[Accepted] Devildabeast's Vaurca Application

[FearTheBlackout]

BYOND Key: Devildabeast 

Character Names: 

+ Anita Constable

Species you are applying to play: Vaurca

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: RGB (0, 35, 115) (the color of Unbound Workers under C'thur)

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: I have! There's a lot of it, but it's worth the read.

Why do you wish to play this specific race: When I first came to Aurora, Vaurcae stuck out to me as a species I hadn't really seen before across other servers I'd played on. There's tons of variation in the way they can be played from their Type, being Bound or Unbound, what hive they come from, so on. It's almost a shame that I see them so rarely in-game, although that also benefits the experience of actually meeting them when you can! Any species with nuance is great, as it keeps things from being homogenized and allows more creative freedom in character creation, and Vaurcae fit that bill perfectly.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Vaurcae live by a series of extensive conditionings that are foreign to human society: They are born and grown according to the whim of their breeder, thrust into Virtual Reality to train in their intended purpose. Their society is hive-based, and they basically go from to start to finish serving their hive however they must. As such, there's a lot less emphasis on individual desire and unique personality than there is with a human, depending on if you are playing a Bound or Unbound, as well as adapting to the way the Vaurcae's alien biology impacts how the game must be played and emotes and flavor text written.

Character Name: Ka'Akaix'Egz C'thur

Please provide a short backstory for this character: When Egz was born into the world and given its first taste of Virtual Reality, it saw around it a great wonder in the Icthi'ktha -- and a great confusion that there could be anything that lies beyond. It entered the training of becoming a Shaper under its predominantly Preimminent hive-cell, where it was influenced by C'thur and her virtual heaven. Egz believes in authenticity of the mind and soul, a perfectly compatible trait in a eusocial society, in an attempt to follow after the words of its Queen. Its foremost mentor was Ka'Akaix'Oz C'thur, a Xakat'kl'atan who was a Preimminent herald and powerful debater, for which Egz considers itself greatly honored to have learned under.

Egz now works on the Aurora as Shaper and Chaplain. It encourages others to be honest with their purpose and destiny, and to join the collective of Preimminent believers if they are so willing. It studies other species' religions as part of its duties to better understand their spiritual mindsets and how it might better provide service to them or have them join it in its system of thought. Of course, it is glad to serve other Vaurcae as well, though it lacks patience for those of other beliefs that are not as open-minded as it is! Even so, its understanding of Pantheons and Pilot Dream Theory are perfectly adequate.

What do you like about this character? If it weren't obvious, and I hope it would be as well to anyone who knows me, I love chaplaining! Working with fictional/alien religions, though, is something I don't have a lot of experience with, and I want to see where I can take it. Because of my focus on civilian/RP roles, I would even love to try being a Vaurca Consular Officer own the line when/if I apply for that. I think Egz also has an interesting angle, both due to the brood it comes from and its intended purpose, that would be highly enjoyable to play.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? I think my roleplay is actually above-average. I've been doing it for a long time now, and I have a system for engaging others and myself creatively and in interactions. Of course, I struggle at times like anyone else, but like any other artform, inspiration is always around the corner if you look for it.

Notes: So I took a long break last year from Aurora, as well as a break from SS13 in general. It happens. Even so, I'm completely understanding if I haven't been around long enough recently to gauge accurately. I've been playing consistently every day since before the writing of this application, and I intend to keep doing so after it. Waiting a bit longer to enjoy this great species is no big deal if that's how it has to be, though!

Edited January 7, 2020 by FearTheBlackout

[BRAINOS]

i've run into mamun sadir a few times already and he's an exceptionally well-written and believable character, who makes an effort to work lore into conversation. this is a testament to this guy's ability to RP, understand lore, and fit it into a typical round. i love our vaurca friends and i fully trust this guy to add to their ongoing story.

wholehearted +1 here.

with that said, you have a different ckey and a different forum username, what handle should we address you by?

[FearTheBlackout]

Thanks much! I prefer to go by FearTheBlackout on the forums and Discord.

[DeadLantern]

I too love the chaplain role. Roleplaying alien religions is a hobby of mine.

Your character is well crafted, and I like that you have incorporated the Queen's lore and brood into your backstory. The individual backstory of each Brood is a very underrated concept and I don't see it too often.

I would like some thoughts, though. What does Egz think of the other Vaurcesian religions? From my view, they can be practiced easily in tandem. Does he believe them? Is it fake?

And what does he think of Xeno religions? Any comments on ones he finds interesting, or dumb, or actually believable?

This is all to see how the character really acts and where is logic lies.

[FearTheBlackout]

Thank you!

Egz considers Hive Pantheons to be very compatible with Preimminence; the Goddess is, or will be, the sum of everyone's parts in the universe, and the Queens, perhaps even the leaders of other alien societies on some scale, constitute larger parts in that sum. In the sense that Egz practices it especially, Preimminence seems like a very biological take on pantheism or monism, where "everybody is one".

Pilot Dream Theory is where things become more complicated: If every reality is but a simulation, how can one ever show your true colors? Where does the "real" self begin and end? Granted, Egz, like every other member of its species, has probably been dulled to the idea of Virtual Reality being "inauthentic" in any sense -- and thinking it to be bad is certainly unheard of, since it plays so heavily into their lives and culture. Therefore, Egz does not think it impossible that reality could be another simulation, and happily assists the followers of Dream Theory all the same.

Egz considers humanity's tendency toward theistic beliefs to be compatible with Vaurca doctrine; one god, and you have Preimminence realized; several, and you begin to see principles similar to Hive Pantheons. Even atheists are of interest to Egz, as their identity can be said to be centered on the lack of any gods thereof, still playing into the aforementioned theistic beliefs.

The most familiar alien religions Egz is accustomed to dealing with as a second-class citizen of the Federation are those of the Skrell. Egz considers it a curiosity, the prevailing theme that the universe should be explored and understood. Why do this when Virtual Reality provides infinite more possibilities, after all? However, Egz sees there may be merit to it, and that even the Star Keepers have a role to play in Preimminence. Weishii is of particular interest to Egz, as they are essentially ingesting hallucinogenics to "simulate" their own new reality. This may give Egz ideas to better understand, if in a rather simple way, the principle of Pilot Dream Theory.

Egz has less understanding when it comes to Tajaran and Unathi faith, but has still studied the principles of faiths like Th'akh/Sk'akh and S'rand'marr/Ma'ta'ke, which for the most part it considers compatible with its own faith and will gladly assist any follower with fitting their predestined role.

[DeadLantern]

Great responses. I happily support this app.

[JamOfBoy]

Sorry for the late reply!

In summary: Wow this is really good. Like, really good. There's 'application accepted' level, and then there's 'application should've been accepted a while ago'. I could go into detail but there are a lot of really good points about this application in general. And I might be lazy.

So with that said,

Application accepted.