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The Previous Lord
The so-far unnamed Lord that preceded Sundance in ruling the Sunfire Barony. No-one has anything nice to say about him.
- Asshole Victim: Cucumber had to break his oath by killing the lord after learning that the latter planned to evict all the peasants so he could dissolve the barony and sell the land. No one mourns his death, and Celestia sees him as utterly redeemable. Even Sundance sympathizes with Cucumber despite the latter having committed murder, reasoning that the Sunfire Barony wouldn't have been saved if nothing was done.
- Boomerang Bigot: He held a very low opinion of earth ponies, despite being one himself. This ticked off Cucumber something fierce.
- Droit du Seigneur: Although we don't know if this rule was in place, he acted in a way similar to it. Apparently the only mares he didn't try and bed were Earwax and Earwig, who could well have been his daughters. (He also didn't sleep with Sauerkraut, due to her innocence, though he did try).
- Every One Calls Him Barkeep: His name is never spoken by Celestia, and his peasants only refer to him as "the previous Milord". No-one wishes to remember him.
- Fantastic Racism: Insisted that there would be no dragons on his land, and forbade the draconic pegasi on similar grounds, despite the advantages of having them around.
- Impoverished Patrician: Justified; he became this after many years of irresponsible spending as well as draining the Barony's money to fill his own pockets. It got to the point where he got a massive debt; Blueblood estimates that Sundance will be on his deathbed by the time the debt is completely paid off.
- Stealing from the Till: Drained the Barony's coffers into his own and took out loans against the barony, rather than himself.
- Unperson: When he died, he was given a funeral, but he was buried in a rather simple, unmarked grave. Even in the present day, both his subjects and servants refuse to remember him or his name. It's a testament to what kind of pony he was.
- Upper-Class Twit: His unpleasant demeanour is attested to by all who met him.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: His "retirement policy" is to abandon any peasant who became unable to work, and leave them to die. This causes problems when Sundance needs to take Earwax for medical help.
Sundance Sunfire
First Appearance: House of the Rising Sunflower
A genealogist who discovers he's descended from Princess Celestia, and, unlike many in that position, doesn't feel this entitles him to anything more than saying hello. Unfortunately, demonstrating competence and humility around the royal family has a habit of getting you conscripted.
- Badass Bureaucrat: Well, if he wasn't he'd never have complete the genealogical work to find out his Famous Ancestor.
- Establishing Character Moment:
- He revealed his diligence and attention to detail in his debut, when he pulled off a complex genealogy project just to prove that he's truly a descendant of Celestia. This is what made Celestia decide to give Sundance the dilapidated Sunfire Barony, since it would greatly benefit from his talents and he wouldn't say no even if he got the chance to.
- The fact that he only approached Celestia to say hello, instead of demanding something from her out of entitlement like his fellow descendants had done. This shows that Sundance is humble and compassionate to others as well.
- Famous Ancestor: Is introduced to the plot when he discovers he's descended from Princess Celestia and pops in to say hello.
- Fantastic Racism: Downplayed; although he feels a little nervous at the mention of the draconic pegasi, he doesn't let it push him into foolish decisions, like the previous lord.
- Forgiveness: All lords have the power to forgive or condemn their subjects, and Sundance is no exception. After hearing Cucumber's dying confession, he forgives the old unicorn, reasoning that if Cucumber hadn't committed murder, the Sunfire Barony wouldn't have been saved.
- Humble Hero: The fact that he approached Celestia to say hello after finding he's part of her bloodline, rather than demanding something from her out of a sense of entitlement. It left Celestia rather befuddled.
- Porn Stash: Comes clean to his mother about his when he's going to be away from home long enough that she'd find it anyway.
Cucumber
First Appearance: House of the Rising Sunflower
The only unicorn peasant when Sundance takes over, he's the lord's retainer.
- Black Comedy: Has an appreciation for this.
- The Butler Did It: His secret is that he killed the previous lord of the Sunfire Barony after the latter decided to evict all the Barony's peasants so he could dissolve the barony and sell the land. Cucumber doesn't regret what he did, but he does feel guilty for breaking his oaths.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He kills a rampaging owlbear with a powerful spell, but it fatally cripples him afterwards.
- Neck Snap: In his dying moments, he reveals he killed the previous lord this way. He had to do it thrice because a trip down the stairs didn't take.
- Old Retainer: Getting on in years, like all the peasants when Sundance takes over, but still loyal to his post.
- Old Soldier: Fought against the Separatists.
- Servile Snarker: Has no issue with poking fun at Sundance' naivety.
- Sympathetic Murderer: He killed the previous lord of the Sunfire Barony, after learning that the latter was going to evict all his peasants so he could dissolve the Barony and sell the land. Given how absolutely unpleasant the previous lord was, it's hard not to pity Cucumber.
- Undying Loyalty: To the land, not necessarily the lord, if said lord is not up to snuff. It's because of this loyalty that he murdered the previous lord, after he learned the latter was going to evict all his peasants so he could dissolve the barony and sell the land.
- Verbal Tic: "So it was", and other variants.
Earwig & Earwax
Two of the peasants who served the previous lord. They're twin sisters.
- An Arm and a Leg: Earwax loses a leg to a nasty break, leading to an unpleasant revelation (to Sundance) about the previous lord's retirement policy. Fortunately, Sundance wouldn't abandon her and makes it clear he wouldn't; after Earwax gets medical treatment, she's back to performing her duties as usual.
- Death by Childbirth: The reason they were named by the lord, not their mother.
- No Sense of Direction: Earwax's sense of direction is apparently poor. Earwig's is much better, fortunately.
- Please, I Will Do Anything!: Earwig earnestly begs for her sister's life when she thinks Sundance is taking her to die. Sundance, for his part, is just confused, he's taking her to get medical treatment.
- Undying Loyalty: Sundance sparing Earwax earns him an oath of fealty from Earwing.
- Unfortunate Names: Given by the previous lord.
Sauerkraut Pie
One of Sundance's original peasants, she's rather innocent for such an old mare.
- The Ingenue: Far older than usual, but retains the foalish innocence of the trope. She's always been this way.
- Moral Guardians: Lobbies Sundance to "ban the lewds", but lacks the usual Holier Than Thou attitude of the archetype.
Potato
One of the peasants, she's the village's watcher.
- Fish Eyes: In this case, not a sign of unintelligence, and useful in her line of work, she misses nothing.
- Silver Fox: Noted as being rather attractive, despite her age.
Floodgate
One of the original peasants, he keeps the village from flooding.
- Happy Rain: He really likes watching running water, so is usually outside during rain, to Pinto's bemusement.
Lamp Black
One of the peasants, he makes pigments and paints.
- Dirty Old Man: Is first mentioned when Sauerkraut complains about him painting a picture of Privy Pit's backside.
Hoe Hum
One of the original peasants, she's a gardener.
- Dirty Old Woman: First mentioned as admiring Lamp Black's lewd painting, and later hypothesises as to Sundance's lack of prowess in bed.
