A mask is a gift. Ponies put them on to protect their secrets, their emotions, even themselves, from others. A mask shows others only what you want them to see. It is a gift that hides that which you do not want to be seen.
But a mask is also a curse, for it is herein that deception draws its origin. Falsehoods and lies are crafted to hide reality. The most well-designed of masks can hide the most terrible and abhorrent of monsters. And few are drawn to consider the malice that lurks beneath the surface.
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A full year has passed since the changeling invasion of Canterlot. The day is remembered for many reasons; some, for the victory of Equestria over its invaders, others, for the victory of love over greed and hate, and yet others, for the wedding of Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armour, the union of the decade.
But for a few, the occasion is not remembered with as much fondness. As saccharine as the incident seems on the surface, the fact remains that terrible things have happened beneath the façade of a quick battle. Ponies have died. Homes were destroyed. And, perhaps most importantly, the Canterlot Royal Guard was revealed to be impotent in the face of determined opposition.
Fast forward one year, and the Guard is far more efficient than it had once been. The result of the invasion had prompted a major overhaul in its organisation. New leaders rose to the top, taking command in novel and imaginative ways. Though the invasion has faded to what amounts to a distant memory in the minds of the public, it is a painful, stark reminder for the military of how the Guard has failed once before. And its commanders are determined not to see a repeat of it.
Which makes their panic in the wake of recent events somewhat more understandable.
Military scouts, tasked with monitoring situations outside Equestria's borders to assess the likelihood of a foreign incursion, have operated for two years without a single casualty. But a mere week ago, the corpses of an entire team were found on the banks of the Eastern Sea, scarred with what seemed to be the marks of magic - to be precise, the destructive, offensive magic of a changeling.
The Royal Guard, as a primarily defensive force, cannot risk Canterlot's safety by dispatching troops to investigate. But nonetheless, the case needs to be investigated. So the commanding officers have come to a decision.
Commander
Ician, strategist of the Guard, has been entrusted with the task of assembling a team of combat-ready soldiers to execute this investigation. Emphasis on
combat-ready; if changelings are indeed involved, as Royal High Command suspects, then the incident must be treated with utmost care and caution.
Only time will tell if the changelings have risen from the ashes of their defeat. In due course, they will throw off the mask.
And the monster that lurks beneath the surface will finally be revealed.
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Sign Up Details:
- All OCs are welcome, but since this is a
canonically accurate universe, all characters with Alternate Universe histories will either have to revise them or pay a quick visit to the Multi-Dimensional OC Bar for a rendezvous.
- Please provide a link to your OC's character sheets in the comments below, so I can have a quick look through them. I can see no reason at this point to reject any sign-ups, but I have to keep an eye out for extenuating circumstances.
- For convenience's sake in case I miss anything, please add a rundown of your character's abilities in the comments.
Additional Details:
- Make no mistake, you
can be killed. The slight Gore is there for a reason.
- Don't expect species in general to keep to their canonical depictions of power. Canon changelings, for example, possess a fearsome array of abilities which basically amounts to only magically-enhanced ramming. They will need to be enhanced. In essence, be prepared to be surprised.
Note: Feel free to clarify your doubts in the comments or in a PM.
That is all. May the blessings of Celestia be upon you, and please, for the love of all that is good, try not to die on the first day.