[AU: Age of Heroes] The Black Bishop [Ready]

[Dubstep]

Name: The Black Bishop

 

Sex: Unknown, Presumed Male

 

Age: Ancient

 

Species: Alicorn

 

Eye Colour: Left Eye: Golden. Right Eye covered by mask

 

Coat: The Bishop's coat is presumed to be a light yellow from the small bit of fur that can be seen around around their uncovered eye and their mouth as well as the colouration of their wings. The rest of their body is covered by an elaborate set of black robes traced with golden designs and runes, while their head is covered by a wrapping of bandages around their head.

 

Mane/Tail: The majority of the Bishop's mane is covered by the wrappings around their head, though tufts of black hair can be seen peeking out from the gaps and their tail is short and straight with the same black colour.

 

Physique: A tall and imposing figure, both long legged and muscled, if it weren't for the horn that sticks from between the bandages the bandages they wear, one would likely confuse them for a caribou missing their antlers.

 

Residence: Blackheart Citadel, a terrifying city that comes and goes at the Bishop’s command. The sickly tolling of a lone bell announces its arrival.

 

Occupation: Master Necromancer and self-proclaimed ruler of Hesperia.

 

Cutie Mark: Unknown, covered by their robe.

 

Unique Traits/Powers:

 

Ageless Immortality: The Bishop has existed for decades in a seemingly ageless state. Ancient paintings and texts fit the description of them reported today. Nopony is really sure where the Bishop obtained his Immortality, nor his wings

 

Masterful Necromancy: A powerful Necromancer has many tools in their arsenal. The Black Bishop is blessed both by black magic prowess and a collection of ancient and dark artefacts that allow him to summon a veritable army of loyal, mindless skeletons and vengeful specters.

 

Terrifying Presence: Be it from their imposing figure or some sort of magic or artefact, The Black Bishop exudes and aura that puts those that look at them ill at ease the nearer he is to them.

 

Hypnotic Gaze: Staring into the eye of the Black Bishop can dominate the minds of the weak willed to force them to do his bidding.

 

History: For decades there have been whispers across Hesperia and beyond of a great and terrible Necromancer who from their wicked city of iron and bone seeks to bring all the world to heel. The first recorded sightings of the pony who would call himself the Black Bishop date back some five hundred years. A small and unassuming village of twenty some odd ponies was wiped clean in an instant by a hoard of ensorcelled skeletons. The townsfolk escaped unscathed, scattered to the winds with nobody believing their outlandish tale. Hesperia was a land filled with outlaws and liars, some ponies trusted not even their closest allies, and so for many months their outlandish story was scoffed at.

 

Until one day far in the southern desert of Hesperia, a monolithic tower of obsidian and iron arose with the ringing of a bell. Many just played this off as a mirage, a trick played by the scorching desert. But foolhardiness drove some to venture into the desert to find just what it was. And until their dying day they wished they hadn't. A walled city of black iron, bone, and steel, lit by sickly green fires had laid claim to a portion of the desert. Its seemingly empty buildings and eerie atmosphere that seemed to draw away light and warmth as one got closer to it was enough to keep most away. But those foolish enough to travel beyond the wall would find the glassy streets filled with shambling skeletons and devious traps.

 

The ones who made it back warned others of this death trap in an attempt to steer them away from the deathtrap, but this only drove more to seek out the city to discover its secrets. Cities and traps aren't built for no reason. Most never returned. Others were too frightened to speak about what transpired there. For many years it remained just that, fools traveling in and either returning terrified or not returning at all. Eventually though, the gates of the city were thrown open and the first of what would come to be called the Horrid March began. Hundreds of skeletons and ghastly spirits came in droves, led by an imposing unicorn dressed head to hoof in immaculate black and gold robes with bandages around all but a portion of his face.

 

None could believe what they were witnessing, but when faced with the harsh reality, many of Hesperia’s citizens banded together in an attempt to fight off this assailant. The battle raged with many towns and keeps being razed and occupied by the Black Bishop’s undead forces. Most hope was lost in the desert, until the arrival of the Sun Sentinel and her forces arrived, turning back the undead tide and pushing them back to their citadel. But while ultimate defeat was not dealt to the Black Bishop that day, his city vanishing with the same ringing that brought it to the desert to begin with, the day was won and the people of Hesperia were free to return to their lives as normal.

 

This peace lasted for some time, no signs of the citadel were seen for many years. Until the sound of a great bell chiming in wilds of Saddle Arabia rang in the arrival of the Second Horrid March. Much like the first, many fought and fell, and much like the first it seemed as though the Black Bishop would conquer the sultanate until the arrival of Equestria’s heroine once more drove him into retreat. Time and again the March would rise and fall, though with more difficulty than the last. The Bishop is no fool, and learns from his mistakes. For many years the bell has been silent. Many things have changed in the world, and with the arrival of new heroes to the world, the thoughts of the Black Citadel had faded from many minds and the world could rest at ease.

 

But in the outer regions of the Badlands, on a lone deserted island, the sound of sickly bell rings out, and a dark and terrifying city has rose once more. Within his keep, the Black Bishop plots and toils. Sightings of undead scouting the land of Equestria are being whispered about by concerned citizens. Will the Black March ride again? Who will stop it if it does? What does the Bishop hope to accomplish? And will you fall to his grasp?

 

Character Summary/Personality: The Black Bishop is a dark, cold, and calculating villain. Few have met him face to face, and most that have would rather not speak of such things. The ones who do describe him as dangerously charming, tempting you with promises of power and riches as most villains would. And with the powers he holds as his disposal, it proves difficult to refuse. But even if you are ‘on his side’, the Bishop can rarely be trusted, once he’s through with you, you’re of no use to him any longer and he will dispose of you how he sees fit.

 

Text Colour: Gold and Black.

 

Spoiler

 

Backstory: The pony who would come to be known as The Black Bishop was once a young pegasus by the name of Sunbeam, an aspiring hero at Celestia’s Academy. The colt was gifted with the power over light. He could use the beams he created to heal those around him, or blast and blind his foes. Even make armor from solidified light. His skills with his power grew and grew, until even the Sunlight Sentinel herself took notice. This made him a perfect candidate for being one of the first students of Sunlight Academy. Sunbeam of course jumped at the chance and proved to be a diligent student and a fast learner. By the time Sunbeam was a young stallion, he was already well on his way to possibly being the protege that the Sentinel had been seeking. So much so that the alicorn deemed him worthy of being the first of the Ascended of the academy and a double honour on top of that. Being her sidekick.

 

Once again Sunbeam jumped at the chance. Not only had he became an alicorn, but now he would get to do battle against forces that threatened the world with his idol and the most respected hero in Equestria? He couldn’t say yes fast enough! As the mare’s sidekick, Sunbeam proved to be just as diligent as he had at the academy. The duo were a formidable team, one that villains quaked at the mere mention of. For some sidekicks, the fame and recognition would go to their heads, more than a few times ponies said he would make a fine solo hero in his own right. And perhaps they were right, but Sunbeam was more than content to work hard alongside the hero that gave him so much while asking so little in return.

 

For years the two worked hard, keeping the forces of evil at bay. Fights fraught with excitement and danger, but none every truly proved a match for them. But even when a fight is won, sometimes a battle is lost. So it was one day in the burning heat of Hesperia. The Sentinel and Sunbeam had fought long and hard against a villain who could control the very sands they stood on. Pillars and patches of glass dotted the landscape where the battle took place, where the two had burned the villain’s attacks or made places where they could stand safely. But this couldn’t go on forever, and they couldn’t glass the whole desert. They had to work quickly but Sunbeam was grounded, his wing having been busted earlier in the fight left the young stallion unable to fly, so he would act as a distraction.

 

The sand might have given the villain a home field advantage, but the heat and light gave the heroes one of their own. Thinking quick on his hooves, Sunbeam had managed to whip up more than a few mirages charging them all at the now confused harenkineticist. This gave the Sentinel an easy opening for an attack and soon the battle was over. Mostly. Sunbeam and the Sunlight Sentinel took a brief moment to celebrate their hard earned victory, but the villain wasn’t out for the count just yet. With their last bit of consciousness, they moved to tear open a vast pit into the ground to suck in the Sunlight Sentinel! The next thing the Sentinel would feel would be sand starting to part beneath her hooves...Shortly followed by a heavy shove as Sunbeam pushed her back away from the pit. One that he now was falling into. One that closed up with a thud as the Sentinel tried to reach him and the harenkineticist finally passed out.

 

Sunbeam fell for what felt like forever, watching the last bit of light fade when the pit closed up, hearing nothing but the shifting sand closing him behind him as he continued to plummet. Like any sensible pony, he figured this was probably the end. There was no chance the Sentinel could get to him in time. He wasn’t distraught though, he did good out there. The world needed her more, he didn’t regret the split second decision he made. His fall was cut short as sand closed in around him, not tightly packed, but sifting. He couldn’t see but he could feel that it was still making its way downward now. How deep was he now? Where did this slow drip of sand lead? The latter would soon be answered as his fall started up once again abruptly and ended just as quick with a hard and painful thump on a pile of sand and another against stone.

 

The pegasus drifted in and out of consciousness. In his waking moments he could see the chamber he had landed in. Lit by an almost otherworldly purple light emanating from torches around the room. Eerie carvings of skeletons and beasts worshiping around a large bell. The bell itself that sat atop a grand pedestal...surrounded by actual skeletons of long dead creatures draped in black robes. As creepy as this scene was, his slips out of consciousness were worse. Like visions of what this place once was. Skeletons and ghosts pouring out of the temple, somewhere far from the deserts of Hesperia...or perhaps Hesperia was green once upon a time. Cultists performing rituals. Incomprehensible whispers in the dark corners of the temple.

 

Every time that the pegasus woke he’d find himself a bit closer to that bell. He wasn’t certain what was drawing him closer to it, but it couldn’t be anything good. And so he fought against himself to stay awake. Which proved to be a losing battle. The last thing Sunbeam would see before finding himself surrounded by nothingness was his hoof reaching out and touching the bell, causing it to ring out with a nauseating chime that echoed through the temple. In the darkness now he wasn’t alone. A pair of blood red eyes stared at him. Into him. Sunbeam remained unafraid, at least that’s what he told himself as the voice spoke. “Come. We have much to discuss.”

 

For what felt like years, Sunbeam fought at this presence inside of his head, the voice attempting to control him. This vile darkness was one that had been best left forgotten and it was only by sick chance that the pegasus had stumbled upon it. For so long he fought, not realizing until it was far too late that another presence had built up. One the darkness had been building, drawing out from the furthest recesses of Sunbeam’s mind, molding how it saw fit. One that would soon be in control, leaving Sunbeam all but a prisoner in his own mind as he watched the atrocities that he would soon commit. The rise of The Black Bishop couldn’t be stopped. The darkness’ vessel. His apprentice. Would rise the long forgotten temple. Nay. City from its depths at long last. And in time, he himself would return.

 

 

[Pretzelparty]

Approved!

 

[RainbowFoxxy]