Alicorn

== Overview ==
Alicorns were once normal creatures that have undergone an ancient ritual in order to gain divine magic, straight from the Goddesses themselves. This process is picky, leaving only a handful coming out of it with positive results. 
== Ritual ==
At a meeting of night and day, dawn or dusk, an individual will give themselves to the Goddesses. Another key component of this ritual are loved ones, be it friends or family, one cannot undergo this alone. After drawing a sigil into the ground below, the one wishing to be judged will step within and present themselves. What this presentation looks like varies, some may think to themselves an introduction, others will stand tall and proud and await divine intervention. No matter the approach, putting your best hoof forward will grant you audience with the Goddesses.
"Audience" is hardly the correct word, though. Those who have preformed the ritual themselves will not remember anything that happened in the seconds between "before" and "after. A light engulfs the individual, a beam headed skyward, but that is all. 
=== Success ===
On the rare occasion that the Goddesses decide to help the individual, they are granted a pair of wings and a horn (unless they previously had either of them). If they had a cutiemark before, it is "improved" or altered. There is no set rule to how a cutiemark will change, as cutiemarks are inherently symbolic and often vague, but they always change. Alicorns who did not have a cutiemark originally will not gain one and will feature no other physical changes.
Magic and flight will still be difficult to learn for those new to it. They won't suddenly know how to do either and will have to work hard to learn. This being said, there is talk of the Goddesses "possessing" alicorns to help them defeat whatever threat they're facing. This has only been properly documented once, during the creation of the Torrid Remains, but it is said that their abilities are heightened. An alicorn being commanded by the Goddesses in this way would be able to fly and cast better than the masters, regardless of their personal ability. Alicorns dealing with demonic forces may learn that their magic is more effective than normal spellcasting, though this is not common knowledge even amongst those that study alicorns.
The actual requirements to become an alicorn are vague and complicated. One must be selfless, heroic, honorable, and facing a daunting threat. Even the best individual you know would fail should the threat not be great enough. Because of this, and the few consequences that do exist for failure, few consider their threats dire enough even if they know how to preform the ritual, something that is very rare on it's own.
=== Failure ===
The more common of the two outcomes, failed alicorns will lose their cutiemark if they had one. Alongside that, those who preformed the ritual alongside them will also lose theirs, punishment for supporting the unworthy. While this doesn't matter in a lot of Equestria, most places run by a species that don't have cutiemarks themselves, other places will treat a markless individual differently. Feelings towards changelings are strained at best and the lack of a cutiemark is the go-to tell for a pony in disguise. Since knowledge about the ritual is so limited, most will assume the failed alicorn and their friends are changelings and treat them accordingly.
== Role in Society ==
While the reaction will vary between species, an alicorn is almost always viewed of highly. More religious places will treat them with reverence, often expecting them to take up religious jobs when they settle down. Secular places expect them to be leaders, trusting the Goddesses judgment. These expectations can be overwhelming and many alicorns will avoid gathering too much unneeded attention after their crisis has been dealt with. 
== Appearance ==
Alicorns vary greatly in appearance from one another, they may get different horn shapes or wing types depending on their birth species.
==== Antelope ====
They gain a corkscrew horn and feathered wings.
==== Batpony ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn.
==== Changeling ====
Under Construction.
==== Crystal Pony ====
They gain crystalline wings.
==== Donkey ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn and feathered wings.
==== Deer ====
They gain an antler-like horn and feathered wings.
==== Earth Pony ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn and feathered wings.
==== Fairy Pony ====
Under Construction.
==== Griffin ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn.
==== Icarid ====
They gain a thick horn and wax-like feathered wings.
==== Kelpie ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn and feathered wings in their landform. They keep their horn in the lake form but their wings turn into long fins on the side.
==== Kirin ====
They gain leathery wings and spellcasting capability.
==== Moon Pony ====
They gain nothing, their existing horns and wings won't be altered, all moon ponies who are caught attempting the ritual are executed.
==== Moth Pony ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn.
==== Pegasus ====
They gain a unicorn-like horn.
==== Ram ====
They gain a curved, unicorn-like horn and leathery wings.
==== Seapony ====
Under Construction.
==== Somnia ====
They gain whatever their original species would but in a weakened state.
==== Sun Pony ====
They gain a corkscrew horn, all sun ponies who are caught attempting the ritual are executed.
==== Unicorn ====
They gain feathered wings.
==== Zebra ====
Under Construction.