[Accepted] Toasts Vaurca App

[Toast]

BYOND Key: Sir Toast

Character Names: Xavier Price (SCC Executive), Rudra Singh (HoS), Elijah Kell (Xenoarch), Ray Sinclair (Cargo Tech), Nolan Blackwood (Trinarist Priest), Richard Slade (Detective), Osborne Strelitz (Dominian Consular), Jace Levitt (Bartender), Aesculapius-01 (Machinist), Elijah (Bridge Crew)

Species you are applying to play: Vaurca

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: RGB 73, 29, 5

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: I had seen Vaurca a handful of times before writing this and it immediately seemed like there was correlation with IPCs and Vaurca. I read the page on Vaurca and realized that while the lore was detailed it was also relatively easy to understand and get interested in. I was interested by how *alien* the Vaurca were compared to the other races, and how their hives and broods were all full of their own ideas as well as how the Queens were after their goals and what they did to obtain it. For example the brood I am interested in playing, is set on attempting to fix their Hiveship and considers anything that is not related to the goal as a waste of time. 

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Vaurca are different. They are ant-like aliens that have a strict hierarchy that is biologically programmed in all of them to obey. They have castes within their society that determines what kind of job they will take after (consisting of Ka (workers), Za (warriors), Ta (Breeders), and Ra (Bulwarks) with further divide based on if they are bound or unbound. The simple difference between the bound and unbound, is that the bound are drones that carry out tasks without question while obeying the unbound of their hive and heads of staff, while the unbound are more sentient and self-aware. The Unbound are still beholden to hierarchy however, through pheromones' and upbringing.

Due to the sheer difference of Vaurca to most humanoids and their social structure, Vaurca are heavily discriminated against in human space. Despite this, relations with certain nations has allowed the Hives to get some degree of acceptance that depends on their hive. For example, the Zo'ra have ties to the Republic of Biesel, the K'lax have ties to the Izweski Hegemony (Which isnt the best but still), and the C'thur have ties to the Nralakk Federation.

Character Name: Ra'Viax'Zix Zo'ra

Please provide a short backstory for this character: Ra'Viax'Zix Zo'ra was a bound Vaurca born to the brood of Xakt on Luthien relatively recently after the unveiling of the new caste at the reformed Court of Queens. As a Bulwark, Ra'Viax'Zix Zo'ra was assigned to assist with acquisition of raw goods in the form of mineral extraction to assist with the overall goal of fixing the Hiveship. After a while of working within the tunnels of Luthien, it was decided to send Ra'Viax'Zix Zo'ra off planet in hopes of finding work with a megacorporation in the name of cooperation and potentially marking leftover mining sites for later exploration. To facilitate this, they were assigned to work for Orion Express as a Shaft Miner by their hive and luckily sent to work aboard the SCCV Horizon. As a bound, Ra'Viax'Zix Zo'ra has no outstanding opinion on their transition of work but does note a large amount of humans and other species. As such, they are often withdrawn in their work with the few times spent back on the ship to assist the unbound of their hive and serve the Ta that would serve as a consular from time to time.

What do you like about this character?: Honestly, I just like how alien it is. I enjoy playing things that are not traditionally human and Vaurca are basically bugs with a near-hivemind that is different enough from most other species to be interesting. There is not much to describe, but I like how the character is basically a small part of something bigger, and while it will spend most of its time on an asteroid it still can assist the unbound and consular as needed and provide an understanding of bound just doing their thing to anyone who sees it.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? I would say like 8/10

Notes:

Edited October 1, 2022 by Desven

[Desven]

Very sorry about the delay. Life got in the way.

Two main things:

1. Would you please expand a bit on how you think Vaurcae feel different to play than humans? Not exactly in the mechanics, but instead on how you'd get on a bug's skin.
2. We usually prefer when you make your application on an Unbound character, even if you don't intend to play it. The reason being that for Vaurcae, backstories are flimsy already, as many just come right off Virtual Reality and join the crew. The question also requires you to write two paragraphs. If you can come with anything else, that'd be appreciated. Think maybe, if making an Unbound character, talking a bit about the character's hobbies, likes, or anything that fleshes out its personality.

[Toast]

10 hours ago, Desven said:

Very sorry about the delay. Life got in the way.

Two main things:

1. Would you please expand a bit on how you think Vaurcae feel different to play than humans? Not exactly in the mechanics, but instead on how you'd get on a bug's skin.
2. We usually prefer when you make your application on an Unbound character, even if you don't intend to play it. The reason being that for Vaurcae, backstories are flimsy already, as many just come right off Virtual Reality and join the crew. The question also requires you to write two paragraphs. If you can come with anything else, that'd be appreciated. Think maybe, if making an Unbound character, talking a bit about the character's hobbies, likes, or anything that fleshes out its personality.

No problemo.

#1: Hopefully I am understanding this question properly but Vaurca in my opinion feel like they are played like a team player regardless of their status, with the unbound having side goals. Vaurca I think are to be played less emotional and taking things in a direct way that is not to the extreme like robots that depend on their overall age + social experience (exceptions, but this is what I observed the most part), and are capable of opinions, rivalries, and friendship. They seem like they heavily rely on the opinions of other Vaurca (specifically hive/brood). 
So in general if I were to play an unbound right now, I feel compared to a Human that Scientist for example, would be different in terms of being more involved in their work, taking things a little too literal if they were recently sent out from VR for the first time, utilizing their status as an unbound to make obtaining materials and more menial work better by forcing it on lesser Vaurca (the scientist cries as he is not the RD), and at the end of the day probably taking a break to relax in the bar and learn more about their interests (perhaps like a good C'thur they go learn about the Skrell pirates lurking around recently if they do not know of them).

#2: Here is my application character that I very well may play. (Wrote this backstory while I was kinda tired; I don't intend to do the extreme kinda actions that are mentioned with the Fog Walker to Ian)

Za'Akaix'Phoz C'thur, born of the C'thur hive under the brood of Xetl. Phoz was a warrior that had enjoyed Virtual Reality since their conception and was recently finished with their training that would allow them to better defend their hive against threats. It did not take long for Phoz to be forced out of the simulation due to the requirements of their queen that pain and pleasure must be in equal amounts, and so Phoz was cast out into the greater Spur to truly learn balance. They were informed of its assignment on Tattuqig thanks to a Federation liaison officer, and after some time in residency was able to obtain citizenship while it was working in the Ublureak Corps. While on Tattuqig, Phoz learned of pain by more vicious criminals and fog crawlers, as well as pleasure when it felt relief upon sighting a city that had finally been reached after a period of clearing a route. Even with Phoz performing quite well, it had issues with its colleagues who would often gossip on how the Vaurca would randomly attempt to be humorous by randomly fake stumbling into a nearby swampy pond, or hold its weapon with the barrel facing its head and the stock facing a Fog Walker that had not taken notice yet. Phoz, when permitted time off, would wander around the outside of cities to explore and take an interest in areas where the fog would dissipate for a moment to draw art on a cheap notebook that it had purchased. Phoz would make it a point to use its notebook whenever possible, which led to a detrimental situation in which Phoz had finally wished to draw a fog crawler in detail. One day while clearing a route with two other members of the Ublureak Corps, they had ran upon a pride of twelve. After quickly dispatching all but one, Phoz approached a Fog Walker that was wounded and not finished but still suffering from the paralysis of a Hanging Pendula fruit which the corps used in advantage against the creatures. Phoz sat, and drew the creature while its comrades demanded that Phoz finishes it off.  In an attempt to liven up the mood of the dreary job, proceeded to use its mandibles to choke the Fog Walker and make a joke on how long this might take before releasing. Shocked by the brutality, they once again demanded that Phoz quickly finish it off to which the Vaurcan Warrior denied, stating it had now experienced enough pain. Phoz was ordered to appear before a high ranking member of the Corps following the incident and explain its disturbing actions, then was dismissed much to the dismay of Phoz's liaison officer.

With a lower credit score and dissatisfaction, Phoz was reassigned to work with Nexus Corporate Security due to its past familiarity with Zheng-Hu (One of the companies collaborators) on Tattuqig in a move made by the Liaison officer. Phoz was subject to a lengthy talk by its Liaison in which it was told acceptable actions of treatment of whatever may fall in custody as well as general treatment of living beings, despite Phoz defending itself on never intending to harm crew. Following this, Nexus Corporate Security assigned Phoz to work aboard the SCCV Horizon. While aboard, Phoz is still keen on drawing things it had not seen before, as well as attempts to use dark visual humor to bring joy to its colleagues. Phoz feels every day that it learns more to bring back to the Hive, and while it yearns to return to VR and considerably favors it over reality, it cannot wait to show its Queen all the wonderful jokes and methods of indulgement it has learned.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Toast
Some overhauls

[Desven]

Application accepted.