Harv0kz

If you're still open to finding rps, I've got two char's I bring to the table: My technomagickz inventor pone Solven, and my Sniper-merc pone Sharp I can't guarantee character safety while Sharp is used with non-pony races Call it "militaristic-patriotic prejudice"

Then go for it. When you design your char, think about why XCOM, or any other realistic military branch would've accepted or assigned the roll you choose. Also note I prefer to have the ponies have a party in where they are at least familiar with combat, but not so much it clouds their character. With 'pew pew pew, fighting more, mary sue, etc'

No, we go post by post, and when everyone has posted, I execute my post and play out the changelings. And we're not using the class system. Quite impossible because the fastest firing gun is a revolver that's fanned or a bolt action rifle fired rapidly. Just pure char description, such as skills and what not. Don't actually part a character yet though, I'm still working the kinks out

Right. Cool. I want to have a full squad before we get things rolling. Because big numbers tend to work well against raids and invasions. And it gives me time to polish up the "how-things-work" in the OP thread.

Premise and setting A small concept I thought up of. over the past few days of playing. Imagining what might happen if Equestria treated the Changelings as complete aliens, and how they would combat the threat. I would like to take a moment to say that there will be tons of headcannon, and tons of explanations that may not follow your thoughts, but my ruling is final on this matter. The Technology level, is quite sporadic. The most advanced weapon a pony has with them, is a pre-WW1 to WW1 Rifle (Ie, Springfield, . No shotguns, no semi-auto pistols at this point (revolvers up to the rifle era-range are permitted). Other than that, crossbows, bows and their associated variants, swords, assorted melee arms, and matchlocks, and flintlocks are available for use. Note that I don't like anyone having anything bigger than a personal weapon, so no big cannons, not "suddenly portable Gatling guns". Magic-based weapons must be cleared through me. Use of a pre-WW1 to WW1 rifle must be cleared through me. Aside from that, armour is still primitive, metal platings, or leather gear. And at this point there is nothing else. To to TLDR Tech level: Pre-WW1 to WW1 rifle is highest permitted. No Semi-Auto pistols, no MGs, No Gatling guns, no cannons of any size. Revolvers, flint/match lock firearms are fair game. As well as swords, and assorted stringed bow weapons. Armour is still Leather and metal. Magic-based arms are usable at my discretion. Advancement of the roleplay depends on how the players perform. Changelings that are brought back from the field are usually autopsied (if dead), or interrogated (if alive), just like in the game. It takes time to research and develop the new improvements, and that time will progress as while the agents are in field. The end result of the team influences what the Changelings do next, so care must be taken to not make things too much to handle. So recap: Moving the RP onwards is solely dependant on how the Players act. You can mess up, and cause the Changelings to be bold and deadly, or you can annihilate the attacking force. You can bring back tons of the dead for autopsies, or you can capture the living to interrogate. (Nb, Interrogation not available from the start, you need the tech to bring them back without an Changeling army assaulting XCOM HQ) Speaking of which, an "agent" is the character you use to join. When it comes time to make that application for him, he must seem "unique", special, and somepony that might be considered for a black-project that involves the fate of Equestria. That means, no one-liners, no short stops ("He shot the Changeling" is much much different compared to "He took aim at the Changeling's body, and fired a single shot at it"), and I will say it now, An stat system will be implemented to make it easier to compare and determine capabilities of the Changelings and the Agents (eg. Autopsy on Changeling can reveal certain stats about it). On a scale of one to 7, 3 being the average for all ponies, 1 meaning the pony is subpar in that stat, and 7 meaning it's exceptional in the stat. Strength: Self Explanatory. Applies to doing anything with physical force required. Endurance: Also Self Explanatory. A gauge for how many hits you can last. Thought you cannot die (unless you want to), the worst you will get is into a critical condition. Agility: Gauges two things, How far and fast you can run, and how well you are able to respond to enemy attacks. Dexterity: How good you are with making your weapon "dance" (in other words, how fast that sword can move, or how accurate that gun is). A gauge of accuracy if you will. (How hard you hit and if you hit at all are different) Will: For non-unicorns, it shows how much you can take before pressure sets in and you break. Also shows susceptibility to mind-magic. For Unicorns, it also determines how strong their magic is. Every Agent has 15 points to assign (4 on all for a "jack of trades, master of none" ). Everypony comes with a free point in all stats (because of your trained backgrounds). Your stat should reflect your backstory, character's physique, and Cutie Mark ability. Changelings will perform many actions that irk the ponies in XCOM, and the Royal Family. Ever since they beefed up their own screening, it has become easier to detect and identify whenever Changelings are on the move. Now that they are bolder, they tend to abduct ponies from towns, conduct terror campaigns, etc. Not to mention they have adapted multiple forms that are appropriate for their function and purpose while on the field (yes, expect big, hulking Changelings with giant claws). Changelings also have their purpose-built awesome magic that's dangerous. I will randomly decide whichever one of these is happening. The course of one activity shouldn't take many posts... if everyone does it with much detail. Otherwise things will go on for longer. I will give brief rest times inside XCOM HQ to RP you character's outside of battle, as they will also serve as a counter for developing/creating equipment and items. Test Character Sheet I welcome any comments, suggestions, and interest in this roleplay. Do keep in mind that this is basic framework, I will expand it more as I think of more.

(Note: Because the app seems to be in lingo, I made some additions to the addendum, by adding more detail to Sharp's gear, as well as adding pictures. Should this in any way affect the current application (IMO Shouldn't, because although it adds on tiny bits of history, it doesn't effect the main core of the history, plus, it's a more, in-depth description of the gear so it's rp performance can be gauged), please allow me to now say that I am sorry, I did not know, and politely request it be read over again, even if it has to have it's queue position reset) "Pop goes the Timberwolf!" ~Sharp Bolt Lining up and firing Spear, his rifle, at a lone Timberwolf Name: Sharp Bolt Gender: Male Age: Young Stallion Species: Pegasus Eye colour: Blue Character colour: Teal Mane/Tail/Other: Mono-white colour, both Mane and Tail kept in a short and highly ordered manner that suggests professionalism and discipline from military. A few scars here and there, but a visible one on his right cheek gained from a lucky hit by an enemy's knife. Physique: Lean and built for speed. No chance of direct stand-off against a Earth Pony unless he moves fast. His wings, however, have a slightly bigger surface area. Ponies who see him clearly see "definitely not up in your face", but "Agile, fast, sneaky pony" Residence: Cloudsdale is where he permanently has a home, but he never stays in a single place, it could be months, weeks, or even years before he sees his home again. He has taken up residence in Canterlot and Stalliongrad before, as per his military career Occupation: "Honourable" mercenary/Monster Hunter/Ex-Military Special Operations Sniper. Cutie Mark: A circular crosshair. He has an insane amount of focused precision, and his eagle eye, not to mention his reflexes. The Cutie Mark is a continuation of his family's lineage of soldiers and guards, a tradition which carried today, also reflects in the Cutie Mark of the family member. Unique Traits: Aside from his insane-like precision, he is also very well trained in military field and squad tactics, as well as wilderness survival and is deeply ingrained with military discipline and doctrine. He also has quite and extensive knowledge base on firearms, not enough to make them, but enough to do a fix-up job and to calibrate them for optimal performance. He also has a quick mind for practically applying physics, but can not do the equations, so to speak, an intutive understanding of how kinematics works. He also has skill with stringed ranged weapons, ie. Bow, Crossbow. He also has rudimentary training in siege/heavy weapons operation (ie. Cannons, Ballista, etc), and his Cutie Mark abilities also augment their operation (accuracy becomes very good, etc) History (be warned of big story, it's told in a "story-like" fashion): They say you can't escape who you are, that you are bound by one destiny. Sharp Bolt fought against that thought. From his birth, his Father was a well known Captain in the Guard, a family line of Pegasi who devoted themselves to the art of war since before Ponies knew of Equestria. A traditionalist he was, Sharp Bolt was encouraged to fight in battle, to focus on strength and intelligence, and to ignore the texts of school. As were his elder Brothers. But not his younger Sister, who Sharp's Mother raised on books and brain. His Mother had enough of the military 'tradition' trying to shift Sharp away from it. Both parents battled to bring Sharp to their side of the house, but it was ultimately up to him. For a while, he stood on the path between the two extremes of academics and militarism. He also had bigger than normal wings, which kept him in the good area of Flight School, though he was mocked qutite abit for being a blank flank when all others already knew their roles and Cutie Marks. His Father expected him to be a close-quarters fighter, as all Pegasi from his family line were, first into battle, last one out.. But that was not what the fates had planned for him, and it all began when he went down to Ponyville. Whilst he was out playing, a few ponies invited him to play archery. Enticed by a new sport, he readily agreed to join them. After watching a few shoot their arrows into a tree, he was offered a chance to shoot, and gladly accepted. As he steadied his aim, the others behind bet their bits to see if he would get a bulls-eye or not. So Sharp lined up his shot, pulled the arrow back, and let go. The others were jaw-wide when they saw where the arrow landed. Smack dead in the centre. They encouraged him to shoot again, convinced the first time was beginners luck. And when the same results occurred, again, and again, and again. He was quite convinced that this was no ordinary thing, and his friends had given up their betting all together, convinced that Sharp was one of those "special kids". Of course Sharp had to tell his parents of this. And so he did, his Father knew that destiny would take over, and thus Sharp was forced down the path of militarism. Each day, his training involved improving his accuracy, and making his shots faster. Unlike the earlier sessions, this was actually fun and bearable for Sharp. It relaxed him, gave him confidence. But that was not all that his abilities were applied to. Almost everything he did that needed precision was done with an unusual level of precision and accuracy. He was known for this back in Flight School too, an uncanny trait among the many who have skills of acrobatics and flight. So when a talent show came along, his Father knew exactly what to do. Though Sharp detested at his Father's forced attempts to show off the talents that Sharp had, he was nonetheless forced to follow along, otherwise not attend the talent show at all. With a very difficult act to perform, including both flight and archery, his Mother thought that things were going a little too far. So when came the night of the show, he was understandably nervous, shaking his hooves, as his sister might have said. But he needed calm to focus. And that he did. Executing the performance cleanly, he manage to shoot arrows into all three targets without issue, and landed safely from what others might've called a death-defying trick (of course not, the props were safe, and there were a few anti-arrow precautions). It was the night that Sharp's Cutie Mark appeared. And all according to predictions, his Cutie Mark had to do with what he was already good at. And so our intrepid pony though that he would be locked into one path. But Sharp was not even of age yet to run around the fields of battle. And as his relations with his brothers (who already went off to serve for Celestia and Country) became cold, the only other sibling he could turn to was his younger Sister. They both bonded very well, despite their differences. Both helped each other hoof in hoof, getting by in the years to come. The remaining childhood that Sharp had was mired by uneventful events and the usual teenager antics. And then came young adulthood. The moment of truth whether Sharp was to enter service for Equestria as a soldier, or as a academic. So then Sharp's Father tried one last gambit to win him over to tradition. The War Story. So the Father weaved a tale of honour, glory, duty. Exaggerating the finer points of each, and detailing the consequences. A pony like Sharp shouldn't waste his talent on books and papers, but with weapons and skill. Those who fought bravely and fell were remembered to all time, and those who survived the battles were honoured as heroes. "And so they came to say, that a hero wasn't born, Sharp Bolt, but they are made. And our family has had heroes since time immemorial. Are you willing to just stay with a bunch of books and papers? Equestria hasn't aged a day since Discord was overthrown and Luna was banished and returned. The threat of many creatures is near and high, as are ponies who will do anything, to get the things they want. The world is not a truly happy place beyond the Heartlands, but cold, savage and demanding." Sharp's Father ended his tale, and spurred forth by tales usually told as lies to entice the foolish, he signed his contract. Though Sharp's Mother and Sister tried to make him see reason at first, it was quite impossible, because his mind had been set and locked onto a single path. After a while, they gave up. When time came for enlistment, he jumped at the chance, and when it came time for him to ship out, he left the home without a goodbye, and without farewell. His first days were rough, keeping mostly to himself and doing what he should do. He spent his free time improving his aim, and training his physical condition, and when it was night, he spent his time reading, learning, understanding the things that he should. Due to his talent and his skill, he was quickly placed as a Markspony, alone among the sea of Unicorns, he had pressure. But he pulled through, top of the leaderboard. His assignments and ranking went on for years. Until one day, because of his skill, achievements, and rank (he had become a Sergeant at this point) and a commendation from his CO, he was moved from regular forced to a remote area in the Northern mountains, and re-tasked as a Sniper. There, he was assigned to a Special Operations unit, the 6th "Ghost Wolves". And given the crash course on his new area, as well as a new toy to play with: The Rifle. He feel in love with his new weapon, the explosive bang that sent enemies into fear when it was fired, the sudden effects of the discharge, the stats, his colleagues might say he was in love with it. He cherished it, used it well, and even read on it's operation to understand the best way to optimize it. His accuracy was something he took pride in, something that the others respected. And in time, a growing camaraderie between them was blooming. They were unstoppable. The criminals feared them, taking the longer routes to avoid them, and the Monsters fell fast to their steel. And since they were based in Stalliongrad, tales of their deeds were sung by the local folks, and they were treated to endless supplies of food and shelter. They were, in a way, heroes. Exactly like Sharp's Father described. This carried on for a few years, the majority of his Young Stallion years all gone by service in the North. But a twist of fate was about to occur. One that would change Sharp's path all together. During a routine patrol, the squad was ambushed by a unknown creature. The attack was swift, and little time was given to respond. Sharp was the first to get knocked out. And for the duration of the fight, he was unconscious while the fighting went on. By the time he gained conciousness, well... lets just say he had to trudge his way back to camp, alone, in low spirits (FYI, nothing grizzly, but he did loose all of his members. again, just for effect). Traumatized and brought into low spirits. The "Heroes of Stalliongrad" became singular. As did the "Ghost Wolves." Now the last survivor of his Squad, he was reassigned to Canterlot Guard duty. Where he went back just in time for the Canterlot Changeling Invasion. He fought his hardest, trying to forget his loss. But then, a darker side of him seeped in. His rage. As he fought, his strikes became inpony. He killed without mercy, disregarding his order to capture or disarm the Changelings. He had enough of this. Nopony should forget that he was a hero, a soldier. Yet they did, and his situation wasn't changed as he repelled the Changelings. When it was all over, Sharp was due for another commendation, and a few medals. But he turned them all down. Resigned, and cut all ties. He only kept his rifle, two revolvers that belonged to his friends (as a memento), and a trenchcoat that was issued to the Northern special operations units. And then he just disappeared off the grid. His Father was angered, his Mother and Sister worried, his Brothers too far away to even get the news. So for a time Sharp just simply wondered around the land, helping ponies with their monster problems where the guard could not. His techniques were regarded as brutal and direct, but he got his job done. And he had places to stay and food to drink. He stocked up on his gear in places and went on his way. And soon, he felt the thrill of exploration, being open and free was a strange feeling to Sharp. To have nopony expecting you to do anything, to be able to do anything without loss. But he couldn't do that. His experience in Canterlot told him he had to discipline and control himself. And he did. He spent time away from ponies, taking in the nature, and all around, giving into the wanderer's spirit. When he returned back to Canterlot, he chanced on an old accomplice. They both talked for a long time, reliving the past, though Sharp was reluctant to peel too far back, and kept his Special operations activities silent. Hen Sharp went on about what he did in the now and then, his friend suggested he become a mercenary, and a hunter of monsters. Sharp would've detested, but how else was he going to make the bits to keep living like this. And that was what he did. He set out from Canterlot once more. This time, a Mercenary, a Hunter, and a pony with a past to match. Character Summary: On first impressions, if the arsenal of weapons that Sharp carries is not intimidating, then his expression would be. A pony who had been beaten down all his life, only to bring himself back up, his eyes betray a hardened mind, and his face the sign of veteran status. Yet, he appears to be quite calm when approached and talked to, and quite sociable. Especially around the bar when the Cider flows. He is usually cautious, stemming from his paranoia and constant alertness, even around friends, family, and home. When those who seek to hire his services approach him, anything that sounds the slightest bit dirty only earns them a punch from his hoof, or when he doesn't need the trouble, a polite, yet forced decline with a clear message of "get out of my sight scum!". As a pony of honour and duty, he refuses to do the dirty and the dank, sticking to helping other ponies get along with their lives without much disruption from pirates, bandits, monsters, etc. He always shoots to kill Monsters and those who he deems an threat to the innocent. Sometimes he shoots to disable, as per request, but he never shoots the innocent until proven. But then again, he believes that nopony is innocent until proven, so instead, he doesn't shoot unless attacked first. He refrains from talking much about his past, preferring to divert the subject somewhere else. He tends to stay away from touchy subject, such as his trenchcoat's origin, and well as where his arms came from. Though that doesn't mean the answer can't be pried out. It's just very hard. His personality tends to drift between easy going, and stone cold depending on the situation. The only ponies he ever talks to openly are probably, his Sister (whom he trusts the most), and his friends (that still live). Everypony else he scrutinizes, his hubris sometimes taking over, but usually shooting them down. In groups, he is the realist, the pessimist, and the guy who always says the glass is half empty. In battle, he is dependable, if not the guy who usually goes solo. Although he works best alone, he works better in groups, as he becomes an asset. Regardless, he is very cooperative, and willing to go the extra mile when somepony is having his flank mauled by a manticore. He knows that in his line of work, conflicts between the team, even if personal, hamper group performance. He usually fills a scouting/markspony role, staying behind or infront of the rest. The detail he puts into his work is tremendous. He also tends to be quite the collector. He usually ties objects to something memorable in life, and a lesson to be learned from those events. The Rifle he uses is one such happy symbol. A sign of changing times and his superiority in the field of battle. His trenchcoat conveys a sadder tale, one that makes him never look at the military in the same way. He keeps more of these mementos with him if they're small, but the bigger ones he sends back to his permanent house. He thinks these memories will help him along his path as he struggles to find out what took out his squad. Speaking of which, that is his current goal. To find out what, or who, was so deadly, that they took out his entire squad in a manner of seconds. He has never forgotten that moment, sometimes having nightmares about it at times. Others have made him try to forget about it, that it wasn't his fault. But Sharp knew that he was playing scout, and that he should've found out in a manner of seconds. In a way, he failed. And it was his neglegennce and incompetence that fuels his guilt, and the reason why he constantly trains harder. So the same would never happen again. Although there is much to weave and tell about Sharp, that is as short as the History can be. So to summarize it: TLDR: Pony's path between going to school and going to military torn by tradition and revolution. Gets Cutie Mark after talent show and daredevil stunts, told lies and slander by Father, goes to army, good career track, transferred to specOps, revered as local heroes, continue career track, squad ambushed, traumatized, goes back to Canterlot, repels invasion, gets commended and medals, rejects all and resigns, goes wander, talks with friend, assumes a proper mercenary and hunter occupation. Addendum: - Sharp's Major Gear listing bellow - Pictures

"Why would I need to cast my own bolts of magic, when I can make something that does it for me?" ~Solven Sprockethooves, arguing to a magic-focused Unicorn whilst in Canterlot studying. Name: Solven Sprockethooves Gender: Male Age: Late Young Stallion Years Species: Unicorn Eye colour: Crimson Red Character colour: Rusty brown Mane/Tail/Other: Metallic Grey matte for both Mane and Tail. A few not-so-visible scars from explosions while experimenting. Both Tail and Mane are kept in a rough, messy and short fashion that portrays a certain lack of attention to caring for them. Physique: Average height and build for a Unicorn, although has a slightly longer horn (no more than ~1-2cm, usually unnoticeable). Possesses a better reaction and agility than most Unicorns of his build, as well as eagle eyes. Residence: Prefers to say he "wanders around Equestria", but actually has a residence in Canterlot that includes a basement and ground-level workshop where he works his trade as a mechanic and a general third-party entrepreneur engineer. Occupation: Arcane Mechanic/Technomagic inventor/Whichever term you prefer that specifies a pony who uses Magic and Machines together to further his ambitions. Also works his trade as a mechanic and a general third-party entrepreneur engineer. Cutie Mark: 8-teeth gear cog with a small hole in the middle. Give a ~2cm gap between the edge of the gear (not counting wheel) and the beginning of an indent into the circle up until where the hole is. Cutie Mark represents his master-like level of mechanical engineering as well as an desire to invent and innovate to discover and create. He gained this as he discovered through many experimentations and reading up ancient texts (and long sleepless nights) that he could channel his magic in a specific way, into a specific composition of material, and that object would become a storage device that holds magic until it needs to be released, though unstable, it did cause his Cutie Mark to appear Unique Traits: Has an equal knowledge and practical mastery of magic and mechanics when applied with each other (though the level of knowledge is equal, so his creations tend to not be fully mechanical/magical, rather a complex hybrid). When he was a child he was considered a genius, 'gifted', due to his unusually high understanding of magic and machines from a young age, as well as being able to grasp concepts easily, and adapt them for his purpose. Also has a keen and sharp eye, which he puts to use when shooting his Maglock. History: Although he had known Canterlot as his home from young, make no mistake. Solven Sprockethooves was not pampered by rich parents, nor did he live life with whatever he desired. No, he lived in the lower rungs of Canterlot, the traders, merchants, and businessponies who called the less glamorous part of home. He was brought up by two parents, who both managed a general store for other ponies, making a living amongst the other competitors. It was expected from the start the Solven was to join his parents, and continue his parent's business when they were too old to manage the shop. But this was not the case with Solven. He detested working, selling, and being a merchant, finding it boorish and dull. Instead, he spent his time with whatever books he had, learning, reading, discovering. Some might say that he was closer to his school books than to his friends, who saw him as the "go-to" pony for help in science and mathematics. Although his parents tried to set him on a condemned path with no freedom and a eternity of work, he knew that his mind was being wasted on such things. He would come back from school with library books numbering in fives and tens, reading them all somehow within a few nights, despite his workload. He discovered how many things working in tandem and begin to salvage scrap that he could use to invent and explore. Of course, his parents disapproved of these activities but nonetheless Solven disregarded their warnings, and kept on going. He would be left up on sleepless nights with endless fun, only to face the unwanted work in the morning. And the more he did it, the more he understood, curiosity being the fuel for the fire of creation. Eventually, Solven was given permission to go to public libraries (his parents didn't like this development either, but he was showing progress despite the lack of personal motivation). He spent most of his free time outside of house now, reading books that others of his age wouldn't even understand. And during one day, he accidentally wandered into a restricted section of the library, getting lost while searching for a book. Not wanting to waste and opportunity, he went exploring inside the dust shelves, some untouched for years, but most are tomes so ancient, that Solven wondered if anything was still usable and applicable to today's context. He then stumbled onto a special book, titled "Applications of Arkanomechanics". He didn't know then, nor does he know now, but something about that book sparked a flame inside him. And when he snuck out with the book, his entire night was spent reading on something that seemed so... weird, so, mysterious. The texts described a crystal that could store magical energies. And when forced, discharge those energies. His mind was set on proving it true. But finding a crystal as described in the book was hard for him, plus his magic wasn't strong enough to manipulate materials at a molecular level. So he went shopping. And after days of hunting the markets, he saw something that enticed him. It probably wasn't pure crystal, but it looked like one, shone like one, and when he touched it, felt like one. He bought it with whatever allowance he had, and ran back home. And after summoning his magic in the way described by the book, he managed, with great effort and energy, to pour magic into the crystal. And it glowed. And his Cutie mark appeared as he stared at the dancing lights inside the crystal. Before it exploded, or more accurately, imploded. After that night, he knew his destiny. Working endless nights while still keeping up with real-life duties, Solven slowly refined his work. He made the crystals more stable, the magics more focused, and when he was old and powerful enough to, he manipulated basic elements of a crystal structure, resulting in different effects to the crystals. Several explosions and some scars were the drawbacks of his experiments, but that didn't keep him down. Eventually, his supremacy in his local school brought enough attention to him that he was sponsored for University. To which he gladly went to showcase his work and study more. To the much dismay of his parents trying to force him out though. It became annoying to the point where Solven decided to cut contact with them. His work, however, was unappreciated. Scientists though that, even with the proof, the concept would never catch on, that it was foolish, inefficient, and couldn't stand to be anything more than a experimental night-light. Dismayed, his efforts were now to focus on applications for the device. Yet to no avail were the scientists convinced. And after must frustration and a little more research and money gathering here and there, Solven also left University before he graduated. In order to support himself, he lent his skills and talent to others, as a third-party engineer and a mechanic, fixing other's gear. He also knows that there is much left to pursue, and even technology to uncover, so he plays a part-time explorer, seeking archaeotech. Character Summary: Solven's life has been marked with defiance. Going against his parents by pursuing different interest, Going against school because it was too simple for him and boring, and Going against higher-education because they were too thick-headed to consider an technological revolution. Going against the current Equestrian technology is now his greatest goal. To ignite the spark of revolution, and to bring forth a new era where machines and magic co-exist alongside each other, augmenting each other. But that's just the long-term goal. For now, he focuses on recovering lost texts and technologies, adding to his personal collection of research and notes. He tends to be very "hands-on" in his work, going around ruins in which he suspects contain the knowledge he seeks. At time though, he is mainly in the library doing research through ancient texts. Some have called him zealously crazy, and others who believe him call him a revolutionist. But he rejects those terms. He just really wants to revolutionize the way Equestria sees it's magic and machinery, hoping that it will improve lives. As for his Personality, Solven tends to appear erratic and organized in his work. His living space is a mess, his work is a mess, etc. But to those who know him, he is likely more dedicated in his work than anypony else. He tends to spend day and night solving the most complex of issues without break, as if fighting a never-ending battle. But he never sees it as that, but rather as a adventure, to explore the intricacies of the science he chooses. Because of scrutiny, he tends to think less of his pony friends than his artificial constructs, and also as a consequence, is usually Socially cautious and reserved. But when forced out of that normal attitude, he can be quite talkative and rapid in speech. He tends to have a logical structure to speech, and much less understanding of implied definitions and proverbs. On the downside, this makes him much less sociable, even less so when others are trying to pry him out about the stuff he carries. He tends to avoid crowds, gathering places, and impromptu social events, citing various excuses. He places emphasis on his work, and his hubris extends from the power he believes to be the only one to harness. He tends to be cocky and hot-headed, sometimes obsessive when he is on exploration. Though he has enough logic remaining in his head to prevent himself from getting killed. In a fight, he is often seen far from the front, using his Maglock to take down foes. Although he uses lethal-energy crystals in wilderness areas and uncivilized zones, and especially near areas where bandits roam, he usually switches to non-lethal magic when in crowded zones. As much as he'd like to silence the hoard of many, he simply can't. They did nothing wrong to him, and logically, he should do nothing to them. "Leave them alone and they'll ignore you." is what he says. An it works too. Addendum: - Crystals that Solven use are powered on a similar concept to the Crystal Heart, with two exceptions: Solven directly applies magic and doesn't use natural crystalline structures. The crystal itself is artificial, and to anyone without Solven's knowledge, it's nothing more than a night-light. Interfaced with a device capable of tapping into that power, and the magic inside discharges in a said fashion. (Or TLDR, Very crude magic-battery). However, it is volatile and limited in charge. The crystals can only be charged once, and it takes time to make them. He has also made many non-combat inventions with these crystals (but then it would seem that I'm spouting off newtech too much, so I excluded it, but nothing too modern and fancy) - To defend himself on his travels, Solven has made a crossbow-like device that is capable of discharging the magic inside a crystal in a bolt-like fashion. It is capable of holding one type of crystal, but different crystals effect it's attributes. He calls it a Maglock, but tends to refrain from explaining it's function to those with questions and curious eyes. (TLDR Magic rifle. He calls it a "Maglock" even though it shoots like a modern gun [Overheat included of course]) It also folds. - Carries a utility satchel with tools and gear for calibrating and storing his gear.

((Assuming direct control of Craftspony . I am also now changing time movement to one month.)) Month Four Food and Water: Two Month two weeks worth of food. The bakery produces 1 weeks worth a week per pony assigned. Population: 50 still Equipment: Farmer tools, a makeshift oven, a temporary granary, some rudimentary weaponry, and a alchemy set. Nothing damaged. Status: Metals and herbs brought back are non-poisonous. Metals include common ones, such as Copper, Iron,and even Coal, and even get to work on developing refinement methods out of their boredom (They were done in two weeks). Herbs of medicinal property were played around with, and are shown to be able to form potions, balms, etc. That could be used to heal pony injuries. Trees chopped down could build enough house for everypony, or half the houses and a two infrastructure buildings , while the fruit tree seeds planted in replacement would take... quite a long time (just not within the year). Summer Crops ready on Month 6. Finally having some work to work with, Brawny Boulder sent five craftsponies to work on building proper wooden houses. At a pace that assured that the wooden houses wouldn't collapse in, it would take a month to build the houses. Three ponies were assigned to assist in irrigation efforts by the Farmer-Gatherers, helping the refinement of their design for that specific region. The remaining three began to build a forge, spending some time in the outer area of the caves to gather stone. This will take two weeks. Brawny remained as a director rather than helping, as well as studying the schematics for simple tools and weapons. And so passes another month. The explorers returned back to the shoreline they spotted. The shoreline had pretty fine sand, and was facing the ocean. Scraps of seaweed were seen across the beach. Samples of sand and seaweed were taken back for analysis. As their incredible speed increased, the explorers expanded the boundaries of the map. South and Northward, were forests everywhere, and some small caves dotted towards the southern area. Far North, the landscape changed from fertile flatland to less than fertile flatland, Although it was considerably harder to farm here, many hardy herbs and plants grew here. Samples taken. The irrigation process took a week with the combined efforts of the ponies working on it, and ploughing and planting was done relatively quickly within that time, Summer crops will be ready for harvest in two months they estimate, provided nothing goes wrong. They then set out to chop down fruit trees, to which they later planted their seeds elsewhere. Bread was baked for all to enjoy, finally freeing up space in the granary. The Guardsponies once again shifted their retinue, and some even wen along to help speed up the gathering process. But alas, there wasn't anything to fight. However, one guard did notice a shadowy figure as he came back from his shift. The craftsponies used the wood to quickly build houses for the ponies. However, they set aside a fixed amount of wood to build a proper forge in order to exploit the metal that was found. There was still enough wood to finish a quarter more of the houses, but that was set aside in storage. They didn't do much, except for continue to toil on the houses, and some went out to gather materials such as stone, in order to improve their basic structures.

Take my advice and don't shove alot of electronics or high-tech equipment into the show. This subject is abit sketchy and inconsistent. Because one day you see Twilight using a EEG on Pinkie, the next you find out that Ponyville is near a Hydroelectric dam. Satellites, computers, spaceships, no. Too high tech. The most advanced thing shown thus far might've been the EEG, but it's non-commercial. I have yet to see any electronic device in MLP Canon (Show wise only. I'm excluding the Comics and EqG) My two bits.

Month Three Food and Water[colour=#282828]: One Month's worth of Food and Water. Though that field looks mighty good to harvest for me.[/colour] Population[colour=#282828]: 50 still[/colour] Equipment: [colour=#282828]Farmer tools, a makeshift oven, a temporary granary, some rudimentary weaponry.[/colour] [colour=#282828]Status: Field is ready for harvest, and thanks to the good care it received (and irrigation is properly in place), nothing was lost. Alchemists have set up. Maps have been made and backup copies exist. Granary has been constructed and stocked up. The bakery made can only process one week worth of food per day. Discovered territory see below. Plants also see below. No hostile attacks yet. Houses are still makeshift tents, but there has been progress in using the covered wagons as house material, the tarps being used to create a covered, central area of gathering.[/colour] [colour=#282828]And so as two more weeks pass, the ever-careful Farmers tended their crop and the craftsponies began to build the granary and irrigation system, the former taking shorter time. Now that the food was safely stored, the Farmer-Gathers could begin on baking bread. Meanwhile, all was quiet on the frontier, as no beast had begun to assault the little settlement. The ponies came and went about their work, be it to tend the fields or explore the area. But most activity was still based around their homes, as the area outside was still teeming with unknown dangers.[/colour] [colour=#282828]Speaking of exploring the unknown, the scouts sent out on a long-duration general survey turned up some interesting results. The Eastern caves contained what appeared to be metals, however since an on-spot appraisal was difficult, a sample was taken back to camp to be checked. Meanwhile, the those trees are quite sturdy and seem to be at their prime, ready to be chopped down. Adventuring down the Western forest revealed more fruits and at one point, one swore he could see a shoreline, but from their viewpoint it was unclear. Given their schedule, they neglected to divert to explore it fully, instead recording the location, before continuing on their way. North of the fields lay another section of the same river they came across, however, the land across was still flat and fertile. Although there were no wheat to be had, the ground was still assumed to be quite fertile, given the it's state.[/colour] [colour=#282828]As for the Alchemists, they finally began to set up to begin their experiments, some were sent out, though some went to the caves and helped assess the metals, their aid did not help with an onspot assessment. But they were able to assume that the caves contained more than they look, and possible deeper inside too. Those that went to the forests saw many herbs, flowers, and other helpful plants that would be applicable for medicinal purposes and possibly for miscellaneous purposes. Some samples were only taken though. Again, it was hard to do an onspot analysis of the plants properties without an immediate risk (playing it safe. I will always assume this, unless you say so. Mauled, sick, injured, poisoned and dysentery ponies can happen). They hope to use the lab in order to help identify what could done with these resources, which they considered a treasure.[/colour]

I just finished watching whatever small bit was made of this show, and I have to admit, the 'Verse is epic. Anyone else have the same views about the show, or some conflicting ones, because I like the fact that they included characters actually speaking Chinese, but I winced everytime they did that because they made it sound like a slang language. Small note: Not the thread to go "hurrdurrrevivefireflyhurrdurr" Really. This thread is for discussion about the TV show, which should have gone on longer.

((Just try to remember I'm number crunching. Moving time forward for everyone due to no response. I'll give leniency)) [colour=#282828]Month Two, Spring.[/colour] Food & Water: [colour=#282828]Current is enough for one month and two weeks, the fruits currently collated only staving off a weeks worth of starvation (The regions are quite expansive, you just need to survey them, well, that's the explorer's job).[/colour] Population:[colour=#282828] Still 50[/colour] Equipment: [colour=#282828]Same as in OP post, but tents are now up, and are currently being upgraded to much more sturdier living.[/colour] Status[colour=#282828]: Defensive perimeter is set up, but so far nopony has spotted anything dangerous. Food supplies with a net total of being able to last until the end of this year are growing and will be ready to harvest in [/colour]Two Months[colour=#282828]. Explorers doing a general survey lasting until [/colour]Month two, Week two.[colour=#282828] Current harvested wheat is enough to turn into [/colour]a month and two weeks worth of foot[colour=#282828] ((Hint hint start building Bakery, and Farmer-Gatherer's also do double duty as miners, and whatever that needs to be gathered, and the Granary requires resources to build, and building can only be done by the Craftsponies (unless inactive, then I'll takeover)))[/colour] [colour=#282828]Ponies laboured hard and fast in order to make up for the lost time. While 10 ponies wasn't really much, the amount of work done was surprisingly fast. Within weeks, a perimeter was already formed around the camp, the ponies instructed to keep their eyes open and weapons ready, insuring that whatever dangerous beasts are kept outside. Meanwhile, the explorers had set off on an extended survey of the surrounding region, leaving the camp for around a month so as to create a better report of the area. To the camp's North, however, the Farmer-Gatherers were hard at work, harvesting the already grown wheat and putting it into a makeshift granary, where a request has gone out to the Craftsponies to build a proper one, the Farmer-Gatherers go back to work on the fields, performing with efficiency what would've taken more than a week of planting Wheat. The Craftsponies began to reinforce the tents, making them a little more sturdier an bigger, so that they could withstand the elements, though someponies have suggested tearing down the wagons in order to use the materials to make new houses, some say that they would make a better granary than a highly guarded wooden tent-box.[/colour] However, the forests to the East had been left largely unexploited at the moment, and hence not much is still known about the cave, or even if it's an entire system where they could find metals and ores to be used to create new tools for when the old ones break, which isn't any time soon, but it never hurts to have more of one item, especially when the nearest, well stocked tool-smith is about a month's travel. [colour=#282828]The estimates of the quotas to fulfil were made, and everypony found a little free time to explore and well... just be free, away from the city. Each night they danced and laughed, sung and told tales of the myths they heard. But they were a hardy bunch, unflinching at the weather, the danger, and the adventure. For the rest of the month, only one rain shower occurred, and it was light, but it gave the wheat some extra water, and anything marether nature was able to provide to the ponies was regarded as a blessing in disguise. But it was only Spring, and the colony had begun a month ago, there was still time to get things done before Winter and Autumn came, and by then, they knew that if they weren't prepared, they were going to have a rough time.[/colour]

((Not counting yourself, and the others, the ponies have divided into groups of ten under each leader, if that level of specifics is needed))

((Everytime everypony else posts the actions they and whoever is under their leadership, contribute to the colony, I make a big post with all the fancy details and outcomes and some rp scenery to go with it. Usually, this "cycle" as I've called it, is usually three months, but since we're abit slow on the get go [that or my OP post was that descriptiveness], I hold final say on how much time has elapsed. Just think of any 4X game, like Civilizations 5, where I'm the game engine, and the rest of ye are players controlling one entity.))

((Sure, once more I'll assume that the CM talent is your Leadership position, because that's exactly what the last three have done. Other than that, it checks out. Let's hope you can set up a perimeter before I unleash all matter of reality. And because I feel like stating it here for everyone again. You are the boss of whatever you must do. Your actions and what not will cycle for three months. Be descriptive in them, because I'm bad at implications in the early-morning/late-night))

((Because I'm bored, I'm going to do a quick cycle to show what I really meant in above post. Remember! I don't do anything except relay the story to you and regulate it's progress. Think Civilizations game series, this is the last time I'm being generous. List out your actions as a leader! Don't imply or be unclear! And keep to minimum sentences! Be serious! There's a reason rpers are cap'd at five!)) Month one, Week 2 Food & Water: Enough for one month and 3 weeks Population: Still 50 Equipment: Same as in OP post, but tents are now up. Status: Homes are up, and the area was surveyed a little more extensively, but only the local area. Most of the week was spent setting up living residences for everypony to stay in, as well as getting all the gear and food into a secure storage area, which was good, because by Thursday, a light drizzle lasting about ten minutes occurred, and everypony was glad to be dry atleast. So some volunteered to take a look around the local area, and survey parties left the campsite. Those going to the plains in the North, there were some swaths of wheat that seemed to have matured enough to be harvested. Back at the river, while the presence of fish was confirmed, the ponies knew they couldn't eat its. Towards the East, a few ponies inspected the entrances to the natural caves, and found that the stone was hard, but easy to dislodge and shape. Meanwhile, those that headed to the west saw that the trees had, Apples, Oranges, Peaches, and other assorted tree fruits. Though the most common were Apples, Oranges and Peaches. Most fruits seemed ripe, though some were young. Without anything else to do, and satisfied that they had found out what they could about the land around them, the parties returned to camp, and reported their findings. The leaders took stock of the food wasted for the week, and were pleased to see that they still had enough to last a little under a month. Well disciplined ponies were good, and when everyone is a part of an community like this, working together to survive and thrive outside known civilization was the key thing.

((Inpromptu OOC post, but you guys didn't specifically mention what position each of you will take. Alanoth because you're CM talent says so, I'm going to go on a highly hypothetical [in other words, a guess] that you're the Big boTravelaway, I'm going to do the same thing and assume that you're the Big boss of the Explorers. I wanted to get this rolling too, so I thought It'd be best to mention that you could post straight away.))

(You are a pony in Equestria, one of the founding members of an early colony, unnamed [remains so until I say]. There are five "leader" positions to fill. You will have a couple of ponies at your command to begin with. I post the results of your actions and whatever else occurs. My word is law. You only talk about your actions. Be detailed, I will not look for implied meaning, hence action min 3 sentences please How it works is that I will make a major post on how things are going, and your plausible actions, then after you have posted your actions, I am going to make big post again. I will be realistic in penalties (if you decide to research something that won't help in the current time, I will 'hint' you. After positions are filled, I'm closing thread, so it's easy to manage. Forum rules apply, but keep in mind this is before Equestria is what we know and love. Think the colonials of 15th century, and yes. Even if we don't like it, very bad things can happen (nothing too rulebreaking though). Positions to fill (First come first serve, unless you work something out with person in PM): *Farmer-Gatherers (In charge of getting food and water, and any raw materials for community): JotaroKujo *Craftsponies (In charge of construction and creation of buildings, gear, etc) : Alanoth Alchemists (Scientists) (In charge of researching new technologies, magics, and potions): stormchaser1991 Guardsponies (In charge of defending colony from threats, such as monsters, and other military tasks): AirForceBrony Explorers (Surveyors) (In charge of, well... exploring the area around the colony, this can be stuff like resources, treasures, etc): Travelaway Positions with * need to be filled first. Otherwise this won't go anywhere.I just need your name, age (adult obviously, no exceptions), CM talent (NOT YOUR POSITION), Position and anything else useful. Backstory if you want, please put effort, as it will influence my response what your character can do. Please be sensible in picking your position. I will penalize. I want to practice this kind of thing, but I can't do then when others just go 'meh' Final note, each posting cycle (whenever I post again), counts as 3 months passing Regardless of what happens or how many posters there are. But I will wait until all have, and if not full, I will wait a little longer. Population increases every four cycles (a year) usually, though I may change this for it to make sense. Oh, and you cannot do another position's job without user consent, nor can your pony do two jobs. . Even if position not filled. Important things in bold or underlined. Please do not godmod, or try to do everything yourself (as a pony doing your job, you are a leader afterall). I will penalize. Pony races only. No Griffons, Changelings, etc.Now just sign these waivers... Good luck, have fun!) Month one, Equestria Food and Water: Enough for two cycles Population: 50 (exclude "leaders") Equipment: Enough to get basic shelter and resources running. Nothing to build full-fledge wood cabins or houses, just tents, farming tools, a few spears and swords, an alchemist's set, and some explorers tools. All are in a chain of three covered wagons, big enough for five ponies each without load. The leader of the fifty brave stallions and mares raised a hoof. He took a second to pause, taking in the green fresh air. It has been a year since the Windegos were chased out of Equestria, but so much remained untouched. But all of that was behind them now. The area infront of him was quite spacious and open, ideal for setting up a house for everypony, and he also guessed that it was good for planting crops, as led to an even wider area, where the grass was considerably greener. Over to his right were what looked like hills, or mountains further in the distance, and somewhat closer were natural caves covered by a forest of tall and sturdy trees, so many that they covered up much of anything beyond. As the leader turned his head around the west, he could see that it was a slightly sloped area, again, many trees were seen. He could also see numerous varieties of fruit on some. He turned back to his herd, the brave souls, sacrificing civilization to begin anew. Most were shaken from having to ford a pretty wide river, and someponies talked about the tickling feeling of many fish going between their hooves as they crossed. It was a miracle nopony lost their way, they had heard other stories, rumours and tales, but none of it could stop them from this opportunity. "Right ponies. We stop here, for our journey is over. We have come far and hard, but today, we build. Today, we take pride in the fact that we have broken off from our homes once again, only this time we didn't run because of the mistakes of our leaders, but we set off in search of adventure, discovery, and a home we can truly call ourselves, and... Forget it. Lets get to work ponies! We won't build ourselves." the leader wanted to get going. Dispensing with the enormous level of tradition was the first step. Though one wasn't overlooked. Another pony passed him a flag, one resembling that which flew over Canterlot, and the leader staked their flag to the ground, claiming this land for the rightful rulers. The leaders that were pre-decided to fulfil a certain role, thanks to whatever traits they had, began tasking around the groups of ponies that had been assigned to them. Such was the advanced planning that the colony group was well prepared. Or so they think.Those hauling the wagons pulled them up right next to each other, and began to unload the gear from them, organizing them so it was easier for the others. Food and water, however, was kept inside the wagons, and closed, due to the fear of critters snacking on their provisions. The gear was there, and the ponies were tasked. The colony has just begun, and the ponies were ready to give it their all to stand the test of time.

Okay... I'm just not expecting much to happen in a clickty snap of my fingers.

True, it's not easy getting people when you advertise your game to be for an audience that understands the requirements to make do the crossover while still maintaining Shadowrun's identity, so I started to work on some of the lore, just so people know the level of ponification involved.

Of course, death to EA for destroying a decade's hard work! You may now resume normal thread operation

I wasn't born fast enough to play Tibby Sun. I only stumbled on RA2 because of some random joint with a computer loaded with the game. I did myself justice and I played the rest of the series though, enough to make me curse at all the EA RTS.

Very, very first game I touched in my entire existence? One of those top-down arcade hell bullet shooters. First mobile console game? Advanced Wars (Ikr rite? Living in Asia, one might expect Zelda or Pokemon to be my first Gameboy game) First PC game? Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2. Remains one of my favourites to today.

I don't mind I did (well attempt) to make the system derp-level so others could join.