The Exemplary

There's more than just ponies, changelings, and griffons aboard Speranza- among her ten thousand-strong crew are several hundred of the transequines known as the Exemplars. First created two hundred years ago, the Exemplary are a group of ponies that are hand-picked by the leaders of the four respective fraternities for not only their exemplary (hah) belief in the power of harmony and a desire to uphold that belief, but the tenets those lodges in particular might hold dear. The chosen candidate, if compatible, will then undergo a long series of tests to ensure not only their conviction to protect the innocent and to uphold harmony, but to strengthen their physical and arcane forms as well: genetic tweaking is conducted to bring them to the absolute pinnacle of equine performance and perhaps even a little beyond, while magical and alchemical processes give them increased lifespans, greater magical affinity, and overall increased endurance. While first created as an interstellar search and rescue force for the burgeoning Equestrian space exploration efforts, the Exemplars quickly found themselves also serving as a defense force: first against the marauding Ferasan pirates, and then again one hundred years later when the space-based Nymphan changeling hive descended like locusts upon their home system with the intent to devour both the Equestrians' fear and... well, everything else, as well. They endured, and upheld their promise to defend Equestria from the horrors from which it couldn't defend itself: now, as the Jakkhari descend upon the galaxy at large, they expand that promise to include all free peoples that need their help in this desperate hour.

The Sons of Equestria

The first Exemplar lodge to be founded was under the watchful eye of Atta Tude: due to a curious quirk of the genetic samples taken from him and used as a template for the 'prototypes' of the Exemplars as a whole, there are vanishingly few mares among the Sons- in fact, for the first several years of their existence, it was thought only stallions could pass the test, hence the name which is now little more than a callback to their roots. Their ranks include earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns- anyone who felt the call to explore, to serve others, and to defend the defenseless. They don't put much stock in pomp and circumstance, preferring instead to get the job done and get it done as effectively as possible- getting it done as flashily as possible is often seen as a bonus, to boot. Whether that's because of the greater ratio of Apples among their ranks or if that's simply a coincidence remains to be determined.

The Nightguard

The Exemplary that serve directly underneath Princess Luna are comprised entirely of thestrals, and as such they place a great deal of emphasis on family and trusting those around them- the reclusive nature of the batponies runs deep, and the Nightguard is often content to keep its secrets, so long as they don't concern their cousin Exemplars. Many candidates enter as batches of siblings and will remain tight together, functioning as a single unit out in the field- this makes them incredibly effective in their modus operandi of remaining unseen until absolutely necessary, then overwhelming the enemy in a whirlwind of well-practiced mayhem... but this comes with the tragic side effect that the loss of one of their squadmates can often cripple a Nightguard team, both emotionally and as a unit.

The Crystalline Oath

The Oath, in its first incarnation, referred to a promise sworn by crystal pony commoners to resist King Sombra during his initial reign of terror, no matter the cost to themselves. They kept that promise fiercely, remaining a thorn in Sombra's side throughout his despotic rule and always serving as a whisper of hope on the lips of the downtrodden. Today, they serve as the shield wall of the Exemplary, never wavering in the face of the foe and refusing to break even under the most brutal and horrible assaults that can come against them. There is no member of the Oath who won't go through hell to save someone in need, and it is perhaps because of how doggedly they remember their roots as a force for freedom that they seem to hold a special fervor for fighting the Jakkhari that seem to revel in the torment and enslavement of other species.

The Wyrdseekers

Based out of the world tree Wyrdrassil, its mythical seed first planted in the ground by Princess Twilight Sparkle at the beginning of her reign, the Wyrdseekers are a fraternity of unicorns that seem to have an almost childlike fascination with the mysteries of the universe. While many Sons will often rib the 'Sparklers' as nerds and bookworms, the magical talent of the Wyrdseekers runs very deep indeed- perhaps almost as deep as their belief in their princess' message of extending friendship to all who would consider it. They are regarded as the mediators of the Exemplary- in fact, it's common for Wyrdseeker unicorns to be 'seconded' out to other Exemplar teams, both to learn from them and to teach them in kind, bringing back both the lessons they've learned back to the world tree and the joy of knowing they've imparted lessons themselves.


Each of these was done by my wonderful friend Zat over on DeviantArt! Check him out! https://www.deviantart.com/zatgeneral

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