The Ill-Fated - Command Whitelist Application

[The_Ill_Fated]

BYOND key: The_Ill_Fated

Discord Username: The_Ill_Fated

Character names:

Andromeda Maschera

Eliana Laska

Noelle Bellec

Maaike Houk

How long have you been playing on Aurora?:

Since early 2022, off and on. 

Have you received any administrative actions? And how serious were they?:

Yes, a three-day ban in 2024, and a warning for shutting down an Antag gimmick in an inappropriate manner. 

Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph each.

What do you think the OOC purpose of a Head of Staff is, ingame?:

A head of staff serves as one of the primary conduits through which RP is delivered to the wider crew.  Due to their authority, and visibility,they become natural anchors during events, antagonist scenarios, and interactions with external factions.  Their decisions have real narrative weight, and the way they choose to handle situations can either open doors for engagement or shut them down entirely.  A head of staff who approaches the role thoughtfully can help guide the round towards interesting outcomes, rather than cutting them short or forcing them into positions where they stagnate.  

What do you think the OOC responsibilities of Whitelisted players are to other players, and how would you strive to uphold them?:

Whitelisted players have a responsibility to elevate the experiences of other players.  That will mean sometimes prioritizing the enjoyment of others over what you might particularly want to do.  The choices that would be ‘realistic’, or ‘consistent’ for your character, can often be detrimental to the larger narrative if it shuts down antagonists, kills a gimmick prematurely, or diverts attention from the emerging story, the antagonists and players are creating.  Above everything else, I think being whitelisted bears a responsibility to act as a facilitative component, it’s about helping steer the round towards fun, engagement, or opportunities for others, even if it involves missing moments as your character.  

Explain how the recent events in the Spur changed your character and how they came to be employed on the SCCV Horizon:

Maaike’s life has been shaped by concealment, by adaptation.  Born into the remote backwaters of Sun Reach, she was raised under the Viceroyalty’s eye, expected to demonstrate piety, and loyalty to a tribunalist order that had, just before her birth begun the long process of stamping out Sun Reacher identity into something ornamental, something politically harmless.  For her family, descended from among the few favored under the rule of the Pirate Lords, this was but one face presented. Behind the mask remained the old rites, the shrines at the edge of the swamp.  

For Maaike, adolescence felt like a choice between surviving quietly or stagnating.  She chose survival,  and Zavodskoi’s interstellar’s corporate tendrils provided escape, as they sometimes did for the clever.  In return she signed contracts, accrued debt, studied in Biesellite institutions, and ultimately found herself within weapons development for Kumar Arms, a life far removed from the humid forests of home.  She carved out a career there, competent, well-paid, but alienated from meaning.  The Spur’s relentless appetite for armaments ensured her hands were never idle, yet she often questioned if she had merely traded one form of subjugation for another.

The recent instability in the Spur, the political fragmentations, shifting corporate power-blocs, and the constant undercurrent of crisis, made Maaike reevaluate what she wanted.  For the first time since leaving Sun Reach, she could see that the large institutions could be shaken, that loyalties were less than immutable, and that the powers of the Spur were not the monoliths she once took them to be.  That volatility awakened something within her, a sense of possibility, of contingency, and for a woman raised among kaivijadii, and the old rites, a suspicion that perhaps far less was set in stone than she once imagined.

Her motivation ceased being profit, stability, or even professional advancement.  What she wanted was meaning, the chance to participate in something that wasn’t simply another production cycle, or another tightening of Zavodskoi’s grip.  The SCCV Horizon represented precisely that: a vessel where research, politics, and culture collide in real time, where the Spur’s changing future is felt, rather than divined through news feeds.  It was, she discovered through the months of interviews and paperwork, a place where a woman of her background could steer research rather than simply execute orders.  

Being appointed to the Horizon’s research leadership pushed Maaike into a role she never expected. Rather than hiding beneath technical expertise, she now sits in a position to articulate priorities, manage people, and navigate the competing philosophies aboard a vessel that felt as if it sat at the crossroads of the Spur’s future.  It has not made her louder, nor more ideological, she remains quiet, serious, and task-oriented, but it has forced her to invest in meaning beyond the next contract, beyond the next quarterly report.  The Spur is changing, for better or worse, and Maaike felt it best to witness that change from the front line, rather than within the depths of a Kumar Arms laboratory.  

What roles do you plan on playing after the application is accepted?:

Research Director is all, for right now.  

Have you familiarized yourself with the wiki pages for the command roles?:

Yes, I have reviewed all of the relevant Wiki pages.  

Characters you intend to use for command or have created for command. Include the job they will be taking:

At this point it’s just Maaike Houk

Do you understand your whitelist is not permanent, and may be stripped following continuous administrative action?:

Yep, I am aware. 

Have you linked your BYOND account to the Forums?

Yes

Extra notes:

Over the last year+ I have taken a substantial amount of time to reflect on my previous whitelist strip before applying again.  I believe that gave me the distance to clearly understand what I did wrong, how my behavior in the past was unacceptable, and why the consequences were justified.  I made the deliberate choice not to rush back into reapplying, but instead wanted to take the time to ensure I could demonstrate improvement over a long stretch of play without issue.  I believe I fully grasp the responsibility that comes with command roles, and how important it is to uphold those standards, and how failing to do so can have consequences for the rest of the players in the round.  

I am confident that this has made me a better player, and that this time I am capable of approaching command-play with a healthier, more thoughtful mindset.  While I hope I’m accepted, and prove trustworthy in this position, I can absolutely understand if it’s a bridge too far.  

[Hepatica]

I think Ill-Fated is more then suited for a command whitelist. She roleplays well on a myriad of characters all quite distinct from one another. I know better then most that people make mistakes, and that people are plenty capable of changing their ways after said mistakes, and there's no doubt in my mind that she will do great upholding the standards set for our command players. +1

[pvths]

Ill-Fated is a very good RPer. Interacting with her characters is always a varied but consistently good time, and I think she could bring a lot to rounds she is in. +1

[FabianK3]

Ill-Fated's characters are not only very distinct from each other but also feature a lot of depth. RP with them has always been fun and engaging, personally especially with Eliana.
I think their answers are well put and I was rather surprised to learn about their previous WL - I'm certain Ill-Fated is quite capable to play a command position and based of their current mindset; I'm surprised they had an issue before - Looks like a lesson well learned.

I'd love to see them have at it once again. +1

[dessysalta]

I think The Ill-Fated is one of the best writers on this server, dating back several years of play with extremely well-made characters. Seeing their old whitelist get stripped was a huge surprise, and if they're reapplying I have no doubts they'll be able to satisfy.

+1. I want to see how they impress this time around.

[Misiek1001]

I don't really see any issue with Fated getting the whitelist again. As Dessy mentioned, they're one of our best writers on the server - it'd be a shame for them not to be given the opportunity.

 

+1 from me.

[Farofafeijao]

Ill-Fated has consistently brought very fun and interesting characters to life since she joined the community. Having interacted with good part of them, they often to add a lot to the situations and overall RP they're involved in. Will be fun seeing which command character she comes up with next.

+1

[ASmallCuteCat]

I haven't had lots of one-on-one RP with Ill-Fated but all of their characters I've encountered and haunted have been three-dimensional, well-written, and well-played. They're a solid RPer . +1

[Fyni]

On trial until 28JAN. Be sure to post this for feedback once per round.

[NerdyVampire]

Seemed to play their role as research director well in the shift I played with them. They interacted on command, directed their science staff, questioned questionable things and seemed responsible with their authority +1 from me

[StewardsCap]

Beautiful RP'er, and naturally a great Command Member, they were on top of things and very vocal about what they needed to do and what was to be done. They had actually surprised me with how focused they were on tasks and the bounties were done like 10 minutes after I asked! In other regards, they play a competent leader who acts like a sane down-to-earth (Or Moroz?) member!  I hope they can inspire a new group of scientists! +1

Edited January 22 by StewardsCap

[JoeTheBro]

Played under them as a scientist and worked with them as a captain when they played their RD Maiike Houk. Solid RPer and worthy of the whitelist.

+1

[Maxspells]

+1 I haven't gotten to interact yet but I love all of Ill's characters and I know she'd be excellent in command.

[Fyni]

Accepted.