Desven

You have my full support as you were a strong contender the last application. I'm really excited about the ideas you bring to the table, I'm a sucker for religion lore and the original Tinary faith was what made me apply for IPC in the first place. I asked NobleRow some "harder" questions last time but I'd like to hear your take on it, particularly on a point in particular: You touch some important points, but I'm mostly interested in how to not make the IPCs from a particular background feel too disconnected. IMO, if we don't allow German-descendents in planets like Eridani, IPCs (particularly, shells) shouldn't be seen as a way to bypass these behaviors. I don't think any current characters are too jarring, but there's a few that come to mind that kind of push the limits as to what is allowed from a particular background. Do you think this is a problem or am I making it too much of a fuzz?

Vaurcae Beyond the Headlines War in Heaven, Part Two: “Through a Mirror, Darkly,” Article 4 By Sandro Biernhard The past few weeks have seen a surge in Vaurca-related news, and understandably so. However, here at the Caprice Sun, we believe it’s important to look beyond the current headlines and celebrate the incredible cultural richness and innovation happening within the Vaurca community! Did you know that Vaurca artisans are at the forefront of a revolutionary new bioluminescent textile movement? Queens Scay and Athvur—luminaries in their field—have been working on a new breed of T’kuxi that produces bioluminescent silk. These vibrant fabrics, inspired by the natural luminescence of some Sedantian creatures, are turning heads (and sparking gasps!) on runways across the Spur. Imagine a dress that shimmers like moonlight or a suit that reflects your mood with subtle color shifts! Vaurca ingenuity is pushing the boundaries of fashion, and we can’t wait to see where they take it next. But innovation doesn’t stop at fashion. Vaurca engineers are renowned for their problem-solving skills and unwavering determination. Take, for instance, the recent breakthroughs in hydroponic farming techniques pioneered by the Leto brood. The advancements of k’ois production on Pid now promise to revolutionize agriculture on arid planets, potentially even Moghes! Think about a verdant oasis replacing desolate landscapes! It’s a testament to the Vaurca spirit of collaboration and their dedication to building a better future for everyone. Of course, there are challenges facing the Vaurca community, and we at the Caprice Sun remain committed to responsible journalism. However, we also believe in celebrating progress and fostering understanding. After all, true understanding transcends sensational headlines. So, let’s dive deeper into the fascinating world of Vaurca culture! In the coming weeks, we’ll be featuring interviews with Vaurca artists, musicians, and scientists. We’ll explore their unique traditions, delve into the history of the broods, and discover the wonders of Vaurca cuisine (spoiler alert: it’s not all k’ois!) Join us on this journey of discovery, and together, let’s build bridges of understanding and appreciation between the species!

Hivenet Watch Mobilizes for Vaurca Virtual Reality Operations War in Heaven, Part Two: “Through a Mirror, Darkly,” Article 3 Recent activity suggests the Hivenet Watch made an unannounced visit to Skalamar in Moghes. Leaked documents on OrionLeak, including flight manifests and itineraries, support these claims. Hivenet Watch has a controversial history of virtual reality experimentation with their documented N01-56 and N01-57 projects, which made use of pheromone trailing for espionage. Although the specific details of these projects remain classified, the implications for private communication protocols are far-reaching. Now, with their eyes seemingly focused on the K’lax, suspicions arise about a potential N01-58 initiative. OrionLeak documents, if genuine, also suggest that the Hivenet Watch is replicating their methods of pheromone trailing in Skalamar. In the leaked manifest, an item marked as “classified” meets the dimensions and criteria of a previously uncovered “connector device,” which would allow a relay to the Vaurca virtual reality. The connector device could be potentially installed in Moghes during the Hivenet Watch visit. The timing is troubling. This potential escalation coincides with the K’lax virtual reality war—a conflict covered by informational blackout. Could the Hivenet Watch be developing methods to infiltrate or even manipulate the outcome of the conflict? Truth Finder is committed to uncovering the specifics of the potential N01-58 Project and the Hivenet Watch’s involvement in the K’lax virtual war.

My Dearest Lord Han’zkar, I hope this letter finds you well. As you know, crafting the Sinta’Unathi script remains a challenge. Though for ages I have trained within the Aether to master your tongue, the art of calligraphy proves a far more elusive foe. My second thumb, more accustomed to the weight of a battle spear, often stumbles, spilling ink across the parchment like spilled blood. I have sought to write with a clean hand, but perfection eludes me. Should you find blots upon the page, I trust you will find them easily removed from your claws. When I heard your fleet was to be relocated off-planet, I grieved. I yearn for the warmth of your presence. How have I longed for the tone of your voice, each and every day since. Do you recall, my dearest friend, those stolen moments near the water mirror, where our whispers held more truth than any shouted oath of loyalty? Though the stars now separate us, know that my soul seeks yours relentlessly. While you’ve been away, my Lord, the world I knew has unraveled. The Aether I’ve spoken so much about before now echoes with the clash of virtual arms. My Queen, in a move that shakes the foundations of our history, has declared war upon the High Queen. The whispers of courtiers and strategists swirl around me, yet I confess, the intricacies of this conflict remain a shadowed maze. All I feel with certainty is a chilling dread, for no victory seems possible in this war of kin. Even here, among my brothers-in-arms, a silence has fallen. Broods eye each other with mistrust and friendships fray beneath unspoken suspicions. Yesterday, a snatch of verse floated across the mess hall. It was a defiant whisper from an unknown brother. It lingers in my mind as a grim echo of our shared unease. With apologies for any clumsy turns of phrase, I offer my translation of this strange, haunting rhyme: In Xathul’s realm, shadows convene, Where twisted forms dance, rarely seen, And minds are unmade, By horrors displayed, A warrior’s spirit, warped and keen. My brother, words falter in conveying the discord that now stains our path. Should Queen Zkaii seize victory, my brood faces ruin for this reckless defiance. Banishment from our Hegemon ranks, or worse—the final silence—may await us. Each day, I strive to mask my dread, for to show fear is to invite ruin. But with you, my dearest Lord, I need not wear such armor. You, above all others, can discern the true fragrance of my spirit. Lord Han’zkar, I trust in your understanding. Whatever may come, know that my loyalty to you remains steadfast. While duty binds me to my Queen, and one heart beats in time with her command, there is a deeper truth: for I have two hearts, and the other belongs to you, my dearest friend. I yearn for the day this bitter strife finds its end, and we may stand side by side once more. Through whatever trials may fall upon us, I take strength from your presence, my unwavering pillar. Yours forever, Za’Akaix’Sess K’lax

I have sat upon this because I asked admins around what could be done here. As Dessy said, you're required to play on the server first. The other issue is that to play a Ta you would need a command whitelist first, since Consular Officer is basically a command role. I think you have a good understanding of Vaurca lore, but you would greatly benefit from understanding the server culture and interacting with the setting first. For example, what Dessy pointed out about EE—those observations would be common knowledge if you interacted around the Horizon, but because you haven't played on the server you were unaware. I understand you really wish to play Vaurca and I appreciate just how immersed you are in lore, so I recommend you make a human Ve'ketak character first. The Ve'ketak is a Vaurca-ran private military contractor (so you can be either Medical or Security) with pan-Vaurcaesian values and an emphasis on transhumanism. That way, you can be "Vaurca-adjacent" while still getting your feet wet on Aurora and the more overarching lore. I hope this solution satisfies you and you're not discouraged from applying again soon.

Echoing what @Rabid Animal said, I think a good idea would be to nerf Security a bit. I don't want this to be a ramble about how Security is too OP or just how deadly weapons can get in general (which, in turn, make for even more violent resolutions), but I do think that if this gamemode is adopted, we need to adopt a more "diplomatic" approach. I'm not asking for the Horizon to go full TNG LARP, but we really can't expect the default missions to be violent or that will require using the whole armory. Even if there's a threat, escalating to a conflict wouldn't make sense, especially since now you'd be dealing with the possibility of a war if you just start shooting on a random planet. I think this gamemode has the potential for more engineering or research-centric rounds, and while I do agree that the "security default" won't disappear overnight, the design of many mission presets can be a turning point. As a side note, I don't agree with the complaints of "oh this might end up being stale." Every game, no matter how much freedom you have, can be stale if you don't escape the same gameplay loop. I think there's a lot of freedom here to basically turn each round into a compact minievent, but it will depend a lot on the players. I trust players to know how to work with this system and develop interesting concepts, but a few suggestions that you can start today: If a round is "boring" because there's no action, don't just stand there in silence! Roleplay, talk to others, do basically anything other than just wait for the mercs to show up at 1:58. Don't be afraid of ghost off-ship roles and how they can interact with the Horizon. I think a problem right now is sometimes trying to catch up with the ship because you can't communicate from afar, but consider joining more off-ship roles instead of just spectating and waiting for that security slot to open. It can be fun, but it needs more than one person. This is very important, in my opinion—many maps need more than one person, so maybe ask around if anybody wants to join with you on a ghost ship and do something cool once you're in. Don't shy away from quieter gimmicks. I know many times the gimmick is not the cup of tea of everyone, but I've seen people just not interact because they're waiting for a showdown to happen. This is especially true with how hyper-alert some security players can be, basically just waiting for the antags to do something wacky so they can get their valid. Overall, the server culture needs to change. While it will take a while for us to get there and have mechanics that encourage some of these changes, we can all do our part and pave the way so that when Mission Briefing is tested, it doesn't fall into the same pitfalls as our current loop.

If any place in the ship deserves to be a fluorescent hell it's the GTR. It's really, really dim. I don't agree with the ridiculously low intensity of lightbulbs in the server, but I do think this is an awful offender. It's worse when the pharmacy shutters are down, then it becomes so much darker. I'm sure we can add a light bulb to the right of the sink or something, maybe even floor lights. Whatever, I just think medical needs to be much lighter to fit what a hospital looks like.

‘Court of Queens’ in Emergency Summit; Increased Traffic in Tau Ceti War in Heaven, Part Two: “Through a Mirror, Darkly,” Article 2 During this weekend, the ‘Court of Queens’ in Caprice—a permanent conclave of Vaurcae—had an emergency meeting, increasing warp drive traffic in Tau Ceti. The meeting is suspected to be related to the ongoing diplomatic conflict between two factions of the K’lax hive—the Vaurca hive taking refuge in the Izweski Nation. The ‘Court of Queens’ seeks to solve conflicts between Vaurca groups and promotes Vaurca rights in the Orion Spur. The event is expected to bring together over 50 representatives of the various Vaurca hives. Although no Biesel representatives have been invited, the emergency summit will be monitored via the new Hivenet resonance pylon located on the planet. The length of the summit is yet to be defined. Miles Jameson—former secretary of the Vaurca Integration Department and author of the best-seller book Reading Radio Signals: The Amazing True Story of the First Contact with Vaurca and the Days that Followed—comments on this topic: “As when the Court of Queens was first established, the wave of Vaurca visitors is nothing to worry about. The transparency of their sessions is also good for the Republic. It allows the authorities to know exactly what’s going on at all times.” The ongoing K’lax conflict is considered the first of its kind. Described as a “virtual reality war,” it is a holographic competition threatening the hierarchical nature of Vaurca society. Early reports depict the struggle as a worker-led movement aiming to overthrow Zkaii, one of the rulers of the K’lax. Much information about the conflict is still unknown, and some of the underlies causes remain a mystery. While an internal matter, this diplomatic crisis raises concerns among the Zo’ra in Biesel, who fear potential repercussions and impact on Vaurca causes. For this reason, the Zo’ra consider this new summit an “essential“ affair.

Regarding smaller events, I’m gonna give my two cents: I’ve always liked tiny, low intensity stuff, but the player interest of the last Vaurca arc was so low we actually scrapped two mini events. I wish I could say that players will react with interest to tiny low impact events, but it hasn’t worked at all and it makes us at lore feel like we need higher intensity to engage with the community.

If we’re pursuing the memorial terminal idea, I think having like an “art gallery” in there would be cool. Basically drawing with crayons mechanic so you can leave some notes to your deceased friends or make a doodle commemorating them.

This can be considered a continuation of this post. However, I don't want to muse over why you are not sticking to a single character or why you might suddenly stop playing. I get these events; I know I've had characters previously pop out only a few rounds because the concept didn't stick well enough. I know some people have a full-fleshed idea and even commission character art before playing their new character. Me, personally, I come up with a concept and test it in-game before I know if I want the character or not. However, a big problem I've encountered with many people is that new characters don't get much of a chance to interact with others, leaving the players to scrap the concept altogether. This has only become much more of a problem in the Horizon. While paradoxically the setting is now open to the whole Spur, the ship itself is insular in nature—if you have a newcomer, it's hard to justify why would you even join a ship long after its maiden voyage, or how even they picked you up. Additionally, the already existing characters will already feel a sense of "camaraderie," maybe, and you're a big stranger. In my experience, I've had trouble introducing new characters because no one will interact with them. Even reintroducing older characters has been hard. I'm not one to make long-term, strong friendships with everyone, but I do expect some interaction on their part. After all, I think roleplaying is useless if nobody is interacting. My concern has been that I have literally walked into rooms full of people, and made them direct questions, just to be ignored because the clique continues too busy in their conversation. Fair, but I feel that almost everyone actively ignores my new characters or old-but-returning ones. I've pushed what I think is possible for my characters to do to beg some interaction—gone my way to ask departments for fluff stuff, tried to engage with the bartender or chef, made questions in general, got involved in whatever I can put my nose in just so I can have some interaction... it has rarely helped. I have characters like Pax that are hyper-active and really extroverted, which has helped me push this even further, but with my other character concepts that aren't as open, it's hard for me to justify just why they have to go through all of these hoops just to get some interaction. I don't think you should be punished for not talking to a new player. I don't want an official policy or anything. I also know I've been guilty of being wary of new characters in the past, particularly because I don't know if the player is in Aurora in good faith or not. You're free to even tell me this is all a me problem and I'm making it much bigger than it should. However, I want to ask you to just be a bit more welcoming with new characters. If some stranger walks in and asks you something, answer, maybe you can get some roleplay out of it! Going to cryo because nobody is willing to interact with you is the most crushing feeling in this game. And yes, I know that in real life, this also happens. You're the new kid at school, of course you'll struggle. However, I think it's largely different because in real life you often can't escape those situations. In a game, I don't want to spend 2 or 3 hours idle because nobody will talk to me. It's demoralizing and it'll ultimately make me scrap the character or even consider not playing Aurora anymore. I'm not asking you to not have your friendships and personal arcs and relationships... just try and be more welcoming with new characters so that they stick around too, perhaps they can even grow to become friends.

Letter from the Editor: Towards a Vaurca Future By Xuqliq Qu’qoq For years, I’ve watched Vaurca Equality—our non-profit for Vaurca rights in Biesel—struggle to become mainstream. While our cause has overtaken the majority of Mendell City (65% of people say they are “welcome” of Vaurcae in a 2465 survey!), reaching the rest of the planet has been hard. This Herculean task only worsens as we leave the capital. Although Luthien and New Gibson have strong Vaurca communities, discrimination is still rampant. The further we stray from Biesel, the worse the situation gets. In Mictlan, Vaurcae are still seen as wary “outsiders.” In Port Antilla, no Vaurca has ever stepped on the planet. Last year, our non-profit was invited to give a conference at a progressive Xanan University. As the Marketing Director, I was the bean counter for the whole operation. We spent four months preparing for the trip, a whole odyssey on its own. At times, it seemed that we were about to cancel the project. However, we persisted—we knew this was our one-shot at talking about Vaurca rights abroad. Despite the ever-changing spacefaring rates and the complicated logistics of transporting a Gyne to the Coalition of Colonies, we were all very excited at the possibility of this event. We dreamed about a multitude of students and faculty all interested in talking to Vaurcae for the first time in person. The end result was disappointing. We had five audience members—three were forced by their professor to attend cultural events and seemed deeply uninterested, one other person appeared to be clueless and left mid-conference, and the fifth audience member was an older gentleman who seemed mildly aware of what Vaurcae even are. In short, it was a disaster, and we all felt that our job was in vain. Nobody dared to ask any questions, and as soon as our speaker stopped talking, the room was emptied. Crushed, I took the elevator to get some fresh air. At the time, I was carrying a small backpack with my belongings and remembered I had a Zo’ra Soda K’ois Twist with me. I took out the can and prepared my tendrils for a small fizzle. As I was shielding myself from the explosion, a young kid—perhaps the son of a faculty member, no older than 11 years old—hopped on in the elevator with me. He immediately recognized the can and, in a low tone, hummed the Zo’ra Soda jingle. As far as I know, that commercial is only played in Biesellite space—the little bugger might’ve heard it on the extranet. I tried to hide my headbobbing as the kid left the elevator and I rushed to the front door: there it was! The kid might have not known a lot about Vaurcae—he might’ve not even known what a Vaurca was—but that tiny exchange had done more to raise Vaurca awareness than our conference. That same philosophy is what I want the Caprice Sun to follow: deep conversations about Vaurca rights are in vain if the people cannot connect with the small things. According to the latest statistics in our paper, our readership is comprised of mostly young people from diverse backgrounds and stories. Our articles have received clicks from all over the Orion Spur—though are still mostly read by Biesellites. What we have now is an opportunity to reach even more people by diversifying our offerings while remaining true to our core reader base. Most importantly, some formulas have been proven to work. Others, however, were not as successful. As a young news outlet, rebranding is not out of the question but expected. This is a great opportunity for us to widen our scope and achieve the Vaurca future we dream of. I’m very excited to be your new editor-in-chief and further this noble cause with you. Let’s start the conversation—spread the word about the Caprice Sun and keep the Vaurca cause alive!

Xitac: The K’lax Conflict ‘Won’t Last More than Two Weeks’ War in Heaven, Part Two: “Through a Mirror, Darkly,” Article 1 This weekend, multiple independent sources confirmed a conflict raging within the K’lax Hive, entirely confined to their “virtual reality” technology. While details remain unclear, sources speculate that forces loyal to Queen Zkaii and Queen Tupii are engaged in this unprecedented clash. The news has raised concerns within the Hegemony, prompting fears of disruptions to the vital Tret industry. K’lax Hive authorities have yet to comment on the conflict. However, in an exclusive interview with Sinta Articles, Admiral Za’Akaix’Xitac K’lax attempted to minimize the situation. “This is merely a skirmish,” he asserted. “It is untenable and won’t last more than two weeks. The K’lax Hive has more pressing concerns, and I assure you this is not an appropriate use of our resources.” (You can view the full interview, lasting 30 minutes and 20 seconds, here.) However, Admiral Xitac’s reassurances fail to satisfy the hearts and minds of Sinta across Moghes. To the general population, this “virtual reality” conflict seems to be nothing more than a waste of time. Experts in Sinta-Vaurca relations warn of political destabilization if these virtual fights continue, as they seemingly overshadow real-world priorities. The question looms: Will the K’lax virtual conflict jeopardize the Hegemony’s important Tret supply? Analysts fear that with both queens deeply engaged in “virtual reality,” Tret production could see a drastic decline of over 50%. This potential disruption poses a significant threat to the Hegemony’s economy. In addition, the shortage of K’lax Warriors, following the sudden deaths, has many deeply concerned about the state of the vassals. Analysts anxiously await a swift conclusion to the virtual conflict, hoping Admiral Xitac’s two-week estimate holds true to avoid further turmoil. Sinta Articles will continue to monitor this developing situation and provide updates as they become available. We are the number one source to all news related to the Izweski Hegemony.

Does anyone have any in-game screenshots? I'm curious.

First of all, I'd like to say that I believe your notice for a potential three-month leave should not be put into consideration for when a new synth lore writer is chosen. Our team consists of volunteers and many (including myself) have taken breaks from SS13 in the past. I think it's responsible of you to acknowledge a potential absence from the get-go, but I don't think it would be fair for that to be a point used to discredit you. However, this is only my opinion. I believe you've been a wonderful addition to the lore team and I think you have a strong potential to be the species' lore writer. I have three questions for you, next to some thoughts I've had on IPC lore. These might not be as big issues as I make them out to be, but I'd like to hear your opinion regardless. You're free to tell me my idea of all these concepts is wrong because I manage a heavily-defined species, that can sometimes be seen as one of the most limiting in game. 1. It's undoubtedly true that shells and baseline frames are the two favorite chassis by the players. In the past, people used to play Industrial or ZH mobility frame not so much for what they could offer as characters but for the metagaming bonuses. Next to some limitations on how they can be played in different departments, the presence of these frames has undoubtedly diminished. Now, long ago I asked the IPC team what was the relationship between the chassis and the posibrain, and I was given the answer that there was somewhat of a disconnect and that an IPC sees themselves not so much as their chassis, but only as their internal posi, with the chassis being how they interact with the world. At the time I didn't question this answer, but I've come to believe this is somewhat of a misstep—even if the mind-body connection is severed, surely IPCs behave and portray themselves differently because of their outer appearance. A case in point is that I rarely see a baseline act as a shell, or vice versa. One of the points you mentioned in your application is that IPCs are cool because they're a mold of freedom for you to shape however you want, but this comes with a caveat: too much freedom, instead of allowing more character concepts, ends up limiting them because there's not a clear line as into what is expected from each concept. I guess my question is: How would you make other chassis characters more engaging? Would you be open to providing "mind types" or, in general, a guideline as to how to play each subtype? Do you consider it a "problem" that the other frames have been somewhat abandoned by the playerbase? 2. Every now and then I see shell characters that have an accent tag but look nothing like the people from the planet. I won't name names here, but I've seen about three heavily played characters lately that do this. Now, I haven't interacted with them that much, but it's jarring that they can just choose to look whatever they want and be disconnected from their home culture when that wouldn't fly if they were human characters. This is even more of a "problem" to me because, while scheming through human planet pages, it's obvious the lore team has put some effort (though perhaps not as much) into providing concepts for what IPCs living in each planet would be like. Now, I know these concepts are usually general and don't provide too much of a background, but again, I don't think it makes sense for IPCs to not be influenced by the society they live in. One clear example of a background done right, in my opinion, is Eridani and the "suit" IPCs. Other species like mine (Vaurca) or Dionae have had to adapt to living and taking bits of the culture of the "home" culture and I don't think it has ended up limiting the character concepts way too much. If anything, I believe, it has defined them to justify the multiple backgrounds. My questions for this point are: Do you think those "disconnected" shell characters should be allowed? Would you be open to providing more information as to how the planetary background shapes the culture and ideals of the IPCs living in it? Would you rather just provide "general" information and let the characters be something else because you perceive IPC culture to be different? 3. As Vaurca lore writer, your ideas on how we can collaborate between both species deeply interest me. When I asked NM what they thought about Vaurca in their application, you pinged me and said we could come up with something. This is good! I didn't do that previously because, historically since I was a deputy, I found the synth team to be apathetic towards Vaurca. This is an issue we have to deal with every now and then because our species, like yours, depends so much in cooperation with other teams. I very much welcome your enthusiasm in working alongside the Vaurca team because, depending on how we take it, either both of our species are in a race for cheap labor or share the same struggles and can be seen as equals in many senses. As I told NM in their app, Vaurcae aren't really "racist" towards IPCs because for them the difference between mechanical and biological isn't that important. They see IPCs as "silicon humans" and humans as "flesh humans." I don't expect the same treatment from IPCs towards Vaurcae (it wouldn't make sense, especially because of how widespread IPCs are), but I ask you this: What do you think both of our teams could do to collaborate more? I mentioned working together in Caprice, but do you have any other ideas of planets or just places where Vaurcae and IPCs could come together? Would you be open to "sharing" an arc with the Vaurca team one day?