Rookie Eyes

BYOND key: Rookie_Eyes Discord Username: rookieeyes Character names: Most well known are Rey Zarzamora, Florina Iniguez, Lorenzo Martinez, Isaac Isaev, and Lynn Reyer How long have you been playing on Aurora? I began playing at the tail end of the Aurora pre-NBT so three years? Have you received any administrative actions? And how serious were they? I've been spoken to a few times. Off the top of my head: Once because I expressed knowledge of the nuke as an assistant on the Aurora. I was actually mistaken and had found the RD’s ability to terminate the shipbounds instead. Once because I poked holes in a gimmick as a lab assistant. I think I’ve learned not to do that since, and I hope people agree that at the very least I can be relied upon to not purposely hinder their gimmicks. Once because I did not speak up when we did a very TDMey gimmick as mercs and went along with it instead. Again - I think I’ve learned better pacing and escalation since then. The most recent during the infamous 'manslaughter' case in which it was explained to me that regulations aren't going to be 1:1 with reality, and for any canon 300 charges I need to contact admins first. My Aurora-WI shows 0 warnings for what that's worth. Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph each. What do you think the OOC purpose of a Head of Staff is, ingame? A Head of Staff should be first and foremost an enabler of RP for both their department and the crew at large. This might mean organizing something for everyone to do, it might mean enabling gimmicks for the antags, or it might mean not using your authority to hinder/stop RP! More to that last point a Head of Staff needs to understand the IC power they wield and at least not purposefully use it to ruin anyone else’s fun. Secondly a Head of Staff is a mentor for new players coming into their department. This means making sure learner roles are getting assigned teachers if not getting hands on training from yourself directly. Not just in the mechanics of the department, but also in what’s expected on the RP side of things also. It’s telling the paramedic you should try to RP injuries with your patients when time permits, making sure scientists are at least making an effort to have a project they’re working on, making sure the cadet understands you shouldn’t immediately start clicking someone down just because it makes narrative sense, and so on. What do you think the OOC responsibilities of Whitelisted players are to other players, and how would you strive to uphold them? OOCly I think WL’d players are not only the mechanics/departmental mentors as stated above to other players, but also should be the lore mentors as well. When I first started playing I remember picking up bits and pieces of Th’akh, Sk’akh, Wei’shii, Sqai’tzii, etc. as a human character - an assistant no less! I think that’s exactly the type of behavior a WL’d player should be presenting and I think WL’d players have nailed it every time. I hope to continue this trend with my character - representing their background, beliefs, and greater lore of their faction as best I can in my interactions with other characters as well as being an effective mentor to newer players. Explain how the recent events in the Spur changed your character and how they came to be employed on the SCCV Horizon. Eazhorla first took an interest in the Horizon during the events of the New Blades, Old Wounds Arc when he heard that they had landed in Kaszeres and successfully provided aid to the town there. By then he was already a relatively well-traveled Sinta, and understood the precarious, in his opinion, position Moghes was actually in compared to the rest of the Spur. The phoron scarcity having been a reality for a few years by that time as well as the takeover by Hephaestus being fresh in his memory - Eazhorla believes that if Moghes is going to prosper in the face of foreign guilds and hegemonies then they will need the knowledge and resources held by the outside world. What better place to gain that knowledge than on a flagship ostensibly getting directly involved with the Spur at large? His beliefs were only further reinforced when Aiekuzo was recalled to Moghes to seemingly very successfully begin a project to repair the wasteland. He bit back his anxiety at the thought of working for Hephaestus even more directly, and immediately put in a request with the Fighter’s Guild for a posting aboard the Horizon should one open. He would get his chance soon enough within a year being told he would be transferred to the ship’s internal security department. He wrote to his family to give them a nervous farewell as he would travel far away yet again for his work, and reassured them that he would retain his honor no matter where he may go. One day he’ll return to Darakath with the resources, knowledge, and perhaps even position he has gained and use them all to ensure that their culture has a place within this new Moghes. What roles do you plan on playing after the application is accepted? Head of Security initially though I’ve a particular interest in Corp Rep/Consular also though that’s probably much farther off. Have you familiarized yourself with the wiki pages for the command roles? Yes. Characters you intend to use for command or have created for command. Include the job they will be taking: I intend to play Eazhorla Zhdeni as a Head of Security aboard the Horizon. Do you understand your whitelist is not permanent, and may be stripped following continuous administrative action? Yes Have you linked your BYOND account to the Forums? Yes Extra notes: none.

In Eazhorla’s eyes any Sinta that has permanently fled Moghes and instead become part of a culture elsewhere is no longer a Sinta at all. That isn’t to say that he’s inherently opposed to outside ideas, but for him the end goal is to ultimately ensure his clan stays relevant. In his eyes these Unathi have instead allowed themselves to be ‘swayed’ away from their own culture. He doesn’t think of them too harshly, but instead treats them with a cold matter-of-factness from the idea that they chose their path and now they must walk it. Lastly he internally views them as a warning to himself - though he must learn of new ideas he has to remember he is a Sinta, he is a Th’akhist, and he is of Moghes. Depending on the specific group he may have further thoughts. For example, pirates, in particular those clans that fled Moghes during the Contact War, he views more scornfully than refugees. Instead of facing defeat as a warrior they fled and further dishonored their clan and ancestors. In his eyes misfortunes that befall these clans are manifestations of the Spirits’ anger with them. They believe violence is an inevitably of life, but something to be avoided given what happened to Moghes during the Contact War. In Eazhorla’s mind a warrior fights only when it is necessary, and never with the intention of destroying their enemy even if that may be the end result. Instead they think change is inevitable in the current age, and that even the traditionalist clans must agree to change if they are to survive contact with these foreign ideas. They were heavily inspired by the Torn Cities' view of the Contact War as an honorless affair. Eazhorla believes that by learning of the outside world his clan, and other clans, can ultimately thrive within it. He very much views himself as working towards betterment for his clan and the culture of Moghes. Eazhorla views it as their own duty, and that of every Sinta, to right the wrongs brought about by the honorless both within and without. To do that he believes the best path is to ensure that the honorable prosper as much as they can rather than going into direct conflict with the honorless. Eazhorla doesn’t see this conflict as himself vs honorless people, but rather as the values he cherishes against those of the outside world. It’s more a cultural fight in his mind than a martial one, and one that cannot be won in a single lifetime. Just as Moghes will not fully recover for years, possibly even centuries, so too will it take time for the spirit of Moghes to heal. That doesn't mean he doesn't experience doubt or despair at times, but ultimately he still believes what he's doing will be for the better of all Unathi one day.

BYOND Ckey: Rookie_Eyes Discord username: Rookieeyes Character names: Most well known are probably: Rey Zarzamora, Florian Iniguez, Lorenzo Martinez, Isaac Isaev, and Lynn Reyer Species you are applying to play: Unathi ------------------------------ General Whitelist Requirements What colour do you plan on making your first alien character?: Darakath Brown RGB 158, 116, 60 Have you read the lore pages for the species you wish to be whitelisted for?: 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 species?: I think that Unathi are really interesting in their interpretation of the world through the spirits of their various faiths and their attempts to protect their culture amidst technological and societal changes brought about by outside influence. Their faith is one of openness - literally believing that of course other civilizations have their own spirits! in the case of Th'akh. Their history is one of honor on the surface amidst underhanded politicking and treachery - I also admit I was really excited to see the concept of face mentioned at all in a society that values honor so much. Every Unathi, even in the modern year, has to take a stance on the Hegemony against the reality of their homeworld having been reduced to a wasteland not entirely the fault of either the Hegemon or the Traditionalist Coalition, but both! In short I love the Unathi - their reality against their sense of honor, their rapid societal change against traditionalist values, their place in the Spur as these "backwards feudalists" against the full context that they were heavily influenced by outside interference. What makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a human?: For one the idea of honor dictates an Unathi's life, and it's not necessarily one that we're familiar with. The Fisher and Healer both have honor within their roles just as much as the Warriors do. It isn't a simple idea of chivalry, but something that's ingrained into their society and philosophy. Rather than family the Unathite society is broken into clans which again have a huge impact on an individual's life - even down to the possibility that they may be cast out through no fault of their own. This is juxtaposed against Unathi abroad even as close as Ourea where the idea of democracy and what we would view as basic rights have only just now begun to take form against very serious opposition for both Not'Zar and the traditionalist clans. The idea of an individual being independent in their self is, at least on the Unathi homeworld, something entirely foreign. Even their gender is wholly unique being aptly described as "something you do rather than something you are" in direct contrast with the human idea of it - a Warrior is viewed as man, a Healer as a woman, a Fisher as a more neutral role with no direct translation, and due to their rapid modernization there are many new roles now with no direct ideas for them. Unathi explore the idea of the collective individual, bound by honor and faith, attempting to survive in the modern era and struggling to keep their sense of identity and culture amidst it. It's explored just as much in the revivalist faiths such as those preached by the Marine Messiah of Sai to the Unathite Unionist in Ourea attempting to further advance worker's rights against giants. ------------------------------ Character Application Character Name: Eazhorla Zhdeni Write a backstory for your character. This may include their origin, education, personality and how they arrived to the SCCV Horizon. Eazhorla was the third born to the second clutch of clan Zhdeni during a particularly bitter Travakh the year 2437 leading directly into the Contact War not long after. Upon the birth of himself and his brothers the Shamans divined that their lives would be filled with strife and change. This was only further confirmed when the Uezwik's Memory successfully made its maiden voyage not long after followed by King Azarak's speech. Like many of the nobles of Darakath his father was soon sent away to fight against the Hegemonic forces that rapidly encroached. His family instead arranged for tutors from the surrounding area to raise his brothers and himself. The tutors remarked that though he was prone to the common mischief of other hatchlings outside of his studies, Eazhorla was an otherwise attentive and promising student. His days were filled with the stories of his ancestors. That his ancestors could trace their line back to the rise of the Kres'ha'nor Hegemony, of the works of the Sarakus in advancing Sinta as a whole, and of the rise of the rival Izewski across the Zazalai Mountains. Though they were enemies his education was impartial - sharing both the viewpoint of the Honored Alliance and the Izweski Rebels as they were then called. Outside of his studies he was as they said - a rambunctious and energetic youth often playing with other Sinta until it devolved into fighting with other Sinta. Underneath it all emotions ran high as there was no one who had not been wronged by the events of the ongoing war. Eazhorla often wondered and asked the Shamans of his ancestors and what they must have thought of the current times much to both their approval and sorrow. Clan Zhdeni had never been a passive clan - having secured their early titles during the Kres'ha'nor Hegemony when the city of Darakath was more concept than stone they'd gone on to pour their resources into the city during the Great Endeavor of the Sarakus both within the walls and with the merchants that traveled the Vharzk Steppes. The Shamans reassured him that though his time would be filled with changes that he would not face anything more than those of his line had in their own time. Of the Most Honored he turned to Errusir to watch his path, and of his own clan Sezhuri Zhdeni - who had first brought their name to be known beyond the Vharzk plains. A warrior like himself though also a scholar of Th'akh who spread the story of his ancestors to so many outside shrines. He was taught of honor. The Contact War had changed combat to be a vicious, honorless affair and as a result Moghes was in the situation it was in now. It was only thanks to their honor that those not of Clan Azarak were spared when they bore their necks to the Izweski, but likewise it was honor that led so many to choose execution. Without honor no Sinta will spare you the time of day. More importantly you must never offend another Sinta's honor for this can only lead to bloodshed and shame for all involved. A warrior does not insult his opponent nor debase them, but treats them with honor whether in victory or defeat. Yet that was not the reality of Darakath. Refugees came in from the front, and they were met with scorn or pity - rarely with mercy. The nobles closed their homes, the watch would round them into tightly packed holding areas, the native Darakath Sinta blamed them for all their ills. Amidst it all the bombings continued - both the Hegemonic and Traditionalist forces tearing the land and people asunder in their honorless exchange. Eazhorla only watched on. What could a hatchling do? What did he know? His childhood thus became a mix of traditional teachings and modern refutations. The stark contrast of these teachings with the reality of his situation led Eazhorla further into the teachings of Th'akh - that there is a balance to all things. That just as the Zo'zyola embody all things so must life mirror their variety in its ebbs and flows. He began to view the material world with a simmering indifference born of his inability to influence it and of his loathing for what it was. By the time the contact war ended he did not loathe the Izweski though only disapproved of their actions and those of Gwarlza. He found himself wishing to withdraw from these Sinta who spoke of honor yet were so keen to shameful acts. His family were allowed to mourn his father in the traditional Th’akh manner, and though Eazhorla mourned his father as was proper. He did not feel any particular connection with the man. Most of the children his age were similar. His father to him was just the Sinta from the letters. The Shamans said it was because their spirits had never been allowed to know each other. Life for Eazhorla from that point went on in this manner - dispassionate practice of his lessons continued while beneath it all he hid a resigned disappointment in the Moghes he knew. Shortly after the fall of the city Lord Gwarlza was installed as the governor, promising to bring peace, prosperity, and restoration. Instead he brought in foreign contractors, stripped many a noble-backed guild of their belongings, and recruited honorless wretches into his personal guard and city watch. The remainder of Eazhorla’s childhood was thus spent watching the buildings theirselves be repaired while the culture of Darakath was significantly altered. No longer was Darakath influenced, protected, and shaped by the involvement of his own noble line. Now the city was sold to foreign guilds who indifferently built over the bones of the old city. They had traded their culture for renewed stonework. His aloofness only increased as the new governor continued to sell his Honor for convenience in Eazhorla's eyes. It was always expected that the youngest of the clan would set out to make their names when they came of age. Eazhorla had prepared for that eventuality - having sought the blessings of the Shamans who had given him icons of Sezhuri and Most Honored Errusir to watch him on his travels. His apprenticeship continued now guarding caravans as they traveled what had once been the Vharzk Steppes and were now contested routes. Ultimately he settled for a time in the former Kopesk States to listen to the teachings of the Dramos'krutii and seek the blessings of the Storm Heralds there for he knew his journey would take him far. He understood now that in this time of change his family would need the knowledge of the world beyond their own lands, and every free day when he was not with the caravans he went before the Storm Heralds to recite who he was, his patron ancestor, those of his family, and beseech their blessings for his travels. The years passed and he was accepted into the ranks of the Fighter's Lodge there - setting his sights on the Sailor's Protectors and continuing his faith. He wrote home often and excitedly of his plans to aid their clan. His brothers often giving teasing replies though otherwise congratulations and shares of their own journeys. His mother reminding him that though he must find his own place in the world he would always find a home with clan Zhdeni in Darakath. His time in the Sailor's Protectors would expose him to many foreign cultures ideas and possibilities. He learned to grow tolerant of the outside while keeping true to his faith as the years passed. Eventually even being sent beyond the borders of Moghesian space and into the greater Spur. How has the recent events of the Orion Spur impacted your character? Events such as the Phoron Scarcity, the Solarian Collapse or even the Invasions of Biesel for interstellar-wide affairs, while region-specific events such as the Peacekeeper Mandate, The Titan Rises or even Cold Dawn may impact your character. The leadup events to the Titan Rises led to Eazhorla not at all being surprised by the Hephaestus takeover of the Unathi Guilds as well as being one of many Unathi who viewed the economic situation as orchestrated treachery caused by Hephaestus. He remembered their name from the Ourean Rebellion and Months of Blood though he was not privy to the amount of details a native Ourean would have been. The release of the Hephaestus documents leading directly to yet a second "Ourean Rebellion" only further diminished his already low opinion of the megacorporation. That aside - Eazhorla resignedly did not voice his opinion too strongly as Hephaestus took over the guilds. He treated it as a masterful play by an outside noble clan now backed by the Hegemon himself, and with the state of Moghes from the Contact War had lost any appetite for opposition of that kind. The events of the Old Wounds, New Blades arc were bittersweet. On the one hand seeing talks opened with the Skrell only reaffirmed fears that Moghes would only continue to be sold to foreigners and aliens further exacerbated by simple misinformation in regards to Skrell by Traditionalists Unathi. Eazhorla viewed the initial demands by both sides as mere theater meant to save face before they sat down for the true negotiations. That being said - he did not loathe the aid of Skrellian scientists in potentially repairing the wasteland - viewing the exchange of nuclear weapons as behavior devoid of not only honor, but a refutation of basic decency that debased all involved. The aid provided by Spur at large was welcome. The madness of the Zazalai Mountains marched past by a Hegemonic army twice in his lifetime condemned. His family may be of Darakath, but he found himself disagreeing with Izaku's actions and even hopeful of the Hegemon's speech at the end of it all. It was also during the events of Old Wounds, New Blades that he first began to take an interest in the SCCV Horizon and their work within the Spur. Despite his family's history with the Hegemon Eazhorla, and much to his surprise a fair number of his clan as well, would have tentative approval for Hegemon Not'Zar's reclamation projects in the They Who Hath Become Lord arc. He viewed it as the Hegemon being guided by the Zo'zyola to begin the cycle of growth following the destruction of the Contact War and gave thanks to the spirits for their guidance. Though Eazhorla still does not approve of the many changes that not just Moghes, but Unathi as a whole have been going through he felt a hope for the future. He wrote to his family excitedly - just as the Shamans had predicted all those years ago their lives would be destined for strife and change, but that need not mean that it would be the end for Clan Zheni. He urged them to, not quite support the Hegemon, but to separate the man from the idea and focus on rebuilding Moghes. A healed wasteland could only benefit them after all. The appointment of Imekranes to lordship, while understandably met with skepticism by some other Sinta, was seen as a necessity by Eazhorla. He agreed with Aeikuzo that Moghes must be both for Unathi and Imekranes if they are to rebuild with their help. Some in his family warned against a desperate acceptance of outsiders though others accepted them as delivered by the spirits to aid Moghes in their time of need with Eazhorla embracing the latter. How does your character view the megacorporation they work for? Eazhorla was already an adult by the time Hephaestus began making its moves into Ourea, and while the news he received would have been both scarce and muddled he still managed to be aware of the part they played in the Months of Blood and Ourean Rebellion. By the time of the Titan Rises Arc Eazhorla already viewed Hephaestus with suspicion as not just a foreign guild concerned with trade and commerce, but an outside Hegemon with their own ideas for Unathi Society. This was only confirmed by the leaked documents of the Titan Rises Arc, and Eazhorla was not convinced by the contradicting reports that followed. Despite this he reluctantly accepted the takeover of the Unathi guilds by Hephaestus as a necessity for the good of Moghes. Despite his approval of T'zakal's appointment as Guildmaster Eazhorla still views Hephaestus with suspicion though he does not give voice to the idea nor take any action against them. Until recently this was a rather easy thing to ignore since he reported most directly to the Fighter's Lodge or whoever had leased his group. With the most recent assignment to the SCCV Horizon Eazhorla will have to more directly interact with Hephaestus for the first time in his life in some capacity - an idea that often leads to tail-stomping

+1 I'm going to largely echo what Lily posted, but the quality of the application is a massive +1. The exploration of how a culture such as rural tajara may interpret what we would understand as more mundane medical conditions today, the reference to a recent lore arc and how it looked from the eyes of a younger tajara, and the fact that I have found Kai, Andre, and Rozul to easily leave lasting impressions on my characters in the past after even a single encounter give me confidence that Venty will bring that same quality to any Tajaran character he makes. I'm already excited to see this character, or any other they decide to create, aboard the ship.

As far as interest goes I'm 100% interested in seeing some form of mechanical reinforcement for injuries that would realistically require a recovery period even assuming futuristic reinforcement. Honestly, even if you were 100% physically healed after a fight that wouldn't mean you wouldn't be more cautious of getting hurt for the simple fact that it was probably pretty traumatic (attacked by a greimorian, hivebot, shot by the antag, even just getting beaten up badly enough takes a toll psychologically on people.) I don't think there's a feasible way to represent that in-game outside of just RPing it so Cat's suggestions are probably better. My worry is that if we're going to go with "opt-in" style mechanics such as simply being less healthy post-surgery then you'd just run into the same issue of the dark-setting corpo-command member telling your injured miner/officer/etc. that it's too damned bad and to get back out there. I think if we use mechanics then the mechanics should be something that do have a hard reinforcement such as Cat's suggestions that basically tell you "You're recovering/you're seriously hurt." Things such as having difficulty standing, slower movement speed, being 'woozy' from surgery/medication, etc. I also think it could also be something that's just narratively enforced instead such as the rules for when execution is ok, or the rules regarding taking announcements at face value. Why not just tell players that you're also expected to bear in mind when you're hurt, recovering, etc. and likewise for officers under your IC command in the case of HoS/Captains? I think this could result in at the very least the rest of the ship getting more involved with violent gimmicks if not other options being explored once you realize your mall-cop team are all recovering.

TheMaskedReader really embodies this statement well in their interactions with other characters in my experience as well as what I've seen in the discord. I'm fully confident that they can be trusted in a command capacity. Big +1.

I've enjoyed interacting with Kayode and in the past Tsisana Caladius. I'm sure that the same level of thought will be put into any Tajara character Lorilili comes up with. +1

I can't add anything that cannot be said already about Ren Hartfort, but in the few rounds they were around Javier Rivera was immediately a memorable character to me as well. Not only is NM a great roleplayer, but also a good teacher to new players in medical. +1

I'm normally not a fan of "This is supposed to be a dark setting!" as an argument, but I'm in agreement with this one. If anything it makes more sense for the machines to only ever allow a 'win' of just enough to keep playing, and to even be a vector for predatory Idris loans in some form.

Eva Meier is a great character to interact with, and I trust that Ricky will deliver a good character with their tajara as well. +1

I love the idea itself, and of Mictlan getting some more lore so I'm leaving a +1 for what it's worth!

Survivalist type characters generally resonate well with me. That aside Zane Miller, Marco Bernardi, and Marcus Zhao, are in my experience enjoyable characters that can portray their themes in a grounded, and engaging way. I think that Zenta will be a well portrayed, positive addition to the characters on ship. +1

I'm confident that Dessysalta can portray this character in an interesting way. I appreciate the thought that's gone into the application, and I like the concept as well. +1

[X] - Pull the trigger.

I think Deshan Baral is a solid character, and the rounds they've interim'd they've been good about actually keeping sec in line. +1

I only really know their character Juno ICly, but they were a great character that had clear depths. I think we'll see more from Hector Gehrig, and the responses to the OOC questions on being a head of staff/white-listed player are good. +1

Not only do I like Oolong's proposed character for HoS, but I feel that they are making an effort to be involved in the community beyond just RPing that character. I also liked their take on what's expected of a head of staff, and whitelisted player, here. +1

Eliza Trin, and Broadsword, are both some of my favorite characters to see on shift, and I'm sure Noble will keep that quality playing a Tajaran. +1

I agree that combat should feel more dangerous, and punishing; however, I don't think the answer is to make it more immediately lethal. I don't think it's fun for anyone to get clicked into a twenty minute wait, clicked into lying-on-a-surgery-table-for-the-rest-of-the-round-RP, or to have other types of RP interrupted by trigger happy antags/security. I'd be more in favor of what Oolong suggested, or something similar.

I've RP'd the most with Kira Vasquez out of Dessy's other characters, and I enjoyed their character! I also like the concept they've put forward. +1

[x] - Keep talking. He'll say something you like sooner or later.

Broadsword has been a solid XO who goes out of his way to interact with the crew beyond just the duties of the role. I also really enjoyed Eliza Trin on the shifts they've been around. +1

[x] - Tilt your head back and try to keep it together. You're with friends.

Nothing positive has been said about Ren Hartfort that hasn't been said already. There were at least two rounds recently where NM_'s CMO, Lucius Volvalaad, was the acting captain, and was directing security just as effectively as an HoS would in my opinion. They kept contact with us, made sure we were informed and coordinating, and still oversaw their own department. Easy +1 from me.

When I first began playing on Aurora Sevastian Yevgeniy was one of the first characters I met ICly, and immediately made a good impression. That stayed consistent on every round I played with them as well as Amadi Nnamani, and Erik Valbrandsson. I recall that it was a deadpop round, and we ended up 'cleaning' weapons in the armory as my cadet. Gladiator not only went over this ICly as Sevastian, but went out of their way to answer any LOOC questions I had about how the mechanics would apply to this. Likewise the first time meeting Nnamani I think they delivered really well on the whole 'devil in a suit and tie' character, or at least that's the vibe I got. I think they're a very capable roleplayer, a welcoming player OOCly, and would be a good addition to command for these reasons. +1