WhatsUpBrotendo

Kala Commence Operations as Reinforcements Arrive Translated to Tau Ceti Basic Kala reinforcements have arrived at the Marauder Systems and are now commencing operations to dismantle Independent Traverser Movement bases in the region following Grand Councillor Jrugl's call for decisive action. This is in response to the discovery of a weapons shipment inbound to the subversive movement that was captured by Qukala agents just over a week ago. Following the seizure of critical infrastructure across affected systems (see article: "ITM Seize Cities; Local Government and Kala Forced to Relocate"), Kala across the regions in the Marauder Systems have begun preparations to quell the more militant members of the Independent Traverser Movement. The temporary facilities established have allowed a modicum of normality for citizens living in affected areas, while the "Hazard Zones" have undergone restrictions to limit their ability to surge against the rightful authorities. With additional Kala detachments arriving on the affected planets, the Kala are now commencing their operations with haste. While it cannot decisively be said, the Kala have high hopes that the operation will be a resounding success thanks to the expertise each branch is providing to the operation. The Nlomkala officers have been advising the Qukala on crowd control and civilian policing procedure while the Qukala train their partners for urban strategies and counter-insurgency. When asked for comment, a member of the Kala had this to say: Already, some smaller ITM bases have been raided and returned to normal operation, revealing the shocking conditions these agitators live in as a result:

Accepted.

Yes, species lore needs to be consistent with the setting as a whole. I don't really have any thoughts on lore that needs to be changed though. It's all more or less fairly consistent as far as I'm aware. I'd hope that the writer in question would ping the loremasters before the project was even complete so we had an idea of what was going on and give our opinions beforehand. I think I'd be able to stand my ground if that didn't happen though, and I don't plan on rejecting any projects that were approved before I became DLM if I was given the role. I'd evaluate the worth of the retcon/rewrite and determine if it's something that's actually needed. Sometimes old lore needs to be entirely removed or rewritten to be more consistent as our attitudes and standards for quality change, sometimes there's old lore that is just a footnote with no real development made and the latest species team has no ideas (or motivation) to develop it further. It's something that I'm against disallowing entirely, and I like our current process where major retcons/rewrites go on the forums before they're pushed through since the entire team is able to comment on it if they wish to. Outside of Tajara lore I don't think we're near that point. That isn't to say that Tajara lore can't expand, but that side of the lore has been fairly consistently developed throughout the years and it's pretty much fleshed out in my opinion. If any other species ends up getting to the same level as Tajara lore I'd be very pleased. Arcs are part of our workload so I don't see the change in focus to developing lore organically through arcs as being a major issue, but it might be more of a challenge for some compared to writing a wiki page. The concept of a "new player planet" was discussed on Trio's app and I've been thinking about it a little bit. Biesel is good as a new player origin, but having a planet/region that's specifically for new players to use as they get used to the server and its lore might be a good idea. I've been chipping away at a OOC information page for Skrell lore that I should probably finish at some point too. Diona lore and synth lore have similar pages, which basically explain from a OOC perspective how you should play that species as well as certain concepts. Making sure ghost roles for species ships have at least one non-whitelisted role as standard would also help give new players the opportunity to interact with lore outside of human lore too. I can't really think of anything off the top of my head that's standard practice. I personally think that if your lore includes another species' lore or teamwide lore (megacorps, etc), no matter how small, it should be standard practice to make sure the relevant teams are aware of this. It's not something that's a constant or done consciously or out of malice (I hope), but I have noticed that some things slip through without the other team's approval. I think antag lore needs to fit with the setting. Vampire lore is something that I'd be against, but I'm not against fleshing out lore for antagonistic factions (such as the Lii'dra), or introducing factions that could be linked to non-canon antags (as in, being used for gimmicks) while still fitting within the canon of the setting. This is difficult because I mostly play Skrell these days, and I wouldn't say they're my favourite. I like the anarchist views and communal culture of the Aut'akh personally, which along with their views on body modification create this weird faction that's almost completely antithetical to the rest of the species.

Hi, thanks for applying. Ryver already pointed out some things that I wanted to ask, but I still have some other questions I'd like you to answer: How does your character feel about Skrell born outside of the Federation? How does your character feel about non-Skrell, both Diona and C'thur in the Federation as well as the other species across the Spur. How have recent events in the Federation and Spur at large affected your character? Are you aware that your character can potentially be permanently removed from play if their background is revealed canonically? You swap between smuggler and rebel in the backstory. Are they just a Marauder, or are they part of a resistance cell?

Jrugl Demands Action; Kala to Increase Efforts to Pacify Dissident Traversers Translated to Tau Ceti Basic The Grand Councillor has again called for decisive action to be taken following the discovery of a weapons shipment believed to be inbound to Independent Traverser Movement members within the Marauder Systems: The Qukala and Nlomkala have already begun a proactive campaign of detaining known ITM members and possible affiliates within the Marauder Systems following the discovery. Councillor Jrugl's call to action has been considered an affirmation to continue this new effort and to quickly organise a proper response to the occupation of critical infrastructure throughout the Marauder Systems. The statement was paired with a broad rejection of citizen requests to leave the Marauder systems (see article "Weapon Shipment Found On Marauder Vessel; Possible Independent Traverser Movement Involvement Suspected"), with citizens only being allowed to leave following background checks regarding their activity in the region during its period of martial law. The Nlomkala issued a statement regarding the situation, justifying the decision as a necessary requirement to prevent ITM sympathisers from evading the authorities.

I believe the SRF and ATLAS are both defunct groups now. ATLAS hasn't been active for years and the SRF are gone with the latest human arc IIRC. That only really leaves us with the Lii'dra unless there's another group that'd fit the bill that I'm forgetting. I do think something needs to be done with them, but the Vaurca team has given their reasons for not touching them in the past and I can empathise with them. I believe the consensus is that a retcon needs to take place with the Lii'dra invasion before we continue with any new lore regarding the hive. In general I'd say "evil" groups are fine, but aiming for something more morally grey is better. I'd personally rather have something like the Republic of Biesel's Mictlan/Samaritan arc than read about what the Solarian Restoration Front got up to.

As it stands I don't think it's a massive issue, and giving Skrell access to Sol Common is the only time I've witnessed it being an issue. If head devs/maintainers could shoot down anything related to their side of the server (say, adding new alien items to the loadout) then I'd be more invested in drafting policies, but in the end the Sol Common issue is related to languages which are head dev domain. That discussion is still ongoing as far as I'm aware, and I don't know about the special gloves issue so I can't comment on that one specifically. We have a few channels in the staffcord dedicated to cross-team communication, and admins have access to all channels, so communication isn't really the problem. Devs, moderation, and the lore team all coordinate fairly well when we've had to. With languages specifically, it seems like the policy is old (and not really even enforced properly) so it should be looked at again with everyone's views and the current state of languages being taken into consideration.

Discussed this a bit with Lucaken in DMs because some of the reasoning behind it is personal. Either way what's been said is something I agree with and I'll be keeping it in mind.

Hi, thanks for applying. I will be denying this app because it's very apparent that you haven't read Skrell lore as it is today. There is very little in the way of Skrell lore mentioned in the character's backstory, and what is there is either referencing old lore or just incorrect. Their name is not in line with what we consider a Skrell name, and the ages provided do not align with Skrell ages as they're written down. The fact that you've mentioned virology and NanoTrasen leads me to believe you haven't updated yourself on the server's setting as a whole either. I suggest starting from the beginning and reading up on the lore we've written since you played nearly 10 years ago. A lot has changed and there's little if anything of what existed back then still in our lore. You'll be able to reapply in three days.

Weapon Shipment Found On Marauder Vessel; Possible Independent Traverser Movement Involvement Suspected Translated to Tau Ceti Basic The Qukala has reported that a large shipment of weapons has been seized following the detainment of a Marauder-linked vessel within the Q'elpi region of the Traverse. The vessel and crew were detained following a failure to follow proper procedure as the Qukala was inspecting their cargo hold for contraband. The vessel was highlighted for investigation by local Kala officers due to its poor maintenance and the lack of modern systems typically installed on civilian vessels. While older models do still see service in the Traverse, they are also known to be heavily utilised by Marauder groups throughout Federation space. Lack of maintenance led attending Kala to believe it was a Marauder ship. Following a deeper inspection of the vessel, a hidden compartment was revealed which contained crates of small arms and other contraband. The weapons have been described as advanced weapons of a calibre not available to civilians within the Federation in the full public report of the incident, which the Grand Council has referred to as troubling. The seized weapons reveal not only that Marauder groups have access to military hardware, but that these crates were likely intended for a buyer within the Federation itself due to how they were stored. Since the location of the vessel was relatively close to the Marauder Systems, the Federation’s leading authorities have declared a strong likelihood of the Independent Traverser Movement being involved in arms trafficking. Where these weapons originated from is still unknown, but it is likely that the lawless nature of the Human Wildlands had allowed rogue parties to salvage and sell military weapons from former Solarian Alliance installations. The Grand Council has reassured citizens that rumours of these weapons originating from the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate directly are "completely unfounded": The crew of the vessel have been detained and are currently being questioned. The Grand Council has stated its intention to ensure the investigation is given top priority. Qukala and Nlomkala deployed to the Marauder Systems have announced a "renewed effort" to crack down on dissident activity within the region to pre-empt a possible insurgency. Until now, the conflict in the Marauder Systems has shown no signs of escalating into open violence; making the discovery of these weapons a surprise to many. Dissident leaders who routinely speak on behalf of the Independent Traverser Movement have made no comment on the incident; which has incensed citizens online as they demand answers. The discovery of the weapon shipment is seen by many to be a sign of impending violence- resulting in many Skrell in the Marauder Systems lodging requests to leave the system. Whether these requests will be granted is unknown at this time.

I already gave my input in the staffcord about this. It'll be worthwhile so that players can have some experience with ship-to-ship combat before any proper events that could have real consequences occur.

I like Biesel and I've got plans to include it in a future Skrell arc. Other than that though I don't have any real plans in place for Biesel in particular, but I do have some vague ideas that would build off of things that are still in development or are in progress right now. Emphasising the see-saw relationship between Biesel and the megacorporations that back it is something I'd like to see in particular. I realise that for this it's a hobby for most people, so I'm probably more lenient than I should be. I do hound my deputies and other members of the team when I need their input on something, but I try my best to keep the fact that everyone's got their own lives in mind. The way I've done it has worked with the Skrell team so far but I think I'll probably have to take a stronger stance if I got the position. It's not something I'm looking forward to having to do but yes, I believe I've got the ability to be more strict when it comes to timeframes and project contributions. The same for firing someone. I touched on this a bit in question 1, but I see Biesel as having more of a "see-saw" relationship with the SCC where it makes concessions to the megacorporations that have backed it since its founding, but still attempts to be a legitimate government. How Biesel balances being a government and having to give its backers what they want should be explored more in its lore. How megacorporations will interact with the Nralakk Federation is something that I've kept in mind for a while and the end of this current Skrell lore arc will hopefully give us opportunities to develop that relationship further. I like to keep my ideas broad until I know something is viable, and I'd need to talk to Cael and the rest of the lore team before anything is fleshed out for elsewhere in the setting, so I don't have anything specific in mind outside of general thoughts and questions about how the SCC would try and expand its reach. I think that generally speaking, megacorporations/the SCC should have massive influence in the setting, but they should by no means be monolithic or have the pull to create a corporate dystopia everywhere they operate. We have the Eridani Corporate Federation for that theme, which I think is enough. Outside of that it should range from "heavily influenced by the SCC through backing and investment" to "wholly opposed to the SCC operating within its borders", with the latter being rare since we play on a megacorporate vessel and we should be able to interact with at least a majority of the setting. I don't think "corporate puppet" is a particularly interesting theme outside of one or two instances, and we already have those examples in the ECF (corporate-controlled) and Republic of Biesel (corporate-backed).

Trio's been great to work with, I don't see an issue with them in the position.

Don't you come to my app and try to steal my jokes. My attitude can be abrasive if I get annoyed. I've gotten better since joining the team but I've even mentioned this to Cael in the past and it is something I'm aware of. My mental health isn't the best either but it's not been an issue while I've been on the team. It usually results in a few weeks of no productivity followed by a massive surge in productivity. The only time I can think of it negatively impacting my output in a major way would be last Christmas while I was trying to write the current Skrell article arc. Considering that it was the holidays though I doubt I would have gotten much more done. Internal and external conflict are equally important here. I think we've discussed internal conflict between the different corporations a bit on discord already, and your own concern over the SCC being "NanoTrasen plus others" is one shared by everyone else. I don't want to ignore that aspect but I do think that making it more apparent that the SCC doesn't have control over the entire Spur is important. That said, yes, I'd like to run arcs related to internal conflict within the SCC if the opportunity comes up. Preferably events where the Horizon is used as a "battleground" for this internal strife. I plan on keeping my position on the Skrell team. Not only do I enjoy working on Skrell lore, but considering the lack of interest for the writer position when Ryver stepped down and the deputy position when I got promoted, I'd be concerned about the team being short (pun not intended).

Ckey/BYOND Username: WhatsUpBrotendo Position Being Applied For: Deputy Loremaster Have you read the Lore Team Rules and Regulations wiki page? Yes Past Experiences/Knowledge: Skrell Lore Deputy from 2021 to 2022. Currently the Skrell Lore Writer. Examples of Past Work: Most Skrell lore that's been added or updated since 2021 has had my contribution in some form. I've also recently contributed to the Skrell side of the Ouerea rewrite. https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Special:Contributions/WhatsUpBrotendo 1. Do you have any experience managing a Team? The duties of a Deputy Loremaster often revolve around being a Project Lead, not necessarily just writing. I manage the Skrell team currently. Outside of Aurora, I work with service users and colleagues as a team when working on projects, which sometimes includes taking on a leadership role. 2. In a brief summary, explain the direction you'd wish to see the Lore Team take in regards to AuroraLore. Continuing the development of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and its place in the setting. I'd like to see the nations of the Spur have more "teeth" as it were and be more of an obstacle than they already are that the SCC has to contend with. I wouldn't want to see an end to the Phoron scarcity and its impact on the setting anytime soon, but at some point I'd like to see more attempts at addressing the crisis as well as this part of the setting being continuously and actively developed. 3. If you were selected, what do you believe should be changed about how the Lore Team operates? For the most part I've enjoyed my time on the lore team. I'm not going to give a cop-out answer and say "nothing", but I think the team is doing what it can to address issues brought up the last time the deputy loremaster apps were opened. We haven't addressed those issues completely, so I do think that those points from last time are still valid. Personally, I think we should continue to prioritise teamwide projects (such as megacorporations or setting-wide lore additions like the technology or economics pages) and encourage everyone to contribute where they can. Making sure those projects are published in a reasonable timeframe is also something that should be worked on. Additional Comments:

Denied on applicants' request. You can reapply whenever you're ready.

ITM Seize Cities; Local Government and Kala Forced to Relocate Translated to Tau Ceti Basic In response to an alleged lack of progress in enacting reforms to address their manifesto, the subversive Independent Traverse Movement has begun to seize regions on several planets within the Marauder Systems. Dissident groups, numbering from hundreds to thousands depending on location, reportedly marched as one, forcing the outnumbered Kala officers to fall back in most cases. Until now, the number of dissidents displayed here was not seen in ITM groups, and the Kala already stationed on the affected planets were too few in number to repel them. Local government officials and Kala detachments have been forced out of government buildings, city centres, spaceports, and other planetary infrastructure considered vital to day-to-day operations as a result. The Nlomkala and Qukala have already begun to reorganise in response to the development, setting up temporary facilities and cutting off these ITM strongholds from the wider regions on each planet. Reinforcements are making their way to the beleaguered troops already stationed planetside. Access to power and water supplies has been shut off completely where possible, with failsafes and other design features making it more difficult in some cases. Nlom relays have been a concern in particular for the government, and while there were attempts to take these facilities, security forces along with Kala intervention made them unsuccessful. The actions of the Kala and Xomor security officers have been praised by the Grand Council, and have ensured that these planets still have a secure connection to the wider Federation's Wake. Representatives of the Independent Traverse Movement have explained their actions as a "proactive response to a lack of cooperation by the Federation", stating that they have "experienced little communication" on the topic of additional reforms. State officials have been quick to respond, reiterating previous comments (see: Independent Traverse Movement Angered Over "Lack of Progress" on Reforms"), and chastising the movement for deteriorating the situation. While unavailable for comment at this time, the Grand Council has expressed regret that a peaceful resolution could not be found, and that options on how to proceed are already being discussed.

[ACCEPTED]

Independent Traverser Movement Angered Over "Lack of Progress" on Reforms Translated to Tau Ceti Basic Representatives of the Independent Traverser Movement have once again publicly come forward against the Federation over the perceived "lack of progress" made on enacting reforms in response to the movement's aims. Members of the anti-Federation “Independent Traverser Movement” have been quick to decry the Grand Council's progress as "needlessly slow", while at the same time noting the reforms that have passed so far are "ineffective half-measures". The call for more radical reforms is believed to have been made by the more extremist factions within the movement, showcasing the fractured nature of the organisation and the lack of cohesion within its ranks. In comparison, prominent Idols within the Federation have praised the reforms as "commendable", noting the positive changes these reforms have already introduced. The reforms in question introduce new policies such as changing the legal status of tertiary numericals, where more rights are afforded to the class if the individual is considered to be "in good standing". The calculation of quotas and how the Grand Council will organise a response to crises in the Traverse have also changed with the reforms, aimed to directly address the problems observed during the Phoron Crisis and the impact it has had on the Federation. Councillor Jrugl issued a statement regarding the Independent Traverser Movement's negative response to the progress made so far: It is currently unknown how the Independent Traverser Movement will react to the statement, but it has already been reported that high-profile members of the organisation are "aggravated" by the situation. Citizens have expressed confusion at the impatience of the Independent Traverser Movement, especially considering the unprecedented speed that the current set of reforms was enacted. Government officials have given their own thoughts on the behaviour, believing that it is an extension of the "generally thoughtless behaviour of certain individuals".

Hi, thanks for applying. I have a few things to point out in the app itself. You focused mostly on Skrell humour here and started to touch on psionics in the second paragraph. Could you expand more on some of the differences between roleplaying a Skrell vs roleplaying a Human? This feels excessive. You didn't need to write so vividly about a child getting eaten by a fog crawler. Marauders aren't known for killing. Most Skrell in general will try and avoid killing one another post-Glorsh since the species is largely infertile, on top of the already existing views on violence. Rehabilitation centres are specifically for Skrell who show anti-Federation sentiment. They're not mental health facilities, they're places where Skrell go to get indoctrinated. Reading through the backstory I'm seeing a few traits that would be considered deductive or otherwise work against them when it comes to social credit score (lack of higher education, the fact they're a listener, etc), and 6.2 is on the upper end of the secondary band. What was their score previously, and how did they attain that? I also have some follow-up questions regarding your character's backstory: Do they follow anything else other than Suur'ka? How do they feel about non-Skrell in the Federation? Specifically C'thur and Diona How do they feel about non-Skrell in general? What are their thoughts on the Federation? How do they feel about Skrell born outside the Federation? How do they feel about Humanity and the Megacorporations? Specifically Zeng-Hu and their activities on Tattuqig, but also in general.

Kal'Qi Weibii Speaks on Independent Traverser Movement Translated to Tau Ceti Basic Kal'Qi Weibii, one of the nominees for Grand Councillor during the 2463 elections and now the de facto leader of the Lyukal, has publicly given their support for the Independent Traverser Movement. Since their exodus to the Republic of Biesel, taking their supporters as well as other subversive elements in the Traverse, Weibii has established themselves as a prominent anti-Federation figure abroad. Their activities until recently have largely focused on the Starlight Zone and the displaced Skrell who inhabit it. However, they have now publicly announced their support for the Independent Traverser Movement and its goals. Since the formation of the Independent Traverser Movement, Kal'Qi Weibii has attempted to gather support for the movement abroad, using their status as leader of the Starlight Zone to promote anti-Federation rhetoric to the public. Their speeches have also allegedly called on the human governments of the Spur to support the cause of the Independent Traverser Movement, with Biesel being a notable target due to the nation's history with the Solarian Alliance and its still newly-found independence. These calls for action have so far received no official statement by politicians within the Republic of Biesel. (Editor's note: due to their inflammatory nature, the Warble Enquirer has elected not to publish Weibii's speeches). While the Republic has officially ignored these calls to action, it is believed that Weibii has found success in the average Biesellite citizen. Through the embellishment or omission of facts in their propaganda, a growing number of non-Skrell have shown positive support for the ITM. Representatives to the Republic of Biesel have been attempting to rebuke Weibii's claims, but so far have reported little success: A representative of the Grand Council responded to non-Skrell support of the Traverser movement, saying the following:

First Round of Reforms Announced as Jrugl Responds to Independent Traverser Movement Translated to Tau Ceti Basic The Grand Council has announced its first round of proposed reforms that aim to address the rise of the Independent Traverser Movement. The dissident organisation acting as a united front against the Federation and what the movement perceives as "exploitation" of the outer systems. Grand Councillor Jrugl, along with Advisor Ormish Jrolk and other prominent members of the Grand Council announced the initial reforms earlier today in Kal'lo: While these reforms do not address every issue raised by the Independent Traverser Movement, the Grand Council reiterated that this is only the first of many actions that will be taken to address the "legitimate concerns brought forward". The current round of reforms focuses on the following: Codified protections for Tertiary numericals within the Social Credit System, including guaranteed access to basic services and housing for those that show improvement, along with anti-discrimination clauses focusing on access to career and educational advancement. Amendments to current policy regarding economic planning and quotas. These amendments will focus on broadening factors that the Federation will consider while establishing production quotas throughout the Federation similar to what has been seen as a result of the Phoron Crisis. A "Committee for Traverse Well-Being" will be formed from members within the Grand Council, its sole focus being the coordination of efforts to respond to crises throughout the Traverse. Initial reactions of known Independent Traverser Movement members appear to be mixed, but relatively positive; representatives of the movement have described the proposed reforms as "promising". Whether this means the movement will peacefully halt its activities in the Traverse remains to be seen.