and like this one, the occasional tale of perdition and reconciliation. Esteemed Swift Squall,It has been a long time, to be certain, but I do remember news reports that cross my desk. Even in so great a land as our own, there are those who wish to make profit at the expense of others, though rarely out of malice alone. The ends do not always justify the means and as one who is entrusted to rule, I know just how delicate that balancing act can be. I personally did not put a stop to the scandal; instead you must direct your thanks to the investigators of the Royal Equestrian Intelligence Network and the REA watch commanders who made the arrests. I trust my authorities and regents to do their jobs effectively when I appoint them. It seems that my trust has not been misplaced. As for guilt, it is as difficult for me as it is for anypony else. Surely you have read the stories about Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony? It was certainly not easy to fight my closest friend -- my own flesh and blood -- but I could not put my own personal desires above the safety and well-being of my people. I love my sister dearly, but in the end, my duty was to Equestria. But now the nightmare is over and once again Luna brings the beauty of the night sky to my land and your land -- our land. Guilt is a difficult thing to deal with. Unresolved, it can gnaw at the very soul. Reconciliation goes a long way towards redemption. Your exposure of the Unyasi scandal and your willingness to go to the proper authorities to resolve it already show that you have the desire to reconcile and do what is right. What is in the past cannot be changed. Nopony should ever fault another with that which he or she cannot alter. Instead you must look forward: do what you can in the present to build the future you wish for yourself and Equestria. I cannot guarantee it will be easy -- the right thing never is. But the freedom from the chains of the past and the joy of building something great is worth every labor along the way. Regards, Princess Celestia PS: I will pass your regards to Spearstep and the Joint Chiefs. I’m sure they will be honored by the success of their alum. ​Two letters asking about redemption at once? Well, this was certainly a fine coincidence. Dear Babs Seed,I’m glad that things worked out for you and Apple Bloom. It’s always good to reconcile with other ponies to get rid of any bad blood. By apologizing and showing that you’re willing to be their friends, you’ve already made up with them. From here on, it’s what you do to make a future for yourselves. Let the past be the past. I speak from my experience getting to know Luna all over again after Nightmare Moon, but that is perhaps a story for another time. Friendship reports were originally regular reports sent to me by my star student, Twilight Sparkle. But after some thought, we decided that it would help her research greatly by allowing all her friends to file friendship reports. I would talk or write to Twilight about helping with her project. She can fill you in on all the details! It is my pleasure to allow the citizens of Equestria to write back to me. Luna and I will probably be making a visit to Manehattan in the future. When I do, I’ll be sure to let you know Regards, Princess Celestia ​