Warp "Glyph" Sign [READY]

[Harv0kz]

"If it exists, it's probably in my tome somewhere. Hopefully. Not so sure. Possibly." ~Warp Sign

Roleplay Type: WoE

Name: Warp "Glyph" Sign

Sex: Male

Age: Stallion

Species: Unicorn

Eye colour: Ruby red. #9B111E

Coat: #FFB93F, or that shade of orange.

Mane/Tail: #EEEE13, or that shade of yellow. His mane and tail is kept towards REA standards, though every once in a while when hair grows, it becomes slightly longer, and is usually left unkempt.

Physique: Just as good as any military-trained spellcaster. Just with a bit more stamina given that he galloped cross-country as an exercise to train his stamina. To give an example, he could outrun a pony in armour long enough to cast spells to deter or prevent further pursuit, but absolutely cannot engage in close combat and hope to win.

Residence: Manehatten, in a middle class home.

Occupation: "Specialist 4 in the 9th Magus, sir!"

Cutie Mark: The Rune "Tiwaz" superimposed on a pentagram, all enclosed by a thick-lined circle (Think magical circles with runes). Represents the determination and will to succeed and maintain a honourable standard while he's at it. The pentagram and circle represent his aptitude for mastering, and memorising magic

History:

Many ponies wish they could see Manehatten, walk its modern streets, see the chic styles of fashion, and engage in its ever bustling community. Not Warp Sign. Nope. He didn't like the big city, the social norms of being hip, and most importantly, it was difficult to sleep at night with all the buzz. The foal of two spellcasting academics, Warp Sign would spend days reading his parents books and about monsters, evil ponies, changelings, and the like. But what fascinated him the most was the magic. There are many different types of maigc, but all equally fascinated Warp Sign. Raising objects twice as big, making fire from nothing, among many things.

The books were his companion of the night, whereas during the day he was usually alone, among a small group of friends who looked out for each other. Like minded, they were studious and vested into the ways of magic, some hoping one day become famous, go to Canterlot, and be famed for their might and magic. Unfortunately, bullies were always out to get them, words were exchanged, and pranks were played, but even though no one ever got hurt, both sides treated it as if it were a matter of importance to preserve their reputations. Not a good mix for the teachers, who thought their egos had surpassed their studies.

Warp Sign's magic training was promising. His magic surfaced earlier than most unicorns, and his basic mastery of it was quite quick compared to other foals. Whether it was because of being born by two spellcasters, or something more, the end result was the same. Until one day of course, when Warp Sign decided to try one of the harder spells in one of his parent's books. Though he didn't understand it completely, he knew that it would give him "power" and "energy". Which in his mind was good enough to intimidate the bullies at school. Maybe projecting a simple monster spell he had learned a few weeks back with his increased energy might scare them off. Through and through.

For many nights, he sneaked out of his room, and grabbed that one book, which he would always somehow leave outside deliberately without his parents noticing (being academics, they couldn't care less about the mess of books they called a 'library') and practised the motions and tested casting the spell multiple times a night, each time coming closer to being able to activate the spell. And after a few weeks, he finally felt confident to cast the spell. And luckily, it just happened that both parents were going on a night out, leaving Warp Sign alone, given that he was sleeping. Acting quickly, Warp Sign grabbed the book, and ran back to his room. Opening up the page of the spell, he read it once in one go, and proceeded to cast the spell. At first, nothing happened. Only his horn glowed in the middle of the dark room. But then, a blinding flash of light filled the room, and after a few seconds, Warp Sign's vision began to fade, until eventually, he lost conciousness.

Waking up, he found his parents standing by his bed, in varying emotion states. It seemed that although they were angry, they were also worried and scared. Warp Sign's Father explained that the spell he cast was strictly for adults, as it was designed to give the user an boost of energy, in exchange for some of their physical stamina. Akin to someone using their legs to run, or hooves to pick things up. For a short amount of time, magic could be used in that way. A bit of magic confirmed that as the spell was cast, Warp Sign's Cutie Mark appeared at the same time that the spell took effect. The blackout was due to a surge of magic. Luckily, no major harm was done, but it came as a surprise that he was able to cast something so advanced, even after a few weeks.

The next day, a letter from Canterlot arrived. It invited Warp Sign to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Though he thought it was a unicorn in Canterlot that picked up the power spike from the magic, it was really his parents reporting in to their old workplace, knowing that Warp Sign would be safer and controlled studying there. Another day passed, with the little foal excited about this new prospect, leaping in delight, as he mailed his friends, and promised to tell them about his experiences, and even visit from time to time, hopefully. Warp Sign's parents arranged for him to stay at his Grandpa's, another Unicorn who, instead of staying in academia, joined the REA as a Magus, and served then retired. Warp Sign liked him, he was better than a book, and his tales always caught his attention, and put him to bed dreaming of such greatness. Before Warp Sign left, he managed to sneak one or two magic books from his parents inside his bag, then set off.

In Canterlot, he rushed up to his Grandpa's hooves and gave him a hug and a nuzzle, while he gave a smile and led the pony home, giving a tour of Canterlot along the way, until they made it to his apartment. A room with his name (literally, his grandpa used magic to carve a plaque of wood, to give a sense of being at home for Warp Sign) awaited the foal, where he was once again put to sleep by another rousing tale of mages and monsters.

The next day, he was to attend a testing session to see if he was allowed to enter the School for Gifted Unicorns. Given that he had very little spell experience outside basic telekinesis, he decided to read up and memorize a few interesting spells. And in the testing room, his horn lit up, and he put a shield around his favourite object on that day, a wooden toy Pegaus, then set in on the ground. He stepped back, and launched a few bolts of magic at it, all of them bouncing. He proceeded to grab a object from the room, despite the judge's protests,. and bash it on the shield, and nothing happened. he cycled through about five more items in the room, trying to break the shield, but he could not. Eventually, after thirty minutes, the shield failed. When asked what he was showcasing, the shield or the ability to break it, Warp Signed snapped back, saying that of course it was the shield. Impressive for a pony his age.

So time went on, and even though he was around other like-minded Unicorns, his radical way of thinking usually earned him a tease or two from his friends. Looking into the more alternative and aggressive applications of magic. Telekinesis and growth spells were boring for him. Magic shields, bolts of magic, projections, that was something Warp Sign could get behind. All his off time was either spent in the library or practising spells. Sometimes going as far as to set targets in an empty and open era to practise his aim. Sometime during his later years, he took up cross-country galloping as a way to keep in shape. The feeling of the wind in his was exhilarating, adrenaline inducing, and exciting. Plus it never ended after a long sprint. He could run long and as fast as he wanted.

Eventually came the final year of school. Warp Sign was all set, being offered a scholarship by Canterlot University in alternative magic. However, as he finished his final year exams, he felt something missing. As if something from his foalhood was nagging at him. Maybe it was the stories of mages appearing to be heroes and celebrated beings who held such power at a whim, or it was the rousing stories of Grandpa’s military activities. Whatever it was, he felt that being stuck in a room full of more books, just wasn't enough. He wanted to know more. So when graduation came, he abandoned joining Canterlot University, and rather than return to Manehatten, signed on with the REA as a Magus.

Boot camp was tough. Warp Sign wasn't athletically trained, aside from having taken up cross-country and generally running to build up stamina. After a couple of blunders and tumbles, and a bit of weapons training, he was set for advanced courses in magic warfare, during which in order to increase his casting speed and reservoir of spells, he began to keep a tome which he would enchant to reinforce to prevent it from being torn apart in a fight. Given his flexibility, he could do things some could, and other could do things that Warp Sign couldn't. But there was a difference, nopony cared about actually winning and insulting him, but rather praised or issued a friendly challenge. And life went on, the Changeling Invasion was a test of his skill, which he did to an extent evade the Changelings, but couldn't do much to stop them due to lack of numbers.

To this day, he serves with the 9^th Magus in the REA, as a Specialist 4, not exactly the high-rolling rank his Grandpa held, but it was a start for someone like him. And he still has Canterlot library access, allowing him access to a plethora of knowledge. With that in mind, more knowledge, and a higher career standing are now his two top goals.

Just as planned.

Character Summary:

Warp Sign is first and foremost, a bookworm, a nerd, and some of his squadmates call him geek (He keeps a bunch of action figures and comics lying around his bunk, and in his apartment). He rarely exhibits any form of seriousness outside the battlefield, reading a book, or dealing with anything that requires seriousness, which usually translates to shenanigans and a lot of casual talk all around, and maybe a spot of flirting. Usually seen casually reading a book, he would push others away until he finished what he was reading, bar emergencies and the day's schedule. The only other things he does alone, is a run around the base, and magic practice, because he sees others as an annoying influence for these activities.

His nickname and callsign “Glyph”, goes back as far his time in the School for Gifted Unicorns, called so because of a pony made a joke where if Warp Sign were to keep reading magic books, he might as well be a book of magic. He later brought it with him into the REA, both as a callsign he can instantly recognise, and to put some familiarity into his ears. As a soldier, Warp Sign learned discipline, honour, duty, etc. The general ideologies of a soldier, moulding him into a more defensive and aggressive pony when others he knows are involved. He uses a rapier, seeing that other mages have had much success when it comes to something that hits faster than their magic. Career advancement within the REA is a long-term goal of his, to surpass or match his Grandpa's legacy, in hopes that one day, he too can tell young foals of exciting tales. In the short term, having access to Canterlot's spell library is enough.

Warp Sign isn't all shiny, after all, his lack of routine discipline around the barracks has earned him an earful or two from his squad leader, and his command officer. And when he doesn't want to be disturbed, it's hard to talk to him without getting chased away by words or magic. Another is his view of army life as a fairy tale and a game, a childish dream to live up to his foalhood expectations. Given the amount of time he's been in, it's surprising how little he has changed. Self-sacrifice, honour, and loyalty have made him as rigid as stone, inflexible to bend those concepts, and often questioning things that don't go along with those concepts. His aggressiveness, something that stemmed from his foalhood days, usually gets him into fights. Sometimes he wins, sometimes he doesn't, but a good shouting match or a spar usually gets him going. His geeky nature leads him to reference things that are well... obscure, and other may think him weird or crazy for that.

In short, as lazy, self-sacrificing, reckless and childish Warp Sign maybe, he is still a dependable, respected, and well-learned pony who is looking for military career advancement and hopes to one day follow his foalhood dreams, and maybe even surpass his Grandpa in both rank and name. "A Jack of all trades, but a master of none."

[Bellosh]

This app looks like a pretty good start! Just a couple things however:

• Tone down the bullying stuff by a notch. Physical abuse committed by a minor has never been depicted in MLP, and we'd like to keep it that way in World of Equestria.
  
• We cannot allow glyph-based magic in either WoE or Canterlot Chronicles, since we've never seen unicorn magic work like that on the actual show. For that matter, you're best off not going too in-depth into your OC's magic abilities period. WoE is a slice-of-life RP, meaning that action plays an extremely little role here. If the use of magic is a major part of what makes your OC special to you, Canterlot Chronicles might be a better place for him. Either way though, we can't allow glyphs.
  

Lemme' know when the recommended changes have been made. ^_^

[Harv0kz]

They're not recommendations! They're required guidelines that are being forced onto the character in order to conform with the normal standard set in the role-playing board. (Rant face).

Anyway, me ranting done, changes made, now he's just as normal as any caster, except his pool of magic tied into his physical stamina remains, as does his nature to seek out new spells and try them all.

[Rosewind]

They're not recommendations! They're required guidelines that are being forced onto the character in order to conform with the normal standard set in the role-playing board. (Rant face).

Anyway, me ranting done, changes made, now he's just as normal as any caster, except his pool of magic tied into his physical stamina remains, as does his nature to seek out new spells and try them all.

Au contraire; nothing is being forced on your character at all. We are telling you what character design is necessary for your chosen roleplay type. You have the choice to use this information to change your character design out of respect for the roleplay environment and other players, or you may choose not to and change the roleplay type to something else instead. Nothing is forced on you whatsoever. Each roleplay type is different, and it's important (as well as shows personal roleplay skill and understanding) if you prepare yourself to take feedback and use it to improve your character design. You certainly wouldn't show up to a wedding wearing a clown costume, and you likewise would not show up to a circus dressed in wedding attire.

As for your character, think less specifically about special abilities he's able to do, and more about what sort of character he is as whole, and what other characters can expect when interacting with him. This information is what some players will use when they ultimately decide whether to play with you or not. Nobody likes playing with a powerful, unique special snowflake with special abilities, power, or strong command of magic; all these things distract from the roleplay and take focus away from character interactions, which are what make roleplaying fun in the first place.

[Harv0kz]

I love how it took a three lined (on my screen anyway) paragraph to address a single-line meaningless rant. No disrespect intended to the system and I apologise if any was had, but I was simply voicing a blind-opinion and a light joke.

Now that's out of way, my character has been revised for preliminary review once more.

As an opinion, I'm still not sure how having something equivalent to a handicap for spellcasting is considerably special. Sure, near limitless power, but relying on your stamina to cast spells? Even a regular unicorn with similar training could cast for longer. And I'm pretty sure I had more personality than magic.

[Armony]