Unicorn Gears "Sparks" Clockwise [FINAL]

[Chapien]

Roleplay Type:

World of Equestria RP

Name:

Gears “Sparks” Clockwise

Sex:

Male

Age:

Colt

Species:

Unicorn

Eye Color:

Sky Blue

Coat Color:

Light Grey/Dark White

Mane/Tail/Markings Color & Style:

His mane and tail color is light blue, with a single dark blue strip. His mane is bedraggled and unkempt, and his tail is cut short.

Physique:

Sparks is short for most Colts his age, and appears relatively thin.

Cutie Mark:

A cog.

Origin/Residence:

Sparks was born and raised in Stalliongrad, in the Rasya district, where he continues to live to this day.

Occupation:

Sparks was, for a time, an apprentice and a clock shop. However, he is now currently unemployed.

Motivation:

Sparks dreams simply about improving his situation and escaping the relative poverty of his current situation. His ultimate dream is to one day find a way to leave Stalliongrad and head to Canterlot, where he hopes to make a living and truly start his life.

Likes:

Sparks enjoys being alone and building new contraptions, as well as the cold.

Dislikes:

Sparks dislikes arrogance, athletics, and extreme risk.

Character Summary:

Sparks was born in Stalliongrad, in the Rasya district. His father was the owner of a small Clock shop, which was where Sparks spent most of his early life. Though his family was not poor, they weren’t exactly wealthy either, being part of the rather small Stalliongrad middle-class. His mother died when Sparks was very young from an unknown disease, leaving Sparks in the care of his father.

From an early age, Sparks was fascinated with the clocks his father constructed, and became his father’s apprentice when he was just a foal. He spent hours every day tinkering and crafting, mastering the art when he was a young Colt. However, it was not clock making that would ultimately earn him his cutie mark. The crafting of clocks was not enough to sate Sparks’ unquestionable thirst for invention and discovery, constantly crafting his own contraptions and experimenting.

One night, Sparks was working in his father’s laboratory, experimenting on a way to create steam-powered clockwork devices. Though his experiments were largely a failure (largely due to his complete lack of knowledge in steam power and his lack of adequate tools), Sparks was able to create a self-propelled, small device powered by clockwork and a small steam engine, able to move a small distance on its own, as well as being able to serve as a forklift for small objects. Though the device may seem primitive to more masterful inventors, it was an impressive feat for a young Colt such as Sparks. It was from this that he earned his Cutie Mark, a grey cog, signifying his passion for invention and clockwork.

Sparks’ curiosity and motivation only grew from there, leading to many more minor inventions. However, disaster soon struck. In a horrible (if somewhat hilarious) accident involving a clock, a furnace, and some stolen TNT, Sparks accidentally blew up his father’s lab while experimenting. Though nopony was hurt (Sparks was using the restroom, and his father was out), his father did not exactly take it well. In fact, his father took it so poorly that he wound up kicking Sparks out, leaving Sparks homeless and creating his current situation. Sparks has always been known as an optimist, though since this event he's become a bit more withdrawn from the world. Because of this situation, he has made it one of his life goals to somehow scrounge up enough bits to leave Stalliongrad for good and make himself a home somewhere better. Anywhere but Stalliongrad.

Sparks isn’t exactly what most would call “friendly”, though he isn’t impolite or unlikeable, either. He is simply anti-social, and doesn’t exactly know how to properly interact with other ponies. Though he is a brilliant inventor, he is absolutely horrible at any sorts of athletics, tiring easily. His social skills are also lacking, and he often has a hard time interacting with other Ponies, particularly colts his age, and he often comes across as arrogant and stubborn (despite the fact that those are two qualities he himself loathes in other ponies). Despite this, he is an eternal optimist, seeming to be eternally easy-ging, or at least indifferent. He is very easily distracted, quickly moving from one discussion topic to the next, and many of his projects have failed due to his extremely short attention span. Sparks has a very dry and subtle sense of humor, and often comes across as somewhat passive-aggressive in his speech, regardless of his intentions.

(Feedback is very much appreciated!)

[MyLittlePonyTales]

How is this Application coming along?

[Chapien]

Pretty good. Trying to figure out how to add more to the character summary, to make my character a bit more unique.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Alright. Comment once it's marked [Final].

[Chapien]

Marked as [FINAL]. Deciding to just go with it, seeing as I will never be perfectly satisfied with my own work.

[brianblackberry]

Greetings, it is a good story, but I do have a single question. Why did you have him destroy his father's lab, or more importantly, why did you have it so his father would repudiate his son and throw him out on the street? What I am looking for in that question is how does this tragedy help in the creation of his character and is it necessary for him to become the inventor and character he is? This may seem a little picky but lately I have noticed a disturbing and common trend of pony characters having disastrous relations with their family usually with irreconcilable differences, or worse, abuse, and I am trying to understand why this is needed since often it adds little to the character other than as a lazy route to make them "tragic".

[Chapien]

Looking back, you are correct. Well, I wasn't trying to make my character "tragic", per-say. I didn't want, and still don't want, for my character to be a stereotypical, always depressed, "tragic" character. Rather, I simply wanted to make the backstory a tad more interesting- I can revise it, if you wish.

[brianblackberry]

Looking back, you are correct. Well, I wasn't trying to make my character "tragic", per-say. I didn't want, and still don't want, for my character to be a stereotypical, always depressed, "tragic" character. Rather, I simply wanted to make the backstory a tad more interesting- I can revise it, if you wish.

Tragedy in a backstory isn't in any way wrong in itself; however when it is included, like everything else, it should have a reason that adds to the development of the character. Because of this the original question remains, how does destroying his father's lab and being kicked out as a result add to his character? What effect did it have on him? I am just saying that adding such info should have a purpose, otherwise it feels like tragic fluff. I hope that made a bit more sense.

[Chapien]

Ah, yes, that does help a bit. I'll either add some sort of effect on him (eg character development) from the tragedy, or remove it all together, give me a while to think on it.

[Chapien]

Alright, I added a bit to it.

[brianblackberry]

For Great Justice!

[Chapien]

Huzzah! Thank you so much!

[Chapien]

I don't want to sound impatient, but is there any moderator accepting assessed applications at present? It seems to have been quite a while since any apps from here were accepted.

[Dio]

Please be patient while we move you to the Roleplayers group!