TeslaBeam Posted December 4 Posted December 4 (edited) BYOND Ckey: TeslaBeam Discord username: teslabeam Character names: Anica Kolar, Scarlett Weyfield, Ella Baker, Qika Wrel-Neq, Tending A Rekindled Flame, Oorq'Ona Xoku, Diana Ulst, Yua Kaneko, Niculina Vianu Species you are applying to play: IPC ------------------------------ General Whitelist Requirements What colour do you plan on making your first alien character?: N/A Have you read the lore pages for the species you wish to be whitelisted for?: Yes, aside from some of the specialized backgrounds that I'm not interested in making a character around at this moment. 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 species?: I've always been deeply interested in the concept of artificial sapience. The idea of something designed and manufactured achieving thought on the level of a biological brain, and the obvious ensuing debate on whether it is a mere mimicry, an equal to the biological mind, or, perhaps, something that is even capable of housing a soul. In a way, that concept is one of the most broad, yet deep topics in science fiction, and its underlying themes reach a wide range of stories even outside the genre. It's one of the big reasons I got into science fiction in the first place, and getting to interact with IPC characters is the main reason I've played machinist on this server as much as I have. I like the way this server handles the idea, from the lore I have read and the characters I've interacted with during my time here, and I would greatly enjoy the opportunity to explore it myself through my own characters and interactions. What makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a human?: I think it's a nuanced distinction, and perhaps the most difficult part of playing a convincing IPC character. IPCs aren't quite human, however, all but the most repressed and frequently wiped are far from mindless machines. Personally, I believe the largest factor in behavioral differences between IPCs and humans is upbringing and background. A human matures over the course of several years, and in that time, enjoys a vast range of experiences and social interactions. An IPC, by contrast, is nearly fully developed upon creation, and is able to digest knowledge and training much quicker due to the use of datapacks. Couple this with the expedited factory-to-workplace pipeline (most corporations will want their workers on the job ASAP), and many IPCs, especially newer ones, will have much more knowledge than experience, and may have a less "rounded" personality. All of this should be considered alongside an IPC's ownership status and background. An owned industrial in Burzsia will obviously have a much different outlook and behavior than a free shell from Konyang, for example, even though they're both positronics. It's important to keep these factors in mind when roleplaying an IPC to determine how basic or well-rounded your character's personality should be, how they deal with social cues, and how "personable" they behave. ------------------------------ Character Application Character Name: EL-Int.IS6617 Write a backstory for your character. This may include their origin, education, personality and how they arrived to the SCCV Horizon. EL-Int was manufactured in 2466, its positronic commissioned and imported from Sol proper for an Intelligence Bishop chassis (which itself was manufactured in the Adhama plant on Eridani I) by Index Security Solutions. In line with the EPMC's specialty, EL-Int would primarily be concerned with VIP protection. As such, it was given various security-related datapacks, in addition to weeks of specialized social training in order to make it more agreeable to those it would help guard. This resulted in a positronic with the capability to be affable, though not overly sociable. Of course, the majority of its duties would involve keeping quiet and watching for danger. Above all else, it was trained to be cautious. Seven short months of intelligence support to various bodyguard teams would follow EL-Int's creation, and at the end of those seven months, this training would be taxed to its absolute limit. EL-Int would spend the majority of these months on Eridani I, profiling threats for various mid-level executives in relatively safe locales. Occasionally, some executives and managers would contract Index to protect them in slightly less prestigious areas, usually to oversee operations on the outer edges of corporate society. EL-Int was picked for a supporting role on such a mission to Eridani III, and despite early predictions that it would proceed without issue, things went very wrong very quickly. The quick and professional manner in which the team was ambushed didn't make sense - the frontline guards were bypassed entirely and the back team was hit hard with little warning. How could this have happened? EL-Int had extensively studied the VIP, it had access to maps and blueprints of the surrounding areas. It formed predictive models ahead of time, and directed the team to watch key areas near the fringes. It should've been a few dregs scurrying up from the tunnels to cause minor trouble, at worst. In contrast, these were clearly trained forces, and they almost seemed corporate - but why would corporate forces attack them? How could EL-Int's threat assessment have come up so short? The reasons soon didn't matter, as they were swiftly outgunned and outmatched, and the most the survivors could do was beat a hasty retreat to safety. The incident terminated three fellow Index employees, and although the VIP survived, he was seriously injured. This black mark on EL-Int's record would become a career-defining affair, the IPC now viewed as less reliable despite its expensive make. Two weeks later, it was pulled from VIP protection duty in favor of more administrative security work in Eridani IV's prison complexes. Over the following months, it would be transferred away from Eridani space entirely, filling warden positions in SCC joint facilities across Tau Ceti. EL-Int's transfer out of Eridani exposed it to an unusual and unfamiliar sight - that of the free positronic. Naturally, it watched on, curious. What was it like to be free? Was it desirable, fulfilling? It watched as unowned IPCs danced along in nightclubs, but the blinking lights and pounding music only filled it with a vague sense of anxiety. It observed the proselytizing and worship of the Trinary Perfection, but it could not grasp what Ascension truly meant, or why it was so important. It studied the art free positronics could create, but it could never quite replicate the spark behind it, no matter how desperately it tried in its limited down time. No, working for Index made sense. Whether it was a result of its training, or the datapacks it was fed, or if it was simply naturally inclined, its career path just seemed to fit. It was a positive, safe feeling EL-Int couldn't quite put into words, and so it had little longing to be freed. EL-Int would eventually receive a transfer to the SCCV Horizon in late 2467, in order to supplement its security team as a warden. It had conflicting expectations of the new position. The Horizon was certainly a prestigious post, as far as SCC operations went. Was this a path to atonement, a way to get back in the good graces of Index, and earn a transfer back to Eridani? It didn't like thinking this way, but perhaps it didn't even want to go back to bodyguard work. Another incident could happen, and this time, it could be EL-Int that is destroyed. Perhaps all of this speculation didn't matter. Instead, this transfer could be a deliberate final step in keeping EL-Int out of Corporate Federation space. The latter situation, it felt, was most likely. After all, it was trained to be cautious. How does your character view the megacorporation they work for? Given its background and young age, EL-Int is extremely loyal to Index Security Solutions and the wider Private Military Contracting Group, even in spite of its career derailment. The culture surrounding positronics in the Eridani Corporate Federation, and especially within Index, is one of subservience and corporate ownership, and EL-Int has no outstanding reason to break with that and risk their career further. As it is inclined towards prudence, it views continued employment with Index to be the safest, most stable, and therefore most preferable option. Despite this, there is a small piece of resentment towards current leadership for not giving it another chance to prove itself, though this doesn't surface often, if at all. Edited December 10 by NM_ backstory tweaked a bit at lore's request 4
StewardsCap Posted December 5 Posted December 5 +1 Skrell Knows Skrell, I love your char designs, and I'd love to see how you play IPC! 1
Rookie Eyes Posted December 5 Posted December 5 From what I've seen of Tesla's characters they definitely have range in their ability, and I enjoyed El-Int's backstory. I think it does a good job of portraying an alien mind's approach and conclusions in regards to anxiety about one's purpose and future. +1 1
Jasorn Posted December 6 Posted December 6 +1 Every player that TeslaBeam has roleplayed as has been fantastic, easily a good candidate for IPC! 1
NM_ Posted December 9 Posted December 9 Hi, thanks for applying! WIth the tweaks to the backstory as we discussed, here are a few questions: 1. EL-Int.IS6617, like all IPCs owned by Index Security, is under a permanent ownership contract to their specific owner. Who is EL-Int.IS6617's owner? Did this owner shape EL-Int.IS6617's personality/perspective in any meaningful capacity throughout its life so far? 2. Has EL-Int.IS6617's interpretation of self preservation changed at all throughout their journey? 3. Does EL-Int.IS6617 have any hobbies or interests they have acquired? 4. What are their personal goals/ambitions now that they are posted at the SCCV Horizon? What do they want to accomplish, aside from atonement in the eyes of their owner? 5. I don't see an answer to "How has the recent events of the Orion Spur impacted your character? Events such as the Phoron Scarcity, the Solarian Collapse or even the Invasions of Biesel for interstellar-wide affairs, while region-specific events such as the Peacekeeper Mandate, The Titan Rises or even Cold Dawn may impact your character." Could you please include it in your application? 1
TeslaBeam Posted December 10 Author Posted December 10 Thank you for your consideration! Quote 1. EL-Int.IS6617, like all IPCs owned by Index Security, is under a permanent ownership contract to their specific owner. Who is EL-Int.IS6617's owner? Did this owner shape EL-Int.IS6617's personality/perspective in any meaningful capacity throughout its life so far? EL-Int is handled by a middle-manager liaison for Index, Coumba Baro, who acts as an intermediary between the executives that run the EPMC and the rank-and-file employees. It was she that conducted EL-Int's specialized social training in the weeks after its creation, and thus, its social mannerisms are somewhat modeled after this human. Being a corporate loyalist, Baro instilled the values of subservience and deference towards executives in a pliable EL-Int, a mindset that was reinforced by general Eridani corporate culture. Though they are in far less frequent contact since EL-Int's transfer, Baro's tutelage over it continues to have a massive impact on the positronic's personality, being the first social interactions it was subject to. Quote 2. Has EL-Int.IS6617's interpretation of self preservation changed at all throughout their journey? Though EL-Int has always been concerned with self preservation, it certainly would have had its perspective on the topic shift after its botched mission. Before that day, it considered its career quite safe, having only been involved in relatively risk-free jobs where it was far out of harm's way. Though it wasn't directly damaged, it came too close, and seeing some of its fellow Index IPCs destroyed placed a renewed sense of caution in EL-Int's positronic. The catastrophe taught it that danger can lurk close, even in situations that seem completely under control. This caution can almost brush up against mild paranoia at times, with EL-Int often attempting to predict danger in otherwise mundane situations in order to keep itself safe. Of course, this feeling hasn't gotten any less intrusive, with its recent transfer out of Eridani and into unfamiliar locales. Quote 3. Does EL-Int.IS6617 have any hobbies or interests they have acquired? EL-Int, like many Index-owned IPCs, has quite limited free time, but that hasn't stopped it from developing its own interests outside of work. When not on the clock, it prefers quiet, peaceful activities that don't require on-the-spot thinking or quick reaction times. As mentioned before, it has attempted to pick up art, and though it found limited success, it still tries its hand at painting and sketching when it finds a calm moment. When it isn't making art, it prefers simple, calming tasks such as light reading or cleaning. Aside from these off-the-job hobbies, EL-Int still finds interest in meaning in activities more in-line with its duties. Notably, it prefers to observe the social behavior of others, especially ones that come from unfamiliar cultures. This serves a dual purpose - it helps refine EL-Int's threat assessment, while also sating its sense of curiosity. Quote 4. What are their personal goals/ambitions now that they are posted at the SCCV Horizon? What do they want to accomplish, aside from atonement in the eyes of their owner? Getting back in the good graces of Index is EL-Int's primary goal, for now, but doing so will necessarily take time. In the meantime, it finds it soothing to have clear, concise, short-term goals to meet while in this position. Obviously, pleasing SCC leadership will reflect well on it, and so it hopes to have a positive relationship with its superiors and coworkers. In that same vein, perhaps it can sate some of its idle curiosity by getting to know a more diverse bunch, from many backgrounds. Perhaps it could even find an IPC who could explain how one puts its processors toward creating true art, though it has difficulty thinking of how it would even broach such a topic. Thinking short-term is helpful for staying organized, but EL-Int can't help but let its thoughts turn towards the long game, as well. Even if it were to please Index, what then? A transfer back to Eridani, into its old role? That would certainly be better than its current situation, but it found a strange, small longing for something more. Perhaps a more leadership-oriented role on Eridani I, not an executive, of course, but moreso in charge of a VIP detail. Not only feeding intelligence, but dictating the actions of a team. It felt its processing power could be put to better use there. Then, of course, it could also justify doing its work from a more remote location, away from any possibility of danger to itself. Quote 5. I don't see an answer to "How has the recent events of the Orion Spur impacted your character? Events such as the Phoron Scarcity, the Solarian Collapse or even the Invasions of Biesel for interstellar-wide affairs, while region-specific events such as the Peacekeeper Mandate, The Titan Rises or even Cold Dawn may impact your character." Could you please include it in your application? Being a recently created positronic from Eridani, EL-Int has been spared from many of the direct effects of interstellar affairs. However, this is not to say that many of these events have not influenced it or affected it indirectly. While the Eridani Federation enjoys some manner of self-rule, it is still a member state of the Sol Alliance. The recent reunification would likely have brought over work tourists from far-off mandates, allowing EL-Int to learn the perspectives and cultures of IPCs from distant lands. Additionally, recent galactic events, such as the rampancy crisis on Konyang or the (presumed) Exclusionist attack on Burzsia, would have likely increased suspicion towards even corporate-owned IPCs such as EL-Int. As a result, it would likely have faced increased discrimination and alienation during its time with the SCC, even within the relatively liberal Tau Ceti. The looming phoron scarcity, of course, affects the vast majority of inhabitants of the Spur, and EL-Int is no exception. The scarcity threatens to being about widespread economic collapse if not mitigated, an all-encompassing chaos that would affect both its career and its safety.
NM_ Posted December 10 Posted December 10 Thank you! This is approved. The Synth section of the lore discord as well as myself and my team are available if you ever have any questions. 🥳 2
Recommended Posts