[Accepted]Granodd - Tajara Application

[Granodd]

BYOND Key: 
Granodd

Character Names: 
Nira Desinova - Dominian Physician
Jeriko - Dreg Cargo Bot
Ava Nyoko - Fisanduhian
Isabella Volvalaad - Dominian Pharmacist
Ka'Viax'Ung K'lax - Augmented Monstrosity
Arthur Caladius - Tribunal Priest
Arianna Nalhurst - Dominian Visitor

Species you are applying to play: 
Tajara

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: 
Wheat (RGB 205, 186, 150)

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

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:
The Tajara are a very interesting species in the fact that they seem to be going through a period of history that humans have already long been past. I personally find it really cool to have a species that is in the process of advancing culturally and technologically after being very recently introduced to more advanced aliens. Not necessarily "uplifted" but drastically advanced by outside interference. The persistent elements of political and  ideological strife coupled with rather active elements of war make the Tajara interesting in a way that other species don't emulate quite as well.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human:
Notably, their culture and way of thinking is vastly different to humans. They're a cultural alien more than they are a biological alien like how the Vaurca or Dionae are. They're still going through the process of cultural evolution to work off vices that many of the other species have already overcome. There of course is also their history and culture, which was completely different less than century ago, and still has some shadows of its former self lingering around today with the divides of the different Tajara ethnicities and their class-based roles. Tajaran speaking mannerisms are the most evident difference aside from their biology, as is their overall weight of value on things such as family and religion.

Character Name: 
Rashja Al-Riqha

Please provide a short backstory for this character
Rashja, a M'sai Tajara, was born to a loving mother and father during what is now known as the Interwar period in 2441, a year after his brother Mral'ra. His father was an officer in the local law enforcement, while his mother kept to home to raise him and his siblings. He attended school, as was expected of him, where he met a childhood friend - a Zhan. Rashja had always been trusting of what he was taught, though it was through his friend that he would be provided insights that, at times, instilled some doubts. Yet still, he maintained his youthful loyalty.

It wouldn't be until 2451 that life began to drastically change. His childhood friend eventually disappearing one day, leading to questions beginning to grow in his mind. But by the terrified instruction of his father, his questions were kept to himself. Though continuing on with questions left unanswered began to slowly erode his once youthful loyalty. Yet still, he maintained it, in his father's best interests. With every passing day, the signs of conflict near home grew, and became hard to ignore. Life was no longer as comfortable as it once was. Yet he still had to remain strong, like brother and father. He had to help keep strong for them, and for his younger sisters and mother, too.

Though even with his strength, fate could not be abated, and soon that day would come where the resolve of Rashja's father could be seen wavering. The instatement of the draft brought him to the harrowing truth that his eldest son would be forced to fight in this ugly conflict; and in another year, Rashja as well. All those years of Rashja's questions being left unanswered reaching a boiling point between his brother, his father, and him. A decision was made: Rashja and his brother Mral'ra, would flee the draft, leaving his father with his mother and two younger sisters. It pained his father to let it happen, but he would do anything to save his sons from this war.

Though no matter how careful the approach, the authorities could not be avoided in his father's attempt to help Rashja and his brother out of the city. His father's lies were delivered with a calm composure, but no lie told could change the numbers on Mral'ra's papers. Inevitably, Mral'ra was taken for the draft, leaving Rashja to continue the journey alone once he and his father parted ways outside of the city. And eventually in his lonely travels, he encountered ALA forces. Through the offering of idealistic words, hot food, and peer pressure, Rashja found himself unable to escape the duty of a soldier.

Over the course of the next two years, Rashja would fight. Separated from his original home and family, he forged a new one alongside those he fought with. But these warm bonds would soon be shattered on a cold winter's day after a gruesome bayonet charge. The face he found on the other end of his rifle was not just another PRA soldier, it was far too familiar. It was only when he heard his name being uttered in a raspy, dying breath that the shock took him. There was no peaceful rest that night.

Feeling his faith and his resolve shattered, Rashja took the first opportunity he could to flee into the night. He had to do all he could to escape this hell. His mind set on the one place he knew of that could take him as far away as possible from all of this - Crevus. Once again traveling through the wilderness alone, Rashja struggled his way to a vessel that could take him there. Huddled with several other stressed and weary passengers, he saw it come into view on the horizon. His thoughts a haze after all he had been through, he sought anyone who could take him as far away as possible from it all. Inevitably, this path led him to a corporate partnership - transport to Tau Ceti, and in return, he would work.

In a sense, he found what he wanted: to be as far away from it all as possible. Though it invariably led him into a duty that he could not flee from this time, living with others who had left Adhomai in District 6 of Mendell. All of it leading him to question whether he had made the right decisions.

What do you like about this character?
Rashja is a character who begins life naive and happy, though eventually has all of it slowly crumble away as the realities of the world close in. It's a theme that repeats itself throughout the course of his life, having any comfort he finds be shattered by reality, and in some cases, tragic misfortune. Now finally away from it all, no longer fearing for his life in a war, he has some peace to contemplate every decision he had made in his life to that point, wondering how things could have been different had he chosen another path.

How would you rate your role-playing ability?
I would say that my roleplaying capability over the course of 13 or so years has greatly improved, coupling the experience I have with narrative concepts that I've learned. Things such as thinking from the perspective of my character, rather than myself.

Notes: 
Thanks to WickedCybs for all the help and guidance in writing this application.

[Omicega]

I've played on and off with Granodd for a while now, both before my hiatus through the tail end of 2021 and before it. It was obvious from the start that they were a strong roleplayer when they first walked Nira into medical, and they've only gotten better since then. 

I'll leave the specific questioning to people better than I am at picking Tajara backstories apart for lore accuracy, but there's no doubt in my mind that they'll be an asset to the whitelist when they get it. 

+1

[WickedCybs]

You definitely understand what's important and I never really had any doubts you'd put together a great application. The only obvious question I think, since it's nice to have one, would be...

What is Rashja's thoughts on the New Kingdom?

Edited January 27, 2022 by WickedCybs

[Granodd]

10 hours ago, WickedCybs said:

What is Rashja's thoughts on the New Kingdom?

Growing up in the PRA, Rashja's perception of the royalists of old was negative. Similar ideologies from his ALA comrades would have reinforced these beliefs while also steering him even further away from the monolithic culture of the PRA than he already was. His views of the NKA would see them as foolish in attempting to repeat history and expecting a different result.

[Alberyk]

Some questions:

What faith does Rashja believes in?

Which Al'mariist school of thought he relates the most with?

What job are you playing this character as?

[Granodd]

51 minutes ago, Alberyk said:

Some questions:

What faith does Rashja believes in?

Which Al'mariist school of thought he relates the most with?

What job are you playing this character as?

In order:

Rashja follows the S'rand'marr faith, though feels his faith towards it weakened since the traumatic event that spurred him to flee. Trying to rekindle his faith is something Rashja struggles with on occasion.

He most aligns towards Natedism, being heavily influenced by the ALA comrades he fought with. His views towards the PRA gradually deteriorated with time, eventually coming to believe that the outsiders and corporations were the reason why it was how it is now. Because of these beliefs, it's hard for him to be comfortable with where he is now, and often contemplates if his flight from Adhomai was a mistake.

I'm planning to make Rashja an EMT.

[Alberyk]

Accepted.