[Accepted] Tailson's Dionae Application

[Tailson]

BYOND Key: Tailson

Character Names: Rex Winters, Kere'Selsh Qorina, Geraldine Schofield (Jay), Harmony, Brunton, ASSIST PocketBuddy 2.0, Margaret Stainforth.

Species you are applying to play: Dionae

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: Nil

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes.

Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph format. One paragraph minimum per question.

Why do you wish to play this specific race: I have always been a big fan of bizarre, eldritch and unusual races in games, movies and other media. The dionaea, to me, scratch that itch that I get when it comes to the truly bizarre, scary looking things. I've always considered interacting with a twisted, entangled mess of plant fibres to be an interesting concept in Aurora, and would like to be on the other end of that conversation. I've enjoyed my brief forays into playing diona (nymphs are good) so I'd like to take that forward with a full character.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Maybe with one exception, the dionaea are the epitome of Aurora weird chic. Not just the alien appearance, but the alien psyche is interesting. The slow movements and decisions I can easily see being a result of the internal council meeting analogue that dictates a cyclops' decision making process.

Character Name: Moulded by Low Expectations

Please provide a short backstory for this character
The skrell making initial contact with the humans was a huge event, celebrated by all involved. Moulded by Low Expectations, at that point in time taking the moniker Envisioning a Bright Future, was among those excited (as much as they could be) at what this contact could mean. One of the first in line to be transferred to work with these new and curious creatures (as soon as it was possible), Envisioning entered human space as a genuinely enamoured cyclops with dreams of learning about their new neighbours. Similarly, the humans, while wary, were eager to learn more about these new visitors.

And, as things usually go, the media circus moved on, the newsreels focused on which celebrity was doing which other celebrity, and everything settled back into the humdrum of daily life. While the speeches and the interviews continued among the ambassadors and the higher ups, life must go on. And so it was, as Envisioning was initially happy to be included in the humdrum of human life. The first year passed, and our cyclops is still working the same job. Happily dealing with the tasks given to it, eager to learn about their companions. But, eventually, the next year went by. And the next. And the next.

And so, 22 years after contact, Envisioning a Bright Future and the minds that made it what it was, decided the name no longer fit.

Moulded by Low Expectations decided it was time to move on. Just anything to break the monotony of working as a window cleaner in an office building.

What do you like about this character? Dionae are meant to be a product of their environment, and I am excited to explore the idea of a dionae who has been around depressed middle managers, downtrodden pen-pushers, and sycophantic yes-men for decades. A sarcastic mass of tendrils that feels older than its years despite having a lifespan that extends into infinity.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? 8/10? I want to think I do well.

Notes: This idea came to me in a fever dream.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Neinbox
Application accepted.

[Komotez]

Backstory is hilariously tragic, in a good way. +1

[Doxxmedearly]

I can't speak to the story, but Tailson's one of the RPers I look up to as a role model, both IC and OOC. He's a delightful lad who puts effort into the things he does, engages players new and old, and is familiar with the lore. I don't think there's anyone here who doesn't know and appreciate Harmony. He'll be an excellent example to any other player with an interest in the species. Hearty +1

[Neinbox]

@Tailson, hi there! Sorry for the wait. I saw your app a while ago and honestly, I loved it. But it was within the first day that you posted, and I decided to let it sit a little to let people comment on your app.

You got all the main things down to a T, and I gotta say, the backstory is a treat. It's honestly something that's so mediocre that it hurts- people always make their characters something fantastical and unique, something that has to stand out. But you headed in the exact opposite direction, making something, rather, someone, that a lot of people can relate too. I've seen a lot of complaints that a lot of players couldn't understand how to handle interacting with them, simply because they were a little too alien. But, they didn't realize that they in fact can be something understandable, something relatable. You've more or less set them up to be an ambassador for the species in a way.

Moving on, there's something missing here, which is what this character is about. Most Dionae have a passion in life, something that interests them until they learn all they can from it. Your Dionae had an interest in the discovery of new life- at least socially, not scientifically- but now that their discovery had let them down hard enough to make them change their name, what's the next page in their chapter? Are they simply meandering until they find themselves a new passion, or do they already have one?

[Tailson]

Hi @Neinbox! Thanks for responding. I had a lot of fun writing this character and coming up with the concept, which genuinely did start with a name brainstorming session and the implications of Moulded by low Expectations just spoke to me.

I had planned to play Moulded as a defeated specimen. Just 100% done with the humans they are now stuck with. Whatever passion for learning and socialising with these creatures died along with the eighth office plant next to the receptionist's desk she couldn't, or wouldn't, care for. Maybe in the future they find people that they can enjoy being around, maybe they rekindle their desire to actually learn about humanity again.

But really, that long in a toxic office environment has ruined them. Let's say that it's unlikely they revert back to that bubbly collection of inquisitive minds ever again.

[Neinbox]

5 hours ago, Tailson said:

Hi @Neinbox! Thanks for responding. I had a lot of fun writing this character and coming up with the concept, which genuinely did start with a name brainstorming session and the implications of Moulded by low Expectations just spoke to me.

I had planned to play Moulded as a defeated specimen. Just 100% done with the humans they are now stuck with. Whatever passion for learning and socialising with these creatures died along with the eighth office plant next to the receptionist's desk she couldn't, or wouldn't, care for. Maybe in the future they find people that they can enjoy being around, maybe they rekindle their desire to actually learn about humanity again.

But really, that long in a toxic office environment has ruined them. Let's say that it's unlikely they revert back to that bubbly collection of inquisitive minds ever again.

So basically this is a Dionae that has lost it's inspiration and natural curiosity due to having it's hopes and drams utterly crushed? It's more or less in every sense of the word, depressed?

[Tailson]

10 hours ago, Neinbox said:

So basically this is a Dionae that has lost it's inspiration and natural curiosity due to having it's hopes and drams utterly crushed? It's more or less in every sense of the word, depressed?

Depressed is the closest term I think, maybe? Maybe not depressed, but just given up. They're not about to start moping and sulking, but they don't expect anything worthwhile to come out of interacting with humans any longer. Yet they still stick around? Maybe out of a sense of duty or a kind of stubbornness that prevents them from going back.

[Neinbox]

If a Dionae has moved on from it's last interest, it usually looks for something else to fufil it's drive of curiosity. So the fact that they have given up means that they would move on as that's sort of the species, they're wandering nomads. What would be keeping them there? Their duty is non-existent as they've lost hope on humanity as you say, so what are they being stubborn about?

[Tailson]

I think maybe a part of them still believes that they haven't wasted time and there's something new to learn. By coming to work with NT instead of where they just were, they are moving on, albeit not moving very far. Still having that curious outlook, which is part of the species as you say, but going in with extremely low expectations. The hope that it'll be different is still there, they can't shake that, they just aren't expecting a whole lot before having to move on again.

Like a last hurrah, final attempt at these humans sort of thing.

[Neinbox]

Well now that I'm back from my big busy nerd weekend event, it's time for the final decision.

This character is overall a stark contrast to most of the other Dionae who tend to keep a rather neutral outlook on life. But for a species that likes to have something new to discover, this one was sorely under-stimulated and it really impacted the poor thing to leave it feeling let down and its needs unfulfilled- otherwise known as, severe disappointment. People don't realize that Dionae can in fact have "human" experiences such as disappointment. They're somewhat of a very scientific species, and if a scientist's tests constantly fail with something they were really looking forwards to, of course they're going to become frustrated and give up but still have that lingering shred of hope. On top of your overall knowledge of the species with the guts to drive them in a direction no one else has really dared to go, I am looking forwards to see what Mould has to think about the NSS Aurora. Hopefully their expectations aren't too low.

laughtrack.mp4

 

Application Accepted.