Lent23

Honestly, I would love to see the vacant office get some use more than anything, and it absolutely fits the theme of "Make the freelancer figure their own stuff out." Though I wouldn't be against the freelancer getting their own office in this situation either.

"Ginny dies!" D : "Ginny dies." : (

Hiza really is just a @geeves self-insert

First, I'd like to say that I like the content of most of your application, and I think you're a strong choice from what I've seen from you, so I kindly brought you some questions! Good luck with your app I genuinely love this idea. A point was raised recently about the PMCG however, where the PMCG is considered "bloated" for having 13 subcontractors. Are you interested in doing something with the current perceived bloat of the PMCG? How would you prevent a similar situation with the keiretsu? Would you be similarly open to the possibility of subcontractors for the other megacorporations? Something that I have a gripe with personally is the amount of irrelevant lore that we have. If it can't be utilized on the server, it feels mostly unimportant to include. This is not to say that all lore off the Horizon/main worlds is useless, but it should have some impact on the Horizon/characters or have the potential to. I would love to see more of the mundane parts of the Spur, but I believe that there is a lot of relevant lore that could be worked/expanded upon. All this to say, are you interested in working on keeping things at least relevant to characters? This is something I'd really like to see more of. I feel something starkly underrepresented is the fact that these Megacorporations aren't exactly friends, they're just working together out of convenience. Is there any two megacorporations you'd like to see in conflict in-particular? Would you be interested in multiple corporations teaming up against multiple other corporations? Do you have anything in mind already? With no experience leading other people, what makes you believe that you are a good candidate for essentially helping manage 20+ people? Why do you want to become DLM, and what do you hope to gain if you get the position?

Hey, I'd like to be a bit transparent and say that I've been a bit busy, and that's why it's taken so long to get back to you about your post, and I apologize for that. I know we're sitting on a little over a week of this post being up. This application was received positively by the Unathi team. I was already planning a bit of a rework on the Kataphracts as an Order, and I'm looking to include a number of things from your application in my work. Would you be alright with us selectively picking things from your application, or are you more interested in a "all-or-nothing" sort of deal? Let me know how you feel either way! 😃

Hey, thanks for applying! I've got just a few questions for you: 1. Which religion does Aehruk practice, and why? 2. Who sponsored Aehruk when it came time to join Kesh'ka proper? Why did they want him in the clan? 3. Why was he christened Aehruk Thos'kar? Who bestowed this new name on him and why? 4. How does Aehruk feel about Hephaestus, a company that owns a vested interest in the SCCV Horizon, where he is going to be working.

Message from the Wasteland Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 10 (Finale) Recently, a video was sent to us here at TruthFinder from the Unathi homeworld of Moghes, with a former correspondent for Hephaestus-owned local media sharing his thoughts on recent developments. While we’re not so sure about some of the religious aspects of the message, the fact that corporate media refuses to publish it means we have an obligation to. The video is attached below, with helpfully-provided Tau Ceti Basic subtitles. Attached: truthofsiakh.vid The camera turns on, showing a Unathi recognizable as former Sinta Articles correspondent Szak Ren’zsar - though seeming very different to his prior appearances. He has shed his professional attire, and is now clad in a simple and uncomfortable-looking robe, bereft of any adornment. He seems to be standing in what looks like the long-abandoned lobby of some kind of office building, with several humbly-dressed Unathi working to clear away rubble behind him. He looks to the camera and begins to speak in Sinta’Unathi. Tau Ceti Basic subtitles scroll across the bottom of the screen. “To all of you, across the Spur. Though my words are meant for my Sinta brothers and sisters, I welcome all to listen. I am Szak Ren’zsar, formerly of Sinta Articles - now Speaker of the Flame, by the grace of the Prophet Judiza Si’akh. I’m here today at the First Church of the Flame, near what was once Lake Azuaki, in what is now the Wasteland of Moghes. I know what is said about us, because I have said it myself. We are called cultists, killers, madmen. I had hoped that Sinta Articles would let me show the truth of Si’akh, but when I tried to speak they silenced me. But in doing so all that they have shown is the simple truth - that the powers of this world are afraid of what we say.” Ren’zsar pauses, gesturing slightly. The camera pans, looking out a window over an expanse of barren sand. In the distance, the bones of skyscrapers jut out from the desert. After a long pan past the devastation, the camera returns to Ren’zsar. “They call us madmen. But change often looks like madness, from the eyes of those who cling to the past. Look at what has become of our world, and ask yourself - is it a sane world that we live in? Is it madness to see these ruins and say, this is wrong? Ten million Sinta once lived in that city on the horizon. The fish in the lake here fed a nation, and now it is dust and bone. Is it madness? To look upon this and say ‘no more’? I have seen the heart of the Hegemony, the corridors of power in which Not’zar Izweski and his ilk walk. The nobles sitting on thrones of gold, feasting to their hearts’ content while their own people starve. It is the way it has always been, is what I am told, but we stand here in ruins because the way it has always been is wrong. In wickedness, greed, and corruption, the lords of the Hegemony and Traditionalists alike condemned our world to devastation, all to squabble over who would be king of the ruins. I am here today because there is a man who sees this evil for what it is. A man who was blessed threefold by Sk’akh, who I believe is the last hope of our people for redemption. I am Szak Ren’szar, Speaker of the Flame, and what I say now is the truth of Si’akh - that there are no lords but the Great Spirit, and the prophet that They have chosen!” Cheers come from the gathered Unathi. Chants of “Si’akh! Si’akh!” can be heard echoing through the chamber. “As the Fisher, They guide Their children. As the Healer, She shall mend this blighted world. As the Warrior, He shall fight beside us, to make our world green once more! My brothers and sisters, I know you have lived lives of sin and wickedness, for I have too. But there is good news for one and all, that redemption is possible, that a better world is possible!” He pauses again, as the cheering slowly dies down. With a calmer tone, he addresses the audience. “I know that there are those among you who see the rot and corruption in our people, and who feel as I feel. If that is you, my brothers and sisters - then come to this place, the Church of the Flame, anointed by the Prophet Si’akh. Find us, join us - and together, we shall save our people from damnation. The Hegemon and his fellows in sin may seek to stop us - but our fire rises, and for each that falls in Si’akh’s name a hundred more shall take up his words.” The crowd erupt with cheers again, cries of “The fire rises!” and “May Si’akh take the world!” being heard. The camera jerks downwards awkwardly, and the sound of someone fiddling with it can be heard for a few seconds, before the video ends.

Si’akh Cultists Establish Wasteland Church Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 9 Following yesterday’s dramatic events, it appears that a small army of Si’akh cultists have fortified a structure in the Wasteland, near the borders of the Queendom of Szek’Hakh. While we do not have any personnel on the scene, reports indicate several thousand followers of the heretic ringleader have begun to settle in the region, proclaiming the “First Church of the Flame”. Queen Szek’Hakh has issued only a brief comment on this recent madness, stating that she will not risk her people’s lives in driving out the cult without the Hegemon’s express command. The office of the Hegemon has yet to issue an official response to recent events. Former Sinta Articles guildsman Szak Ren’zsar seems to be presiding over the cult presence, having been declared as ‘First Speaker of the Flame’ by the so-called prophet Judizah Si’akh. Following his outrageous declaration, his employment with Sinta Articles has been terminated. Sinta Articles does not condone or endorse Szak Ren’zsar’s beliefs or statements, and his conversion to the Si’akh faith is in no way reflective of our stance as a guild, or the stance of our parent guild Hephaestus Industries. Among the nobility there has been an uproar, with Lord Yuhuni of To’ha’dat calling for Sk’akh faithful to take up arms against the Si’akh cult and its followers. The Sk’akh Church has yet to issue an official statement, though Archpriest Malza of Zazalai made a brief public statement that “Where the egg of heresy is allowed to hatch unimpeded, death and ruin shall be birthed in abundance”. Whether his fellow archpriests will back him on this matter remains to be seen. Szak Ren’zsar has taken to posting videos on the extranet, filled with the deranged ramblings that one might expect from a cult such as Si’akh. The Ren’zsar clan has denounced their once-proud son’s actions, and our sources inform us that discussion of declaring the so-called First Speaker Guwan has been raised. As for this Church itself, more Si’akhists are reported to flock there by the day - though whether Judiza Si’akh himself is still there remains unclear. It is likely he has fled again, driven by cowardice to avoid the risk of confrontation for his many crimes. What this development will mean remains to fully unfold, however. Whether this new ‘Church’ is a staging ground for an assault on the nearby Queendom, or one of the cities of the Zazalais, remains to be seen - as well as what the madman Judiza Si’akh intends to do next. As always, Sinta Articles will keep our readers updated on any further developments. Remember, for Sinta news Spur-wide, stick to the source you know you can trust - stick to Sinta Articles.

A Live Broadcast of Juzida Si’akh in the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 8 BREAKING NEWS flies across the screen as the background swaps from a Hegemony flag to pan upwards and reveal a single black-scaled male Unathi sitting at a reporting desk. A name at the bottom of the screen denotes this man as Insar Zenkan Zenkan: “Today, we have a live broadcast for you. Senior Correspondent Szak Ren’zsar is live at the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh as heretic pariah Juzida Si’akh prepares to make a speech. While concerning that the previously well-regarded Queen Lazak Szek’Hakh has apparently broken her oath to the Hegemon, we are nevertheless covering this story to keep you, the viewer, up-to-date. Ren’zsar, can you hear me?” The camera switches to a large green-scaled Unathi holding a microphone. In the background there is a large stage with thousands of Sinta in front of it. A name at the bottom of the screen denotes this as Szek Ren’zsar. Ren’zsar: “I hear you, Zenkan. Today we are witnessing history as The Final High Prophet Born of the Purifying Flames unveils his vision of the future.” Zenkan: “Quite the official title for such an insane heretic. It almost sounds like you respect him, Ren’zsar.” Ren’zsar: “Respect comes where respect is due, Zenkan.” Cheering and tail-stomping can be heard in the background as the camera pans away from Ren’zsar and towards the stage. The man known as Juzida Si’akh walks on stage and the camera follows him closely. He walks slowly yet resolutely towards the podium before resting his walking cane on it politely. He interlocks his claws over the top of the podium, and the cheering slowly falls to silence. He dips his head slightly and speaks into the microphone on the podium: Si’akh: “Today, I must address solemn news. I am sure many of you have heard by now, but some of my most trusted advisors whom I have sent to Moroz to spread our word were caught and tortured by the group known as the Royal Guard. They were tortured for daring to speak our name.” As he pauses, jeers can be heard throughout the thousands of Sinta present. Si’akh: “Illkari Csorik and Lisek Zentra - Your names will always be remembered.” The crowd settles into a moment of respectful silence before Si’akh speaks again: Si’akh: “Those of you that have returned from across the Spur to your ancestral homes, this is for you. In cooperation with Queen Lazak Szek’Hakh, we will be establishing the first official Church of Si’akh of Moghes. We are currently working with a number of printers to codify our word, which will be given to all willing Sinta.” The raucous cheers of thousands of Sinta can be heard. Tail stomping kicks a ton of dust into the air. As it settles, Si’akh continues. Si’akh: “We have also spoken with a number of Si’akh communes around the Spur, and we will be establishing a few Si’akh churches on choice planets across the Spur. These include Vezdukh, Mictlan; District 11 of Mendel City, Biesel and Valkyrie. In each of these locations, I will be sending a trusted Fire Priest to lead in my stead, while I will remain here on Moghes in the First Church of the Flame. My brothers and sisters, this is but the beginning for us.” Raucous cheers fill the air from sections of the crowd as sections are called out. Si’akh: “I have one final announcement for us all today. Behind the crowd lies one man that I have spoken with many times throughout this journey - a man I have seen many of you speak with as well. He is a man with confidence, charisma, and true faith. This man I am declaring as the First Speaker of The Flame: Fire Speaker Szak Ren’zsar!” Many cheers can be heard as the camera pans back to Szak Ren’zsar. His expression is not that of shock, but of reverence. He turns to address the camera. Ren’zsar: “In my time traveling with Juzida Si’akh, I have learned many things. I have seen many faces, and I have heard many stories. Today marks a new day of the Si’akh religion. No longer will we be labeled as cultists, or heretics. No longer will we stand idly by as our world dies.. We are -” First the microphone cuts out, leaving only silence as Ren’zsar continues to speak on-screen. Murmuring from the news crew's voiceover can be heard momentarily as the audio cuts to them before the screen cuts to Insar Zenkan once more. He has a look of shock on his face. He glances around the newsroom, before shuffling some papers. After a moment, he begins to speak: Inzsar: “We will be back. We have to-.. Cut. Cut the stream.” A screen displaying the words PLEASE STAND BY are all that is left on the screen, and a short chime plays. There are a few minutes before commercials resume on the channel.

Si’akh Returns to Moghes with Thousands, Hegemon’s Economic Sanctioning of Dominia? Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 7 Today marks the return of heretical cult leader Juzida Si’akh after a trip to Ouerea to spread his anti-corporate, anti-hegemony faith. After a proselytizing trip abroad, Si’akh has returned via shuttle to the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh. His is only the latest shuttle in a series of drop-offs that have seen Sinta from all over the Spur returning to Moghes from abroad, with many coming from the Republic of Biesel itself, evidently answering a call from the cult head himself. Si’akh is reported to have a scheduled announcement tomorrow, which will have live coverage done by Senior Correspondent Szak Ren’zsar and his team. In related news, the Hegemon has released a statement regarding a number of citizens that were killed by the Empire of Dominia just after they landed on January 13. In his statement, the Hegemon stated: When asked if any action will be taken against the Empire, the Hegemon had this to say: With such a strong economy established thanks to the presence of Aeson, T’zakal and the rest of Hephaestus, the Empire of Dominia stands to suffer economically due to these sanctions. So far, the Empire has not given a formal response to the sanctions. As always, stick with Sinta Articles for the most up-to-date Hegemonic news.

Unathi Heretics Caught at the Border Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 6 This morning, a number of heretics attempting to cross into Imperial space were apprehended as they were landing in Nova Luxembourg. They were immediately taken to the Nova Luxembourg Jail and questioned by the Tribunal Investigations Constabulary before being swiftly executed. According to a representative from the Royal Guard, those captured were a group of high-ranking Si’akh Fire Priests who were attempting to cause upheaval in the Empire. Chief Minister of Unathi Affairs Kasz Han’san was quick to respond, and had this to say regarding the situation: Additionally, the Great House Kazkhz-Han’san has announced that they will be making several significant donations to the Holy Tribunal, to aid in further defending the sanctity of Her Immortal Empire against foreign heretics both Unathi and human. During a press release later in the day, His Imperial Majesty Bolesław Keeser had this to say: Praise the Goddess, for without Her we would not have the foresight to deal with unrest before it rears its ugly head.

Hey, sorry about the delay on this! We've decided to accept this app mostly as-is. It's going to be tweaked slightly to fit in with the new gender lore, but you should see it added soon!

Religious Turmoil Strikes Unathi Communities Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 5 Recently, religious turmoil has struck the Hegemony as the leader of the alternative sect leader Juzida Si’akh has expanded his influence off Moghes. On the 28th of December, Si’akh called for Unathi to “Return to Moghes with [him] at the culmination of [his] trip.” This has had a profound impact on Unathi in the Republic of Biesel, with notable Unathi communities in the Republic being affected in various ways. In some Bieselite communities, we have seen mixed reactions to the expansion of the heretical belief. The Unathi in Mendell City itself have been seen nearly coming to blows, with the group known as the Akhanzi Order attempting to preserve their Th’akh faith by preaching to other communities in the city. This has left them at odds with the Unathi of District 11, some of whom have been seen proclaiming Si’akh’s words, with some even lighting fire to Th’akh flags, seemingly in order to anger the Akhanzi Order specifically. Mendell City’s Tenth and Eleventh district firefighting brigades have been on high alert as a result of the clashing, with the firefighting brigades of Districts Five and Three being ready to aid should fires get much worse. The police force in the area have made several arrests of Si’akh members of District Eleven, with most of them having been responsible for fires across both districts. Despite some cries of religious persecution, Akhanzi Order members have also faced arrests following their assault of a group of Si’akh protesters in district eleven. Outside of Mendell, communities on Valkyrie have also been up-in-arms. On December 31st, a number of Unathi were arrested after they were witnessed assaulting a number of both Th’akh and Sk’akh churches earlier that day. The criminals infiltrated a number of churches before physically assaulting members of the congregations and lighting flames inside, typically using the pews that were present in the church at the time. These Unathi were swiftly arrested, and though the Tau Ceti Times has reached out, we were unable to obtain a statement from the clan’s representative as to why the action was taken against the churches. Across Mictlan, Si’akh’s words have impacted working-class Unathi. A number of protests in support of the Si’akh faith were held in Vezdukh. A statement was taken from one of the Unathi protestors during the rally: “All most of us want is a way to carve our own path - something I think we really share with a lot of common Sinta on Moghes as well. I think [Si’akh’s] focus on the spirit of all Sinta are what can really unite a lot of us.” A number of Th’akh churches in the city have burned down, with some witnesses stating that they witnessed several Unathi throwing what they called fire-bombs at the churches. No arrests were made in connection to this situation, and the investigation remains ongoing. It appears clear to us that the fire motif points to members of the Si’akh faith being behind the incident. The Mictlani government seems highly concerned about these religious tensions, having just brought an end to one long and bitter conflict. In a joint press conference with Lord Mayor Orbza Izziba of Vezdukh, Prime Minister Ladislao de Santos stated that the situation is entirely under control, and that while the Republic of Mictlan respects the right to freedom of religion those inciting religious violence will be judged under the full extent of the law.

Si’akh Touches Down On Ouerea, Preaches Heresies to Peasants Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 4 Today marks the first time that heretic cult leader Juzida Si’akh has ever been on another planet. He left last week with the intent of reaching Ouerea in order to speak to the peasantry of the planet. Accompanied with merely a small retinue of his heretical devotees as well as Sinta Articles senior correspondent Ren’zsar, his ship touched down just outside of Um'a'yid today. Immediately, Si’akh walked to the docks to speak with a group of fishermen that had shortly before arrived back from a fishing haul. The fishermen seemed surprisingly open to the idea of Si’akh’s presence on their planet, stating that he had seen Si’akh’s broadcast from the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh. The fisherman’s captain was approached after speaking with Si’akh, and was quoted as saying, It is clear that the anti-corporate sentiment still plagues Ouerea to this day, despite the good that Hephaestus has done for the planet itself. Whether or not you believe that the corporations are good for the Hegemony itself, their effects on the Hegemonic economy cannot be denied. Si’akh’s presence on Ouerea serves no goal other than destabilizing what the Hegemon has fought to build and secure for the future of the Hegemony. While he may have just arrived on Ouerea, Si’akh has apparent plans to speak with many Sinta around many cities. We at Sinta Articles will keep an eye on the situation as it develops. Don’t lose your faith in these trying times. We are all in this together.

+1 I have personally elevated Keeh Rasi as an interim head of security and monitored him multiple times in the past. Rasi performed his duties in a way that I feel is sufficient with the standard of command positions by allowing antagonists to cook while simultaneously attempting to deal with the issue without using too much force. Lenny is essentially already a qualified command player in my experience (just as long as we don't see Bloodclaw OM please oh god dont promote that bastard).

Si’akh Traveling Abroad?! Ouerea Faces Potential Turmoil. Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 3 Breaking news from the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh! Juzida Si’akh has just announced his intent to travel to Ouerea in an attempt to, in his words, “Save the souls of our direct neighbors. The redeemable few that have stayed within [Uueoa-Esa].” During his announcement today, Si’akh told senior correspondent Ren’zsar that he will bring him and his team personally on the vessel transporting him to Ouerea. The planned destination is Um'a'yid, as Si’akh wishes to convert the lowly peasants to his heretical cause. Below is the transcript of Si’akh’s broadcast: [Cheers, applause, tail stomping can be heard as Si’akh approaches the podium. He places his walking stick against the podium and leans in to speak, softly at first.] “Wastelanders. Heartlanders. Southlanders. Prairie Clans, Coalitioners. Mountain Clans. Those of the Torn Cities. There are many ethnic identities that we may claim to be. There are many differences between these peoples. Strife has been ever-present throughout our history. There is, however, one thing that we all share: Our home. Moghes has tended to us, to our ancestors, and hopefully to our descendants. [Si’akh pauses for a few moments to examine the crowd. As he resumes speaking, he has a much angrier tone.] “I have heard whispers, among the faithful. Talk of the aliens, of Hephaestus Industries, blaming them for the ills of our world. It is an easy path to take, but it is not truth. Look around you! See the divine judgment of Sk’akh, see the ashes our once-beautiful world lies in! What hands wrought this doom upon us? Not alien hands, nor the hands of their corporations. Hephaestus is a nest of vipers, driven by wanton greed - but are they distinct in this? When Yukal T’zakal feasts as the Wasteland starves, is that somehow more wicked than when Not’zar Izweski does the same?” [Many jeers and loud tail stomping can be heard from the crowd. It lasts long enough that Si’akh takes a pause to listen. He resumes his soft-spoken initial tone.] “We are all of us to blame, for the ruin of Moghes. Yes, even I! I was a sinful man, who coveted wealth and power - was I alone in this? No. Moghes is ruled by the negligent and corrupt, those who call themselves lords, as it has ever been. It is our own sin, our own greed, our own abandonment of Sk’akh’s truth. That is what has led our world to damnation!” [Si’akh slams his fist onto the podium as he says “damnation” His tone shifts to an angry yelling once more.] “The Great Spirit has opened my eyes, my friends! Opened my eyes to the truth! For thousands of years we have been mired in faithlessness and corruption, until it left our world itself sundered and bleeding! But there is hope, brothers and sisters! For in Their mercy, Sk’akh offers redemption in flame, that we might make of our world the paradise our creator intended! Ask yourselves, each of you - will I stand aside? Will I fall into sin and debauchery, or will I do what is right! I know my answer, but it will take more than me! It will take you, and you, and you! By our own hands, Moghes is damned - and by our hands it shall be saved!” [The crowd erupts in a mixture of jeers, cheers and more tail stomping. Dust fills the stage, and while the noise begins to settle, the dust continues to permeate, vision blurred as two figures can be seen walking up, flanking either side of Si’akh, each with a large walking staff. They slam the bases of their staffs into the ground, and the tips of them ignite and through the dust, the flames create an eerie glow. Si’akh cuts the silence with a calm tone.] “I am going to leave Moghes to reach out to our brothers and sisters on Ouerea.” [Murmurs can be heard throughout the crowd, but they all quiet as Si’akh begins to speak once more.] “I will soon return, but if we seek to end the damnation brought upon us, we will need the assistance of our devotees aboard. There are devouts in many places across the Spur, lying in wait for our time. My brothers and sisters in flame - Now is our time. Return to Moghes with me at the culmination of my trip. All the faithful shall witness my proclamation. Secure your next shuttle to the Queendom and join me.” [The crowd erupts in cheers once more, and Si’akh grabs his walking stick and turns to leave, flanked by his two fire-bearers.] [The transmission ends.] Senior correspondent Ren’zsar will keep us updated as soon as the Si’akh presence touches down on Ouerea. As always, trust Sinta Articles for your up-to-date news.

Heretic Ringleader Judiza Si’akh In Talks With Queendom? Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 2 It has been 11 days since Szek Ren’zsar has been instructed to tail the Si’akh migration from Res’karum. Ren’zsar has reported that his crew has reached their destination: the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh. This comes as a shock to Sinta Articles, as Queen Sezk-Hakh has positioned herself in the past as a staunch ally of the Hegemon, and her harboring of the largest cult leader stands in stark contrast to her past demonstrations of loyalty to the Izweski. Senior correspondent Szek Ren’zsar has compiled a few statements from the heretics themselves. One Si'akh follower said: An impoverished noble said: A former Sk'akh priestess said: A disgruntled guildsman said: After our previous article, a few cities took a closer look at the Sinta departing from their lands. Baandr, Bahard, Sahltyr and Darakath have all reported numerous Sinta departures from their lands. It is apparent that these departures have, for the most part, been an effort to congregate thousands of Si’akh sympathizers in the Queendom for Si’akh to make an announcement regarding his heresy. As the announcement is scheduled for tomorrow, we will bring you a live update provided our correspondent is allowed in the meeting hall. As always, remember - you can trust Sinta Articles for your up-to-date news.

Hey Dessy, I have just a few clarifications to add: We actually specifically tried to capture and heal as many as we could, so we could use them as bargaining chips in order to trade with the Horizon. Unfortunately, the timing was simply bad luck for the Horizon, and I think that we would have experienced the same results without any admin equipment. Our goal was to ultimately capture and trade, but we unfortunately did too much damage to the retreating forces. I was absolutely looking forward to the honorless K'lax pirates holding the Iska commander hostage RP as well

Hey! As one of the pirates that was a part of the pirate station. First of all, I'm sorry to hear that you did not have an enjoyable round. I am here because I'd like to add some context as Loorey and Meep have. From the get-go, we had a few people that were interested in playing pirates. in dchat, there was myself, Loorey and Meep. We knew that when the Intrepid touched down, there would be spawns for the planet. We agreed that we would play Vaurca in dchat as our "gimmick." I know that Loorey and myself are simply fans of Vaurca, and we had some other people who had the WL. I was pretty amazed that we had the opportunity to have 6 people with vaurca WLs playing pirates. I believe we did have an advance spawn before the ship landed via admin intervention, just to get ready as they were on their way. As for additional loot, I believe we were given an ion gun, 2 mechs (1 with a laser gun/rifle/shield drone and 1 with 2x smg's), and 1 uplink. We proceeded to get our base ready and then waited for the Horizon to show up. We engaged the Horizon's off crew who announced themselves as Iska's Adventurers (This is important because we most likely would not have proceeded onto the Horizon knowing that it was a megacorporation vessel.) Ultimately, our goal is to kill them and either a) take what they have on their ship and fix our ship | b) take their ship if it's nicer. We heard them call a retreat via our radios and we decided to push them, knowing that they were our only way off the asteroid. We caught them in a retreat and unfortunately for them, we were able to kill some of them, though the Intrepid was able to escape. At this point, we found a diona on the planet that had apparently been kicked off the Horizon. We invited it to join our ranks. Now we look inward, panicking as the Horizon scrambles to fire its weapons at the base. One of the Vaurca found a way to repair our ship through the equipment on the base. We were able to get power going for just long enough to shuttle the ship to attach to the Horizon's starboard dock. This was our chance to get in, get some equipment and leave. Once we docked with the Horizon, we were given Heister tags to distinguish each other. This tag was applied to all five K'lax, the C'thur that we coerced into helping us (that was previously our prisoner) as well as the Diona. We proceeded through medical to Engineering, and our only goal was to get SMES parts and some fuel for our reactor. We faced opposition when it came to us, but we did no deviate or otherwise engage anyone outside of this. We eventually kidnapped an engineer, got our things, and proceeded to leave. As we were leaving, Arrow told us that we should wrap our things up, and we told him that we were already on our way out, we just needed power to the station. He spawned in as a BSTech and gave us a SMES and some wiring in order to facilitate our departure faster. We left as quickly as we could and flew off. Now, I'd like to respond to your comments/concerns: I was ghosting at this time. The Head of Security was informed via the xenoarchaeologist that there was a threat in the system. The Head of Security then faxed central to confirm that they would be hunting down the pirate lair for the bounty it apparently held. I do not have access to msay, but the vibe that I was getting from the group that joined as the pirates was not that we were getting 'souped up' from the get-go. I was uninformed that the Horizon had a mech until I physically saw them. I hope the walkthrough of our entire experience clears up our side of this for you. Our intent was never to kill anyone or massacre the security team. Our goal was hardly even to board the Horizon. Boarding the Horizon was the means to an end to fix our ship. As for the boarding, as stated by Arrow: The ONLY admin intervention we had with regards to the ship was Arrow giving us a SMES while we were retreating, in order to more quickly facilitate our exit. Our ultimate goal as previously stated was to leave as quickly as possible. We were given a syndicate link, which we used to spawn Heavy Armor as far as I am aware. We were also not given more ARs to my knowledge. Personally, having been in-round I would have been completely happy not having any assistance from admins. I understand that the admin intent was to make the round more interesting, but It definitely would have been much more challenging (and probably more fun for those involved) if we had no intervention. I am personally a big fan of Horizon wins over antags, and I would not have minded dying in this situation. The most important takeaway for me here is the admin intent to make the round more interesting for people involved. I do agree with this, however I think that the admin intent does still matter here, as stated above. I think what they were trying to say at this point was that the Horizon literally acted on a mission to hunt down a bounty. I don't think it was necessarily 'validing' or 'punishing' personally. That being said, I cannot speak for them. We chose Vaurca because we decided to play Vaurca in dsay. There was no motive to powergame, and we were uninformed that admin intervention was even going to happen in the first place. We simply did not powergame heavy armor in order to get a combat advantage. The gloating I do have an issue with. I think gloating that we killed Horizon staff is unnecessary and antag gloating is in bad taste in the first place, sans any admin intervention. Including the admin intervention and then gloating is simply bad manners, truth be told. This was, to me, caused by a rush of having to get in and out. There was a hole in the bridge of our ship and we rushed out and broke into medical, with venting spreading from there as we rushed to engineering. The venting itself was not intentional in my experience (there was no intent behind venting anything in the rush, at least.) I was not present for anyone being gunned down, as we mostly held people up to the best of our ability. I am not denying this happened, and I do apologize to the Vampire that had their round taken from them in this case. Again, we did not shoot anybody that did not shoot us first while I was present. We attempted to speak with people, attempted to use medical staff and engineering staff to get where and what we needed and then we left as quickly as we could. I can count at least five other people we had the opportunity to murder but simply did not, as RPing and utilizing them simply made more sense. While I do not condone Loorey's coments, the content of our actions were not to "get frags in" as you state - at least not for me. Again, I can only speak for my experience, but for me it was about getting in, getting our things and leaving. I believe the team understood this, and were all working towards that goal. I do not consider this a case of "administration self-enabling" as there was nobody that had the ability to spawn equipment on the pirate side. Again, I cannot see msay so I do not know what went on in there, but I never got the vibe that admins were "on our side" at all. Echoing this completely. We had no idea admin intervention was even going to happen, nobody informed us of anything. Before I checked the map file, I had just assumed that we had a mech from the get-go, as it was unmentioned (to me at least, perhaps I missed an LOOC message somewhere.) The Vaurca thing was simply agreed upon in dchat because vaurca are fun, not for any apparent mechanical advantage (I was going to play an IPC originally but swapped via a ticket with Melariara when I saw that EVERYBODY was Vaurca.) Again, I apologize for anybody that did not enjoy the round. Our intent was not to kill anybody or assault the Horizon - it was always to get in, get our things and leave. I understand that not everybody on the station was involved with assaulting the base itself, but everybody suffered from the result of this. Ultimately, I do not think the admin intervention was necessary but I do understand why they gave us things: to make things more interesting. Again, I am a much bigger fan of a Horizon win when it comes to antags, and I would have preferred to personally die on the asteroid, but the experience of escaping with our lives was a thrilling tale, and all I can hope for is that we made it exciting for others in round as well. Merry (Day After) Christmas, I hope this helps clear as much as I can up for everyone involved.

Heretic Ringleader Judiza Si’akh spotted passing by Res’karum Stoking the Flames Arc, Article 1 Yu’zath armsmen were ordered to investigate a large migration of Si’akh Sinta leaving Res’karum this past wednesday. They followed the most recent migrants out of the city, only to witness the migrants meet up with a much larger group reportedly numbering in the hundreds. Sinta Articles has dispatched senior wasteland correspondent Szek Ren’zsar to Res’karum in order to meet with Lord Yu’zath. While Lord Yu’zath himself was unable to be reached for comment, Master of Rivers Junz Yu’zath gave Ren’zsar this response: All this comes to a head as the anti-Si’akh sentiment reaches an all-time high in the city. Lord Yu’zath has always been a strong anchor point of Th’akh worship, especially in the wasteland. His refusal to falter in the face of a strong Si’akh presence in his city is an honorable act. However, this seems to bode poorly for Res’karum, as hundreds of Si’akh workers flock out of the city to follow whatever plan this Judiza Si’akh has. One Miners’ Guild foreman in the city complained to Ren’zsar, stating that: The Si’akhists continue to leave the city, wandering into the Wasteland. Where they are going, or what this so-called prophet has planned, remains unclear to us at this time. The other lords of the region seem to be less concerned about it, with Lord Korhar of Bahard’s High Speaker informing us that: To the north, Lord Izaku of Mudki seemed dismissive of the Si’akh gathering. While his full statement has been cut for brevity and public decency, he scoffed at the “gathering of heretical rabble” and stated that any Si’akhist who came within sight of Mudki would “quickly find themselves swinging from the gallows”. For now, Ren’zsar and his crew have been sent to tail the migrants in order to keep an eye on what the heretics are up to. Sinta Articles will keep you all updated as the situation develops.

BYOND Key: Lent23 Character Names: (Mostly) Alsina Tau’ha’nor Species you are applying to play: Vaurca What color do you plan on making your first alien character: #829614 Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph format. One paragraph minimum per question. Why do you wish to play this specific race: Vaurca are arguably the most alien playable species in the server. Whereas most other species can be considered human-esque or otherwise human derivative, the vaurca are the most starkly different species. I never cared much for vaurca before I met the likes of Zohd and Gimb, or had conversations with Nangeren regarding the biology and culture of the hives, with the latter example being one of the larger reasons I am interested in the race at all. Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Vaurca and humans live entirely different lives from birth, nearly two opposite ends of a spectrum.. Where humans are born to parents that raise them. They instill them with ideas in their formative years, and humans are capable of pursuing their goals utilizing their own free will. On the other end of the spectrum, vaurca are purpose-bred. While still inside their egg, they go through Imagotis, which decides the caste of a vaurca before they are even born. After their birth, they are brought through the virtual reality process, where they grow in worlds completely molded for them by their queens. They live and gain knowledge in a time-bent reality that allows them to gain much more knowledge at a faster pace than a human would while growing up naturally. A young vaurca could gain years of knowledge in a matter of our reality’s months by utilizing virtual reality spaces. Culturally, their mannerisms are also significantly different than humans. Obviously, they came from ideal worlds where their queens control every facet of their existence. This gives them a bit of naivete with regards to the “real world” where there are much more factors at play than just their queen’s will. Having to reconcile your perfect upbringing with the harsh realities of the physical realm is not exactly an easy thing to do. Character Name: Za’Akaix’Ky K’lax Please provide a short backstory for this character Za’Akaix’Ky K’lax, as most of Vehdra’s creations, was created to combat the Lii’dra. It spent its time in virtual reality heavily involved in Retek games. From campaigning to wargaming, Ky has spent tens of thousands of hours perfecting its strategy. In its time, Ky has fought in many battlefields, operating many roles - everything from a grunt on the front-line to a battlefield tactician. Ky has died many (simulated) deaths, yet has claimed many more (simulated) kills. One thing that Ky grew to understand was that the vaurca would never be able to fully beat the Lii’dra alone. The Lii’dra, despite their corrupt, despicable nature, were still vaurca. That meant that they still understood what it means to think like a vaurca. The simulated unathi of many Retek simulations always seemed more unpredictable to Ky. Their tactics have always stood in stark contrast to vaurca battle tactics. This led Ky down a rabbit hole of contact war simulations. Upon bringing some of these unathi tactics to more typical Retek simulations, Ky was able to outsmart many of the Lii’dra offenses. There are limits to the situation, however, as weavemakers are still vaurca, and thus are not infallible with their understanding of alien tactics. There was only one way that Ky was going to learn more: the physical realm. Despite its discomfort, if Ky wanted to truly combat the Lii’dra, it was going to have to learn more tactics from aliens. There is a ship somewhere in the Spur that arguably represents the assets of the combined factions of the spur. From the Megacorporations to the nations. If the Lii’dra were to pick a prime target for their inevitable return? It would be here. On the Horizon, Ky could not only learn tactics from other species and factions, but it could return the favor by teaching them what it has learned. The Lii’dra would stand no chance against the combined might of the Orion Spur. What do you like about this character? I particularly enjoy the idea of playing a vaurca that is meant to be a more tactical warrior. A born tactician that is meant to bridge a gap between vaurca and alien understanding, especially with regards to the destruction of a large-scale antagonistic faction. Ky could both learn from and teach many things because of the Horizon. I view Ky as a character that is genuinely interested in learning and understanding. A vaurca that wants to teach, to lead where it can. It was born to understand, not just to fight. What better place than corporate security? How would you rate your role-playing ability?: 7/10, probably? Notes: Not’zar Izweski iz my hero, but Ta’Akaix’Vedhra’rept’ylanze will alwayz be my queen. I have thoughts of playing a K’lax Ta down the line, but I’d like to get to know the species as a Za before that.

While I am friends with Noble, my support isn't solely grounded in that. If my past experience as a moderator is any indicator, I believe that Noble would work well with the team culture and server expectations at large. Noble is an emotionally and cognitively intelligent person who takes criticism and feedback into account without immediately becoming defensive. In heated exchanges, he keeps a cool head to resolve any dispute. With how certain rounds can be emotionally charged, his temperament is solid for conveying his points and diffusing it smoothly. Noble is a dungeon master and hosts ops for Arma. He understands the need to act as a behind-the-scene force. He's accustomed to adapting to situations that require sound judgement in fast paced environments, critical aspects for minimizing interruptions to the round. Generally speaking, if I'm looking for an opinion on something Aurora/SS13 related, Noble is someone I trust to have an objective, level-headed conversation with - and he's one of the first people I go to. He's got a lot of good ideas about things in-universe and out, and is generally someone who is productive to brainstorm with. Noble has gradually contributed to the community since his start, his latest project being the voidsuit sprites. He's demonstrated an ability to quickly meet the expectations of what he's working on without resistance to any needed changes, and in a timely submission. The fact that this app is here means that he has weighed his options, his availability, and his desire before putting himself out there. tl;dr Noble Row is well suited candidate for this position in the character he is, his adaptability to any given situation, and willingess to work in a team environment. As long as he continues to put his mind towards it, he'll be a great addition to the modmin team.