Zel's Vat Grown Guppy

[Zelmana]

BYOND Key: zelmana
Actively Played Character Names:
Sean Brianne, The Bureaucratic Commander

Lucy Makarova, Aspiring Warden to Be (Officer)

Arnar Glint, Slobbish Janitor

Cerebel, Analytical Psychologist

Fridge Zalack, Trinary Priest

Species you are applying to play: Skrell
What color do you plan on making your first alien character: A darker, muter color. Perhaps a purplish color. My character's muted splotches and darker color is a result of their Axiori heritage.

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


Why do you wish to play this specific race: 

I'd like to play the Skrell species due to their alien playstyle (duh). They offer a sense of exotic wonder and strangeness to the other players within the round. When a player sees a rarer species, such as a Skrell or a Dionae, they may be intrigued to learn more about the culture, lore, and individual character aspects. As a player, I've always been intrigued about the Skrell, especially their odd physiology and genetic differences since the incident with AI. Segueing from this, their prominence in their studies and advanced technology make them an interesting species to play and interact with. The societal and historical issues surrounding AI, the Dionae, and now interactions with humans and their AI endeavor are interests of mine. Other perks include their intelligence, the uniqueness of The Dream / Srom, and their superior technology and psionic abilities.I'd like to create this Skrell to part ways from some of the more typical Skrell that you find within the science and research areas, and focus on something that is more security oriented.  During the multiple conflicts that occur on station, having this Jargon influenced security member could provide means of influence and intelligence back to the federation.

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

I believe that I addressed some of this on my "why I am interested", because I am interested due to the fact that they are so different.

What makes playing a Skrell different than playing a human in terms of roleplay is many things. The most obvious thing being that their are physically different. A roleplayer must take into consideration the physical aspects of a Skrell. The shorter stature, translucent and sometimes slimy skin, and odd tentacles. If you roleplay a Skrell, I believe it is important to include the physical differences into the character. Otherwise, they may be not utilized effectively. Similarly, utilizing the mechanics surrounding the telepathic and dream like state of the Skrell should be considered. Careful not to abuse it, but yet make it used in a way that adds to the flavor of roleplaying with a Skrell.
Additionally, one should of course consider the lore differences of playing a Skrell. The foreign and alien-like culture should be explored by anyone playing a Skrell. Without a sense of alien-ness, specifically; lacking the capability of showing emotive expressions as well as different dietary and physical needs, as well as reserved-ness of the Skrells. Without proper roleplay of a Skrell, a standard aged Skrell might appear as "too human".

What I mean by this is that without proper distinctions on how you roleplay a human and how you roleplay a Skrell, you would be roleplaying as something that simply "looks" like a Skrell. There are definitive behavorial and physical differences that should be taken into account when roleplaying any different species.

Character Name: Lu'xivol Vulun (Abyssal Tears Hidden)
Please provide a short backstory for this character (Approximately two paragraphs)

"Lu'xivol Vulun", they muttered. That is what we shall call you. Lu'xivol's eyes watered, staining the skin surrounding their eyesockets. Though, it was hard to tell as the staining left was only a few shades darker than the purple hue of their skin. Spawning from two Axiori Qu'poxii, Lu'xivol's skin was like that of their kin around Gia'lok and Xy'laxi. Often spending most of their time diving into the deep oceans with their kin, Lu'xivol began to listen. Here, in the deep, they were able to focus. As they continued this meditative listening, they began to feel more and more attuned to the Wake. It began to influence their thoughts and actions. Like many of those around the oceans, Lu'xivol took an interest in marine biology. Their first degree was spent largely analyzing various aquatic life, which they were very successful at. 

Eventually, their career as a biologist was heightened to a new plateau. A new position, degree, and career caught their attention. A xenobiology position had opened on Xrim, attempting to document and understand the wildlife. Lu'xivol immediately took the offer, and shipped off to Xrim to join one of the xenobiology centers. "This is where idols are made." They thought to themselves. They toiled at their work here, diligent to discover the next great advancement, or document the highest number of species. One day, when out on an expedition into the forest, the group came across one of the many domed structures, not unlike the one they inhabited. This one was clearly different- it had not yet been documented. Lu'xivol and the team entered, seeing for themselves the damage left behind. Skrell bodies lay in their chairs, or scattered around the common areas, dry as a husk. Burn marks pocked each of the dead, indicative of hostile synthetics. Lu'xivol's eyes watered. They knew the horrors of the incident, the grave-cities to, but to see it first hand? Skrell dead by their own creations.

After returning, Lu'xivol found it hard to focus. They stopped receiving. One day, they were confronted. A more talented scientist approached them, asking why they were so distraught. Lu'xivol attempted to explain, but the veteran scientist accused them of slacking. The scientist proclaimed, "You are just like your kin, Lu'xivol, too blinded by your tears to realize the importance of your work." This hit a cord within Lu'xivol, and they quietly considered resigning from the position.

Sei'lok, their Qu'kaxx- Lu'xivol's most treasured and trustworthy friend on Xrim, approached them. Lu'xivol had shared their pain with Sei'lok, and they understood. They had an idea, why not join the security forces on Xrim? Sei'lok suggested that they would be a natural, as their dark skin is often a well-liked attribute for recruiters. Lu'xivol agreed, deciding that their time in xenobiology had been fulfilled. Upon leaving the xenobiology profession, and during their training to join the JFSF's Xrim protection division, they began to feel at peace once more. They felt at home, that this decision was right. They worked within small squads entering abandoned dome-cities. Their primary directives were often to retrieve vital research data, but often they ran into complications from the volatile wildlife or the synthetic danger ever looming behind every corner. Utilizing both stealth, telepathic coordination, and advanced rifles, they were quick to complete their goals. Despite their success, Lu'xivol often reflected on the first time they saw the dead Skrell, particularly when finding the bodies of recently killed scientists.

One day, the unit they were assigned to was informed that they were to be split into individual reconnaissance and monitoring duties, and the unit was disbanded. Shipping back to the homeworld, Lu'xivol attended a year long intelligence briefing surrounding humans, specifically Solarian Alliance and megacorporate entities, Lu'xivol found themselves assigned to a simple task, reconnaissance of megacorporate research. Focusing on activities surrounding the Solarian Alliance and their expansion out of Sol. After numerous missions within Sol III and IV, Lu'xivol was moved to the NSS Aurora, and placed into a security role after a previous Skrell had moved up within the Nanotrasen Megacorp. Here, they would study and monitor the megacorporate entities, as well as be stationed for anything the Jargon Federation requires. Monitoring of the developing Stellar Corporate Conglomerate is a primary task.

What do you like about this character? 

I like Lu'xivol because they offer an injection of Jargon-influence into the otherwise megacorporate filled scenes on the Aurora. While there are certainly a population of Skrell aboard, having one that is within the security force seems a bit more rare. With certain Skrell characters, namely militaristiccharacters, moving up and out of the security force and into Captainship, I think of this moment from a JF perspective. Ideally, they would want to replace said contract and strategically place yet another Skrell in the JFSF into the position to gain influence and continue monitoring both the many megacorps as well as the recent incidents that have been occurring on station. Being that the Aurora is a hotbed of activity for all megacorporation and galactic entities, it would make sense for placement.

Playing an alien-esque character always seems like fun. I enjoy playing my IPCs because it gives me a chance to act robotic and analytical when I am in the mood for that kind of roleplay. This would allow for a alien type approach which I think will be fun. I understand that there may be concern that I will now have multiple security characters, but I do keep them very separate and their playstyles different. I am considering even retiring off on the Security Officer Lucy Makarova.

In short, me like alien, me want to play alien and make humans fascinated by my alienness.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? Good/10. I don't think people should apply for whitelists if they do not think that they are capable of roleplaying a character differently than their other characters, or in a way that is different than the other xenos.

Notes:
Feel free to contact me on Discord. Azlithgar#7207

Edited November 27, 2020 by Zelmana
Changed Entire Character Basically

[VVipEdout]

Hello! For policy reasons, Skrell lorestaff doesn't accept new Tup characters as of the Warbling arc; the only extant example is a result of grandfathering by a former maintainer. Additionally, there are several concerns that came up while reading your application:

• Federation culture and views around AI are mentioned as points you're interested in, but the application largely glosses over what they are or what they involve, both in general and toward the character.
• Age, professional/familiar/personal connections and (specially academic) accomplishments are key to the Federation worldview and major themes for any Skrell. These are also scarce; though a vatgrown by necessity approaches these themes differently, remember an application is meant as proof that you grasp the lore and its themes.
• Characters born and raised in the JF would not go by 'he/her'. The concept is considered foreign and typically associated with younger Skrell exposed to alien cultures.

We urge you to read over the wiki pages again and write another character to address these issues. Additionally, feel free to check out a particularly good example from earlier this year.

[Zelmana]

@VVipEdout
Made major changes regarding this. I was not aware of the restrictions.

I agree with your critique regarding the lack of academic accomplishments from the previous character backstory. I have made changes to better reflect a more realistic career progression.

Re: the gender thing, it was purely typing accidents. I realize they are hermaphroditic aliens. Again, I double checked any issues with this and made corrections via rewriting a majority of the backstory.

[VVipEdout]

Though the effort put onto changing aspects of the character and going over the Locations/Culture pages is appreciated, sadly the application still doesn't show a good grasp on Skrell lore to the level of being represented on-station; a lack of mention of Federation culture/parental Quya/the genophage/age/psionics, a sudden shift in career uncharacteristic of Skrell specialisation, and the general story resembling the original Tup concept too closely past a change in origins.

It's also important to mention that Xrim lore on abandoned laboratories is both under revision due to the history rework, and mentions only hostile xeno-organisms onto the present day. While a good choice for a career xenobiologist, remember that field specialisation is highly important in the Federation, and branching only occurs when a field is considered to be mastered -- typically by older, accomplished academics.

You're free to reapply in the future, and we hope to see what you come up with after reading and internalising the lore further. Feel free to use some of the very good applications we've had; specially Omicega's for a military character 'done right'.