[Accepted]KingOfThePing's "Do or Die" Tajara Application

[KingOfThePing]

BYOND Key: KingOfThePing

Character Names: Dana Zirin, Quik'Kin Zish, Ka'Akaix'Ven C'thur, Quorrdash Fraseq, [Stardust the Resomi (He will return, mark my words.)]

Species you are applying to play: Tajara

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: RGB 94, 38, 18

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: End my life, it's been so much, but 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:

Most people who know me also know that I didn't had much interest in playing anything besides humans for a long time, but people change, I am not exception to that. So I extended to other races eventually and I aimed at those with the much lore that interests me and then going from there. I'll be honest. I knew tajaran lore enough to know my way around, but didnt felt the need to play it myself. That changed recently with that one round on Adhomai, when I noticed "Hey, that's actually pretty cool.". After reading that massive shitton of lore on the wiki I now know, that there is a lot to tajaran lore and I like to explore that stuff, as seen by my currently played characters. It makes for a lot of possible character concepts and I am all into that.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human:

The first thing that comes to mind is the way more intense political landscape Tajara move in. It's much more prominent than, let's say, ATLAS and Anti-ATLAS, it is also well more fleshed out and the tensions that come with it are much more.....noticable, if you know what I mean. It brings a lot of potential tension, which is very interesting to play around. It's also interesting to be able to play relatively uneducated characters, since many, if not most Tajara just did not have access to any kind of advanced schooling institutions, which does not mean they are stupid or simple-minded. Choosing one of the sub-race is also influencing what you are capable, better and worse at. These physical differences (to each other and humans) also means they work a lot more with body language (and well, of course they speak differently in general, compared to humans).

 

Character Name: Kamkin Daminkhonov

Please provide a short backstory for this character

Born in 2434, Kamkin grew up in a relatively large village, far in the 'outback' north of Nazira, in a mountainous region near the everchanging frontlines in a conflict that seems to be raging forever now. The only reason the village did not face destruction or major damage, really was, because it was supplying valuable iron ore, and thus, steel for the war effort to whoever was currently in control to this region. And to NanoTrasen, of course. Both the ALA and PRA knew better to rather seek the mines and the surrounding village, instead of destroying it. This does not mean that Kamkin, his family and the rest of the community have not seen their fair share of fighting, that has been going on for so long now. Regularly volunteers are seeked to be drafted into a conflict Kamkin himself had no interest in joining. Of course, after the assasination of President Hadii, he, like all other Zhans, faced difficult times. He, his family and his friends needed to stick together and support each other to get through these hard times. Shortly after coming to age, not long after the death of President Hadii, his everyday life consisted of working in the mines, day after day. Not much education was available during his youth, so far out away from the cities, so manual labour was all he knew and could do. He knew he had to get through this all, somehow, hoping that all Tajara will cease the fighting and be working together, as one again, someday. He was never very religious, but sometimes quickly praying to the Snow God, before descending back down into the mine for another day of hard work underground helped. A little bit, at least. Years of manual labour hardened Kamkin, but he hated it. Even with his family here, which he cares for deeply, he knew this wasn't the life he wanted to live. But well, he didnt have any way out. He didn't want to join the military, since he didn't want to fight and die in a sensless war, becoming another body and name in a long and evergrowing list. He also couldn't just leave for the city, since he didn't know what he should do there. All options had an uncertain outcome and he was not going to take the chance, really.

 

Things changed, when NanoTrasen representatives visited the village, last year. They were inspecting the mining facilities they were recieving so much iron ore from over the time. And how fate wanted it, they were also searching for more Tajara to integrate into their work force, so they inspected many younger Tajara from the village and offered to leave this place with them and work at a somewhere else, far away from here. They promised good pay, working and living conditions (though, "good pay" is subjective, apparently, as NanoTrasen is not known for being the most generous employer). Many, including Kamkin were inclined to deny the offer, since it meant leaving their families and most friends behind, but the opportunity to earn more money, to send it to their families was, after some consideration, a trade-off, that some took. Kamkin did, too. And so he was on his way to Tau Ceti, so far away that he couldn't even try to imagine it. When he arrived at the Mendell City spaceport in District 6 he was more than just disappointed. District 6 was nothing like it was promised back on Adhomai, there was crime, the issued dorms were terribly overcrowded and all in all he was uncertain if he made the right decision. He soon was assigned, not to his suprise, to the Cargo & Supply Department of the NSS Aurora, though not as a miner, but a Cargo Technician. Apparently he was more suited to carry crates around than to excavate ore and phoron. He was alright with it, a good turn of events for him, since it meant he doesn't have to work in another mine. All this was a little over a year ago. After the first paycheck all of Kamkin's doubts were gone. He really did earn some money here. With the nearly 1300 Credits, a gigantic sum for him, he was able to buy himself a low-end apartment, eat and live alright and still send money home to his parents and community. He misses his parents but believes he made the right decision, so he will keep going, as long as it is nessecary.

What do you like about this character?

Kamkin is a simple, hard working Tajara, wanting a better life for his family and ultimatively, all Tajara as a whole. He tries to make a difference with his work, not here, but back at his home community. He is quiet, needs to warm up with others, but is ultimately very social to whoever is friends with him. His friends here in Tau Ceti are like a "replacement family", for the one who had to leave behind.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? non-existent

Notes:

I ultimately made the decision to not make the millionth M'Sai ex-military security officer, but still wanted to apply with a job I yet have to explore. This limited my possibilities and I had to improvise. I am sure there are flaws with the story, the goal was to not make it snowflakey, but believable, even if it made it a bit...boring(?) to read. I might also, of course, got something wrong from the immense amount of lore, that is dumped onto you, when wanting to make an application, again, feel free to correct me with anything that's....well....not correct.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Mofo1995

[DeadLantern]

Firstly, M'sai sec officer is an old meme now.

Secondly, I see a few problems. Yes, the village has many iron ore and that makes sense for both sides not wanting to destroy it. But that doesn't mean it wouldn't see fighting. In fact, it would be something worth fighting for. The whole village would probably turn into a battleground except for the mine bits, and even then the mines may get in the crossfire. It does not really matter if it is an improved or unimproved resource--Just that it is a resource. Any infrastructure that doesn't help with that resource is ready to be burned, and any vital infrastructure can be repaired. Maybe don't make it such a valuable place for ore, or make it in the mountains, something so it is not so advantageous to siege it.

You also state that the region is constantly switching sides. This is fine, but NT personnel would certainly not risk their lives going into some frozen hellhole that is constantly switching governments just to look at some workers. Maybe some more touching up on the contact with NT.

Regarding your notes. There are a surprising lack of flaws, and you don't need to know *all* the lore. I'm still finding new bits and pieces of the lore now. You just need the basics that apply to you, really. And I would agree with you on the boring part. It is very believable, probably happened to 50% of all Tajara living in Tau Ceti. But it's not exactly interesting, and you do not show off your character's personality too much.

You already have all this lore knowledge, do something creative with it! Maybe he was a Rock Nomad, kidnapped by the ALA to fight wars, then contacted by his previous clan to come back, but found that his whole family went to work for NT or something. I don't know. You make the story! 

[Mofo1995]

I'm planning to review this Sunday 4-7-19. If for some reason it has to wait until Monday, I will notify you.

[Mofo1995]

There's some discrepancies with this application. Mostly with how its timeline of events doesn't seem to match up with the Tajara page. It says he grew up in constant war between the ALA and PRA, and seems to refer to the assassination of Al'Mari as something that happened during the war. But if we go by the dates on the Tajara wiki main page, your character was born in peacetime, al'mari's assassination didn't happen until your character was 17, and the war broke out shortly afterwards. Once these points are addressed I will make my decision.

[KingOfThePing]

Oh, right. I see your problem. I may have worded the whole thing about his youth and how the conflict was going on "forever" now, poorly. Yes, he was born in peacetime and I am aware that the first Revolution ended with a cease fire in 2431, so three years before he was born. I will rephrase and expand the section I believe you have a problem with and what I did not worded properly, the new things are coloured in yellow, so you can compare it more easily:

 

Born in 2434, Kamkin grew up in a relatively large village, far in the 'outback' north of Nazira, in a mountainous region near today's everchanging frontlines in a conflict that seems to be raging forever now, shortly ever since the assasination of President Hadii. The only reason the village did not face destruction or major damage, really was, because it was supplying valuable iron ore, and thus, steel for the war effort to whoever was currently in control to this region. And to NanoTrasen, of course. Both the ALA and PRA knew better to rather seek the mines and the surrounding village, instead of destroying it. This does not mean that Kamkin, his family and the rest of the community have not seen their fair share of fighting, just because the village was not entirely destroyed does not seem that fierce fighting in the area around and near it didn't leave it's marks on it. Destroyed homes, it's surroundings war-torn and the already mentioned everchanging frontlines made it hard to ease your mind and come to rest. Regularly volunteers were seeked to be drafted into a conflict Kamkin himself had no interest in joining. He though the that the best way of supporting his family is to keep digging for ore. What else is there to do here anyway? He had no desire to get shot at or shooting at anyone else. All he wished for was having the days of his youth back again. Still tense from time to time, but at least without fighting and killing. Of course, after the assasination of President Hadii, he, like all other Zhans, faced difficult times. He, his family and his friends needed to stick together and support each other to get through these hard times, former friends changed sides on the street. Neighbours didn't want to talk to them anymore. He didn't understand how all Zhan's could be made responsible for the action of one Tajara, but he was sure they make it through. Somehow. Shortly after coming to age, not long after the death of President Hadii, his everyday life consisted of working in the mines and enduring the fighting, sometimes close and sometimes far away, day after day. Not much education was available during his youth, so far out away from the cities, so manual labour was all he knew and could do. Hoping that all Tajara will cease the fighting and be working together, as one again, someday, he kept going. Getting through one day at a time. He was never very religious, but sometimes quickly praying to the Snow God, before descending back down into the mine for another day of hard work underground helped. A little bit, at least. Years of manual labour hardened Kamkin, but he hated it. Even with his family here, which he cares for deeply, he knew this wasn't the life he wanted to live. But well, he didnt have any way out. He didn't want to join the military, since he didn't want to fight and die in a sensless war, becoming another body and name in a long and evergrowing list. He also couldn't just leave for the city, since he didn't know what he should do there. All options had an uncertain outcome and he was not going to take the chance, really.

 

To explain myself and clarify this, again: I was fully aware that the cease fire was still in effect during Kamkin's youth. I am sure you noticed that he is very opposed to that war. He doesn't want to have anything to do with it (another reason that helped him move away from his family, as hard as it was), so I wanted to have him experience both sides. Peaceful (as peaceful as the time between the First Revolution and the assassination of Hadii was, since things were still tense with the new government) and the bloody fighting. After reading it again today you are right - it reads differently to how I wanted and imagined it. Sometimes, when writing one thinks of the context, but forgets to make it clear for others or I thought "almost ten years of war is a long time", thus phrasing it "[...] in a conflict, that seems to be raging forever now, ...", for example. I think you know what I mean. It can be hard, sometimes, to get your point across, in a language that is not your native one. I hope my additions have cleared up what I intended to say.

[Mofo1995]

I will be making my final decision tonight when I get home from work.

[Mofo1995]

All righty, that clears it up. Application accepted.