[OOC] The Island of Haywaii <Work In Progress>

[Thunder Boomer]

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This is the OOC thread for Haywaii Rp. It's currently a WIP. I hope to get it finished soon.

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Haywaii is a roleplay location for all ponies looking for some exotic fun-in-the-sun. It's open to characters from the main rp, as well as anypony who wants to join as a different character or species.

Feel free to join other roleplays using this location, or create your own roleplay with this is a reference (Just tag the thread [Haywaii]). All I ask is that you link me your character profile, so I can add it to this OOC thread as reference.

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Haywaii:

Far off the south western cost of Equestria likes the small tropical island of Haywaii. It's a laid back, but industrious island filled with friendly and generous ponies. With an ideal semitropical climate, Haywaii displays an unrivaled panorama of nature's beauty; a tropical collection of colorful plants and flowers, pristine white-sand beaches, rain forests, lush, rolling hills, valleys and waterfalls.

Geography:

The island is located about 100ish miles south west of Equestria. The island itself is small, about 20 miles wide by about 30 miles long. The island has tall rolling hills, and a couple small mountains but nothing that would count as a steep. A few medium sized lakes and rivers lie at the island's highest point, supplying the island with fresh water. Pristine, white beaches circle the entire island, with the large, Seafoam Bay, being a central location. The bay is wide, clear and full of seagrass and kelp farms. A large, broken reef of stone and coral encircles the island. It acts as a natural barrier and protects the island, as well has harbors all manner of sea life.

Settlement:

The island and waters surrounding Haywaii has been inhabited by sea ponies and windy wings as long as history can remember. Several hundred years ago, the island was settled by flutter ponies. Local legend claims that the migrating flutters were blown off course by a great and powerful storm. The flutters lived peacefully in small settlements until the island was discovered by sea-faring earth ponies who ultimately choose to settle the island as well. After peaceful negotiations between the earth ponies and the island's already established residents, work began on a town that catered to the demands of all Haywaii's residents. This town eventually grew into a small city. Where all types of ponies live and work peacefully.

Manealua (City):

A tropical Venice. Manealua is the island's primary hub. It holds the largest population of ponies and is the island's primary seaport. Buildings in this city are tall, but not sky-scraping and every roof houses a garden that is maintained by numerous flutter pony residents. There are no traditional roads, instead, sidewalk-lined waterways cut through the city. Land-bound ponies use small boats and carts (that will fit on the wider sidewalks) as transportation and sea ponies can easily come, go and do business as they please.

Rural Life:

Outside the city, lies several farms and forested land. Farmland is widespread and well cared for. Haywaii is known for some of it's finest and exotic fruits. Most of these come from the well maintained farms or are collected uncultivated from the various fertile, wild plants and trees.

Seafoam Bay:

At the water's surface, it is the islands most well-used sea port. Underneath the waves, it's settled by the island's largest concentration of sea ponies. Here, amongst the seagrass, sea ponies farm some of the best kelp and seaweed ever seen. Not only do these provide food for the local sea pony population, but it is traded and sold to the land residents of Haywaii and is used quite often in Haywaiian cooking and delicacies. Haywaii is able to produce some of the widest range of jellies and gummies because of the quality Agarophyte (Red Algae) sea ponies grow.

Exports/Economy:

Haywaii is known for growing some of the finest tropical fruits, flowers and seaweed in all of Equestria. The sun, fertile soil and special care seem to produce large, and remarkable agriculture and floriculture. These items are the islands largest export. Gelatin agar made from red algae, honey and sea shell jewelry/trinkets are some of the island's second largest exports. Tourism also plays a sufficient role. There are many inns and hotels that cater to an ample tourist population. The sunny and mild weather makes it a perfect vacation spot for ponies that can afford the journey.

[Thunder Boomer]

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Species Playable On The Island:

Pony Types:

All 3 pony types approved for play in normal Equestria RP in addition to the following "old school" Pony types (Which have been worked to fit into the FiM universe):

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Flutter:

Appearance:

Flutter ponies are known for their delicate, iridescent wings. These wings billowy, transparent and give off a faint sparkle when flapped. Flutter ponies are slightly smaller than regular ponies. Their necks and, bodies, and legs are proportionally longer, giving a thin and lithe appearance. Their noses are also long, slender and more pointed. Overall they look rather graceful.

Physical Traits:

An incredibly agile species. They are capable of fast turns, and skilled maneuvers. They have the ability of very fast flight, but only over short distances. If pegasi are built like athletes, Flutters are built like dancers, their aerial maneuvers are more graceful and they aren't built to deal with high G-Forces like pegasi are. Much like humming birds, Flutters are always on the move and have difficulty staying still. They rarely walk, and instead fly and hover wherever they go.

Flutter wings are not particularly strong. While they have no problem carrying a pony's own weight, they can become strained and tired if the pony is carrying anything too heavy. Additionally, they are very susceptible to weather and foreign substances. They can become practically useless if weighted down with a sticky substance or if they become waterlogged.

Special Properties:

WIP

Motivations:

Flutter ponies are traditionally very good at Floriculture (And some small scale Horticulture) and are known to be suppliers of some of the best cut flowers in Equestria. They are very intricate and meticulous when it comes to such things. This has resulted in many lush, treetop and roof top floral gardens. Flower-type cutie marks are very common among Flutters.

Housing:

The Flutters in Haywaii are living slightly un-naturally from relatives that may live elsewhere. Traditionally, most Flutters live in small family groups in intricately made tree houses located within forested areas. They're normally a friendly but shy species that prefers to be left alone. However, most Flutters living in Manealau were born and raised there. They're quite accustomed to living in buildings, laboring and socializing with other ponies. These urban Flutters have been known to take on a more wide range of jobs/talents then their rustic relatives.

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Sea Ponies:

Appearance:

Sea ponies have the head and mane of a pony, but a body that resembles a seahorse's. They have two powerful pectoral fins and a dorsal fin that help propel them through the water and a strong prehensile tail that aids in both swimming and gripping things.

Physical Abilities:

Though they look slightly awkward, sea ponies are skilled at swimming and are just as capable in the water as an earth pony is on land. However; their lack of a caudal fin or fluke makes it difficult for them to swim long distances, and they are not nearly as fast in the water as, say, a hippocamp.

Sea ponies are capable in living in both salt and fresh water, although transitioning between the two takes some time for their body's to adjust,.

They have both gills and lungs, and are capable of breathing both oxygen and water. Because of this, sea ponies are able to take on many above-water tasks and some even choose to venture out on land. However; they can not stay out of water too long before their skin begins to dry out and they will need to get wet again.

In addition to swimming, pectoral fins and prehensile tail can also act as simplified 'hands.' They are able to grip and manipulate objects and simple tools with them.

Motivations:

Sea ponies are connected to the water in the same way earth, peg, and unicorn ponies are connected to the land, sky and magic. Talents are always unique to the pony and are somehow water related. Seaweed farming, current manipulation, the care of ocean wildlife, pearl collection, seashell carving, etc.

Cutie Marks:

Sea ponies do not have cutie marks in the same way that earth ponies do. Instead, many develop a cutie-type mark at the base of their necks. These marks are very simplified, one-color silhouettes that can also resemble a necklace tattoo. Like cutie marks, they are tied to the sea pony's special talent, but unlike cutie marks, the relation between the two can be quite abstract as they are generally shaped like shells, fish or some other small, aquatic-related object.

Beliefs:

Land ponies' deep appreciation for the sun is mirrored by the Sea Ponies' deep appreciation for the moon. While Sea ponies understand the need for balance between both moon and sun, they favor the moon for it's great pull on the tides, and influence over the ocean. Sea ponies have long loved Princess Celestia for her influence over both moon and sun, but with the word that Princess Luna has returned, many sea ponies are looking toward her as she reclaims her influence over the moon.

Housing:

Sea Ponies aren't normally migratory creatures and most spend their whole lives in the lagoon or lake that they were born in. While some do travel, either out of necessity or perhaps related to their job or talent, finding a sea pony that is well traveled is more on the rare side. Their physique just doesn't allow for travel over large distances of water.

Sea pony residences can be unique to the owner. Ocean caves and hollows of coral if they can manage. In more open areas of water, they may build homes from old shells, rocks, and packed sand. They tend to decorate their homes with brightly colored coral, anemones and shells. These homes can range from simple shacks, to very ornate and well crafted depending on the status of the sea pony.

Like land ponies, the amount of sea ponies living in close approximation depends on circumstance. Underwater, towns, small cities and farming communities tend to pop up as well as areas where the concentration of sea ponies are widely spread out.

Manealua is unique, because this city plan was thought out with sea ponies in mind. Many buildings contain basement pools that are connected to the canals and under water apartments for sea ponies living within the city.

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Twinkle: (This is not a separate species, but a variation on the Original 3 pony types. Think of them as "Cousins")

Appearance:

The twinkle-eyed variety of pony has unique faceted, compound eyes that resemble gems.

Twinkle-eyed ponies are built just like any other regular pony. Earth, Unicorn or Pegasus species can all be found with twinkle eyes. They share the same attributes as they're normal-eyed cousins.

Motivations:

Motivations would be the same for each pony type as it would be for their non-twinkle cousins.

Special Properties:

Vision for twinkle-eyed ponies is very different then any other equestrian. They are able to see in nearly 13 directions at once. Their brains are able to assemble this information into one large picture which gives them absolutely incredible peripherals.

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Creature Types:

As always, no humans. Creatures approved for play in normal Canterlot RP, are allowed without question (Dragon, Griffin, Diamond Dog, Zebra, Buffalo, Domestic Farm Animals, Hippogriff, Hippocamp, Peryton, Chamros). If you have a different species of creature you want to play (That you think fits into the FiM universe), PM Thunder Boomer and ask. It'll be yay or nay, depending on circumstance.

[Thunder Boomer]

Character Profiles:

You may choose to use a character already approved for normal Equestria play. You may also create a character specifically for this rp or crossover play and post the profile in the Crossovers OOC subforum. Either way, please PM me a link to your character's profile before starting, so that I may add it to the list. This is just to keep all of the profiles in one place to make it easier for everyone to find and reference them.

Ponies:

-None Yet-

Creatures:

-None Yet-

[Thunder Boomer]

*Reserved*