Goth Cats in Space! - FrozenDahliaRose's Tajara Application

[FrozenDahliaRose]

BYOND Key: FrozenDahliaRose

Character Names: Narcisse Juno, Vitaliya Lebedeva, Jovna Amlliq, Janvier Lavoie

Species you are applying to play: Tajara

What color do you plan on making your first alien character: M’sai - Ivory (#cdcdc0)

 

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes! I have read extensively and have taken notes!

 

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:

Tajara have an incredibly interesting history and culture, and there is so much potential for a wide variety of unique and interesting characters. The lore itself is incredibly detailed, with multiple factions on Adhomai itself as well as Tajaran communities outside of Tajara space that also have their own history and culture. Even down to the food, the religions, the music and the fashion. The culture is so in-depth and amazingly detailed. Even playing as a human interacting with Tajara, I have seen so many different characters but they are all so fascinating to talk to and get to know. It’s so interesting to me and I would love the opportunity to explore and create my own take on a Tajaran character, based on the lore available. 

 

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human:

As an alien species with an entire culture and history that developed both separately from and later influenced by humans, Tajara have a way of life that is incredibly different, but not so different that a human couldn’t relate to them. Their traditions and cultures are highly informed by the world they inhabit and their history. And also as an alien species, their physiology is different from humans as well; The biggest difference (aside from appearances) being their sleep-wake cycle, but even their calendars differ from humans’. A lot of their behaviors come from their history, their cultures, their traditions and their values by way of simply not being human. Meanwhile, in human-dominant spaces, playing a Tajara is different in having to navigate the prejudice that comes with being a Tajara in human space. 

 

Character Name: Darya Kovalev

 

Please provide a short backstory for this character

 

Darya was born to M’Sai parents in Crevus in 2447. Their parents were devout S’rand’marr worshipers, and as such, Darya grew up in a community that was similarly devout. Their father had served in the Adhomai Liberation Army during the Second Revolution, and this, combined with the chaos he had grown up surrounded by during the First Revolution, gave their father a conservative outlook, focused on keeping his family and traditions safe. Meanwhile, their mother was a Child of the Parivara who had, at one point, intended to become a member of the clergy, but instead decided to marry and start a family after having met and fallen in love with Darya’s father. 

 

The oldest of five, Darya felt trapped by the expectations put on them by their parents, both in terms of education and religion, but also to take up the role of a third parent to their younger siblings. These expectations, combined with feelings of confusion and shame as they started to question their identity and even their sexuality, led to Darya feeling a great deal of pressure for most of their teenage years.  As a result of this constant pressure, Darya began to rebel, at first in little ways that would often result in lectures from their father or concerned talks from their mother. However, as time went on, Darya found that they could no longer alleviate that pressure with small acts of defiance, and eventually, their dissatisfaction with their life became too much for them to put aside. Darya left home upon becoming an adult, moving to another part of the city, away from the community they grew up in. Darya found themself working as a barista, and later a bartender, for Idris and living in a small apartment with not much else to their name. 

 

Naive and lacking experience with any part of the city outside of the community they grew up with, Darya soon found themself welcomed into a group of young Tajara that noticed her plight. Raskariim, they called themselves, worshipers of Raskara. Having grown up as a worshiper of S’rand’marr like their parents, Darya had always believed in Raskara, but was taught that he was an evil being. Upon further interaction with the --seemingly friendly-- group, Darya began to believe that he perhaps wasn’t evil like they were taught, simply misunderstood, like them. Darya quickly embraced the group and became a follower of the cult and in exchange, they were introduced to an entire world outside of what they’d known before. New music, new fashion, new culture that they’d previously only known from the warnings their parents would give. And above all that, the freedom to explore their identity. Darya would continue to work at their bartending job with Idris by day, but during the night they would party with their new friends at various clubs, though The Lock was their favorite. 

After one too many experiences with gangs and law enforcement, Darya decided to take up the offer by Idris to transfer off-world, hoping for freedom away from the persecution of Raskariim, but also for the freedom to fully explore their identity, something that would be much more possible in human space. 

 

What do you like about this character?

 

What I like about Darya is the juxtaposition of their place in the world before they left their community and after. In the community they grew up in, they were a rebel and considered somewhat troublesome. However, upon moving out of that tight-knit, religious neighborhood, they have become the odd one out in a different sense, naive and even gullible when compared to those around them, especially the Raskariim “friends” they made. Also, their personal journey with their identity is something I relate to in my own life. 

 

How would you rate your role-playing ability?

 

I would consider myself pretty good at roleplaying, and I have been told I have a way with my characters that makes them enjoyable to interact with. That being said, I am always open to learning how I can improve and become a better role-player. 

 

Notes:

While not an avid supporter like their father, Darya has a positive opinion of the DPRA. Meanwhile, they hold a negative opinion towards both the NKA, but especially towards the PRA, as it was mainly them who their father fought in the Second Revolution. However, their 'Live and Let Live' attitude and their willingness to give everyone or everything (up to and including a malevolent deity) a chance means that they are incredibly unlikely to cause problems or act on these opinions. 

Edited August 15, 2023 by FrozenDahliaRose
Expansion on backstory, fixing iffy wording

[dessysalta]

+1! I love Jovna and Juno as characters a lot, interacting with them is honestly a breath of fresh air compared to some people. I know Dahlia can play a Tajara based off this alone.

[Alberyk]

Some questions:

What are Darya's long-term plans with moving outside Adhomai and working with the scc? What the character seeks to accomplish?

What exactly are Darya's religious views? Does Darya really believes in the cult of Raskara?

[Susan]

Why would Darya hold a very negative view of the PRA, but not the NKA?

The DPRA was formed of military officials who split after the assassination of President Hadii - officials who fought for the First Revolution, an and an end to nobility. The NKA was also at war with the DPRA during the Second Revolution. Why would they regard a reintroduction of nobility with neutrality?

[FrozenDahliaRose]

11 hours ago, Alberyk said:

Some questions:

What are Darya's long-term plans with moving outside Adhomai and working with the scc? What the character seeks to accomplish?

What exactly are Darya's religious views? Does Darya really believes in the cult of Raskara?

Thank you so much for your feedback! With your questions in mind, I've made some edits (which I highlighted in bold) that hopefully better explains those aspects of their backstory!

[FrozenDahliaRose]

10 hours ago, Susan said:

Why would Darya hold a very negative view of the PRA, but not the NKA?

The DPRA was formed of military officials who split after the assassination of President Hadii - officials who fought for the First Revolution, an and an end to nobility. The NKA was also at war with the DPRA during the Second Revolution. Why would they regard a reintroduction of nobility with neutrality?

Thank you so much for your feedback! I can definitely see the problem in the wording here, so I've made an edit (highlighted in bold) to fix that! Hopefully that works to fix the problem! 

[Alberyk]

Application accepted.