Wigglesworth Jones

Hi, thank you for applying. I have some questions I'd like to ask: 1. Besides money and employment, how are Vaurca discriminated against? 2. How do unbound Vaurca think, and how are they affected by things like VR and augmentations? 3. How does Yska view the other hives? What about other species? 3. What does it see as the traits of a "real K'lax warrior?"

The Lii'dra works best for me as a shadowy organization - still active, but with unclear motivations behind their attacks (on the occasion they can be attributed to them at all) and a status as the bogeymen of the Vaurca. This is more or less in line with the information provided about their operations, but the fact that they have gone completely underground in their current implementation hurts their narrative importance. While I understand the infiltration element is necessary for antagonist gimmicks, I'd like to move away from that and emphasize their hit-and-run attacks and general disruption of society more narratively - rather than try to conquer from the get-go, they try to weaken areas of interest and create conflict. I would, broadly, like to make them more active, but on a smaller scale, and I'd hope to expand on the ways others try to combat them as well. There's a reason I pointed to the Phalanx as an example of inter-hive cooperation, and I really like the Phalanx as a concept. It also assists a lot with character creation, which is a plus. Including non-Vaurca members and using VR training is interesting, and it's a shame I haven't seen any Phalanx characters that aren't Vaurca yet. I think that adding augmentations to non-Vaurca Phalanx members is a great idea, and something I've considered myself in the past. The augmentations available to ZH employees show that it's already an option, and to me, it would both fit my vision of cold, calculating Vaurca replacing their body parts to increase their efficiency just a little bit more and serve as a way to distinguish Phalanx employees. I want to add bio-augmentation, though I don't have any specific bio-augments in mind at the moment. I think the easiest way to implement them would be through body markings or an equivalent to the custom augmentations already in the game and simply mentioning some of the kinds of bio-augmentations available on the wiki itself. The way Zeng-Hu augments are implemented in the game work really well, in my opinion, and as I mentioned earlier, I'd like to look into adding something akin to that to both Vaurca and Phalanx employees as a whole. There's certainly room for conflict and politics between the queens of a hive, sure. While I don't think they should be completely at odds with one another, the hives aren't monolithic, and there's bound to be some difference in vision between them. Athvur, for example, is already mentioned as clashing with Vaur over her refusal to leave Phoenixport, Vetju is said to resent Zkaii's position as the High Queen, and Zoleth taking the initiative by assassinating gang leaders likely isn't appreciated by all of the queens - there's definitely something to expand on here, though I think that changing their stances on their relations with their overlords to differ more is the best way to go.

Of the hives, the Zo'ra are in the best situation, politically - although Flagsdale shows that not all of them have benefited from it, the Zo'ra are the faction with the most say in their respective governments. The role the Zo'ra have in supporting the TCFL is great, and I enjoy seeing Zo'ra consulars hand out flyers for the TCFL because of this. The fact that many Vaurca still live in slums is a good thing as it shows they aren't fully integrated, and it's something I'd intend to keep in any update to the Zo'ra. I'd like to expand on the status of Bound Vaurca in Biesel and the controversies surrounding them - there's already a mention of the Zo'ra attempting to give Bounds a unique status within Biesel, so there's already potential there. The way the Lii'dra incursion was initially implemented leaves a good amount to be desired, and because of the incursion, the Lii'dra are in a kind of limbo state in modern lore. I would have preferred the Lii'dra be a threat that has long since passed after the Great Hive War, with its shadow apparent in the poor state of the Vaurca after their initial arrival. Otherwise, as mentioned earlier, the Lii'dra would have been better off staying a shadowy, clandestine group largely relegated to rumors, with Bursa and New Gibson simply being victims of mysterious bioweapons or something along those lines. By opening with two major events and then going back underground, the Lii'dra lose part of their secrecy and their narrative weight - they attacked, twice, and lost both times.

Apologies - I lost the first draft of this reply. The K'lax have, historically, been on good terms with Hephaestus. Tret is a Hephaestus world staffed primarily by Vaurca, after all, and the factory orbiting it was a joint project between Vetju and Hephaestus. The K'lax, I assume, would be all for Hephaestus' new monopoly in the Hegemony, and may even see it as advantageous for them due to the K'lax being used for cheap labor already. While there is something to be said about the K'lax being on better terms with the Zo'ra due to their mutual connection with the SCC, I feel that Hephaestus controlling the Hegemony's economy would result in the K'lax working closer with the Hegemony because of it instead of seeing Zo'ra vassalization in a better light. While the C'thur are, broadly, favorable to the Federation, it is in part because of the fact that it is the only option they have due to the High Queen being in their care - the only course of action they can take in the Traverse rebellions is to support the Federation because of this. I can definitely see their political situation changing because of the rebellion, mostly for the positive. While the C'thur do already have a role in the military and police of the Federation, it's mentioned that they're primarily used for support purposes because of the "mixed feelings regarding non-Skrell policing Skrell" - but as the C'thur have already proven themselves in counterinsurgency, the Traverse rebellions could give them an increased role in the Kala. The C'thur and K'lax have the most to gain politically from the recent events in the Federation and Hegemony. I'd be interested in exploring how the respective hives see their positions change as a result, as I'd assume they wouldn't be idle during them. More broadly, I'd like to explore potential dissent against the Federation and Hegemony within the hives - Vetju already sees the vassalage of the K'lax as a negative, and I think there is room for friction between the C'thur and Federation due to the social credit system and the High Queen being (seen by some as) a hostage of the Federation. As for inter-hive relationships, I think the Court of Queens paves the way for friendlier relations between the hives, and there's potential for more cooperation in the future because of it, as seen with the Phalanx.

I enjoy the relationship the K'lax have with the Hegemony, as it's pretty unique because of their status as a vassal. While there are some differences between the K'lax and other vassals due to a need to farm k'ois and their use of Bound vaurca for labor, the fact that they (broadly) have the same obligations does lead to a strange kind of integration - which can be seen in their warriors serving as hopefuls in the Kataphracts or the military as a whole and the syncretism between the Mother Dream and Sk'akh religions. If I had to change one thing about their relationship with the Hegemony, I would make Vetju more willing to, if not undermine it, seek more autonomy or privileges for the K'lax. If I could retcon one Vaurca arc, I'd change the initial Lii'dra invasion. As I mentioned earlier, the fact that they tried to invade a world on two separate occasions without really having the means to do so strikes me as really quite odd. I would prefer to have these be skirmishes or attacks - an attempt by the Lii'dra to probe the weaknesses of Elyra and Biesel or test a new weapon - instead of a full-scale invasion attempt. They would remain a mysterious enemy, and by avoiding an invasion that was almost certainly doomed from the start, they would be more of a threat.

Thanks for your support, boss. Good luck to you, too! As for your question: Definitely the former. I always saw the Lii'dra High Queen as something barely even recognizable as a Vaurca anymore due to essentially running the whole show - some combination of meat and metal, the size of an entire room. The Lii'dra are alien and unknowable, and the High Queen would be emblematic of that.

1. I'd like to deal with the limbo state the Lii'dra are in. While the Lii'dra page is outdated, I feel the "recent years" part of the wiki page is too open-ended. While there is some appeal in a mysterious, unknowable faction, it does mean that it's hard to do much with them in the broader setting. The Lii'dra, as the main antagonists of the Vaurca, should either do more to retain that role or lose that narrative significance. While the Lii'dra invasions of Bursa and New Gibson are far too integral to the lore to be changed, I personally would have made them less "invasions" and more terrorist attacks or skirmishes - it's hard for me to understand why the Lii'dra would have attempted them in the first place. 2. Absolutely. The K'lax and C'thur Queens both have their own opinions on the Hegemony and Federation, respectively, but I feel as if those opinions aren't represented enough in the lore itself. While the queens are not completely absent, more comments on and contributions to current events would be welcome. 3. Preimminence is the Vaurca religion most in need of expansion, followed closely by the Pilot Dream. Preimminence is the oldest religion the Vaurca have, and it's mentioned that their believers were culled after the Great Hive War. We know the main tenet of Preimminence, but little asides for that, and the same applies to Shapers. I want to explore the way Shapers operate. I like the mention of a Shaper's brood determining the approach they take, and I'd like to elaborate on both that and the structure of the faith as a whole. The Pilot Dream is something I find really interesting due to its ties to virtual reality and the Mother Dream's overlap with Sk'akh. I feel that believers in the Pilot Dream should have a way to attain their goal of creating a new universe outside of simply "developing better technology," as that's not really something that can be represented well in-game. Along with this, I want to explore the implications of someone believing they're in a simulation more and how it would change their morality and values. 4. The fact my two most recent Vaurca characters have been from Xetl makes my favorite brood fairly obvious, but I'll try and name a favorite from each of the hives. My favorite Zo'ra queen is Scay. I love the bio-augmentation of the Vaurca, and Scay is the Queen that does it best. The fascination her brood has with simulating other races and the stoic nature of her warriors are both really fun and give a lot of character potential. I am, frankly, torn between Tupii and Vetju for my favorite K'lax brood - Tupii's use of resleeved veterans from the Great Hive War is fascinating, but I like the fact that Vetju dislikes the status of the K'lax as a vassal to the Hegemony and the brood's general isolationism. Xetl's my favorite of the C'thur because they're so weird and have a status as the black sheep of the C'thur because of it. The practice of Vaurca in her brood living their lives in a simulation without even realizing it is great, thanks to the opportunity it provides Xetl characters, and combined with Xetl's focus on sensation, it means you can make some really unusual characters.

Ckey/BYOND Username: Wigglesworth Jones Position Being Applied For: Vaurca Lore Deputy Have you read the Lore Team Rules and Regulations wiki page?: Yes. Past Experiences/Knowledge: I’ve been playing Aurora since 2018 or so, and it’s about the only server I still play. While I don’t claim to know everything, I have a good knowledge of the lore as a whole. I write a lot in my spare time outside of SS13, with a particular focus on worldbuilding. Examples of Past Work: I wrote the entirety of Vysoka when it first came out and wrote the Vysoka rework in collaboration with Canon. Additional Comments: My perspective on Vaurca lore is that while nothing is glaringly missing and the species is in a good state, there’s room for expansion in many areas. The history of the Vaurca, the queens, and their planets are fine. The places I feel have the most that can be added are Vaurca culture and religion. A large portion of the appeal the Vaurca have for me is in how different they are compared to other species, and I feel that can be best represented through their values. As a whole, I’d like to focus on parts of the Vaurca that can be represented in-game - their culture, beliefs, augments, and biology.

To echo what Faye said, Chief Security Officer sounds way too middle management-y to me, or something akin to the main security officer. I think Chief of Security would be a better title to use - it just sounds better to me.

Your feedback was appreciated during this whole process. Also - trust me when I say that it will look considerably shorter once it's on the wiki. (Although parts can be removed if need be.)

1. I completely forgot about Dainshu, to be honest. I knew I had missed something. I hadn't intended on changing much about how they were originally described, of course. I'll get a paragraph done about them. 2. The hosts are fine - remember, "a steady stream of new recruits is the norm for all but the most controversial hosts". The Great Serpents are going to fall apart sooner or later, yes - but confederacies are described as "short-lived" for a reason. 3. I did not know that. 4. No promises, but I can definitely see about brainstorming something. I'm glad you liked Stolitism - it took me many, many rewrites to get it in a position I was happy with. I felt that Vysoka hating IPCs would have been overdone, honestly - so I wanted to do something unique with it.

Thanks for the positive feedback! Let me address all of your points. 1. Floating towns weren't something I originally considered - "the sea themselves" is, sadly, just the coast. Floating city-states, however, are something I can consider in the future. (No promises, of course.) 2. That wouldn't be too hard to add at all! I'll say it's... March 10th or so, and add it to the Velhalktai paragraph. 3. Hospitality's a very important part of the cultures Vysoka draws upon, so it was important to have it reflected in the lore - although it was already mentioned in the original draft, elaborating on it certainly isn't a bad thing. 4. Definitely didn't do this because I wanted to avoid it becoming a meme. 5. Yeah, that ends up happening a lot in lore. One thing I regret being unable to add to the rework was a mention of Himeo fielding a missile cruiser captured by Vysoka, as the whole section about the Khalagdal was too large to add fully. 6. Glad you like it! With Vysoka really only being relevant on the galactic stage for the food output, "small problems" tend to fit the planet's theming more than any huge crises. 7. That'll take a little bit to do, but I can certainly try and come up with some names for them.

Type: Planet Short Description: Vysoka now has a lot more content. How will this be reflected on-station?: Items, character concepts, mobs. Does this addition do anything not achieved by what already exists?: There's more stuff for Vysoka that previously wasn't there, so yes. Do you understand that the project may change over time in ways that you may not foresee once it is handed over to the Lore Team? Yes. Long Description: Canon and I worked on this rework for about a year and a half, maybe longer. It took so long because it's hard to ever really stop developing something, but I think it's been in the oven long enough. There's still some more work to be done, but any of that would take significantly longer to complete. There are three documents - one general rework, one about Vysokan religion, and one about Vysokan culture . There's a lot, so I understand if not all of it gets added. Note that any of the good parts were written by me, while Canon wrote all the bad stuff. https://docs.google.com/document/d/12xw-ygd3DigBwhKTrYATZPerP2ifY66-_KcO_I4jKSY/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lNHfcKb9LrrzfYQbTIW-zBWmo6NSjItJY3-xjdyBYmo/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZHPGcmS3RMvmtLBCxKe7k87gpAK97coSBokkWcsdmCs/edit?usp=sharing Thanks to anyone I sent this to for feedback.

cool

Brilliant writing, Danse. You really captured the spirit of Tajaran lore in this - the M'sai secretary is like a character you'd find on the station itself. I do have some concerns with your application, however. 1. Why haven't any of your characters had a romance arc with mine? I play good characters. Any good roleplayer would have already - are you not a good roleplayer? 2. You didn't elaborate enough on the relationship between Al'Mari and Vahzirthaamro. When did they start dating? Who decided to break up? I find it lore inaccurate that Vahzirthaamro would have been against the Zhan pits, seeing how the New Kingdom of Adhomai invented several new slurs to use against them. 3. An 8 out of 10? Really? How big is your ego? Considering the fact that you both refuse to date my characters (as stated in point one) and play women, I don't know if I can corroborate that. I'd give you a six, at most. 4. I don't appreciate the numerous death threats you have made against me. Yes, I have harassed you relentlessly for lore feedback about Vysoka. Yes, I may have stalked your social media accounts. Yes, I may have cut the breaks in your car. I still don't deserve this. See? I have over twenty logged instances of this. What gives? Not cool, man. For all of these reasons, I have to give a neutral vote.