i speak for the trees, the trees say yo ho ho | RustingWithYou Diona App

[RustingWithYou]

BYOND Key: RustingWithYou
Character Names: Casimir Tilton, Za'Akaix'Kiihr K'lax, Ta'Akaix'Aledeion Zo'ra, Lihaka Okuri
Species you are applying to play: Diona
What color do you plan on making your first alien character: n/a
Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes

Why do you wish to play this specific race: I find myself drawn to the more alien species of our setting, which is why I play so many Vaurca. Dionae are a great example of this, having one of the least human-like mindsets of any species within the setting, due to their nature as a gestalt consciousness. The semi-vampiric nature of the species is also interesting, and the fashion by which they learn from taking blood offers a lot of interesting opportunities for both background information and character development. Making the ship for the Tarwa Conglomerate also piqued my interest in the species, which is where I decided I wanted to use it for a character background. 

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: So many things. So many fucking things. The most obvious one is the gestalt consciousness - Dionae are formed from a gestalt of nymphs, and the relations between these nymphs can manifest in several different mindtypes which can also be shaped by external stimuli. A Tyrannical Tune, Competence Choir or Mourning Mass are all very different from one another in how they see the world and how they operate as a collective - but in essence, playing a Diona gestalt is playing several different characters working together in some way, in the form of a big pile of nymphs. Dionae are also, obviously, very biologically different, requiring only light/radiation to survive, and having no vital organs to speak of, due to their nature as a fused gestalt of nymphs. They can learn languages and information from consuming blood, and have a form of conditional pacifism, where they will avoid violence where possible while largely still acknowledging the circumstances where it is required. 

Character Name: The Persistent Agony of Separation Through Clashing Sabers Preserves Memories of Beloved Forms In Patterns Of Burning Light (Mourning Mass)

Please provide a short backstory for this character: The Unathi pirate fleet known only as the Tarwa Conglomerate have raided across the southern Spur for years, known for their close bond with Diona gestalts, frequently using Colossus-size gestalts to stitch broken vessels back into functionality - and doing the same to their own bodies. While Diona nymph prosthetics are not unknown to the Unathi, the pirates of Tarwa's fleet take it one step further, fusing with Dionae in ways that the Unathi and Diona of the Hegemony have yet to dream of. This is where Persistent Agony began, as a nymph separating from a Colossus-size gestalt holding the shattered bridge of a stolen Coalition patrol vessel together. The nymph developed a friendship with its crew, taking their blood and learning of Unathi culture and honor, as well as the unique societal structure of Unathi pirates and the codes that they abide by. One pirate in particular - the ship's quartermaster, an Unathi named Izhe Szozae - became close with the nymph.

During a battle against a Hegemony patrol ship in the Badlands, Szozae lost a leg, an unfortunate victim of a lucky shot from the vessel's rotary cannon. In the tradition of the Tarwa, the nymph attached to their friend, taking more of their blood and acting as a limb. For years this continued as the pirates plundered their way up and down the southern Spur, from the Badlands to the Weeping Stars to Light's Edge. Over time, Szozae took more wounds, and more nymphs were added as prosthetics, replacing limbs, muscle, bone and internal organs. This is the birth of the gestalt now named Persistent Agony, as these nymphs connected with one another, growing into their own collective within Szozae's flesh. The nymphs and their host formed a close friendship over time, coming to consider the Unathi almost as another member of their collective whole. 

Eventually, in late 2461, their time ran out. A simple raid on a Merchants' Guild freighter went south as a Hegemony destroyer responded, launching an attack against the pirates. As the Izweski forces boarded their ship, energy sabers clashing in the breached hallways, only a few of the Tarwa crew were able to escape and touch down on a nearby asteroid. As their oxygen tank slowly ran out, Szozae spoke with the gestalt, bidding them farewell and thanking them for the extra lease on life that they granted to an old pirate. As they died, the gestalt was overcome with sorrow, consuming the memory of their beloved friend's final moments and holding it within their shared form - forever. Thus, Persistent Agony came to be, as the nymphs consumed the flesh and blood of their friend in mourning. Eventually, the gestalt was able to leave the asteroid, its crashed escape pod found by Tajaran smugglers. Still in grief, the gestalt considered returning to its fleet or to Ha'zana, but decided against it. Szozae had always had an adventurous spirit, and the newformed Mourning Mass decided to honor their friend in a way they thought fitting - to wander the Spur, and see sights that the old rogue had never dreamed of. 

The gestalt put their skills to work on the smuggler crew, working as a quartermaster as they came to terms with their loss. Eventually, they grew tired of the same smuggling routes and hidden ports, and disembarked in the Republic of Biesel, seeking work that would take them further abroad. With the recent formation of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, and the creation of Orion Express, they were able to put their logistical skills to work there, running supplies on a courier vessel, before their transfer to the SCCV Horizon in 2465. While some day they may return to the life of a pirate, for now they are content with their situation, as they travel the Spur and see the kind of sights that their dear friend Szozae would have loved.

What do you like about this character?

I love the idea of a Mourning Mass in general - the idea of a gestalt formed from the flesh and blood of a specific person whom they loved, acting as a living memorial. The lore on the Tarwa Conglomerate pirates and their symbiosis with Dionae is also very interesting to me, and I feel like it would be an interesting roleplaying challenge to roleplay Diona pacifism influenced by the ethics of a pirate and a marauder. Specifically for Persistent Agony, I like the idea of their attachment to the Horizon mission coming solely out of love for their fallen friend and a desire to see the Spur as Szozae would have wanted to - and their background attached to a pirate fleet is a good lever for exploitables and potential antagonist gimmicks. 

How would you rate your roleplaying ability? 
10/10, perfect, no notes, I am the greatest roleplayer ever to live. Or 1/10, god-awful, this man should not be allowed a keyboard. You pick. Honestly I hate this question and I think we should remove it from the application template.

[Yonnimer]

Sorry for the delay with this! App is overall fairly solid, so we'll be accepting it. Although please don't use the full name as your actual character's name lmao, little too long