Elderflower

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Luna was about to answer Night Watcher when, all of a sudden, things started moving. The line for photos with the lunar Princess began to press forward and she found herself being called to fulfill her duty for the evening. While she was speaking with her first visitor, she managed to sneak in a sidelong glance to the Staff Sergeant and offered her a little reassuring nod – everything was fine. Or at least, that’s what she was claiming.

Her first visit came from an older mare – middle aged, periwinkle coat and lavender mane, who had very obviously gotten a little more pudgy around the sides than she had planned to after buying her dress for the event. Said mare was very chatty, and as soon as she approached the Princess there was some bizarre cocktail of deference, eagerness, and excessive friendliness spinning around in her head. Or at least, that’s how Luna was interpreting the situation, judging by how much the character bombarded the Princess with her personal life and then apologized and dipped her head respectfully, only to begin babbling away about herself once more. She approached the side of the Princess, careful not to draw too close, and prattled on about her favourite biscuits to serve at lunch when house guests are present.

Luna smiled a little awkwardly and nodded, taking advantage of the mare’s distraction to flicker her teal gaze towards Cadence’s situation. It seemed as though there was a small gathering of ponies around her now – Shining Armour included. He himself was looking terribly underdressed…just what exactly was going on here? The Princess found herself more puzzled than before, but seeing that Colonel Ironwing as well as Colonel Pummel were on the scene she felt reassured – perhaps even a little bit of sympathy for the young couple! Finally, when she noticed that Cadence and Pummel seemed to be heading in her direction, she turned her full attention back to the older mare.

[colour=#9966cc]“…Anyways, so I told him – my husband, the Sergeant – I told him a little more decorum was needed when serving sarsaparilla to dinner guests! Really! He can make such awful jokes! And then he laughs at them! He did it on our honey moon while we were at dinner and you can imagine how it just ruined my night! I ate both of our dinners! And desserts! And then I ordered a very expensive bottle of wine because how dare he make jokes about my mother’s mane dye issues over our honey moon dinner! Anyhoo, I told him he needs to start being a little more sensible when we have company – I mean, the sarsaparilla!-”[/colour]

Luna blinked down at the mare, then exchanged a look with the assigned photographer for the night’s events. He looked just as taken aback as she felt – what a whirlwind this army bride was! Still, the lunar Princess was hardly about to let her surprise show. Instead, she politely cut into the mare’s little ramble.

[colour=#6666ff]“Ah – of - of course, the sarsaparilla,”[/colour] she repeated, her voice stiff and a little awkward. Hopefully the rest of the ponies wanting a photograph with their Princess of the Night would be a little easier to speak with…

[colour=#6666ff]“The photographer – he’s ready now.”[/colour]

Luna managed to pull out a small smile for the photographer, and lifted her wings high to create as regal an image as she could present. The unicorn stallion behind the camera nodded, and snapped the photo just as soon as the pudgy mare realized her time was up. Her expression wound up being caught part way between giddy and shocked! She didn’t seem bothered, however, for when the large format polaroid was hoofed over to her, she simply beamed, thanked the Princess, and trotted off.

Luna turned to Night Watcher and blinked again, totally taken aback by the pudgy mare, [colour=#6666ff]“Are they serving sarsaparilla tonight, Staff Sergeant?”[/colour]

Awesome app, Steel. You have definitely earned your new role as Pretty Pretty Princess~

Soon, soon! As soon as I get my first pay, I'm getting AC. Then all of the friends will be added!

Luna looked over the meagre gathering of pegasi as they all made their way into the weather factory. What she saw did not comfort her - there was eagerness and courage to be found, yes, but she also saw a lot of nerves, a touch of the feather flu, and simply not enough of the grim determination that she herself was feeling. Did they not understand the severity of the situation? The Princess of the Night stood in her place on stage, her solemn image stoic and somewhat severe despite the slight silliness of the jacket and hard hat she sported. Though it certainly cut away from her regality, the safe wardrobe was necessary. Even though she felt as though she did not need it, if their Princess was wearing the gear, well, the others wouldn’t be as tempted to take it off.

She remained still as a statue where she stood, her teal gaze jumping from pony to pony as she sized each and every volunteer up. Hopefully, despite the sheer lack of experience that was gathered before the stage, these ponies would stand up to their task. If not…Luna couldn’t bear to think of it. It was her duty, then, to communicate the severity of the situation without driving a wedge into their nerves – to make them aware of what they faced without making them fear it. She must also lift their morale, encourage them and set their spirits ablaze.

Luna sighed. At least the leaders on stage alongside her seemed to be made of stern stuff – they were tried, experienced, and she could trust that they were capable. Though Rainbow Dash seemed to be a little bit energetic and all over the place, the Princess knew without a doubt that she would make a good leader today. The only one who gave her pause was the old green pegasus, who did seem a little…kooky.

Finally, when Sugar Apple indicated it was her time to speak, Luna drew a deep breath. She allowed a few moments for the ponies to collect themselves and took advantage of that bit of time to brush over what she wanted to say in her speech. For once, her own nerves (though they still spun around into knots in her stomach) were relatively calm. Normally, she would be concerned about her image – about what the ponies thought of her and the impression she were making. But luckily, for a Princess who used her royalty and authority as somewhat of a crutch when it came to interacting with others, the position she was in demanded those qualities to shine. Her only concern was not to go terribly overboard…

[colour=#6666ff]“Greetings, pegasi of Equestria,” [/colour]she finally began, stepping forwards and doing her best to soften her expression as she looked down upon the small groups of ponies,[colour=#6666ff] “We are all here because Equestria is facing a peril that we were not prepared for. Spring is upon us, and with it must come the heavy and rejuvenating rains which will sustain the crops and soil and feed life into our fields. But the feather flu that has struck Cloudsdale has put everything behind, leaving us in a sore predicament – we are far behind and the possibility of a drought is very real. Today, we must all band together in our efforts to bring the spring rains to Equestria. Though most of you are volunteers unfamiliar with the weather factory, trust in your leaders to guide you in the right direction. You may be unfamiliar with the factory’s process, but with our presence you will not be lost – ask any question you must, and do not fear to do so. Today, all that matters is that we work as quickly as possible and create a quality product, for when night falls our deadline will be up.”[/colour]

There. The reality of the situation was covered. The princess, solemn-faced and towering, her stomach tumbling with nerves, allowed herself to reveal a smile. Though slight, it shifted her expression from stony determination to one of great confidence.

[colour=#6666ff]“Do not fear, though, my little ponies. The severity of this situation is far outweighed by something much more powerful than any plague of feather flu: you. Volunteers or not, in my countless centuries of life I have never seen anything more capable of great feats of strength or will than a pony. I know that you will find it in yourselves today to salvage this situation and deliver a proper spring to Equestria.

But the time for speeches is done. You must now follow the guidance of your team leaders in your efforts. I will be visiting each group throughout the day to monitor your progress. Have faith, pegasi! Together, we will triumph!”[/colour]

Her smile growing slightly, Luna lifted her wings and chin proudly, then stepped to the side and made room at centre stage for Sugar Apple to come forward. She turned and nodded at the mare – this would be the best time to introduce the leaders and set the groups towards their designated areas in the factory. Time to get the ball rolling!

I can't make any claims for the lore writing staff, as I am entirely unfamiliar with the process. I would assume, however, that chances are low they would add an entire city on a request like this - if you do it for one pony, you have to do it for all of them! That's one of the reasons why we let the lore team handle these things - it keeps everything organized and comprehensible. I'll let staff have final say on this one, though!

As for his establishment, well, you can always read about the locations of towns/cities and base your decision off of where you think his business would fit in the best. In any location where ponies go would be just fine, and there are a lot of great places to choose from on the map! Just read up in the link I provided - you'll know better than I where your character's business should go as you understand his thinking better than I do!

Only if I can have one too! Let's find some together!

Well, I wouldn't mind helping you with names but I'm dog tired and my creativity is all shriveled up at the moment! I would, however like to mention that your character still has a very strong combative side to him, and I would recommend you read what Diomedes (our REA authority on Canterlot) has recently written on guard pony characters! He has written a good chunk on information of what a Guard or Royal Equestrian Army character should strive to be in regards to writing their personalities and characteristics. It should be less about combat and violence and more about the qualities of the character that drove them to reach for a position as a Guard, but it has to fit Friendship is Magic canon themes, which don't encompass violence - that goes against harmony, which is what FiM ponies are all about!

Also, you have yet to give us a cutie mark story!

Hi there Mr. Re! As a fellow roleplayer, I'd like to give you a few pointers since you're asking for feedback!

Firstly, San Fransiscolt is not a city on the World of Equestria map. It's great that you're so enthusiastic about writing and creativity, but WoE roleplay has dedicated lore writing staff that's put together this handy bit of information on Equestria that you need to be part of that team to add to! There are all sorts of wonderful places to choose from for your character to live, so why not check those places out? And in regards to Ponyville, that small town is fit to burst at the seams with cast characters and OCs - staff has been discouraging applicants from having their characters situated there as it's pretty full at the moment. That is ultimately their decision, but I just wanted to point it out - it's probably for the best you think of a different area for your pony to be!

On the topic of lore building - the mentioning of portals and the flow of energies in the Everfree Forest goes against canon, and only lore building staff can actually write into the canon of the game. In order for staff to approve your character, all lore-writing elements will likely have to be taken from your app. And on the topic of the Everfree - most ponies are terrified of it! How would his business have enough traffic to be successful if nopony wants to go near that place? I understand that the Mane 6 and other ponies in the show will venture into the Everfree Forest, but that is very much the exception to the rule - even they were (and some still are) afraid of the place!

Speaking of the Mane 6 - staff members tend to prefer characters stand on their own without reference to any established characters without permission from their players. Mentioning cast character names is generally discouraged, especially in situations like you have explained for the Wonderbolts. In this case, you are writing history for cast characters who have or will have their own players. This would be forcing canon on an individual and is something we aim to avoid in World of Equestra roleplay.

As for your character's name, it doesn't have a very strong "pony" feel to it, if you can understand where I'm coming from. I get that it's a play on words, which is fun! You may want to try something with a more pony vibe, however - but staff can correct me if I'm wrong - a play on words like that is fun, has pony potential as well!

That said, I really like the idea of your character having a tavern for travelers to drift through - I have a few characters who i'm sure would enjoy that sort of spot! Good luck with the rest of your app! Feel free to ask me any question!

I hope you've found me helpful!

It depends! If you plan on working on his character and personality a bit more, something might come to you while you're writing! c:

And you're welcome! I'm glad to answer any questions you might have!

Spiders: not adorable.

Cannot comprehend. Error error error. Browneh has caused malfunction.

Starting shutdown in 3...2...

*FzzzPOP*

Just as a heads up to folks: I'm currently in the process of recovering from overtime at work (as well as simply being back in the plant, which is a bit of an adjustment process) while transitioning into shift rotations. I know I have been scant these past few days (and I'm sorry! :C), and while I get a day off in order to rest and prepare my body for shift work at the plant I can't promise that my roleplay presence will be particularly strong. I'll post when I can, but I'll probably be exhausted and overworked until some point next week - this will likely end up in me picking what threads to post in based on whether or not I'm holding others back. I'll post this notice in my character log as well. Please bear with me - my summer job is very physically demanding in a pretty unpleasant place and being thrown into shift rotations after a full week of work can leave this Flower somewhat braindead! I'll try to get as much done as I can tomorrow while I'm rested, but I also have a few errands to run. ;-; Sorry for the inconvenience everyone! I'll try to avoid really holding things up - luckily I'll be on days so it may not be too too bad.

Hey there Sparkle! First off, I'd like to say that you've written a very well-thought out character that I think will make a great addition to World of Equestria! I don't really have much to say in terms of the content - it's great! That said, as a fellow roleplayer who lurks this board quite a bit, I would suggest you stick to Rarity's App Form without altering it. I also think you could shuffle some of your information around. You include a lot of details that would fit into your character summary or history in other areas of your app, the specific examples being Sparkle Fire's residence and occupation. Your "demeanour" section would also be better off in the Character Summary area, as that is where it would fit in the actual app form provided for us! This would just make things a little more organized for the benefit of the help staff. c:

Again, nothing major - just some shuffling! Good luck getting your character approved! I'm looking forward to seeing you and your OC in World of Equestria!

I don't see why it would be an issue. Just make sure to read the Elements of Honesty page and follow that.

And don't let yourself get disheartened! Canterlot's a big site and there has been a large influx of players recently - staffers are working hard and doing their best! There's a bit of a wait involved with the application process but if you're excited to get going you can always dip into the Free for All boards to join or start something. c:

There isn't a hiatus! New apps getting approved depend on a few different elements coming together. The application process varies in length depending on how much editing the apps need, the activity of the users, and the activity of staff. Please be patient while you wait for the approval of your character and keep in mind that staff are volunteers with responsibilities and lives outside of Canterlot. c:

Hey there B3! Like BBQ, I'm not staff - just a fellow creative interested in giving you a hand!

Applying to World of Equestria can be pretty overwhelming at first! I have a few suggestions to help you with the process if you'd like to keep pushing to join in WoE roleplay, but if you don't feel like you want to edit your character or expand your application, you should know that as it stands your character is free to join the Free for All boards! There is no application required! c:

BBQ has made some good points but I'd also like to add some suggestions and point a few things out! This is going to be a bit of a wall of text, but please don't think this feedback is very negative or let it discourage you! I want to provide you with a comprehensive response in order to help you get to know World of Equestria and what it expects of its roleplayers the way that I understand it as a roleplayer myself. This is a great community, and the purpose of this application process is to help roleplayers who're new to WoE's ways and expectations!

First and foremost, the most important thing to keep in mind when writing for World of Equestria is that this roleplay is a slice-of-life game that emulates Friendship is Magic to a tee! The tones and atmosphere stay as true to the show as possible. That means we keep things very pony! What stands out the most to me with your app is the focus on battle themes. Even the name "Battle Born" implies that your character is the product of battle (and therefore violence). This, along with the cutie mark being two swords and the focus on swords in general will likely make it difficult for your character to be passed through. I would highly recommend taking away such a strong focus on battle (or anything with connotations of violence). Having a guard pony should be fine, but I would suggest focusing more on your pony's personality (his ambitions, his fears, his interests, his quirks, how certain situations have influenced him and how he'll react to others) as well as having a name that doesn't imply violence. You can always wait for staff for the final word on this, however - I don't speak with any authority. I'm simply offering recommendations based on my experience as a roleplayer here and my familiarity with the process from my lurking! Oh, and if you feel this is an important quality for your character, keep in mind that you can still play him as is in Free for All! If you don't want to change him but still want to join World of Equestria, you could always write another character! :3c

That said, to show you understand and meet World of Equestria's quality standard, it's always wise to expand on areas of the application that will say the most about what kind of pony you've written. This will be very important for people who want to roleplay with you, as it lets them get to know your pony! The cutie mark section, for example, offers you the opportunity to tell us not just what your character's cutie mark is, but how he earned it. This tells us all a lot about who your pony is! Did he struggle to find his cutie mark? Did he breeze through it? Did finding it change him or lead to important self-discovery, or did it meet his expectations and make him more confident? What exactly does his cutie mark mean for him? These are all things that are wise to keep in mind when discussing these things, as they will help shape your pony into a believable and well-rounded character! Before I shift gears though, when you say "a sword with a sword going down the middle," do you mean two swords overlapped?

Following a similar mindset is helpful in writing your history and character summary sections as well. For the history, think about his life growing up and how circumstances or influential ponies in his life might have shaped him. How did he react with others? How did his relationships and surroundings influence him? What do his friends and family mean to him? So far, you've told us about his parents and about what other characters have done to him, but you haven't really focused on your character's side of these things. For World of Equestria apps, it's better to talk about your character and his feelings so staff and roleplayers know who they're reading about on a more personal level! c: We want to get to know your pony!

The most important area of your app to focus on, though, would be your character summary. This should be the part you expand upon the most! You tell us what his dreams are, so next you should tell us where they came from! In this section, it's better to focus less on the "what" and more on the "why." Why does you character feel the way he does? Why is he hard working, and why does food distract him?

This may seem like a lot of information to take in, but I'm doing my best to give you perspective as well as suggestions. I hope I've been helpful, and good luck with your character! Seeing new roleplayers is always an exciting time! And of course, if you have any more questions feel free to ask! I'm always willing to help out, and there are volunteers and staff to poke at as well. c:

It's not too late! I've slotted Jane and Phil but seen as how the Beard has already gotten a request he's gonna have to wait for a bit.

Silly Beard. :3c I'ma drown you in bows.

I can do my best, Janejane!

Taking on three more requests!

Switching out Luminous Charge for Hoity Toity :3c

Annnnnnd for Dio!

The head's a little awkward because gryphons and also I need practice (hence why I started this thread) so I'm sorry 'bout that. I hope you enjoy anyhoozles~

Hey OakSplitter! I'm sure you're eager to jump into the roleplay on this site - I sure remember how eager I was when I signed up! Just keep in mind that the staff team looking after applications is a volunteer team with lives outside the site and they're doing their best to move things as quickly as possible. There has also been a huge influx of applicants lately, so please be patient while the roleplay help staffers do their job! You can always post in the Free for All section while you wait as well. c:

You have a nice app here, by the way. Good luck!

If you wanted to maintain that family dynamic you still can! You could always say the mother went away for work or something along those lines. It maintains the dynamic but removes the connotations of divorce. c: But again, that's up to you and the staff! It's just something to consider.

Hi there! First I'd like to say that you have a great application here! Your character has obviously been thoughtfully crafted and you've done a great job of communicating just what sort of pony she is with this app!

Now, I'm not staff but I'd like to just offer some friendly advice! Even though you're not letting the divorce of Mystery Veil's parents define her in a way that plays off like a trope, the subject of divorce in apps tends to be a little iffy when you're trying to get a character passed. Even though it wasn't bitter or a struggle, divorce often carries with it negative connotations that don't really fit with the themes of Friendship is Magic (and thusly World of Equestria roleplay). That isn't to say that your charcters' parents can't have any sort of separation - that happens! Whether it's to do with work or something else, separation can occur and is generally easier to get through the application process. Again, I'm not staff and they'll be able to tell you definitively whether or not this is something that needs to be adjusted, but it's a recommendation you may want to consider!

I think you've written a well thought-out character that would make a great addition to World of Equestria roleplay! Good luck!

Sparklefire makes lovely art. :3c

That is all.

El beamed at the curtsy – what a refined mare she had in her shop! As for missing the teahouse from time to time, well, that was actually a fairly common occurrence. The exterior of her shop was fairly humble compared to the gilded structures that were so common in canterlot. Though not terribly small, the wooden structure hardly called to mind a Canterlot standard. For the more upper crust and high-nosed ponies of the city, this not only made the Elder Tree Teahouse unremarkable – it made it unworthy, despite the fact that the carpentry and artistry that shaped the wood panelling was rather exquisite. Perhaps wooden facades in general just seemed to rustic and earthy for the æther-steeped city. The few who did pass through the front doors, however, usually changed their minds. There was something special about the atmosphere that really helped put ponies at ease and fill them with warmth, and that something special is what El did her best to produce. It could touch the most severe personalities, even if only slightly. It also helped to raise opinions of her business – the opinions that were shaped by the wooden exterior.

Either way! None of that bothered the unicorn terribly – she had a stable business with excellent patrons that she valued highly. A few non-believers weren’t about to get her down! Speaking of patrons…she’d best stop dwelling in her thoughts! Her cheeks a little pink, El’s gaze darted around until it had locked on Velvet. Luckily, she was distracted by looking over the shop! It spared the mare from being caught for zoning out a little, something she rarely did! Perhaps the weather was dampening her head!

Watching Velvet looking over things so attentively was a little nerve wracking, however. El found ever glance tugging at her tum – it felt almost like the grey mare was staring right into her soul!

[colour=#ffa07a]“Right away, Velvet!”[/colour] El chimed, beaming still. Without missing a beat, she trotted off through the closed hallway that lead to her bedroom, grabbed a few towels from her linen closet, placed it on her back, and trotted back to the shop. When she was there, she poked her head into the kitchen and ladled up another mug of luxurious chai using her golden magic. When she trotted in, she just caught the tail-end of what Velvet was saying.

[colour=#ffa07a]“An author! How exciting!”[/colour] El exclaimed, levitating the mug of steaming chai to the table where Velvet had laid out her things, careful to make sure it was a good distance away from them just in case! After coming out in this weather to buy them, it wouldn’t due to get them covered with tea – no matter how good that tea smelled! She lifted the towels into the air and suspended them so they would be held there magically until Velvet was ready to use them. She had intended to ask the mare about the titles she had written, but instead listened, wide eyed, as she spoke about her very successful children.

“You must be so proud of them!” the tea-loving mare said, a touch of awe in her voice. To have the family of royalty in her teahouse! It felt totally exhilarating! [colour=#ffa07a]“If you try for a third, your family might just overtake the rule of Equestria on their own!”[/colour]

Chuckling, she magically grabbed her own tea from the counter of her shop and floated it over, taking a deep sip. It had cooled off a little but was still quite nice!

[colour=#ffa07a]“Not at all! Though if you want to use my hair dryer and vanity I can show you to my room once your tea is finished. As for me, well, I’m afraid my life has been quite humble in comparison to your own! My parents own a café here in Canterlot, but I grew up loving tea. The moment I was old enough, I left home and started travelling. I wanted to find the best Equestria had to offer in terms of tea, so I found plants that made the best teas and brought them home to start my garden and business. And now here we are! It’s not as glamourous a life as royalty, but I’m quite happy. Oh, but I’ve been rambling! How is your tea? Is there anything else you need?”[/colour]

Yet again, El beamed at Velvet.