The Mare in the Moon OOC

Dusk Raven wrote:Okay, here's the sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KB7Nj_Lw-lOIa460rA3m5TMPdAucC1wXLA1zKgzda-Q/edit?usp=sharing

Backstory's more or less done, combat talents are up for review, and utility talents... need work. Going the "Animal Magnetism" route would require me to use 4 out of 5 utility talents, and I don't really want to do that. I'd rather shift focus away from animals (for the most part) and towards a more spiritual/shamanic/druidic route. Unfortunately I don't know what to take for that other than maybe Weathercrafting (not a bad choice since I think one of our Pegasi can't do Weathercrafting). Possibly I could throw a use of Freaky Knowledge in there as well...

I still think that, in order to save utility talent slots, you could replace Friend In Deed to Animal Kinship (so you only need to spend two utility talent slots for Animal Magnetism, not four), but it's up to you...

Yeah, I could, I just don't like changing the traits of the base races, just a thing of mine. But I'll look into it.

All right, my apologies Z2, but after mulling it over at work, I can't really allow you to become an alicorn prince as the element of magic because it's much too much like Twilight. One of my key things was "Unique to the character" and having the same plot arc... yeah.

I could still have Firey be taught as an Royal Mage instead of to be a prince though, and you'd still have the ability to be a dragon disciple.

The 'Prince' thing was really just similar in theory, rather than in practice. I still do not see it as the same thing, but I am not inflexible.

I am more than willing to... I don't know, hang out with post recovery Luna, introduce her to the modern world while she teaches magic, then become alicorn ambassador to wherever/duke of 'insert part of Equestria here'?

(P.S. Who is 'Firey?')

Your character's the fire pony, right?

But I'm still adamant that Alicorn is not really something I like nor do I really want since it's still too similar sounding to Twilight :/ Period.

A recent survey has shown that no more than 25% of all alicorns are Twilight Sparkle...

But I can accede, I'm not committed to the title, I just figure that if you have a pony with wings, a horn, abnormally strong magic, and a pronounced lack of aging, the term 'alicorn' is probably there for others' convenience as much as anything...

P.S. Copper can just say 'Duck Tape' and nervously change the subject every time he's asked about the wings if it's REALLY important he not come across that way.

P.P.S. I think objection to the nickname 'Firey' would be the kind of thing that appears even in-character: being seen as a pyromaniac is something Copper still worries about.

All right. I'm sorry Z2, but the issue isn't the title or anything, but the concept period is much too similar to Twilight.

I'm not even sure what you imagine that the concept IS at this point...
But since I'm still taking dragon disciple, I'm sure things will work out how they work out.

...
I'm half tempted to deny you then, since I'm not willing to play with a character who's essentially Twilight 'but not'

He is in no way Twilight. He acts nothing like Twilight. He looks nothing like Twilight. His personality growth will be only the vaguest bit similar to Twilight's. With the way you are defining 'Magic' there aren't a whole lot of types that would be appropriate besides 'the wizard'. The only thing you have to liken him to Twilight is potentially being 'an alicorn'... which is not a distinct part of WHO Twilight is.

Would you prefer I just trade elements with Colter? Coppertop was initially designed to be the Element of Generosity.

I wouldn't mind it... I mean, I could definitely make it work.

That might be nice... Generosity is a pretty sensible reason why Copper might be donating effects and labor to the festival this year anyway.

So, it's a deal?

It can be on my end, but I'm sure Logan wants to weigh in.

I'm talking about the character arc, Z2. Becoming an Alicorn would need reasoning and all that.
I'm sorry, but I'm, as I've said, contemplating turning down Copper because I'm not too fond of the insistance you have on being essentially an alicorn prince. I'll sleep on it though.

Minutiae:

Reasons I can supply:
Option 1: Copper has been trying to reverse engineer the alicornification™ process ever since he noticed Cadence showing up (totally something he'd do), and the progression goes about like so:

Level 4: Mysterious Benefactor helps with his research (possibly a dragon)

Level 7: Research bears fruit, careful study allows him to get a ritual just right to grow wings, and be able to store just a bit of extra power as well.

Level 10: a couple years of and nine levels of gaining power and resources only to give them away others who needed them more comes back in full when many of those he helped come to help him (possibly informed as the benefactor's last act [as benefactor]); allowing enough networked power for a generosity-tastic spell that succeeds on turning him into a proper alicorn (rather than his research's approximation.)

Option 2: Dragon Disciple -> Luna's Bestie
This one is similar to how the destiny usually works, Copper and the freed Luna assume a mutually beneficial teaching relationship of magic knowledge and world re-acclimation: she's his mentor, that helps with the changes... this one is probably the closest to what you object to (and honestly I feel like 'close friends with Luna' might be something improper to give your OC in general).

Option 3: No change, just Dragons.

Option 4: MACGUFFINS, MACGUFFINS EVERYWHERE:
'A wizard did it' as explanation.

Option 5: Audience Suggestion


...Obviously, I'm partial to 1 (it will, obviously be a bit more refined than that, just posting the core of it).

Option 1 issue: Cadance's story is one of a pegasus who learned of the magic of love and understood it fully and completely, enough to become an alicorn. There's a book about it, and it fits with Twilight's arc, so alicornification needs an understanding of the Magic of X if the only 50% of the alicorns we know needed to go through it.

Option 2 issue: It's completely and utterly Gary Stu to become bestest buddies with the princess for Twilight's reason, let alone randomly, and not really viable for a campaign setting.

Option 3: I admittedly would be all right with this one, it's really just the 'Become an Alicorn' thing that you're adamant about was starting to turn me bitter on the idea.

Option 4 issue: That makes it on me to come up with a viable, logical, and interesting reason for you to become an alicorn, and if I'm against it... Yeah.

Option 5: The others can put up ideas themselves.

Eh, I'm somewhat partial to the "friends with Luna" idea, but that's because if he doesn't go that route then I'm going to aim for that. Eventually.

Hey, I managed it in another campaign, albeit through some rather unfortunate background events... we're not quite at the "bestie" stage anyways.

Then again, I have little problem with the alicorn thing at all... provided he becomes a alicorn of something. I mean, they're basically like gods, they're gods of something.

Option one basically is what you're after: he tries to cheat his way there with magic research, but it isn't until the end of his arc when everything comes full circle and he fully understands the magic of generosity that it actually works properly.

P.S. As an aside, while I'm not the fondest of option 2 either, it wouldn't be 'randomly': Copper is connected, knowledgeable, and (presumably) one of Luna's rescuers; it's not illogical for her to choose him as an assistant to help her get settled into the modern era.

All right, so asking everyone: Would you be against option 1?

Asking the party is probably a good thing to do...

It might be a little redundant on my part, but certain other discussions have taught me that it is never a bad idea to FORMALLY vote yes...

So: 1 vote for Option 1.

I say go ahead with option 1. I'd actually like to see how it goes.

I have no immediate problems with Option 1...

In other news, I finally got around to writing backstory. Yay. Now all I have to do is think of a name and maybe draw a picture, but otherwise I am done...

I literally just watched Magical Mystery Cure (again, mind), and after that, if Z2 can find a heartwarming and awesome way to become a prince, I say to go with it.

So yeah, I vote for option 1.

I'm leery of the idea, because it's the character in your your Personal OC, and you want them to become an alicorn - it's setting off red and black alarms like crazy.