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Mr. Popper Wantss to Ssslay Himeanss - Unathi WL


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BYOND Ckey: Mr. Popper

Discord username: mr.popper

Character names:

  • Manuel Barros (engineer)
  • Dariiz Ranura (machinist)


Species you are applying to play: Unathi

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General Whitelist Requirements 

What colour do you plan on making your first alien character?: Mudki Stone

Have you read the lore pages for the species you wish to be whitelisted for?: Yes

Why do you wish to play this species?: I like the lore for Unathi, which I was mostly introduced to during the latest arc. They have a similar “new kid on the block” vulnerability to Tajara but with very different execution; rather than being divided politically, Moghes’ divisions are more environmental. But that is not to say the Unathi are socially perfect, by any means. Feudal oppression is still alive and well, providing plenty of concepts for characters who benefit or suffer under the regime. The central conflict of Moghes’ nuclear trauma is also a great hook and I love how every Unathi has a different perspective on it. With Zhrdtuur, he feels cheated out of the life promised for him but has begrudgingly accepted his new path for the good of his clan.

What makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a human?: There is the obvious that I will need to get used to, like mannerisms, but I am more interested in the social differences. The highlight is definitely gender, which I haven’t seen any other sci-fi race really play with. Gender is something an Unathi “does” rather than “is”. When I find myself thinking of an Unathi character, I always start with their gender and how that affected their life as each has its own varying expectations. Clans are also significant, with Unathi having a very collectivist culture that stresses the needs of the many more than most human cultures. Religion is another major consideration, dividing Unathi far more than it does other races like humans or Tajara. Unathi society is really in such a vulnerable state that a desperate Sinta will believe anything, and that drives conflict.

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Character Application

Character Name: Zhrdtuur Azstak

Write a backstory for your character. This may include their origin, education, personality and how they arrived to the SCCV Horizon. 

Born into clan Skklet, Zhrdtuur’s formative years were what one might expect for a peasant in the Zazalai Mountains. Each day was a new lesson in the way of the fisher, preparing Zhrdtuur for the day they would have to provide for their village. But that day never came. The Contact War broke out in their teenage years, and suddenly the serene mountain range was flooded with invaders. The Skklet clan was able to escape to nearby Mudki, but not without a cost; Zhrdtuur was one of many non-warriors desperately called upon by Lord Izaku to defend the city.

Thanks to his courage, or perhaps youthful naivety, Zhrdtuur fought with distinction for a levy. He was one of the few newly minted warriors to never desert a battle, fuelled by his hatred for the invaders who had sacked his home. For nine long years he fought, yet when victory finally came it was bittersweet. The village he was born in was gone for good, taking two thirds of his homeworld with it. It was not home he returned to but asylum, one of many haphazard shelters allocated to refugees. But that is where his clan was, wounded but alive, and so that is where he stayed.

The aftermath of the Contact War was a confusing period for Zhrdtuur. They were nominally a fisher again, trying to pick up the pieces of life before the War, but life was so different from when they were a hatchling. The beautiful countryside was replaced with weathered walls, and the clan’s lake, once abundant with fish, was no more. For nearly a decade they had done nothing but fight, and it seemed they had forgotten how to do anything else. After months of contemplation and guidance from their shaman, Zhrdtuur officially decided to follow the life of a warrior.

Zhrdtuur’s first few years as a warrior were spent in Mudki’s city watch. He considered an offer to become a man-at-arms for Lord Izaku, but his experiences as a fisher got the better of him; in the city he could finally pursue his childhood dream of becoming a guildsman. Leveraging his military experience, he secured an apprenticeship in the local Fighter’s Lodge chapter, providing far more for his clan than before. Yet even still, clan Skklet struggled in poverty, and so his clan leader began seeking a spouse for the warrior. After much deliberation an agreement was made with clan Azstak, a local guild family established in Mudki. Zhrdtuur was betrothed to the fisher Geslsid Azstak, promising prosperity for his impoverished clan. The marriage price afforded to Skklet may have saved the clan from an early demise.

After many years of hard work, Zhrdtuur Azstak made his way up in the Fighter’s Lodge. He eventually earned a spot in the Lodge’s Chosen, traveling all around Moghes doing clients’ dirty work. One of these contracts was his first run-in with Hephaestus Industries. The corporation appreciated Zhrdtuur’s subtler approach at curbing unruly workers compared to his warrior peers, as well as his “self-made” story, so when Hephaestus absorbed the guilds in full he was a natural choice for a corporate enforcer. Zhrdtuur’s latest assignment is as a “workplace liaison” to represent Hephaestus’ interests on SCCV Horizon, although time will tell what the corporation really intended with his posting.

How have the recent events of the Orion Spur impacted your character?

Clan Skklet was profoundly impacted by the Sk’akh inquisition. Although a staunch Th’akh clan, Zhrdtuur and many of his clanmates fell for the hysteria surrounding alleged cult activity. This came to a head with Zhrdtuur’s discovery that his twin brother, a talented hunter and respected warrior in his own right, had converted to Si’akh. After failing to make his brother see the light, the two had a falling out. Seeing no other option, Zhrdtuur reported his brother to Mudki’s authorities. This decision would haunt the Sinta for the rest of his life, as the next day his twin was given a public execution as a message against heresy. Zhrdtuur was commended by his Lord but he felt only hollow, dishonorable. Closure only came to the bitter warrior six years later with Lord Izaku’s execution.

Hephaestus Industries’ takeover of the guilds has drastically changed Zhrdtuur’s life for the better. While he previously would have had to settle for retirement from the warrior lifestyle as his age caught up with him, Hephaestus offered a transition into a less physical— but still honorable— role where his talents for crushing dissent could flourish. His new position also meant substantially more financial security for his once destitute clan.

How does your character view the megacorporation they work for?

Zhrdtuur sees Hephaestus Industries as a positive force in the Hegemony. Part due to his childhood as a fisher, part due to his distrust of nobles like Izaku, he genuinely believes economic forces like the guilds and Hephaestus to be Moghes’ salvation— not that he would ever say it to a noble. Himeans, Unionizers, Aut’akh, and anyone else who would oppose Hephaestus must be backwards Traditionalists who refuse to embrace progress. It is his duty as a warrior to out these dishonorable schemes and protect his employer’s interests.

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hephesteus is great for moghes :) :3 :)

hephesteus is the best company

he lovesssssssssssss hephesssteusssss 

popper is mean to me 😕 but otherwise is a competent roleplayer and would make for an interesting addition to the taildragger club 

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4 hours ago, RustingWithYou said:

Hey, thanks for applying - just one Obligatory Question. As an Unathi from Mudki, how does Azstak feel about the events of New Blades, Old Wounds - specifically the Izaku Rebellion?

Thank you for the response.

Zhrdtuur was enthusiastic at the announcement of the humanitarian program in mid-2466. Already loyal to Hephaestus by this point, he had full faith in the corporate efforts to rejuvenate Moghes. One day, he hoped, the environment may even recover enough for his birthplace to be habitable again. Clan Azstak shared a similar, albeit more acquisitive, view, hoping to profit off the increase demand for guild work. His poorer kin in Skklet, however, were less enthusiastic. What good are promises from aliens when every day is a struggle to feed the clan? And, unlike the romantic warrior, their old village was now but a distant memory in the minds of the eldest. Mudki offered shelter in a time where it was sparse, why wish for anything else?

Lord Izaku's betrayal, ironically, united them. Azstak's xenophilic, thrifty outlook often clashed with Izaku's xenophobia, while Skklet had held a grudge in secret ever since the death of Zhrdtuur's brother. Although Zhrdtuur was shocked to hear of the uprising and feared for his clanmates still in Mudki, another emotion came to him— vindication; Zhrdtuur had not betrayed his Lord with his disloyal thoughts following his brother's execution, his Lord had betrayed him in ordering it. Izaku's death was the climax of years of resentment and the start of a new chapter in Zhrdtuur's life, one in which he can forgive himself for the part he played in his brother's death and move on, like Moghes itself. The conclusion of the initial humanitarian mission and Hephaestus' hand in it have only strengthened Zhrdtuur's resolve. His homeland will recover, and Hephaestus Industries will be there with them every step of the way.

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