Sunshine Swirl's Log

[Sunshine Swirl]

OCs:



Sunshine Swirl  --  Teacher & Amateur Sleuth

[/a]
Married to Ink Well (real-life hubby OC)
Hat lover, Book lover, Deep thinker
Very smart but not too wise
Knows a lot of spells, average magical talent
Enjoys mysteries, knows "Magic Forensics"[/ul]



Esmeralda Magus  --  Merchant & Adventurer

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NPC of Note:

Ink Well  --  Sunshine Swirl's Husband (General background character)

Thistledown   --   Private Courier

Silvie Smith   --   Silver Smith, Jeweler, Teacher's Aide

[/a]
"The Terror of Market Square"
[/ul]
Marigold Lafleur   --   Flower Gardener

[/a]

[/ul]Tres Maneifique  --  Teacher (for Magic School Threads)

[/a] figure.
Professor at Canterlot Academy of Magic
Teaches "Aesthetics of Magic"
Well known Canterlot Fashionista,
Born in Prance, Speaks fluent “Fancy”
Specializes in Hats & Mane/Tail Styles
Makes "beautiful magics"[/ul]
Arrow Flynn  --  Teacher (for Magic School Threads)

[/a]
Teaches Archery and Unicorn Athletics
Often wears a lincoln-green vest and archer's cap w/ red feather.
Known as the most handsome professor on campus, has entourage of mare-students following him around[/ul]
Hammer Forge  --  Teacher (for Magic School Threads)

[/a]
Teaches Magical Architecture, Mathematics, and Physics
Wears thick glasses, white lab coat.
Has a deep gravelly voice with a slight Germaneigh accent[/ul]
Light Show  --  Teacher (for Magic School Threads)

[/a]
Teaches Stage Magic, Theater, Polo
Often wears a cape paired with an unusual hat.
Flare for the dramatic, and fancy entrances.
Speaks fluent Pre-Classical Equestrian[/ul]
Gold Brick   --   Privateer. (I ain't no Pirate!)

Long Shore  --  Dock Manager (Canterlot Merchant & Adventure Threads)

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Roleplay Threads

Below are role-play threads I participated in along with which OCs / NPCs were involved:

The Bell, Book & Candle Shop : PRIVATE : w/ Sunshine, Esmeralda -- Storm Scout

Magic School Recruiting - Ponyville : OPEN : w/ Sunshine, Ink Well -- Vixen, Blueberry, Bubbly Beaker

Looking for Trade : OPEN : w/ Sunshine, Esmeralda -- Riddle Bits, Ocean Blue, Storm Scout

Grand Adventure to the Griffin Kingdoms RP : PRIVATE : w/ Sunshine, Esmeralda -- Storm Scout

The Mysterious Summer Festival : PRIVATE : w/ Sunshine, Ink Well -- Jasmine Lantern

The Canterlot Academy of Magic: 1st Semester : PRIVATE : w/ Sunshine -- Vixen Tremortin, Blueberry Muffin, Bubbly Beaker, Storm Scout

A Tale of Travel and Wonder : PRIVATE : w/ Esmeralda -- A'bek

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Roleplay Settings

Grand Adventure to the Griffin Kingdom : A Daring Do style adventure to discover a lost library in a forgotten region of the Griffin Kingdoms.

The Canterlot Academy of Magic : A detailed magical school setting with over 20 buildings, nearly a dozen classes and professors and many rumors that can lead to adventure.

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OOC Threads

Sunshine Swirl's Art Thread

How to vector an MLP Background for your OC

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Character Art

I make MLP backgrounds using Inkscape on a Mac. You can see how in my "How to Vector an MLP Background" thread.

I draw ponies with pencil and paper. I then scan and ink them on the computer. You can see how in my Art thread.

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(click for larger view)

[Sunshine Swirl]

-General Stuff-



Note: This “Application” is for an NPC, Sunshine Swirl’s husband. She tried to get him to write it himself, but he said he was too busy working on his next book. He’ll just have to settle for what Sunshine writes here. If he ever decides to join, he can fix this and post it in the right thread.

Name: Ink Well

Nickname/Alias(es): Ink, Story Teller, Word Wrangler, (and sometimes “Inky")

Race: Pegasus

Gender: Male

Age: Adult Stallion, (~30’s)

Additional Status: Award winning author with 2 book series sold in Equestria and abroad. Not yet a best selling author, but working on it.


-Physical Stuff-

Pelt Color: His coat is medium blue

Mane/Tail Color and Style: short, black, sometimes messy

Eye Color: His eyes are amber

Cutie Mark: An inkwell and feather quill

Other Scars/Markings: None

Physique: Ink Well is of medium build. He’s not particularly athletic but he enjoys flying and taking walks with his wife.


-Social Stuff-

Current Residence: Ink Well lives with his mate in one of the common three story tower buildings seen around Canterlot Gardens. The tower is adjacent to the Canterlot Academy of Magic. Ink works out of his home office on the third floor, a brightly lit space with a view of the gardens.

Job: Ink Well writes fantasy and adventure novels. His first series was about a young pegasus colt with amnesia who discovers that he is actually a changeling and goes on to save Equestria from the hive. His second series is about a genius unicorn filly who steps through a magic mirror to a land similar to our Equestria but with a very different history. He’s also written several stand-alone novels.

Mother: Earth pony, has a farm about an hour’s cart ride north of Ponyville

Father: Earth pony, farmer (along with his mother)

Sibling(s): Three earth pony brothers, Ink Well is the youngest and only pegasus.

Other Family: Grandpa was a pegasus and passed that down to Ink Well

Closest Friends: His wife and a hoofful of friends spread across Equestria

Courting/Courted By: He better not be...

Mate: Sunshine Swirl. They met at North Canterlot High School and started dating. After graduation Ink Well proposed and they married in a small chapel in Northern Canterlot. They moved into a tiny apartment above the Bell, Book & Candle shop where he focused on launching his writing career and she focused on advancing her studies at the Canterlot Academy of Magic. Once their perspective careers took off, they purchased their quaint tower home and renovated it. They’ve been married for 10 years now.

Foal(s): None yet


-Personality Stuff-

Likes:

Writing - Ink Well is constantly writing, he’s always got a scroll tucked somewhere with his latest project.

Good Food - Ink Well likes eating out and prefers local restaurants with simple home cooked meals rather than “fast food” or fancy dining.

Flying - He really enjoys the freedom and feel of soaring through the air.

Dislikes:

Waiting - Ink Well is not a patient stallion, especially when his wife is trying to have her cup of tea or is getting herself ready to go out.

Bad Writing - He dislikes bad writing, especially when ponies fail to do basic research or properly think about their plot.

Paperwork - Ink has no patients for bureaucratic paperwork and red tape.

Being in the Spotlight - He’s a rather shy stallion.

Motivation: Ink Well has wanted to be a writer his entire life. He always dreamed of leaving the small town he grew up in and becoming an author. He’s not an adventurer himself, but he likes to visit exotic places to absorb the atmosphere and ponies there. He uses those experiences to add flavor to his books and stories. He’s done very well with his writing career, but has yet to get a book on the Equestria Times Best Seller list. Writing that break through novel is one of his main goals.

Strengths:

Story Telling - Ink Well can tell a great story and is very entertaining to be around.

Work Ethic - He works hard, often late into the night for days on end to meet deadlines for his books.

Love and Tolerance - He’s very accepting of different ponies and life choices. He’s not judgmental.

Weaknesses/Flaws:

Works Too Much - Ink Well doesn’t know when to put the quill down and spend time with the ponies who love him.

Shy - Ink Well is an introvert and very uncomfortable at the Canterlot social events that he’s invited to, even when that mingling might help his career.

Impatient - He gets frustrated when he needs to wait on things, whether it be his Literary Agent to respond to a letter, or his mate to get ready for an evening out.

Fears:

Obscurity - There are other authors who are household names. Ink Well wants to reach that level, but fears that without a break-through novel he won’t be known or remembered.

Being Alone - Ink Well is pretty far from his family and many of his friends. He’s met some new people in Canterlot, but true true friends are hard to come by.

Overall Persona:

Ink Well is a hard working pegasus stallion author. His life revolves around stories; be it researching them or writing them.

As a colt, he dreamed of becoming an author and writing about adventures and wondrous places and events. In school he met a filly named Sunshine Swirl who shared his love of books and encouraged him to follow his dream.

Ink Well is dedicated and dependable. If he says he’ll get something done, you can be assured that he will.

When presented with a problem, he tends to break it down into motivations. What does this pony want? Why is this pony doing that? He uses his understanding of motive and behavior to help bring about the best possible outcome.

As an author, he is fairly well known by readers of his genre of fiction. He likes his fans, but at times they can be a little troublesome. Especially when they track him down and get involved in his personal life. He values his privacy.

At the same time, he is sometimes jealous when he encounters other ponies who are much more famous or well known than he is. What makes them so special? How can he tap into whatever magic made their book a best seller? It sometimes bothers him when somepony whose work is really not all that exceptional hits the “big time” while his own novel is overlooked by critics.

Ink Well has won awards for his writing, but is uncomfortable with the accolades and the pomp that surrounds them. He’s a quiet pony and prefers to be with a small group of close friends than to be in the spotlight.

He lives with his wife of ten years in a small tower home just outside of Canterlot Gardens. He is very much in love.

History/Background:

Ink Well was the youngest of four brothers, a pegasus among a family of earth ponies. He grew up on a 68 acre farm a good hours ride north of Ponyville.

His grandfather was also a pegasus who loved travel and literature. Although Ink Well didn’t get to know his Grandfather very well, he cherished the books the old stallion left behind. He read every one of them, sometimes two or three times. This is how Ink Well’s dream began. He wanted to write books like these, specifically, books about adventure.

Once he graduated school he started to focus all of his effort on writing. His first novel about a mysterious amusement park didn’t sell. His second book was about a brave young pegasus colt with amnesia who discovers he is actually a changeling sold and ended up becoming a four book series. He started a second series about a genius unicorn filly who discovered an alternate Equestria using a magic mirror. Both of these series have and several stand-alone novels have sold well. None of them have made the Equestria Times Best Seller list yet. Perhaps someday.

[Sunshine Swirl]

-General Stuff-


Note: This is an NPC Application. She's had brief mentions in "Looking for Trade" and "Bell, Book & Candle". She's a catalyst for an upcoming adventure thread. If her role develops I may apply to use her as an OC.

Name: Thistledown

Nickname/Alias(es): “Downy” (but you might get bopped)

Race: Pegasus

Gender: Mare

Age: 20’s

Additional Status: Thistledown’s family is well known in Cloudsdale. Her great-grandfather was a pegasus scientist and her grandmother founded a successful trading company.

-Physical Stuff-

Pelt Color: Thistledown’s coat is light tan

Mane/Tail Color and Style: Her mane and tail have two tones; magenta and pink. Her hair style is long and flowing. She has a stray forelock of mane that resists all efforts to tame.

Eye Color: Cyan blue

Cutie Mark: A thistle flower in bloom with the pink tuffs of down showing. It represents both her talent and her personality. The downy thistle seed uses thermal air currents to spread far. The lovely thistle flower has thorns to keep strangers at bay but is actually soft and downy (once she gets to know you.)

Other Scars/Markings: none

Physique: Thistledown is very trim. Her wingspan is a little broader than average. She’s not a powerful flyer having only a 6.8 wing power. That said, her special talent is catching updrafts and gliding. This talent together with her light weight and broad wingspan make her an excellent long-distance flyer.

-Social Stuff-

Current Residence: She has a small place in Cloudsdale, but her work and family take her across Equestria, Germaneigh, and Prance.

Job: Thistledown is a bonded private courier. She delivers small packages for ponies that require discretion and confidentiality. She has carried packages for diplomats, princes, and millionaires. Thistledown knows how to defend herself and has worked security on some of her father’s paddlewheel ships.

Mother: Spring Breeze, pegasus, book keeper at the Windsome Trading Company of Cloudsdale.

Father: Fair Deal, pegasus, the current owner of the Windsome Trading Company.

Sibling(s): Her younger brother is a pegasus named “Earnest Exchange”, Earnest for short. He is studying to someday take over the Windsome Trading Company.

Other Family: Her Grandmother, a pegasus named Windsome Trade, who started the Windsome Trading Company in her youth.

Closest Friends: (to be listed)

Courting/Courted By: Currently not dating

Mate: none yet

Foal(s): none yet

-Personality Stuff-

Likes:

Soaring - There is nothing better than soaring in peace high above a beautiful landscape. She likes to be alone with her thoughts. She’s been know to stay aloft gliding from thermal to thermal from morning to dusk.

Coffee - She discovered fancy coffees with her parents in Prance. She knows the best cafés for coffee in dozens of cities.

Friends - She’s very stand-offish to ponies she doesn’t know and sometimes strikes ponies as aloof. That said, once she’s gotten to know you, you’ll find no better friend.

Maps and Charts - She learned navigation for sea and air from the pegasus paddlewheel captains on her father’s ships. She loves pouring over maps and charts fixing waterways and landmarks in her mind.

Dislikes:

Strangers - She hates small talk and pretentious ponies who don’t know her but act like they’re her friends. She’ll warm up to new ponies, but only at her own pace.

Depending on Others - She doesn’t like to be at the mercy of others, she’s fiercely independent and likes to take things in her own hooves.

Pirates - She thinks they are romanticized by common ponies who don’t realize them for the dangerous criminals they are.

Motivation:

As a filly growing up, she was pressured by her grandmother to take over the family trading company. She rebelled against this idea preferring to make her own path in the world.

She’s sometimes jealous of everything her younger brother will be inheriting. When she thinks deeper though, she realizes that she wouldn’t trade any amount of Bits for the freedom she has now.

Strengths:

Distance Flying - She’ll never win a race or create any type of starburst or rainboom, however, nopony can climb or soar on thermals like her.

Independence - Thistledown doesn’t need anypony. She can take care of her self. That’s good, right?

Self Defense - She befriended some of the guards During the long boring trips on the family’s trading ships. From them she learned the art of self defense.

Weaknesses/Flaws:

Terrain - Some terrains (swamps, large bodies of water, flat plains) have few thermals and Thistledown struggles to cross areas like these.

Independence - This strength of hers is also a failing. She tends to get in trouble by not taking advantage of the help and support of others.

Overconfidence - She’s never really failed at anything, and feels she can succeed if she tries hard enough. She doesn’t yet realize that some endeavors require the help of your friends.

Fears:

Closed Spaces - She absolutely hates closed in spaces, tiny closets, tiny caves, even sleeping bags. If she can’t spread her wings, she needs to get out.

Pirates - When she was a filly, pirates pulled along side the paddle-wheeler she was on and boarded it. Her father hid her until they left. She’s still terrified by them.

Getting Lost - Thistledown is seldom lost, but when she is, it’s a horrible feeling. If she has a nightmare, it probably involves being lost somewhere.

Overall Persona:

Thistledown is a very independent young pegasus mare who likes being in control of her own life. She is somewhat stand-offish around new ponies, but warms up once she gets to know them.

She is from a notable family in Cloudsdale and while growing up had a chance to see many cities in Equestria, Prance and Germaneigh. The family business has seen better days and Thistledown was expected to take it over when she became an adult.

Thistledown rejected that path and chose instead to strike out on her own. She isn’t a particularly strong or fast flyer, but nopony can soar and ride the thermals like she can. Her lean frame, broad wingspan, and special talent combine to make her an excellent long distance flyer.

She learned the ins and outs of international trade while growing up as the heir to large trading company. She used that knowledge and her parents connections to become a bonded private courier. She holds legal standing as a registered courier in Equestria, Prance and Germaneigh. Combined with her skill at long distance flying she makes an excellent and well trusted courier.

Thistledown is a wanderer, with no set home. She has favorite hotels or inns in many cities and rents storage from some of them to store her few belongings. Her family loves her and is very supportive of her choices. She often visits them in Cloudsdale. She loves her younger brother, Earnest, and would do anything for him. She feels somewhat guilty about leaving him to take over the responsibility and obligations of the family business.

History/Background:

Thistledown’s family history:

Thistledown’s great-grandfather was “Gustov Steamhaber”, a pegasus scientist from Germaneigh. Gustov traveled to Cloudsdale as a young man and eventually became somewhat famous. Gustov invented a type of reliable cloud engine that is used on some boats and trains even today. Basically water is placed in a chamber and, using pegasus machinery, is converted into a hot cloud which expands driving a set of pistons. This process is repeated and used to turn a paddlewheel on a boat, or to power the wheels of a train. The engine does have drawbacks: it’s heavy, requires a large tank of water, and worst of all, if operated improperly it can explode in a cloud of hot water vapor. As such, it’s not suited for use on airships or in small vehicles. It also requires frequent maintenance from technicians familiar with pegasus machinery. Gustov made a small fortune on this cloud engine.

Gustov’s daughter, Windsome Trade stared the Windsome Trading Company, eventually purchasing a rail line and a dozen cloud engine paddlewheel ships. Late in her life, the company had a turn of bad luck. Windsome was forced to sell off the rail line. In addition, several of the ships were in poor repair and sold for scrap.

Windsome’s son, Fair Deal, is Thistledown’s father. He now runs the Windsome Trading Company which now operates four cloud engine paddlewheel ships. The routes are: Manehatten <-> Glascow, Hoofington <-> New Saddle, Trottingham <-> Marelin (Germaneigh), and Marelin (Germaneigh) <-> Detrot. They have one more paddlewheel ship in the repair yard in Trottingham. The company has some debt, and maintenance on the ships can be expensive.

Thistledown - Growing Up:

Growing up, Thistledown was somewhat spoiled by her grandmother, Windsome. Thistledown traveled throughout Equestria, Prance and Germaneigh with her parents on trading company business. She grew into a rebellious young filly and wanted nothing to do with running the family business.

As a young filly teen aboard the company's Manehattan paddlewheeler, Thistledown got into a fight with father. That night she gathered a few of her belongings from her cabin and ran away. She flew from the ship across the bay and past the twinkling lights of the city of Manehattan. She decided she was going to fly all the way home, not realizing at her young age how far Cloudsdale actually was. The sun was rising as she reached the Drackenridge Mountains. Her cheeks stung from both her tears and the cold mist in the air. Her wings were so tired that she thought she might fall from the sky at any moment. Thistledown was stubborn though, and pushed on through the pain.

That’s when she noticed the fluffy white thistle seeds floating in the morning sun. They floated high above the mountain from the valley below on currents of air. Thistledown realized she could feel these currents too. She stopped flapping and spread her wings wide. Without effort, she sailed high into the sky, much faster than if she had tried flapping her way up there. Wings outstretched, she glided from current to current, flapping only to make slight changes in direction to catch the next updraft.

The sun was bright in the sky as Thistledown cleared the Drackenridge Mountains. She was more than two-thirds of the way home. The last of the downy white thistle seeds floated by. She whispered to it, “thank you”. Suddenly she felt a tingling in her flanks, a warm glow of satisfaction and achievement filled her. She knew even without looking what had happened. She took a glance back at her flank and saw her new mark; a beautiful thistle in bloom. She had earned her cutie mark.

She flew on, filled with pride and renewed vigor. She had her cutie mark, she was an adult now, and she had made this trip by herself without anypony’s help. The sky was turning a deep orange from the setting sun. Far in the distance, through tears of happiness, Thistledown could make out the columns and waterfalls of Cloudsdale. She was almost home.

[Sunshine Swirl]

-General Stuff-

SPOILER: Click to show

This “Application” is for an NPC that appears to further the plot of several adventure threads. She’s a teaching assistant at the Canterlot Academy of Magic. She holds some strong opinions that sometimes conflict with her elders at the Academy. She also plays a role in the Grand Adventure to the Griffin Kingdom thread. She’s not a candidate for “OC” status.

Name: Silvie Smith

Nickname/Alias(es): Silvie, sometimes “Sil” (and behind her back, “The Terror of Market Square”)

Race: Unicorn

Gender: Female

Age: Adult Mare, (early 20’s)

Additional Status: Silvie’s family was quite well known in Canterlot. Her grandmother, Goldie Smith, had crafted exquisite items and enchanted them with unicorn magic — a rare talent that few possess. Silvie lives in the shadow of this ancestor.


-Physical Stuff-

Pelt Color: Her coat is a pale magenta

Mane/Tail Color and Style: Her mane and tail are silver, long and straight. She often wears her mane up in a bun or elaborately braided. As an adult, she dislikes the color of her mane as people sometimes mistake her for an older mare.

Eye Color: Sky blue with cyan highlights

Cutie Mark: A jeweled silver stiletto — beautiful, elegant and dangerous. She’s somewhat defensive of her cutie mark and generally covers it. If pressed she sometimes says it’s a jeweled “letter opener”.

Other Scars/Markings: None

Physique: She is a sedentary mare and perhaps could lose a few pounds. She keeps her mane, tail and hooves immaculate. She visits the salon once a week to touch up her hair and get a hooficure.


-Social Stuff-

Current Residence: She lives in a villa in a wealthy section of Canterlot with her family. The villa takes up the length of a block with the family jewelry store on one end, and the entrance to their house on the other. The center of the villa is a courtyard with garden and fountain. There is a forge for metal working behind the jewelry shop showroom. There's a fuller description in this role-play excerpt:

SPOILER: Click to show

The carriage wound down Observatory Hill, passing by several towers and the big Royal Equestrian Observatory building. They turned down cobblestone streets, then came to a very nice section of Canterlot, white stone pillars, decorative wrought iron trim. There were a lot of very fancy stores here with names and logos commonly seen on fashion magazines. The street opened up into a large square with a well maintained garden and fountain in the center. A sign on the street corner read “Market Square”.

The Carriage pulled up in front of a very fancy store front. It was at least four times longer than The Bell, Book & Candle shop. The shop windows were filled with displays of gemstones, rings, and necklaces as well as larger items like intricate silver tea sets and fancy clocks. The sign read, “Goldie’s Enchanting Jewelry”. The driver stopped.

Silvie leaned forward, “Actually, the entrance to the house is around the other side, if you don’t mind. Just take a left and it’s at the end of the block."

It appeared that Silvie's family owned the entire block, it was a series of interconnected courtyards, paths and buildings sometimes with second story walk-ways and balconies over looking the courtyards. There were statues, topiaries, fountains and a large bronze sculpture.

Silvie pointed out things as the carriage drove. She gestured a hoof towards an older looking building with two chimneys. “That’s the forge building where we smelt various metals and alloys. Everything from silver to more exotic metals from distant lands. And there is the Dragon-bone sculpture. I’m still not sure why it’s called that, it’s made of bronze, not out of dragon bones. I once climbed it when I was a filly and got stuck at the top… It was a little embarrassing. That building with all the glass is the conservatory building. My mother has quite a collection of rare roses there. Oh, her name is Rosy, another coincidence maybe? She’s not much into metal work, but she has a wonderful talent with art and my father considers her his inspiration."

After several minutes, the carriage finally reached the other end of the Smith estate and the grand entrance to their home. It had a large with a cobblestone circular drive in front of a two story entrance. In the center of the circular drive was a statue of a unicorn rearing up on its hind legs looking towards the heavens.

“This is fine here,” said Silvie.

Job: Silvie Smith is a silver smith. She has set gems, made earrings, necklaces, and even full silver tea sets. She’s very skilled with the tools of the trade and has a good artistic sense. She also is comfortable working the family forge and smelting various precious metals.

She enrolled in the Canterlot Academy of Magic with the intent to learn enough magic to replicate her Grandmother’s talent of enchanting items. She works part time there as a Teacher’s Assistant pursuing her studies while still dabbling in crafting.

Mother: Silvie’s mother is an artist named Rosy Colors who is as close to a “hippy” as Equestria gets. She creates nature paintings that decorate the jewelry store and are sold to local galleries. She has a collection of rare roses and other flowers growing in a large glass "conservatory building" at the family estate in Canterlot.

Father: Silvie’s father is a metal worker named Faithful Forge who crafts things in steel, bronze, gold, and silver. He’s not as artistic as Silvie or his wife Rosy. He learned metal working from his mother, Goldie Smith. He now runs the family jewelry store in Canterlot called “Goldie’s Enchanting Jewelry"

Sibling(s): Silvie is an only child.

Other Family: Silvie’s grandmother was a mare named Goldie Smith who passed away when she was a child. Goldie’s talent was crafting magical items. Her cutie mark was a golden tiara surrounded by motes of magic. Goldie started the family business “Goldie’s Enchanting Jewelry” which was quite successful. Silvie idolized her grandmother.

Closest Friends: Silvie has few close friends and tends to put herself first.

Courting/Courted By: She is prone to crushes on powerful or adventurous stallions, in the end, they generally don’t live up to her high expectations. She’s currently flirting with a pegasus named Storm Scout.

Mate: none.

Foal(s): none.


-Personality Stuff-

Likes:

Creating - She sketches ideas for items, and meticulously crafts them piece by piece. She’s in her element when in the creative zone. It brings her a great deal of peace.

Power - She enjoys wielding power, whether through her position as a Teacher’s Assistant, or through her family’s wealth and status. Her motto is “power is magic.”

Dislikes:

Authority Figures - She doesn’t like being told what to do. She has little respect for others and believes that she knows best. “Those ponies are just in it for themselves anyway… Why listen to them?"

Powerlessness - She hates being powerless. In any new situation, she tries to establish herself as a force to be dealt with. If a pony is weak or helpless, it’s because they haven’t yet grown a backbone.

Motivation:

Silvie lives in the shadow of her famous grandmother. She worries that the family status and power is in decline as they are no longer selling the pricey enchanted items that Goldie Smith crafted. She is a very proud mare and wants to leave a mark on the world. She desperately wants to learn how to endue items with enchantments like her grandmother. She worries that her special talent might not be enchanting. Her gifts tend towards creating jewelry and elaborately detailed items in precious metals. She refuses to accept that her talent might something “mundane” as crafting. She believes she is destined for bigger things.

Strengths:

Silver Smith - She’s a talented silver smith and jeweler. She creates marvelous pieces of art in precious metals combining her father’s skill with metalwork and her mother’s skill in art.

Self Reliance - She has a strong ego, and can take care of herself. She’ll pursue any opportunity to advance herself without pause.

Weaknesses/Flaws:

Not a Good Pony - She’s not a very good pony at the core. She puts herself and her desires before those of others. Silvie has a lot to learn about friendship. Perhaps she’ll find someone to teach her.

Single Mindedness - When she’s focused on a goal, she cares very little about the repercussions and side effects of her actions. She believes that “ponies should look after themselves, I’m not responsible if somepony’s feelings get hurt.”

Fears:

Being Normal - Silvie views herself in heroic proportions. She feels that she’s destined to make a big impact on the world. The thought of being “just” a craft pony is horrifying to her.

Poverty - Silvie was raised in and lives a very high class lifestyle. The thought of being poor terrifies her. Her family was once extremely wealthy, but after her grandmother Goldie passed away, expenses have been outstripping income.

Overall Persona:

Silvie is a young mare with grand ambitions and a big ego. She sees herself as beautiful, talented, and destined to lead. She comes from a very wealthy Canterlot family and lives a life of luxury and privilege.

Silvie’s family runs “Goldie’s Enchanting Jewelry”, a large jewelry, gem and precious metals store in the upper side of Canterlot’s merchant district. She is a skilled crafts pony, able to design, forge, and assemble beautiful objects made of precious metals and gemstones.

She sees herself as more than that though, and this creates her inner conflict and drives her actions. She feels that she lives in her grandmother’s shadow. Goldie Smith also made lovely objects, but her talent was enchanting those items with minor magics. For example, a jeweled maneclip that kept your mane from getting wet. These items sold for large sums. Silvie doesn’t realize that her items are actually much more beautifully crafted than anything her grandmother ever made. Instead, she dwells on the fact that she’s not able to magically enchant items.

Silvie has lived a pampered life and feels entitled to special treatment. It infuriates her when her father talks about “cutting back” to balance the budget. She feels he’s weak, and should instead figure out ways to expand the business. She believes that if she can rediscover her grandmother’s secret to enchanting that she can restore her family’s prestige and wealth.

When faced with a problem, Silvie focuses first on “leverage”. How can she gain the advantage from this situation? For her, every conflict is a matter of power, and the winner is who can gain the most power and exercise it.

History/Background:

Early life:

Even as a filly, Silvie showed very strong skill with her telekinesis. She was able to manipulate many very tiny objects with precision. When wielding tools like delicate silver smith hammers, she was capable of striking with control and accuracy.

When other fillies were learning to stack blocks, Silvie’s father was teaching her how to set gemstones and shape silver into a fancy tea set. She was a fast study and had incredible focus.

Silvie applied herself to her studies at school. She poured over spell books and learned as much as she could. Her goal was to be a greater smith than her grandmother. She would create amazing magical items that even the princesses would covet. Powerful items that people would pay small fortunes to possess.

Unfortunately, there was no simple spell or easy instruction for magically enchanting objects. She was told that enchanting items was linked to specific talents, or alicorn level magics. Silvie never believed this. If her grandmother could do it, surely she could.

As a rebellious teen, Silvie became obsessed with power. She believed that power was the key to business, relationships, and getting what you desired. She began working on her own pet projects at the family forge. One of those projects was a jeweled silver stiletto that she had hoped to enchant. She put an amazing amount of care and precision into its design, balance, weight, and sharpness. Every detail was perfect, it was a master work of craftsmanship. That piece gave her such a feeling of achievement, accomplishment and satisfaction that she was not surprised when its image adorned her flanks as her cutie mark. Her parents were mortified however. A weapon as a cutie mark? Where had they gone wrong? Silvie took to covering up her cutie mark, or explaining that it was a jeweled letter opener. In her heart she knew it represented power, beauty, precision and elegance.

As an adult, Silvie’s telekinetic talents were on par with the most skilled unicorn craft ponies. She learned spells to enhance the display of jewelry, gems and other items. Most of these magics were minor illusions and illusionary backgrounds. (As seen in Season 1, Episode 14.) She became quite skilled at these types of magics.

The Terror of Market Square:

SPOILER: Click to show

There is one other notable incident in Silvie’s past. It happened on the day the Changelings invaded Canterlot. Silvie saw the barrier collapse and the changelings rain down upon the streets of Canterlot. She watched the changelings chasing ponies and smashing shop windows. She couldn’t let them ransack the family business, they would be ruined. A deep rage built up in her chest and her eyes opened wide. Horn ablaze, she charged forward into the street in front of the family store. She was so much greater than these mere insects and with her illusionary magics, she made that apparent. Blackness swirled around her and her dragon wings of smoke, her eyes glowed and she roared at the changelings, “Leave this place!"

A few of the changelings decided they would take her on. Silvie pulled her stiletto and held it threateningly as they approached. She was terrified, but didn’t let it show. Then, in a moment of inspiration, she created a dozen more illusionary stilettos swirling around the real one. She reared up and sent swarms of silver “daggers” striking the ground at the changelings’ hooves. The changelings were terrified, falling back over one another at this dark winged adversary and her thousand silver daggers.

The neighbor ponies looked on with fear as well, they weren’t sure which monster to be more afraid of…

Silvie went on the offensive chasing changelings up and down the streets roaring, snorting illusionary “fire”, and throwing illusionary “daggers”. Fortunately, a wave of magic swept the changelings from Canterlot before she had to actually fight any. She had accomplished her goal though. Her family’s business was one of the few undamaged during the chaos.

That incident is how Silvie earned her nickname as “the terror of market square”. It’s also why many of her neighbors avoid her or hide their foals when she walks by. Silvie prefers not to talk about the incident. She did what she had to do. Besides, it was all harmless smoke and mirrors, she’s not really a monster, is she?

[Sunshine Swirl]

-General Stuff-



Note: This is an NPC write-up. It’s very unlikely that Gold Brick would ever be converted into a role-playing OC.

Name: Gold Brick

Nickname/Alias(es): Capt’n, Captain

Race: Earth Pony

Gender: Male

Age: Adult Stallion, mid 30’s

Additional Status: Registered Privateer, Equestrian Royal Government


-Physical Stuff-

Pelt Color: Ashen coat

Mane/Tail Color and Style: Thick black mane combed back behind ears, Black tail, kept short.

Eye Color: Red/Maroon

Cutie Mark: Three Gold Bars

Other Scars/Markings: Scar in shape of an ‘x’ under left eye, notched left ear.

Physique: Gold is quite strong having spent much of his life on ships. He’s about as big a stallion as you can be without being a “draft pony” breed.


-Social Stuff-

Current Residence: Lives on The Manticore, a small private airship

Job: Privateer, licensed private vessel captain

Mother: Crafts Pony (Stalliongrad) (unnamed)

Father: Miner (Stalliongrad) (unnamed)

Sibling(s): none

Other Family: An uncle named “Reasonable Doubt", former privateer and lawyer, retired (Canterlot)

Closest Friends: His crew are like family, 2 earth pony, 1 unicorn, 1 pegasus

Courting/Courted By: Numerous mare-friends in different ports

Mate: none

Foal(s): none


-Personality Stuff-

Likes:

Bits, Gold, Gems - Gold Brick values wealth highly. He came from a fairly poor Stalliongrad family. He is always stashing away Bits for troubled times. Gold sends money home to his parents and takes good care of them.

Wine - The Manticore has a fully stocked wine cabinet kept magically chilled at the perfect temperature. Gold has collected bottles from the best vintners in Prance and Equestria. Special occasions on The Manticore are celebrated with many bottles of fine wine.

Dislikes:

Betrayal - Gold Brick values loyalty among his crew. If there’s a disagreement with his leadership, he wants to hear about it in private. Don’t dare challenge him in front of the other crew members or you’ll pay the price.

The Military - He views the military as a very inefficient command structure. The individual guards and soldiers are paid not to think on their feet but to blindly follow orders. As a privateer, Gold Brick has discretion to take the appropriate action on his own accord.

Motivation:

Gold Brick has a strong moral code, but it’s not what you might expect. He follow’s the Privateer’s code with puts captain and crew first, client second, and all else third. He’ll take a job if the rewards make the risks worth while. As a Registered Privateer he is sometimes called to do diplomatically questionable actions. (i.e.: Delay a particular diplomat.) He justifies these missions as being for the good of Equestria. On the other hoof, if a private individual hires him for personal gain, all bets are off, especially if Gold Brick feels he’s being played.

Strengths:

Will - Gold Brick has remarkable willpower and pursues his goals relentlessly. He’s gotten his crew out of many “hopeless” situations by refusing to give up.

Guile - Gold Brick is very clever, not in a bookish sort of way, but clever in the ways of ponies, politics and organizations. He picks up subtle tells and clues when speaking with ponies that give him insight as to their true motivations. He’s very good at manipulation and bending the rules to suit his needs.

Legal Knowledge - He is a master at Equestrian law as well as the laws of neighboring regions and international treaty law. He knows the loopholes and ways to exploit ambiguity to bend the law to his favor. He spent years pouring over law books under his uncle’s tutelage. The law is a Privateer’s weapon of choice.

Weaknesses/Flaws:

Greed - At times, Gold Brick’s desire for coin overrides his common sense and he underestimates the risk associated with a job. If he thinks he’s being played, he’ll quickly change the deal to his favor; often without thought of the consequences.

Vanity - Gold Brick is fairly insecure. He over compensates for this by creating a frightening appearance. He’s proud of his thick black mane. To appear more fierce he enhanced his incisors, wears an eyepatch and earrings. The notch in his ear and scar are real however, from battles and sailing incidents.

Fears:

Poverty - Gold Brick grew up in harsh conditions. He knows how hard even day-to-day life is when one is poor. Now that he’s made a reasonable amount, he fears losing it. He’s paranoid of the Equestrian government turning against him and seizing his wealth. He’s also distrustful of banks.

Crashing - Spending much of his time in the air, Gold Brick fears plummeting out of the skies. The gondola of The Manticore is enchanted to “Fall Like a Feather” even if its airbag is destroyed. That said, the airship wouldn’t stay intact if struck by a full-grown dragon or powerful magic blast.

Overall Persona:

Gold Brick is a forceful presence to be reckoned with. He knows the laws of Equestria and neighboring countries very well and uses those laws and their loop-holes to his advantage. His employers value this in him. It makes him a dependable agent of the government and a “reasonable risk.”

He’s very good at reading ponies and understanding what drives them. When talking with somepony, he’ll sometimes go off on tangents, seemingly discussing politics or some other topic. In reality, he’s testing and probing to understand his target’s allegiances and motives. He’s not above taking advantage of that knowledge to manipulate a pony if it’s to his benefit.

Gold Brick takes his job as Captain of The Manticore very seriously. He is a Registered Privateer for the Equestrian Royal Government. Several times a year gets requests from functionaries to take on assignments when traditional means would have “political ramifications.” He also takes on private jobs where the rewards outweigh the perceived risks.

Gold Brick is very fair with his “hench-pony” crew and generously divides the rewards once expenses are covered. There have been occasions where he’s risked his own life and his ship to save a crew member. He is well respected by his crew. Their loyalty is without question.

He distrusts authority figures, governments, and large organizations or guilds. He’s worked behind the scenes and realizes that these organizations are generally carrying out the will of individuals with their own motivations and vices. Gold Brick doesn’t trust banks — even if the bankers themselves aren’t corrupt, the government can still manufacture an excuse to seize a pony’s funds. He’s always watching his back. Each privateer mission could be a “setup”. Each employer might be playing him for their own purposes. Gold Brick always has a “Plan-B” ready for just such an occasion. Safe-houses, Bits and loyal allies at the ready. There’s even a second “Manticore” if the need ever arrises.

History/Background:

Gold Brick was born to a miner and a crafts pony in the city of Stalliongrad. He had an austere childhood, punctuated by visits from his uncle, a Privateer with the Equestrian Royal Government. His uncle, Reasonable Doubt, was a strong and resourceful earth pony who had an airship.

After finishing his education, and against his parent’s wishes, Gold Brick signed on as a crew member aboard his uncle’s airship. There he thought he’d find adventure. Instead, his uncle gave him one law book after another to read and memorize. Each day after dinner, his uncle would quiz him on rules and regulations, then toss in trick questions forcing Gold Brick to come up with loop-holes or reinterpretations of the law. His uncle instilled in him the Privateer’s Code of ethics which puts captain and crew first and taught him to distrust “the system”.

His uncle retired, and left “The Scorpion”, a run-down airship that had seen better days, to Gold Brick. Gold Brick picked up his uncle’s contract with the Equestrian Royal Government and carried out several successful jobs for them and for private employers. He upgraded The Scorpion several times, then retired it, and had a new airship built; The Manticore.

This new airship was small and nimble with the latest in airship magics and a propulsion system from a yacht-class airship twice its size. He had it outfitted with a ballista-style harpoon gun capable of launching a tethered harpoon or bolas line to grapple other ships or buildings. The ballista stows beneath a large hatch at the front of the main deck when not in use. The gondola was magicked with a “Fall like a Feather” spell. In addition, a mural of two Sea Ponies in Gold Brick’s cabin hides an entrance to a magic compartment. When manipulated properly, the mural opens into a 10’x10’ room seemingly completely contained in only a few inches of wall space. This hidey-hole is used for contraband, or to smuggle key ponies across borders when needed.