Canon35's Tajara Lore Deputy Application

[canon35]

Ckey/BYOND Username: Canon35
Position Being Applied For: (Wiki Maintainer, Lore Developer, Deputy Lore developer): Tajara Deputy Lore Developer. 
Have you read the Lore Team Rules and Regulations wiki page? Yes. 
Past Experiences/Knowledge:

Besides an ill-fated time as Human Lore Dev where my biggest contribution was renaming Gutter, I do not have much experience on the staff itself. I've also assisted lore staff with minor contributions and suggestions to their own works. Outside of Aurora, most of my writing endeavors have been personal stories or journals I've kept years before.  I also assisted in trying to write out a arc for a Dark Heresy game with a friend, though we were never able to actually get into the arc. Exploration of a setting's themes or reading into its presented situations is something I've done time to time to look into it from a fresher perspective. This also helps with trying to find something interesting/unique that the text doesn't expand on, and trying to extrapolate what it could be or how it could be improved. 

Examples of Past Work:

https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Ma'ta'ke_Gods Minharrzka, the minor Goddess. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FEXnPTGMJk2oxAmwWf891qMi2wsdp-VbUlCU7Qhj1bk/edit?usp=sharing a WIP expansion idea for Vysoka. The additions to the overview, military, and clothing sections are done by myself. The rewritten cities except for Netalem are also my own contributions. Everything else has been a collaboration with Wigglesworth. 

Additional Comments:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SxS6gJHaUb-6Mf45-G9BEbkmGCNfbcm_ju4kv6qYL-0/edit?usp=sharing Writings and ideas for Tajaran Lore. 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OxIhTXOaOmEV5zXxexMH8rzlDKhVkvtMF05tvAqpqvA/edit?usp=sharing Mentioned Crevan Dynasties idea. 

I very much took a shotgun approach to the need for a writing on the application. Tajara lore is, as people like to say, arguably "done". There's sections here and there I wish to expand on, but it's difficult to look at a part and go "This needs a rewrite/retcon" or where it feels too underdeveloped. There's very little I wish to change but still plenty to work on, and many paths to take the lore as the setting continues and things change. The species seems almost perfect in its development and theming to me. It remains consistent, logical in its own way, and relevant through on station characters who can draw on a wide range of lore to flesh themselves out and talk about. That is why I wish to become a deputy for it, to contribute my own ideas and to help Tajara lore's future growth. 

[Bear]

I have to say this has hit upon one of the major areas I'd love to see developed out in Tajara lore: Culture. While there's a lot of culture present as is, I'd love to see the area developed, specifically in things such as holidays which your piece touched on.

 

All ready giving this a solid +1.

 

But I am curious, in what areas beyond holidays would you like to expand on Tajaran culture and what separates them from being the rest of the galaxy. Any ideas for customs, traditions, or general societal expectations beyond what we already have?

[canon35]

Thank you for your support. 

One other thing to look into is gestures. Similar to how Unathi have their own body language, Tajara having their own tied meanings to movements would be something I'd be interested in adding. Things such as saluting with a open palm level to your shoulder, blinking rapidly being a sign of worry, whistling being considered heavily disrespectful. Naval traditions would also be something I wish to explore. Similar to how Minharzzka was written as her followers adapting her worship to space, any naval traditions I write would be intended to be applicable to space as well. 

Traditions and customs are a harder one to think on. Writing out the species' own house and host rules would be another addition I'd like to explore. With the idea generally being that as a Tajara, one needs to respect a household head when they're visiting or staying with said person, deferring to their judgement long as they remain underneath their roof.  When you are a guest, the household head's word is ultimately absolute. This could also be adapted by tajara who view working under a megacorp offworld as being similar to this. 

Northern Ras'nrr could also use some more detail. To characterize its people beyond the devastation of the war, I'd probably write them to be a heavily urbanized and industrialized region, having a smaller rural population pre war, and generally being known for a high number of post-secondary education centers in its cities and very successful mass literacy and education campaigns spearheaded by officials who unfortunately did not survive the second revolution. Northern Ras'nrr could be a land that was once touted for its dedication to knowledge, learning, all things wiped away from the war's devastation. 

I am always interested in adding onto governmental cultures more, as time goes on and more people express interest in seeing aspects of them detailed. The issue just is the same as other parts of Tajara lore: It's hard to find sections that seem to lack detail. 
 

[niennab]

Happy to see more applicants. I am unfamiliar with your work however there’s one question I wish to ask all Tajara deputy’s applying:

There has been a lot of recent contention surrounding Tajara and issues of LGBT. Some feel deeply uncomfortable by the present lore while others don’t want to see the race lose a point of conflict. What are your opinions on the matter?

[Caelphon]

Okay, I am a staunch monarchist - so I HAVE to +1 just for the damned Crevan Dynasties. 

Anyhow, agree with Nienna about the above, but also wish to ask another question:

What are your plans with the New Kingdom of Adhomai? Do you have any? 

 

[canon35]

I recognize fully that for some players in our community, the Tajaran views on LGBTQ and how it plays out in lore and in game are deeply uncomfortable. However, I do not have any interest in supporting a retcon for it. These views exist as a horrible negative aspect of Tajaran culture and is written as such.  It is a result of old hatred, caste, and culture that Tajara are yet to shed. If people wish to play Tajara who do not believe in it anymore or are gradually opening up to the LGBTQ, I would not discourage this behavior OOCly.  However, they should realize that these characters are going to be a minority and that the decency laws of their home governments will still haunt them. The trend of Tajara casually referring to each other as homosexuals as a joke is also something I would not like to see again for obvious OOC and IC reasons.

I feel that LGBTQ Tajara can make for excellent characters. It allows you approach Tajara lore from another angle entirely. You can write and play out how your character feels on the central conflicts while also trying to figure out their own feelings about their identity. This could have all sorts of effects on your character and who they are, and leads to more interesting or heartstrings-tugging interactions and personal arcs that aren't possible with cishet Tajara. 

My hope with the NKA, going forward, is to speak with Coalf and Alberyk on the eventual succession of Shumalia. The current king is already elderly for a Tajara and more than likely going to pass in the coming years. It'd be good to expand Shumalia's character beyond the current stub entry she has on the Notable Tajara page and have a charted path for where the NKA will go when she takes the throne. Besides this, I have thought about possibly writing about the significant noble families of the NKA, or writing in a new cultural region around the south-west area of the kingdom with their own Southern Harr'smir population (Similar to how the NKA has a significant community of Amohdans.). 

[Caelphon]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. This application has my support! 

[WickedCybs]

I like what's written here, the addition of the holidays and other aspects people can use meaningfully IC. Suppose my main question is if you have anything more in mind for Tajara outside the species main spheres of influence (Adhomai, Hro'zamal, Gakal'zaal). How the gangs celebrate the holidays was pretty cool in Tau Ceti. Ever have any thoughts of interesting things that could be added to Tajara in the Coalition of Colonies and such?

[canon35]

I do wish to see the Tajaran Himeo community expanded beyond a few lines and alberyk has also stated interest in that as well. I'd be more than happy to look into it and see if there's anything to develop there with how the community functions, their origins, and how they view other Tajaran groups/how Himeans view them. If more enclaves were to be added I'd prefer to stick to the theming of Tajara being used in useful niches on cold/frozen worlds like Himeo and Amon. However, I can't really say I would add any new ones. 

And yes, any additions I do make to culture and customs would hopefully apply to the enclaves such as D6, and I would try to keep that in mind as I write them out. 

[Mofo1995]

What's your favorite Tajaran faction, and why?

[canon35]

My personal favorite faction for Tajara is the DPRA.

I have a soft spot for stories of cultures who wish to fight for their independence or self-autonomy, which is what the DPRA has a major theme. It makes for stories of great triumph or tragedy. In the case of the cultures of the DPRA, they fought hard to attain their self autonomy from a nation that sought to assimilate them into a singular culture. However, thankfully, the DPRA is not shown as being morally righteous by any means. That self autonomy was won through brutal warfare with terror strikes, child soldiers, and have resulted in warlords controlling much of Adhomai and its people. The Amohda uprising arc also calls into question just how true this claim of self determination for cultures truly is. This part of DPRA lore provides the question of if the ends justified the means, which it is up to your characters to argue and decide. 
 

[Coalf]

Alrighty, finally I wrangled my ADHD riddled brain long enough to read this.

 

Spoiler

1) How do you think you handle rejection?

As with the previous applicant, I'm asking because as you said yourself Tajara lore is sort of, done. In such a case, there will often be times where we might say "no" or "Is this going to be relevant enough to occupy space?". So I'd like to ask how well you'd possibly handle being shut down over and over again if that were to happen.

2) What do you think it is that finally pushed you to apply?

Was it a specific direction we started taking the lore? Were you interested for a time and just didn't really think of applying? I'm mostly asking because I want to know what kind of writer you are, as most likely you'd keep adding the things you enjoyed us adding.

3) What do you think of Gakal'Zal?

I saw you want to expand on Hro'zamal, but what do you think of Gakal'Zal? Do you think it needs a certain expansion too?

4) What do you think of Tajara politics intersecting with the wider lore?

For a while, Tajara lore has operated in its own sort of "bubble", due to the nature of how Adhomai is constructed as not very valuable to anyone, but also very xenophobic to foreign influences. Would you plan to change that and have more intersecting articles, continue as is, maybe even less?

Anyways cheers for applying, glad to see more applicants.

[canon35]

1) I mean, I am going into this with the expectation that much of my work probably won't get in or will be deemed not needed/BLOAT. It'll irk me for sure, I'll be honest. It's not that easy getting excited for something and then only to be told it won't be added or it won't fit in with what else is going on with lore. But, I try to not let it get to me.  Sometimes certain directions or things you wish to add just won't fit, and that's fine. Lore devs have their reasons and I'll accept it, even if it was something I genuinely hoped could make it in. 

2) I applied because Tajara lore is, personally, the best species lore we have. It's consistent, fleshed out, and hasn't really broken its own rules or done anything particularly bizarre. I've had a interest in contributing to it before, but it's not like there was a staff position open recently until Sue resigned. With one open I wanted to take the chance to get onto the team itself and contribute to writing out finer details, or help plan future arcs on and off station. 

3) Gakal'zaal's interesting for the same reason as Hro'zamal, it's one of the few Tajara worlds out there. However, unlike Hro'zamal which was a PRA colonization attempt, Gakal'zaal has had more outside influence on it thanks to the Unathi subjugating the planet for a time. This can allow for lore on how the Unathi and Hephaestus poured technology onto the planet to exploit its resources, technology they had to leave behind on the planet and the Free Gakal'zaal Station after being forced to leave. My primary interest in Gakal'zaal is the protentional for the DPRA to exploit said technology to advance themselves alongside the PRA. Otherwise it's always good to revisit pages and see if there's certain things to expand on (As I've been doing with Vysoka.). 

4) It's inevitable with some lore to wind up existing within its own sphere and I view that as fine. Sometimes you simply can't figure out a way to get a species involved in something larger without jumping the shark and causing a space war that won't matter in 2 months. I've already touched on some of these ideas earlier, but I think some ways to have Tajara lore intersect more with other parts of lore would be Megacorporations setting up shop in Crevus, exploring what Tajara in non-NT megacorps are usually doing, and keeping to the idea of Tajara punching above their weight through secretive operations against foreign powers. All in all though, I think Tajara intersection would continue as is and not change too much. 

[Alberyk]

After taking in consideration this application and consulting with the team, I have decided to accept it. Welcome to the team.