Dio

As you all know, moving to a new board comes with its share of growing pains. Among these are forum bugs, some of them merely annoying while others are complete gamebreakers. The staff would like to thank you all for your patience as we get everything running again. In the meantime, you all can help us out by collecting data about the bugs when you find them. Having all of the bug information on hand will be critical in getting them all squashed quickly and thoroughly. Please post here and include the following information when you discover a bug: Name: Give it a name or at the very least a few descriptive words to make it easier for us to reference, track, and handle. Section: what section of the boards you encountered the bug. Browser: Chrome, Firefox, etc. Description: A detailed description of bug. Be sure to include the following: Reproduction steps: Clearly explain the steps to reproduce the bug. Expected result: What should happen when the bug occurs? Actual result: What ACTUALLY happens when the bug occurs?

I like the basic setup. If you need to use them, I will allow you to use any of my expanded universe organizations (ie: The Holy Order of the Destriers, Royal Equestrian Army, Honor Guard, etc.). I can also make White Feather (a thief), Argent Rook (a doctor), Virtue (a Destrier Knight), and Fletcher (an Honor Guard commander) available for use as supporting characters.

Fillies and Gentlecolts of Canterlot! You've been waiting, you've been watching, and you've been holding your breath for them! You've subscribed to the art threads, stalked the galleries, and dinged the bell on the helpstaff desk! Well wait no longer, because the gala thread portraits are finally here! After careful deliberation and a committee vote, the staff of Canterlot would like to congratulate Dubstep, Tempest Rime, Mudbug, Tales, and all of the many participants of the Open Bar gala thread for the RP contributions. Now, without further ado, I give you The Grand Galloping Gala 2011! Tango to Terror Dark Core and Malediction Luna's Entrance Celestia and Luna Open Bar Martini Paradise, Maximilian Rockefilly, Babbles, Knightly, Cherry Dawn, Soarin, Spitfire, Monty, Ginger Mint, and Doctor Whooves This post has been promoted to an article

“It was my sworn duty to involve myself,” the knight said, looking past Cherry, gazing through the barn door at infinity beyond the driving rain. “When I became a Destrier, I vowed that I would protect the innocent whenever they were threatened by the wicked and corrupt...” Cherry continued. “I should have at least said ‘thank you’ before I left though.” A light chuckle escaped Virtue’s lips at Cherry’s response. “Yes, it was a bit rude. But I can hardly blame you. I will admit that staying at an inn with a sword-wielding stranger when you had just been chased down by strange stallions would be quite unnerving were I in your position.” As his laughter faded into the night, Virtue’s mind rang with the clanging of blade on shoed hoof and scintillated with flashing arcs of polished steel. The Destrier made a show of shaking out his short-cropped mane and flicking his tail, partially hiding the attempt to shake the thoughts from his head. Certainly he would have been justified in slaying Cherry’s pursuers outright. He could see the malicious intent in their gaze, sense the darkness in their souls, darkness that needed to be eradicated if Equestria was to ever have lasting peace. “Let this blade be a shining beacon in the howling darkness, flashing steel against the sins of the wicked, and an ever vigilant guardian against the insidious powers of corruption and vice,” Virtue silently mouthed the words inscribed in Old Equine on the flat of his blade. Aequitas was forged just for this purpose. Why, then, did it feel wrong to use it to carry out his sacred duty? “Those stallions made an enemy of the Destriers when they attacked you,” he said, suddenly adopting a much more serious tone. “Until they pay for their crimes, it will always be so.” An enemy of the Destriers? Could he really say that now? Were they really an enemy of the Destriers, or were they merely an enemy of Virtue, the knight errant? Virtue laid his head down upon his forehooves, closing his eyes as he mulled over the words he had jut spoken.

It was all over local radio and social networking, but I didn't feel a thing because I was in traffic at the time. Apparently quite a few of my friends, including several in the engineering building (a tall tower) felt it.

Moved to General OOC chatter, as this is an RP-related request.

inb4 Chaos Space Mare-ines. Ever since I saw Sanity-X's work on Deviant Art, I will never see Celestia as anything less than the Emperess of Ponykind and anything associated with Nightmare Moon as Chaos.

Welcome, welcome! The ponies in IRC already gave you the run-down, so I'll spare you the reiteration on the boards. For quick reference of RP rules and tips you can go to the Getting Started subforum. Any more in depth questions can be answered by me or any of the other staffers. Feel free to contact us via PM or on IRC. Again, welcome to Canterlot! EDIT: Ninja'd by Tales.

I'm putting him up for evaluation before I end up writing myself a small novel.

“-Then why are you here? Why are you following me?” “Following you?” Virtue cocked his head quizzically as he answered. “Cherry, after the incident in Hoofington, you vanished. How was I to know you would be in the same barn I happened to seek shelter in here? Wherever ‘here’ is...” Virtue trailed off as he realized he hadn’t the slightest idea where in Equestria they were. The storm had caught him off guard, completely erasing his ability to recount the distance or direction he had traveled while within it. All he knew was that he was somewhere north of Fillydelphia, lost in the mess of farms that covered the rolling hills of the Equestrian Heartland, sheltering in a dilapidated barn with a filly he had met just days earlier in Hoofington under less than auspicious circumstances. “It appears fate has decided that we cross paths again, Cherry Dawn,” Virtue said as he stood. The Destrier gently nuzzled Cherry before stepping back to his corner of the barn. “Come now, you are much too big for me to be dragging you around by the nape of your neck like a foal!” Unsnapping one of the straps on his saddlebags, Virtue removed a small metal canteen from its containing pouch. Virtue popped the cap open and took a quick swig before sitting down on his haunches, holding the canteen in one hoof and motioning for Cherry to come over with the other. “I always travel light, so I apologize for having nothing more to offer,” he said. “But the water is potable and the corner is dry. Hydration should help loosen the cramps in your wings and rest will do wonders for your nerves.” A peal of thunder rattled the barn again, albeit with far less intensity, seeming more distant than the ones prior. The bursts of lightning were also becoming more sporadic, indicating that the storm was blowing past them. Virtue briefly considered heading out to find a more secure location, but reconsidered when he looked outside through the crack in the barn door. The rain was far from over. “When this storm clears up we can see about finding a town and getting some proper lodging and a real meal,” he sighed, turning back to Cherry. “Until then, I think you should try to relax and get some sleep.”

“...you... No... not you too.” Virtue took a step back, not from an impending threat, but from the venom that Cherry Dawn spat back at him. She recognized him, that much was certain, but her inflection cut just as deep as any Destrier blade. There was vitriol in her voice, a volatile concoction of cold rage and abject terror that detonated in a spray of acidic verbiage. Et tu, Equus? The words echoed in his head, his own words, now being repeated to him by an innocent that he’d sworn to protect. Betrayal was a dart that pierced deeper than any armor could protect, down to the very heart of a stallion. Even when colored by fright and anger, the accusation still struck a blow deep within the recesses of Virtue’s psyche. “Cherry!” Virtue spoke curtly, but without malice, trying to get the filly’s attention without antagonizing her. “Please calm down. I am not here to—” “No!” Cherry cut him off, her eyes darting about the barn like a frightened animal. “I won’t go back! Not after what that – that Buzzard did to me!” “Cherry!” Ignoring Virtue’s pleas, the little Pegasus leaped upwards, intending to take wing and make her getaway in spite of the storm outside. Virtue sidestepped just in time to avoid a collision, allowing Cherry’s outstretched legs and wings to flit by just inches from his head. But as he did so, the filly seemed to crumple in mid-air, as if giant invisible hooves had been clapped together with her in the middle. Virtue winced as Cherry foundered, yelping in pain as she tumbled to the concrete behind him. The burly stallion was surprisingly light on his feet and wings as he quickly fluttered over her crumpled form, alighting just in front of her. Virtue folded his wings again and knelt down to bring his muzzle level with Cherry’s. “Please listen to me, Cherry,” Virtue said, looking straight into Cherry’s eyes. “I made a vow to do everything in my power to protect the innocent. I have yet to break that vow and I do not intend to start now. Please, I mean you no harm...”

I think it would be helpful to include a list of participant characters and their players. It might make it easier to visualize the scenes while reading.

Captain Fletcher Marksmanship isn't about killing. It's about consistency. It's about being able to hit the target every time no matter the conditions. What's it matter that you've struck once if you can never repeat the shot? Name: Captain “Akula” Fletcher Sex: Male Age: Stallion Species: Unicorn RP Type: Main RP Coat colour: Ultramarine blue. Bone white blaze. Bone fetlocks. Mane/Tail colour & Style: Bone white tail and mane, both trimmed, but not buzzed short as is typical of REA regulars. Single streak of ultramarine blue in his tail. Tail is tied back during combat and competitions. Eye colour: Violet with red flecks. Cutie Mark: Three upward-pointing arrowheads in bone white. The same shot, the same place—every time. Physique: On the shorter side. Physique is hardened and compact from REA conditioning, but not overly bulky as would be typical of a combat infantryman. Origin: Fillydelphia. Assignments have taken him to The Borderlands, Stalliongrad, Beakbreak City, and Canterlot. Occupation: Sharpshooter, commanding officer of Alpha Squadron, V Order of Her Majesty’s Honor Guard. Motivation: Lead his unit well. Rebuild Alpha team to its former glory. Avoid getting sucked into the twisted webs that REIN and the intelligence community weave. Uncovering the truth about the Aquellian operation that destroyed Alpha. Finding his ex-wife. Likes: Tending to his bonsai trees, tea, logic puzzles, quiet, personal time, the perfect shot, archery, darts, billiards, any other activities that require precision and control, acquiring knowledge, gin drinks, moving up in the world, classical music Dislikes: Going into an operation blind, loud music while he’s trying to do research, Griffon liquor, intellectual stagnation, ennui, bringing up his ex-wife, willful ignorance Service Record Civilian Life Alpha Company, 4th Battalion (“Sunfire”) Bravo Squadron, I Order, Her Majesty’s Honor Guard Alpha Squadron, V Order, Her Majesty’s Honor Guard Character Profile Fletcher is very precise in both his decision-making and his marksmanship and is an incorrigible perfectionist. He is astutely observant of his surroundings and perpetually in search of new information on all subjects. He is a voracious reader and cannot seem to assimilate information fast enough to satisfy himself. Since he is not currently on combat deployment, he spends his off-time in the Canterlot library, acquiring ideas for new spells or methods for improving the efficacy of his current spells. The nature of Fletcher’s demeanor depends on who is being asked. The enlisted men fear his watchful eye, as little goofing off occurs when “Akula” is on the prowl. The officer corps respects his accomplishments greatly and defers both to his intelligence and combat experience. Civilians once enjoyed his sharp wit and fiery ambition, but Fletcher has since mellowed out, measuring his statements carefully and ensuring he gets the results he’s looking for. In spite of his quiet professionalism, Fletcher is quite amicable when greeted and is perfectly willing to swap stories at the bar with other ponies in the military or intelligence communities. Since his reassignment to V Order, Caesura has yet to contact him. Fletcher does his best to keep himself occupied with REIN intel analyses and V Order administrative duties, but he cannot help but make occasional attempts to locate her. This desire for information also carries over to Alpha Squadron’s final mission. Though he is currently Squadron leader, Alpha team’s mission is still classified for Fletcher, leading him to suspect that there is more than meets the eye to his latest reassignment. Even when off-duty, Fletcher sticks to a tight regimen of exercise and marksmanship training to maintain both his conditioning level and shooting skills. He reads whatever material he can get his hands on that catches his interest, ranging from mathematical treatises to military history and politics. Fletcher’s apartment in Canterlot is home to several bonsai trees, carefully crafted over years of service.   Spellbook Combat Spells Aetheric bow. Fletcher’s go-to spell for long-range shooting. As the bow is composed entirely of aether and formed when needed, it requires no cleaning, restringing, or stowing/drawing, and can be as powerful or as precise as Fletcher needs it to be. Fletcher’s primary marksman spell. Kinetic Bolt. Alternative combat spell that fires a small packet of charged aether that detonates on contact, generating a bright flash and powerful shockwave. Power level can be regulated to cause less-lethal effects such as temporary blindness or disorientation. Kinetic bolts follow a ballistic trajectory. Fletcher can fire multiple bolts at a time, though doing so is greatly taxing on his concentration. Fletcher’s preferred means of dealing with close targets. Utility Spells First Aid. Patches minor wounds, stops bleeding, and disinfects cuts and scratches, but emergencies like burns, blood loss, and broken bones or severed limbs still require more expert medical attention. Blink. Teleport approximately 10 yards. Longer teleport jumps are possible, but longer distances exponentially decrease accuracy and increase risk of injury. Darksight. Utility spell that artificially amplifies incoming light to Fletcher's eyes, allowing him to operate in low-light conditions. The spell is useless in total darkness. The spell automatically dispells when ambient light levels become too bright. Telekinesis. Cantrip. Unicorn “mage hand” for fine manipulation of small objects. Light. Cantrip. Unicorn utility spell for illumination. Skills Estimation and Evalution. After years of experience training in marksmanship and pathfinding, Fletcher is excellent at estimating range and gauging ambient conditions and associating those conditions with effects on the flight of his arrows or bolts. Command. Fletcher has substantial leadership experience with both Special Forces and REA regulars. Marksmanship. Fletcher is nonpareil in terms of marksmanship. His precision is legendary, especially among the Stalliongrad Guard. Though his primary means of shooting is the aetheric bow spell, he can still wield a physical longbow or shortbow just as well.

Metal. Cold metal. Virtue snapped to alertness at the touch, the material’s temperature and texture triggering every combat instinct drilled into him by years of training and field work. Every muscle tensed, every non-eyesight sense came online with lightning speed. Even in the darkness, Virtue knew the interior of the barn, including the location of his attacker. “Don’t, move. Try anything, an’ I’ll…I’ll…” With one swift, fluid motion, Virtue leapt up, knocking the garden hoe away with a massive fetlock and alighting on all four hooves just inches in front of his would-be assailant. His wings were half-opened already, prepared to propel him forward with more force than could be mustered by his legs alone in a barreling lunge that could knock the toughest creature off its feet and send it face first into the ground. A cry of surprise issued from the mare’s lips as her improvised weapon clattered to the concrete, just out of reach. As Virtue’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, the flier in front of him was illuminated by a flash of lightning, revealing not an assassin or a thief, but a small, frightened filly. Virtue’s would-be assailant was young, barely a mare and definitely no hardened killer. The burly Pegasus relaxed slightly, looking over to where her weapon had clattered to the ground. What could have been the edge of a dagger or sword was in fact the dull blade of a common garden hoe. The filly quailed in his presence, visibly trembling and stumbling backwards as he advanced. Virtue mentally kicked himself in the flank. The barn hadn’t been abandoned after all. In fact, it probably belonged to one of the nearby operational farms, the owners of which had every right to evict him for trespassing. “How in nightmare did you find me!?! Who Sent YOU!!” The feminine voice quavered uneasily, laced with a mixture of fear and rage. Virtue’s ears perked up at the sudden change in tonality and the realization that any rational pony would be fast asleep snug in her house in a storm like this. Whoever this filly was, she was neither the owner of the farm, nor was she a native of the area. Another flash of lightning illuminated the interior of the barn, casting sharp shadows against the cold concrete and further deepening the darkness around the walls and corners of the decrepit barn. Slivers of inky blackness accented by fleeting beads of quicksilver skittered across the two pegasi as they stood face to face on the concrete. There was something oddly familiar about the little Pegasus. Though her mane was mussed and her coat covered in wood chips and partly dried mud, her eyes shone through the darkness. Sanguine eyes. Tired eyes. Hurt eyes. The memory finally clicked. Virtue stepped forward, his wings folded once again at his side and his head lowered to the filly’s eye level. As the lightning flashed once again, it revealed the softer expression that he had adopted. “Cherry?”

This was originally an RP thread between RCTwilightSparkle and I from the gala, but real life got in the way. Now, a month later I've taken the liberty of finishing the story arc as a fanfic. Though I was hesitant about my ability to write anything other than combat or introspective pieces, RC has somehow convinced me that this is worth showing. So before I change my mind, I present to you "A Trace Chance." Link to the Google Doc

(( OOC: Yes I wrote this listening to the Rolling Stones )) "Of all the days the local weather crews could have picked, it had to be this one..." Virtue gritted his teeth, clamped his wings shut, and forced his way through the howling tempest, with each step silently thanking the last shop owner he had visited for the storm-proof gear. The driving rain stung his flanks and streamed through his mane and blaze, blurring his vision and clouding the breath in his nostrils with fine mist. In the periphery of his vision, Virtue spotted something in the gloom. A short distance away, an old barn rose out of the mists. Though it was in disrepair, it appeared intact enough to weather the storm. Virtue grunted as he slogged through the muck that, in dry weather, would have passed for a trail. The decrepit barn loomed in front of him, its shutters flapping in the baying wind and front door clearly falling off its hinges. Still, it was better than being out in the open and a sight more respectable than the cover of an old oak in Everfree. "Abandoned, but serviceable. This will have to do." The Pegasus breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped into the barn, immediately enjoying the feeling of no longer being bombarded by stinging droplets falling from the sky like a million arrows. Virtue shook himself off, starting with his cropped-short mane and working his way down his body, flapping his wings and flicking his tail to work the worst of the rain out. Though his coat was still damp, it was far more comfortable than being soaked. KA-THUNK. Virtue's saddlebags and scabbard clattered unceremoniously to the concrete floor of the barn. He was far too exhausted from fighting the storm to care about proper procedure at this point. Nudging his gear into a dry corner, Virtue curled up on the floor and was soon fast asleep.

Added ChelseaGold's AWESOME rendering of Virtue to the profile!

Wooo, computer engineers represent! Are you a WoW junkie or an FPS freak? I'm playing Black Ops, Reach, and Bad Company 2 while I wait for Battlefield 3 to come out. Anyways, welcome to Canterlot! If you want to talk customs, get on IRC and hit up Flutterscotch, Pony_sage (IRC handle Freddie_freewings), Thunder Boomer, and Techno Tealeaf, as they all have experience with customs. Finally, everyone knows Twilight Sparkle is the best pony

One final note. Reading up on the responsibilities and role of officers in your country's (if you're not in the US) military will be helpful in roleplaying, especially when dealing with other military ponies. We seem to have had a lot of them pop up lately. Also, you may want to look at the Royal Equestrian Army thread. The information there isn't show canon per se, but it may be helpful for creating story ideas or establishing relationships with other military ponies. As for the application, it looks good to me.

Added hex codes for his color scheme for artist reference. Corrected color name for his mane. The color I was thinking of was rust, but I originally listed it as bronze.