Carver

I would be negligent if I didn’t speak in support of Sammy. For all of my tenure as an interim writer she was one of the most supportive and helpful individuals amongst the wider lore team, handling her predecessor’s duties as best as she could in his absence. Without her we would have been directionless. She also overstates her weaknesses and supposed periods of low activity, as she was present whenever I’d had any questions or issues without exception. Nothing was left unanswered for weeks or even days, mere hours at most. Let none be in doubt that she truly deserves the role of Loremaster, doubly for all that she has done so far.

Due to reasons of personal health in tandem with my growing inactivity, I’m going to retract this application. Thank you for your time spent reading this. To whomever comes next, always trust your gut instinct.

CKEY & Discord Username: GMR25 / realmcode Have you read the Lore Team Rules and Regulations wiki page? Yes. Past Experiences/Knowledge: My present experience comes from the rather tumultuous five and a half months since I'd been made aware of my predecessor's plans to resign on the 18th of February. In addition, there are the listed examples on my prior deputy application. Examples of Past Work (if any): Psychopompós, a minor K'laxan event written for Fyni back in March. Everything else would unfortunately be a spoiler for planned lore developments, but you may reach out to me in private or on the staffcord. === 1. Do you have a long-term vision for Vaurca Lore going forward into Anabasis? Adaptation, integration, independence. At the risk of seeming vague in avoiding spoilers, these are amongst the pillars that have formed the structural foundations of how I had planned to write them into Anabasis. They must be on the level of their peers, interacting with the wider Spur around them rather than inwardly focused on their own problems (lest we have another War in Heaven). Of foremost importance is that they should never be above working with the Blood Diamond (or whatever the vessel might be named), at least not without a truly concerning and lengthy series of ill-advised choices from the crew. If they are too much to be interacted with; whether it be in their contracts, their manners or even their mere equipment then I have erred terribly. 2. How would you describe the themes and overarching tone of Vaurca? What makes the species and its history appeal to you? A species that, no matter their ambitions, will never be able to reach the height of what they once were. In spite of it they continue to adapt, even if it is often at odds with their rigid adherence to ancient structures and traditions. Their greatest bane is the immortal ego and a wholly inhuman detachment from the corporeal world. The appeal to me lays in their uniquely analytical, pragmatic approach to any and all problems around them. Imagining how much they could accomplish, if only their aforementioned ego and detachment would allow them to. Vaurca are a species of theoreticals, what ifs, where the seemingly infinite wisdom of the Queens is in their creeping determinism. 3. How do you see the Hives addressing the irreversible loss of phoron-based technology in the future, particularly with the Hivenet relying upon bluespace technology? It is important that I address the Hivenet first, as it cannot and should not ever become as potent as it presently is. Many of the heights of Vaurcaesian technology delve into what amounts to science fantasy, leaving the species at odds with the more grounded direction of Anabasis. To spare as many spoilers as possible I will keep this brief. The Hives' answer to their lost technology is a matter that should be addressed on an individual level, whether it may be the development of subpar and highly experimental imitations of what was lost to them utilizing alternative materials or in approaching the issue by falling back into what is known, reliable and feasible. Which path is taken would be dictated by a multitude of factors: ego, ideology, position. It is more than possible for them to not only survive after losing so much, but to maintain a distinct identity in spite of it as they have done before. 4. Is there anything regarding Vaurca lore that you'd really like to remove or heavily rework, but it's so ingrained in the lore to the point where it'd be challenging to do in a way that's satisfactory? Plainly, their biological reliance upon Phoron. I could not possibly imagine a more encumbering obstacle to write around as the direction of the wider setting has veered toward the phoron scarcity. I have rewritten this sentence so very many times expressing all manner of frustrations toward not only this, but a myriad of orbiting articles and minor details from the past ten years that render it next to impossible to solve. We are ten years too late to change this, unfortunately. 5. What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses in regards to both management and teamwork? Over the past five months I have learned that I bear a love of organization, perhaps to a somewhat stifling degree. I would seek to maintain this going forward, keeping everything neat and accessible for anyone on the team or outside of it (and within the staff). Conversely, I have realized that I can be far too patient when it is necessary to push matters forward. For the sake of professionalism (and spoilers) I will not go into detail on this here unless desired, given that prior examples are wholly internal. On occasion I can also seem stubborn, though I attempt to do my very best to listen despite this. === Additional Comments: I remembered this section of the base format! Humour aside, I wish to build a foundation for Vaurca Lore development going forward that will prevent any successor from being as thoroughly overwhelmed as I have been this year. The ambitions and inaction of my predecessors has nearly buried me alive and I would not wish to consign anyone else to this fate, should I be given the opportunity to prevent it. Furthermore, I am aware that this application may seem rather discordant, but I felt that going with my immediate thoughts would be the most honest path rather than endlessly refining a draft in needless perfectionism. I could no doubt forsake any brevity and pad my responses further if desired, but I choose to leave it to anyone who wishes to ask me more questions.

Hi, my apologies for not getting back to you sooner! Your application has been accepted, with some modifications and cuts. If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to reach out to me.

Perhaps for chapel space you could have the mass driver facing forward, with a larger viewing area for crew to witness the launch of the dearly departed? It makes more sense for the final send-off to be at the fore of the ship, off toward wherever the crew may yet travel. Solves the issue of having too much empty space as well.

I'm not sure if it has nearly quite the same depth and style as the current iteration of service, but I like it in concept. If it could be spruced up to the same aesthetic standard as the current areas then I'd be all for it.

One could simply make it so that thralling can be resisted. If one does resist, the Vampire is already in a trivial position to kill them from there.

I'm always happy for more of these if they have toggles.

I do find that the effect is a little wearisome on the eyes, but I’m unsure of a good alternative.

I’d like to see more means to cleanse it. A few more washing machines, maybe a sprayable neutralizing agent that leaves armour and clothing safe but awfully heavy until washed (aka major slowdown so it can’t be used in a combat situation).

As someone who’s not always on my PC, being unable to check the manifest via the bot would be quite terrible. I don’t have much of an opinion on the ready screen, but the loss of bot functionality would be bothersome when the presence of service (or medical, or engineering) personnel can be a deciding factor for if I have the energy to set aside the time to play. At the very best you may simply exacerbate the issue of more people idling in the lobby so that they can check the manifest. I see no value in depriving people of information. If players are choosing not to join then there is almost certainly a far stronger underlying factor than the exact characters on the ready screen or the bot manifest.

Your application has been accepted.

Is it intended that a Corpsman background lacks the medicine skill cap required to work as a Paramedic? After checking, Military Training has the necessary cap unlocked for medicine. Were the caps for the two reversed by mistake?

What about giving them a selection of martial arts styles, albeit a bit more reserved in power than the current antag ones? That might be an engaging and novel incentive to taking combat skills, at least in regard to unarmed and melee skills. Aside from that thought and echoing the desire for tiers of piloting skills (for those who don't want to spend 6 points for shuttle piloting when they'll never fly the Horizon itself), I'm exceedingly happy with the skill system thus far. Even if combat were left as it is in the current iteration of the testmerge I'd be quite happy, as I very much like seeing the power of the 'second wave' of crew militia ramped down heavily.

Wonderful, thank you for your punctual response. Application accepted.