About My Little Phony, Your New Friend!

[Ph0ny]

. ALL ABOUT YOUR LITTLE PHONY .

Here are all the different types of Phonies currently available at Phonyland!
NOTE: Sizes of each Phony as shown NOT relative to each other...

. REGULAR STRAINS .

:: EARTH



Earth Phonies are the dominant strain of Phonies, despite the lack of flight or magic ability to preserve them from predators.
This proves that Earth Phonies are very good at one thing, to be able to maintain such high numbers in relation to the other types.

Yes. They are very good at running.


:: UNICORN



Unicorn Phonies possess "unicorn magic" - manifested through a sparkly glow around their horns. All unicorns possess the "magic" of telekinetic manipulation of reasonably-sized objects, a skill more important than it sounds for a species without opposable thumbs (not that that's ever seemed to stop the other Phonies).

But Phonyland's "unicorn magic" isn't actually magic...it's nanites.

Unfortunately, that means that every unicorn Phony's personal "special talent," usually related to their cutie-mark and purpose in life, is rather minor, and possibly even...trivial. Just like us all. ...Anyway, you may, but are not required to, assign a "special talent" to your unicorn - and admin is quite happy for you never to, because as soon as you decide on a 'special talent' that your unicorn should officially have, you will have to vet it with Phonyland to ensure it is ICly possible...


:: PEGASUS



Pegasus Phonies can fly. That's all you need to know, because if you're into Pegasi, we had you at the word fly. Or is that wings? Pegasus Phonies have wings. That's all you need to know.

Pegasus Phonies are probably the rarest standard strain in Phonyland, as Pegasi wings are relatively difficult to manufacture...

[Ph0ny]

. RARE STRAINS .

:: FLUTTER


Flutters demonstrate that the universe is unfair. Around 3/4ths the size of regular Phonies, they have impossibly long extremities, unusually large eyes, a subsidiary forehead cutie mark, and antennae/wing sets in three general varieties: bee, butterfly, and moth (other varieties are technically possible, but exceedingly uncommon and considered non-normative), colloquially referred to as Springwings, Summerwings and Winterwings (with Windywings a catch-all for others).

Flutter wings may be loosely based on actual lepidoptera or wildly imagined, but without exception are highly simplified, boasting just a few shapes on base colour where applicable, with unpatterned wings as Babbies; moth-wings are opaque, butterfly-wings translucent, and bee-wings transparent, with the occasional gradient. Flutter cutie marks are also necessarily simple due both to subsidiary mark necessity and lack of rump-space. Unlike other Phonies, Flutters possess single-coloured hair by default, with multicoloured manes considered non-normative. Due to the extreme fragility of the Flutter wings, Flutters can only don simple Phonywear that does not require tricky manoeuvering. Dresses are right out.

The natural Flutter habitat was intended to be the Phonyland Mountains, but doubtlessly most will opt for the modern conveniences of Phony City shopping.

Flutter Phonies are considered a rare strain, third to Carousels and Alicorns.


:: CAROUSEL



Aberration, evolution, or secret promotional gimmick? Nobody knows. Carousel Phonies are a rare and unusual breed who seem to wander Phonyland in groups, often in circles, with a strange predilection to giving rides. Generally built bigger than the average Phony and robust as a breed, all Carousel Phonies, where mare or stallion, possess feathered fetlocks, and tend towards sweeping manes and natural horse colours. Like Flutters, they possess single-coloured hair by default, and even the rare streaked mane is restricted to similar hues. Carousel Phonies are overwhelmingly Earth in type, but the occasional Uni and Pegi do exist.

Of course, their most striking feature is that, instead of a having a cutie mark, each Carousel Phony is characterised by a saddle-esque construct and a curious pad upon their necks...almost as if a pole were to emerge from it. While these constructs don't appear to have nerve endings, they are part of the Phony, and non-removable - presumably signifying their Purpose in Life as Carousel Phonies. Obviously, only Phonywear that don't interfere with the constructs can be worn by Carousel Phonies.

Carousel Babbies start out with a standard saddle, with their permanent saddle design only apparent upon maturity. While the saddles tend to follow certain trends, like cutie marks no two permanent saddles are exactly alike, whether differing in elements, design, or colour.

Carousel Phonies are considered the rarest strain in Phonyland, and tend towards exceptionally few Babbens per breeding thanks to relative size.


:: MER



The average Merphony has the upper-body appearance of a Phony, and the lower-body appearance of a cetacean, surviving well both on land and underwater. They do not require wet environments to survive, but are generally more comfortable with at least regular soaks. Most Mers are small and compact - but there is also the occasional rare specimen with elongated proportions and more flexible tailfins, akin to a fish. These specimens are considered non-normative for the breed and incredibly rare. Some of these non-normative specimens may very rarely sport a long unicorn horn, akin to a narwhal - rarer yet.  It is not inconceivable that there might be Mers that veer off the breed standard with different marine-creature tails, but if such variants exist, they are so exceptional that they are currently little more than myth.

Like Flutters and Carousels, Merphonies possess single-coloured hair by default, but some may also normatively sport a single hair stripe of a different colour. Mers with single-coloured hair (no stripe) may rarely non-normatively sport a subtle gradient within their mane, at a much higher rate of chance than other breeds. The breed tends towards smooth, flowing manes, but exceptions do abound. Like Flutters, their cutie marks are relatively simple, due to the lack of rump-space thanks to the narrowing tail.

Merphonies move freely underwater, but are limited by their tails on land. While they are welcome to propel themselves with their hooves and tail on land, most Mers would rather opt for smartwatch-sized devices strapped on each hoof that generate an opposing magnetic field to enable upright movement via hovering just above the ground, provided by Phonyland upon Mer request. Mer bodies and the usual range of Phonywear do not mix well - many prefer simply marine-themed accessories, such as kelp-ribbons or shell-necklaces, though those who live primarily on land may prefer usual Phonywear accessories that fit where they may.

The natural habitat of Merphonies is the sizeable lagoon that borders the plains and forest of Phonyland, where underwater habitations can be custom-built to the Phony's desires, but many also simply choose to live in Phony City, with varying degrees of water-based furnishing solutions. For those who prefer a beachier atmosphere, a sea lies somewhere beyond the lagoon, with the seaside but a brief journey away from the theme park, and Merphonies are capable of living in both fresh and saltwater (i.e. the nanites function similarly in both 'cos otherwise a mix-up like that might be...kinda a bummer...X_x). While Phonyland protection does not extend outside of the theme park, all Phonies living outside Phonyland are welcome back for any necessary amenities/accessories (e.g. the hover devices described above for Merphonies) at any time.

Mers are considered a rare strain, but also appear to be more numerous than Flutters, Carousels, and Alicorns - or maybe it's just easier to know where to look.


:: SPARKLE



Rather than a different strain, it appears that Sparkle Phonies simply possess an aberrant gene that grants them skin that sparkles like, some might say, stars (glitter. It's glitter. Maybe star glitter). Therefore, Sparkle Phonies may be any available strain, from Earth to Carousel, without restrictions.

[Ph0ny]

. NON-NORMATIVE PHONIES .

Any Phony that conforms to the characteristics of their strain as detailed above (the vast majority of Phonies, we'd hope) is considered a normative Phony!

A non-normative Phony (also known as 'staff nightmare') is any Phony that exhibits traits that are considered atypical, whether to their strain, or to Phonies in general. Non-normative traits can be just about anything you could think of, from unusually long hair to...a leg that looks like a baguette. Some common non-normative traits have specialised terms that are largely adopted from the Hasbro G1 MLP lines - here are some of them!

Brush 'N' Grow: Adopted from the G1 lexicon, Brush 'N' Grow (BnG) indicates hair that is officially acknowledged as longer than usual on a Phony, whether simply past knee/hoof, or twice the length of the Phony itself. BnG is also known as 'why would you do this to Jun - hey, isn't his own Phony technically BnG?'

Twinkle Eye: Adopted from the G1 line, Twinkle Eye Phonies have eyes that resemble gemstones. For all intents and purposes, they function exactly like any ordinary eyes.

Twice-as-Fancy: Adopted from the G1 lexicon, Twice-as-Fancy (TaF) by Phonyland standards apply to any non-main-Cutie Mark marking, including real-life horse markings. Some TaF is based on the Cutie Mark/is considered the Cutie Mark (i.e. like the G1 TaFs) and these only appear when the Phony gains their Cutie Mark (usually when they become Old Enough). The only exception to TaF are freckles in Applejack's specific triangle pattern and placement, the only extra markings considered normative.

Draft: Draft Phonies refer to the specific male Phonies that are especially large and burly (in the style of Big Macintosh in the MLP:FIM cartoon), akin to draft horses, considered non-normative as their heads and bodies are drawn differently from the rest of the Phonies. To our knowledge, there have not yet been female Drafts in the Hasbro lines, hence the specification of male Phonies. Unlike Hasbro, Phonyland does have female Drafts, but they are incredibly rare. All Drafts have Feathered Fetlocks, male or female.

Feathered Fetlocks: Feathered Fetlocks is commonly used to refer to the style of hoof where there is a hoof visibly discernable from the main body of a Phony, beyond visible fur (although the term technically refers to the fur). Adopted from the G1 line sensibilities, Feathered Fetlocks are considered normative on male Phonies when applicable, but non-normative on female Phonies.

Pygmy: Pygmy Phonies are simply Phonies that are significantly more diminutive than the average Phony, often around a head shorter than their average counterpart. Any Regular Strain may see Pygmy variations, but they remain extremely rare.

[Ph0ny]

. PHONY LIFE STAGES .

As of Dec 2020, owners of new Gen 1 Phonies receive only the one life stage by default - Old Enough, or (perma)Babby (except in special and/or purchased circumstances), though they are IC'ly considered to have grown through the first two.
But if your Phonies knock hooves or splice genes and have more little Phonies, you'll receive the first two life stages...and depending on what you decide to do, may become Old Enough too!

:: BLISTER PACK & NEWBABBEN

 

Canonically-speaking, (almost) all Phonies start life in these iconic Blister Packs! It may appear to be an ordinary toy for now, still plastic, immobile, and decidedly not sentient - but inside the protective bubble a mysterious process is happening, fuelled by the arcane science of techno-organic engineering and nanites...

(Except for the ones who come from M/F pairs knocking hooves! Those emerge as Newbabbens, which, for all intents and purposes, are just like blister packs. Except they're not plastic. And they actually move and things. But mostly just sleep and cry.)

Fine Print: Male or Female Templated Blister Pack/Newbabben recolours in respective Phony type variants. Blister Packs/Newbabbens generally reflect traits of projected Old Enough stage, minus styling and Cutie Marks.
Phonies at this stage are NOT SENTIENT - they are still plastic and do not think, move, nor vocalise! If the protective bubble is breached, the nanites deactivate and the Phony remains a plastic toy...forever.


. BABBY .



...and then, when you least expect it (i.e. one week later) - the Blister Pack bursts open to reveal: YOUR OWN LITTLE BABBY PHONY!
(On the other hand, Newbabbens just naturally grow into Babby Phonies, otherwise it would be very traumatising.)

Tiny, adorable, lots of fun...and learning to talk back before you know it - awww, aren't they just the cutest little things? All Phony Babbies start out with rudimentary hairtypes before they mature into their adult styles, and (as per G4 canon - I'm not making this up, I swear) will have to find their own cutie marks to adorn their bare rumps before...

Fine Print: Male or Female Templated Baby recolours in respective Phony type variants. and three hair/eye styles reflecting genetics/personality except when preconceived. No line edits whatsoever unless Custom or Event Special with structural changes from birth.


. OLD ENOUGH .



...they finally (i.e. two weeks later) grow up into their wonderful one-of-a-kind adult selves, complete with their very own identity-affirming cutie mark! 8D
Now, finally, they're old enough to work, drink, gamble, vote - and that other thing that's so important to the survival of the species. That's right: run.

Fine Print: One-of-a-kind Adult Phony in respective Phony type variants., custom-drawn to physical and personality description. Aww yeah, you've made it to the big time, baby. ; D


. MYSTERY STAGE - HUMAN BITS?! .



With a techno-organic genetic-manipulation facility specialising in humanoid-anthropormorphic animals operating just down the road, this was an accident waiting to happen - all that waste has to go somewhere... But rare is the Phony who finds the fabled canisters at the end of a long and arduous journey, for there are better things to do with your time - like run. Those who have though, undergo an amazing transformation - becoming humanoid save a pair of Phony ears from the waist up, retaining their Phony legs in a bipedal fashion waist down.

Fortunately or otherwise, it is a reversible transformation: an anthro!Phony can revert to Phony-form at any time, and how long it can remain in humanoid form depends on the individual Phony, experience, and concentration, ranging from minutes to days. How handy. NEVERTHELESS, THIS VIRTUALLY NEVER HAPPENS.

Fine Print: One-of-a-kind bipedal Anthropomorphic Phony in respective Phony type variants, custom-drawn to Phony stage characteristics, with simple outfit (unless otherwise allowed or paid for) chosen by owner. To be honest, this is virtually a retired option originally only created because we had no experience with non-humanoid B/Cs. While it is not inconceivable that we may enable achievement of this stage through extensive and specific RP, there's so little demand that generally the only interest shown is a rare RLC query, and we quite like it that way.

[Ph0ny]

. PHONY NAMES .

The Phony Naming Convention is integral to the integrity of our Phony environment! Most Phonies follow a fairly obvious naming system, usually [noun], [noun]+[noun], [adjective]+[noun], compound words of the previous, or more rarely some sort of [noun]-based pun, related to their Cutie Marks, and we're going to try to follow this system as much as possible! For reference, the core characters of the animated series are named Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity, sooo...

For the most part, we would prefer a more specific name to a general one (e.g. Tender Heart *cough* rather than Heart), depending on the root word in question (e.g. Heart); we may allow single words to be used, especially when they are not common keywords in the sparkly MLP lexicon, but in such a scenario, please understand that modified variations of that root word may be used by others in the future (e.g. Heart, please don't go and assassinate Tender Heart).

Puns and portmanteaus will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and any human-name hybrids (highly discouraged) will be subject to especial scrutiny. Names that are prominent in the Hasbro MLP franchise or certain fandoms may have to be rejected in case of potential events, but do feel free to check ahead.

A note on non-English names: the lingua franca of Phonyland is English, and most Phonies are expected to be named with English words. The exceptions are if 1. the non-English word/phrase has been assimilated into English parlance (e.g. Bon Appetit, Noël), or 2. the Phony in question is themed/explicitly manufactured to be from the culture of the language in question in an acceptable (i.e. non-racist, non-stereotypical), consistent, and believable way, with the non-English name something that does not have a common English equivalent (e.g. Taiko, Ikebana; disallowed e.g. Kokoro).

If the name comprises of two or more root words, the mixing of languages is generally not allowed unless it is a commonly used phrase (e.g. Silk Kimono) or an acceptable pun (e.g. Moulin Roll). Again, feel free to check ahead if you're not sure your non-English name fits the requirements!

In all cases, the final decision for name approval rests with our Grand QC Officer, and we thank you for your understanding!