RyverStyx - Skrell Lore Developer

[RyverStyx]

Ckey/BYOND Username: RyverStyx
Position Being Applied For: Skrell Lore Developer
Have you read the Lore Team Rules and Regulations wiki page?: Yes
Past Experiences/Knowledge: I am currently a moderator for Aurora and I have written lore for both synthetics and skrell in the past. I also have played skrell on various servers including the Aurora. I'm also very comfortable working on a team and delegating responsibilities.
Examples of Past Work:

I've worked in the past with Cael on these projects. I would have loved to work on more of them but sadly Cael retired before we could collaborate more.

https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Skrell_Ailments

https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Skrell_Cuisine

https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Qerr'Malic

 

Brief Essay:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TxmtZarxyB5JOGAx5rPig-ADRh5kt5lO2PwdTBUj0ME/edit?usp=sharing

[Mr_Mooki]

I like the idea of putting the players first is witnessing the lore. What kind of events do you think would be suitable for a 2 hour round? 

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Mr_Mooki

[RyverStyx]

1 hour ago, Mr_Mooki said:

I like the idea of putting the players first is witnessing the lore. What kind of events do you think would be suitable for a 2 hour round? +1

Hello and thanks for your question! I think events that focus on the aftermath of the recent embassy bombing would be both fun and immersive. Something I’ve always asked myself is “Why are these grand events happening on the Aurora space station?”. So to me I think coming up with a plausible reason for the Aurora to be involved is crucial. Perhaps one or more of the suspects were already working on the Aurora for some time as a cover? This could lead to FIB coming aboard and attempting to take the suspect(s). The crew would be in a moral dillemma in this scenario. How would they feel knowing that someone they’ve worked with was capable of such things?

[Mr_Mooki]

15 minutes ago, RyverStyx said:

Hello and thanks for your question! I think events that focus on the aftermath of the recent embassy bombing would be both fun and immersive. Something I’ve always asked myself is “Why are these grand events happening on the Aurora space station?”. So to me I think coming up with a plausible reason for the Aurora to be involved is crucial. Perhaps one or more of the suspects were already working on the Aurora for some time as a cover? This could lead to FIB coming aboard and attempting to take the suspect(s). The crew would be in a moral dillemma in this scenario. How would they feel knowing that someone they’ve worked with was capable of such things?

The idea of a moral dillema sounds awesome. It would lead to some interesting roleplay scenarios. +1

[Faye <3]

As of rn, the Federation has a terrible reputation IC'ly and generally speaking, Skrell events are known for their high levels of chaos and general frustration. How would you want to try to 'rehabilitate' the Federation's image so that most players don't IC'ly just straight-up hate them anymore? Are you interested in that to begin with? With the massive power disparity between Jargon and the Aurora in gear and technology, how would you create an event that still brings a compelling narrative? A major concern I've seen in the past is that the Federation character always have very strong gear and such, to the point of not being able to even remotely challenged by the Aurora crew.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Faye <3

[RyverStyx]

2 hours ago, Faye &lt;3 said:

As of rn, the Federation has a terrible reputation IC'ly and generally speaking, Skrell events are known for their high levels of chaos and general frustration. How would you want to try to 'rehabilitate' the Federation's image so that most players don't IC'ly just straight-up hate them anymore? Are you interested in that to begin with? With the massive power disparity between Jargon and the Aurora in gear and technology, how would you create an event that still brings a compelling narrative? A major concern I've seen in the past is that the Federation character always have very strong gear and such, to the point of not being able to even remotely challenged by the Aurora crew.

Thank you for your questions!

How would you want to try to 'rehabilitate' the Federation's image?

To me, Jargon is incredibly unstable and rife for political change. However, what this political change is will vary greatly on what happens next from a lore perspective. I would not want to make changes to the lore that feel unnatural or unprompted. So I suppose in other words I would not try to "rehabilitate" their image unless I feel that is the natural progression of events. Although, something I will say is that I want to find ways for more people to play Skrell; specifically Skrell with a background that most people do not outright hate as I know that could be why we do not see many Skrell aboard the station currently.

How would you create an event that still brings a compelling narrative?

I share the sentiment you expressed in your reply; Skrell events have the possibility of turning into slaughter fests due to the power disparity. However, I feel that there are ways to diminish, and even remove, this effect. For instance, Skrell-centric events do not always need to involve conflict the Jargon federation. There are many avenues to explore- we have the Starlight Zone which may breed more conflict (something akin to the embassy). In this scenario the conflict could be perpetuated by a small, poorly armed militia group. To me a Skrell event means more than conflict with Jargon. Something else to note is that the upcoming NBT (SoonTM) will open new pathways of exploring Skrell space, and consequently, Skrell events. Or at least I hope...
 

[Bear]

Something I look for when wanting to engage with a Lore Team member is investment. Investment in their lore but also their whitelistees and actions caused by their species whitelist in general. This is one of my favourite aspects of Tajara lore as Alberyk is a VERY present species maintainer. Today you helped me with a small little quest in the wake of the second warbling arc by taking time to create a character and dive into a situation to help recover the aftermath.

My hope, and I cannot stress this enough, is that you continue to be present and engage with your whitelistees. Make their world real outside of the station with fun scenarios, involvement, and creative story telling.

You showed capable of this and so I would like to leave a fat +1 for the lore team's consideration. 

You will have a lot of work in recovering the Federation's and Skrell standpoint in the wake of two warbling arc. I hope you have plans to interact with the community and your whitelistees prepared!

[Butterrobber202]

So, I've got alot investment in Skrell Lore, I've developed lore alongside Cael, and I enjoy playing Skrell characters on station.

I personally couldn't care less that the Federation has a bad reputation in the Spur. If Characters hate them IC'ly, so what? There's nothing inherently wrong with that. Playing an unrepentant Federation Loyalist is just as fun as playing a Traverse Rebel. I'm very pleased that you also don't seem to feel a need to "fix" it, from your previous post.

My first question then is this, do you have any plans to "rework" significant parts of skrell lore? Skrell Lore has suffered from constant reworks as the devs have rotated by, which has severely damaged skrell player count more than anything else. It's my opinion that Cael's version is the best one we've had in a long while, but I wanted to pick your brain about it as well.

Second question, do you play to continue on with the Federation's general "big brother" theme? Many Skrell players (as shown from the Election Arc) voted for Jrugl, and effectively, a continuation of Jrugl's style of governance, even when presented with radically different options. I'm somewhat biased, as I too, voted for Jrugl, but I would be disappointed as a whitelist holder if we suddenly jerked into a new direction. (e.g. Jrugl gets assassinated somehow surrounded by Tupkala.) Judging from your Essay, this seems unlikely, but I wanted to bring it up.

Third question, any plans or thoughts on Psionics? They are definitely within Skrell Lore's sphere of influence, and I was curious if you had plans or even just vague thoughts banging around in your noggin. 

[RyverStyx]

10 minutes ago, Butterrobber202 said:

So, I've got alot investment in Skrell Lore, I've developed lore alongside Cael, and I enjoy playing Skrell characters on station.

I personally couldn't care less that the Federation has a bad reputation in the Spur. If Characters hate them IC'ly, so what? There's nothing inherently wrong with that. Playing an unrepentant Federation Loyalist is just as fun as playing a Traverse Rebel. I'm very pleased that you also don't seem to feel a need to "fix" it, from your previous post.

My first question then is this, do you have any plans to "rework" significant parts of skrell lore? Skrell Lore has suffered from constant reworks as the devs have rotated by, which has severely damaged skrell player count more than anything else. It's my opinion that Cael's version is the best one we've had in a long while, but I wanted to pick your brain about it as well.

Second question, do you play to continue on with the Federation's general "big brother" theme? Many Skrell players (as shown from the Election Arc) voted for Jrugl, and effectively, a continuation of Jrugl's style of governance, even when presented with radically different options. I'm somewhat biased, as I too, voted for Jrugl, but I would be disappointed as a whitelist holder if we suddenly jerked into a new direction. (e.g. Jrugl gets assassinated somehow surrounded by Tupkala.) Judging from your Essay, this seems unlikely, but I wanted to bring it up.

Third question, any plans or thoughts on Psionics? They are definitely within Skrell Lore's sphere of influence, and I was curious if you had plans or even just vague thoughts banging around in your noggin. 

Hello and thanks for the reply!
Do you have any plans to "rework" significant parts of skrell lore?
I do not have plans to rework any of the major/integral parts of the Skrell lore. I feel that Cael has graced us with some amazing lore and I would not feel comfortable altering it. I feel that reworks leave players in a terrible state; either by forcing them to retcon parts of their character or flat out deleting them due to their backstory no longer making sense. If I were accepted into the position I would prioritize player health and growth. Part of that prioritization would be ensuring a smooth transition from Cael to the next maintainer in a way that means character backstories would not even be affected.

Do you plan to continue on with the Federation's general "big brother" theme?
Currently I believe the Federation is in a good place within the lore. It fulfills it's job well and I know many characters enjoy it's current state. For this reason I would not drastically change the Federation or shift it into a new direction. (Jrugl will not be randomly assassinated.)

Any plans or thoughts on Psionics?
I have put some thoughts into psionics; especially since some people I've talked with had very creative ideas regarding them since the the end of the last arc. Something I think we could definitely explore further is the effects of psionics on populations other than Skrell. What would be the long term effect of a non-Skrell who suffered repeated psionic bombardment? Would these effects be short term or long term? Are some more susceptible than others? What about psionic use on non-Skrell do we not know yet? I know this is touched on briefly within different parts of the wiki but I feel centralizing these ideas and giving them some more uumph would benefit players and roleplay as well.

[Caelphon]

Majority of the questions I would have asked have been asked!

I do have a few left, however. 

Quote

 

1. What do you plan on immediately working on should you become maintainer? (I know you mentioned Refugee stuff, but what else?)

2. What unique piece of lore would you want to add to Skrell? 

3. If you do not get the position, would you apply for the deputy position in the future? 

Goodluck. There are no wrong answers. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Caelphon
Additional Information & Fixes

[RyverStyx]

4 hours ago, Caelphon said:

Majority of the questions I would have asked have been asked!

I do have a few left, however. 

Goodluck. There are no wrong answers. 

Question 1

If I received this position I would work on the expansion of District 8 first. With Mendell City lacking a “Skrell-centric district” I feel the inclusion of the Starlight zone has started to fill the gap. I feel the groundwork has already been done with the Starlight zone but expansion and addition to the lore could have a very positive impact for Skrell within Mendell city, and by extension, Skrell players. While many existing Skrell may not see eye to eye with the refugees they may find comfort in living with their own species in large numbers; meaning that we may see many Skrell in Tau Ceti choosing to relocate to district 8.

 

Question 2

I would love to expand more on the differences between coastal, aquatic, and hybrid Skrell. I feel there is plenty of groundwork for changes that would be both fun and engaging! As of now it seems like almost everyone plays a coastal Skrell. I feel that this may be due to the fact that aquatics and hybrids only have a short little blurb talking about their differences. As far as “unique” goes I would possibly include different visual signifiers as well as possible mechanic differences. If this lore was expanded and made more unique it could drive more players to create fun and interesting backstories.

 

Question 3

If I did not get this position I would apply to be a Skrell Deputy in the future.

[RyverStyx]

On 20/08/2021 at 10:27, RyverStyx said:

I would love to expand more on the differences between coastal, aquatic, and hybrid Skrell. I feel there is plenty of groundwork for changes that would be both fun and engaging! As of now it seems like almost everyone plays a coastal Skrell. I feel that this may be due to the fact that aquatics and hybrids only have a short little blurb talking about their differences. As far as “unique” goes I would possibly include different visual signifiers as well as possible mechanic differences. If this lore was expanded and made more unique it could drive more players to create fun and interesting backstories.

Here are some things I would love to add/change to the existing lore regarding ethnicities.

 

Axiori 

Axiori can be approximately translated to “aquatics” or “ocean-dwellers”, are were notably better adapted to survive with the depths of the Homeworld’s seas. Typically sporting much more pronounced webbings for faster swimming, as well as larger and more monocular eyes to better perceive their environment. The high-pressured environments in which they thrived and evolved have also resulted in a lower metabolic rate for the ethnicity, resulting in easier fat accrual. 

Axiori, on average, tend to have far more raw psionic potential when compared to the Xiialt. Many studies that have dived into the topic in an attempt to answer why this occurs, suggest that is due to increased psionic usage and repeated interbreeding further strengthened these natural capabilities. Axiori also tend to have much darker skin tones, a trait believed to have helped them camouflage within the dark, deep depths of the Homeworld’s oceans many millennia ago. 

I would also like Axiori to have a small tail that acts as a rudder when swimming in water. This would be added in-game to the character creator in the same way the Axiori eyes are added. This would be another way to distinguish an Axiori and a Xiialt in-game.

 

Xiialt

Xiialt can be approximately translated to “coastals” or “land-dwellers”. These Skrell are the biological cousins of the Axiori. They tend to be somewhat short, but the stout nature of the Xiialt helped them traverse the rough nature of their biome with bipedal movement. Due to this, their feet are somewhat bigger than those of an Axiori and their leg muscles are more defined. It is theorized that this helped early Xiialt outrun predators on land. Xiialt also tend to be much leaner; this is due to their slightly higher metabolic rate due to the abundant presence of food on the surface. While Xiialt are better adapted to live on land they are still able to breathe and see underwater; however, their swimming is not as agile.

Xiialt, on average, tend to have far less raw psionic potential when compared to the Axiori. It is theorized that the early population boom played a role in this. For instance, Xiialt societies were dense and well populated. This helped to ward off predators but it also staved natural selection and resulted in the ethnicity’s lower psionic potential. Continued interbreeding within the ethnicity resulted in lowered psionic potential and has lead to stark differences between the subspecies.

 

Xiiori

Xiialt can be approximately translated to “hybrids”. These Skrell are the off-spring of a Xiialt and an Axiori (and in some cases a Xiiori and a Xiialt/Axiori). Xiiori genes typically tend to to lean more towards their Axiori ancestry. This is due to most Axiori genes being dominant; therefore, Xiiori have more psionic potential than Xiialt but less than pure-blooded Axioris. Typically, a Xiiori will look like a 60/40 split when it comes to their Axiori and Xiialt parents. There is little to no discrimination towards Xiiori from either Axiori or Xiialt; however, Xiiori are at a greater risk for many of the disorders that plague Skrell (often having at least one).

Xiiori will most likely have a tail (unless they are the off-spring of a Xiiori and a Xiialt).

[Rabid Animal]

While Ryver hasn't been on the server for as long as some others, he's made some contributions to the lore already and seems to be pretty passionate about it. +1

[Mofo1995]

Hello!

After a few weeks of consideration, I've decided to accept this application. I'm going to be honest with some constructive criticism that your application essay is fairly weak, and that I wish it showed the consideration and clarity that your posts throughout the application thread have shown! However, you also applied very shortly after applications opened, and fortunately your vision and creative ideas came through very well in your posts. Cael, the former skrell dev and my current deputy, spoke very highly of you and there is great appreciation regarding your involvement and contributions to skrell lore as a player. I look forward to working with you. Welcome aboard!