CoffeeToffee - Tajara app

[CoffeeToffee]

BYOND Key: CoffeeToffee
Character Names: 

Spoiler

Species you are applying to play: Tajara
What color do you plan on making your first alien character: Coco-Zhan
Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Ye

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: They seem like they have a rich history as well as a lot of potential for different stories seeing as they have a very active political scene with vastly different factions to chose from. I also love the clothing and military aesthetics a lot! With how much lore there is, it really opens up a lot of gimmicks and quirks you can play on for characters.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Their physiological differences being the most obvious, they need special shoes and gloves to work properly, as well as accommodations so that they are not uncomfortably hot. They have undergone a lot of change to their culture and demographics in the recent years and enjoy a nice degree of variation in backstories, factions, and subspecies. Their method of speaking is also quite unique. 

Character Name: Naji Soh'mai
Please provide a short backstory for this character:

Naji is a 58 year old Zhan born to a Peoples Emancipation Movement revolutionary, spending most of her adolescent life moving from town to town with her mother to avoid the authorities as her father fought off the monarchies. Her father never returned as is presumed dead at their hands. Her fair amount time was spent abroad helping her mother in the soup kitchens and bread lines of Nazira. By the time she was an adult the war had been won, yet she chose to continue her service in the soup kitchens, coordinating with S'rand'marr chapels and shelters to feed the needy and displaced tajara as the political scene uprooted many of their lives.

During the relative peace in 2440, Naji married a young PRA soldier, Sebo, having her first litter. Her life was fairly quiet until 2451, when her husband begged her to leave Adhomai as tensions rose and he feared for her safety. She refused, staying with her husband, refusing to desert him. As time went on, she found herself agreeing more and more with the DPRA, infatuated with the freedom and liberty they promised. After the armistice had been signed, and with much thought and discussion with sebo, they managed to transfer into DPRA territory and aligning themselves fully with their values to secure a just and fair society for their children and the people of adhomai to belong in.

Though the advancement of nuclear weapons leaves a sour taste in her mouth, though she feels if the threat they pose is great enough, they will never need to be used, hoping that the threat of mutually assured destruction is enough to keep people from fighting for real.

In the current year, with both Naji and Sebo growing old, they decide to live abroad, seeing what space has to offer before they die. Their children remain on Adhomai, keeping them updated on current events. They currently reside in D6 on mendell city, sharing their experiences and culture with the other species that happen through little adhomai. She tries to treat PRA citizens with the respect she expects in return, though NKA tend to make her uneasy, reminding her of her upbringing under monarchal factions. She finds her interactions with other species pleasant, despite the distinct atmosphere of racism left behind by the vestigial PRA doctrines.

What do you like about this character? I think having a family gives her a good motivation for her job, as well as decent exploitable information for antagonists to play on. If prompted by other tajara im sure she could have some interesting interactions with them. Shes also super cute, just look at her! >:3
(Describe what you like about this character

How would you rate your role-playing ability?: I think im decent, though I understand that im not perfect. always looking to improve!

Notes: I drew what I imagine them to look like in my head :3

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by CoffeeToffee
Tweaked her middle life to better fit her personality and the lore.

[Lly2]

Hi! I haven't given feedback on Aurora before, so not sure if there's a proper format to this.

It's nice to see an older character, and I love the art too. Maybe I just haven't bumped into many people yet, but I feel like a lot of the Taj I see, myself included, are all pretty young.

I'm not super sure on requirements, so I can't comment on that too much, but I think as far as interesting bits you haven't covered much so far go, there's two main things I'm curious to read about! I'd love to know Naji's thoughts on the PRA, DPRA, and NKA, and I'd love to hear a bit more about her current environment in Mendell. What district is she living in, what sort of accommodation and those sort of mostly fluff details. I find its something that people like to ask about IC a lot, so I've personally found it helpful to figure it all out as a starting point for most of my characters, and depending on where it is you pick it could have some impact on her personality too; if they're in D6, they'd probably retain a lot more of their tradition from Adhomai than if they were living in a district full of humans, that sorta thing.

[CoffeeToffee]

15 hours ago, Lly2 said:

It's nice to see an older character, and I love the art too. Maybe I just haven't bumped into many people yet, but I feel like a lot of the Taj I see, myself included, are all pretty young.

I only know of one other older tajara being the CMO.

15 hours ago, Lly2 said:

I'd love to know Naji's thoughts on the PRA, DPRA, and NKA

While shes not particularly outspoken on her political beliefs, she has strong anti-war sentiments after having to leave adhomai for fear of her and her children's lives getting caught up in the conflict. Though she is a PRA citizen, she doesnt have a particularly strong sense of nationalism, especially after experiencing life outside of adhomai. She is pleased with the efforts put forth by the DPRA to try and make a more just form of government, though she may not say this aloud as conditioned by PRA fearmongering and propaganda. She might be nervous around NKA nobility, seeing as she grew up fleeing from Monarchies, but she tries not to be rude to them as she understands governments may not always speak for their citizens. If asked IC about her beliefs she may seem nervous or non-commital, stating "She just wants everyone to get along."

 

15 hours ago, Lly2 said:

What district is she living in, what sort of accommodation and those sort of mostly fluff details.

She gravitates towards district 6, as its one of the few districts in her price range, as well as retaining some of the culture shes familiar with. Having to support her children as well as herself her finances are tight, and her residence is probably bare minimum. Some of her children are now of working age though the pay they are able to acquire are somewhat insubstantial. She might have her own soup and bread booth she runs with her children when not on shift at the aurora, so that she can help supplement her income. Seeing as people pass through D6 often it gives her many opportunities to tell people of her stories as they get a bite to eat. 

[Alberyk]

On 15/10/2021 at 04:36, CoffeeToffee said:

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: Coco-Zhan

Do you mean chocolate color?

On 15/10/2021 at 04:36, CoffeeToffee said:

Naji is a 58 year old Zhan born to a Peoples Emancipation Movement revolutionary, spending most of her adolescent life moving from town to town with her mother to avoid the authorities as her father fought off the monarchies.

If she is 58 years old, she was probably born in 2405. She would be around 15 years old when the war started in 2421, enough time to witness the things that the pre-contact nobility did. What is her opinion on that? How does she feel towards the rebellion itself and what the Hadii did?

On 15/10/2021 at 04:36, CoffeeToffee said:

During the relative peace in 2440, Naji married a young PRA soldier, Sebo, having her first litter.

Tajara would not have litters. While marrying at around 35 years old would not be impossible, feels a bit weird when you consider the period the character was born.

On 15/10/2021 at 04:36, CoffeeToffee said:

She enjoys the multicultural attitude of Nanotrasen, a small escape from the viscous class warfare of her homeland, though she still faces discrimination from her employers.

District Six is not what I would consider free from the Tajaran conflict. Tau Ceti is not really isolated from the faction fighting, since there are gangs/paramilitaries funded by the factions to exercise their influence in the system. There is more than enough space to explore this. 

 

The story is a bit brief and it does not really dwells in the character's or beliefs too much. Now, I am kinda having a bit of trouble with this.

On 15/10/2021 at 04:36, CoffeeToffee said:

They seem like they have a rich history as well as a lot of potential for different stories seeing as they have a very active political scene with vastly different factions to chose from.

You say this, but when asked about it, your character's opinion it is the following:

On 16/10/2021 at 15:22, CoffeeToffee said:

While shes not particularly outspoken on her political beliefs, she has strong anti-war sentiments after having to leave adhomai for fear of her and her children's lives getting caught up in the conflict. Though she is a PRA citizen, she doesnt have a particularly strong sense of nationalism, especially after experiencing life outside of adhomai. She is pleased with the efforts put forth by the DPRA to try and make a more just form of government, though she may not say this aloud as conditioned by PRA fearmongering and propaganda. She might be nervous around NKA nobility, seeing as she grew up fleeing from Monarchies, but she tries not to be rude to them as she understands governments may not always speak for their citizens. If asked IC about her beliefs she may seem nervous or non-commital, stating "She just wants everyone to get along."

How do you find this interesting but you are not interested in exploring this with your character? There is more than enough reason for the character to take a stronger instance in these issues.

Please fix the issues I pointed out. Feel free to contact me if you are in doubt over anything.

[CoffeeToffee]

Yes, a dark brown

41 minutes ago, Alberyk said:

If she is 58 years old, she was probably born in 2405. She would be around 15 years old when the war started in 2421, enough time to witness the things that the pre-contact nobility did. What is her opinion on that? How does she feel towards the rebellion itself and what the Hadii did?

(I must have messed up my math when figuring out her age, woops) She resents the nobility for the slave conditions tajara were forced to work under, and she desperately wanted better conditions, hours, and general treatment for the peasants but felt conflicted having the path to freedom paved with blood. While she does not like Hadii, or the bloodshed he caused during the inital uprisings, she appreciates that he negotiated with the rebels, guiding them through the initial kingscraft of ruling a country. She saw the new government he imposed as a significant improvement from the conditions of her childhood.

1 hour ago, Alberyk said:

Tajara would not have litters. While marrying at around 35 years old would not be impossible, feels a bit weird when you consider the period the character was born.

Perhaps just a misuse of the terminology on my part.

1 hour ago, Alberyk said:

District Six is not what I would consider free from the Tajaran conflict. Tau Ceti is not really isolated from the faction fighting, since there are gangs/paramilitaries funded by the factions to exercise their influence in the system. There is more than enough space to explore this. 

I imagine with other species passing through little adhomai she might be exposed to more libertarian values than shes used to.

[Alberyk]

Alright, the current backstory is more acceptable. Now, just some small questions so I can understand your character better.

What religion does she follow? Did her time working alongside the church during the first revolution affect her faith in any way?

Which one among the DPRA's ideologies and schools of thought does she identify more with and for what reason?

[CoffeeToffee]

5 hours ago, Alberyk said:

What religion does she follow? Did her time working alongside the church during the first revolution affect her faith in any way?

She was raised as and has remained a follower of S'rand'marr, likley what instilled the pursuit of unity and peace that you see with her. Its likley what drove her to continue her work feeding the needy in the soup kitchens and bread lines. I think her faith has remained fairly the same throughout her life, feeling compelled to look out for her fellow Tajara.

 

5 hours ago, Alberyk said:

Which one among the DPRA's ideologies and schools of thought does she identify more with and for what reason?

Moderate Al'mariism is the natural choice for her, attempting to do away with authoritarian tendencies in favor of democratically elected leaders and the focus on freedom being core to the idology. It also allows her to more freely coexist with her xeno coworkers. The sooner power rests within the hands of the people is the sooner she feels they can truly make progress towards genuine equality. The NAWP is the party she identifies closest with for this reason, looking to maintain the armistice and keep the peace, as going to war again might only encourage more military leadership.

[Alberyk]

Application accepted.