Callabaddie's Tajaran Species Application

[Guest]

BYOND Key: Callabaddie.

Character Names: Gatami Sharma (Lackadaisical Quartermaster), Eulalia Castell (Medical Consultant and Informant), Geradine Kingsman (Security Exosuit Pilot), Rionach Hickey (Minimum Wage Lackey).

Species you are applying to play: Tajara

What color do you plan on making your first alien character (Dionaea & IPCs exempt): Jet.

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes.

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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: Playing a Tajaran gives me an opportunity to play with a lot of racial and societal angles that are otherwise absent or rules-prohibited due to race mixing and the prevalence of human “multiculturalism” that’s become standard and kosher in the corporate sphere. Specifically, I like the idea of Tajaran castes. A M’sai, specifically. I don’t think a lot of people like to play up the role they had as the enforcement arm of the old regime- as hunters, soldiers, and servicemen in general. Playing this up further with a (relatively) young Tajaran with familial connections to prominent Honour Guard or Royal Guardsmen … It could make for some interesting spice to interactions with other Tajaran aboard the Aurora.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: There’s a good many things to keep in mind, ranging from the fact that their facial structure results in (at least without consistent effort and vocal training), a slight rolling of the R’s in common speech. There’s also the speech/grammar related lack of a first person perspective. (At least, for Tajaran still steeped in Ahdomai’s culture.) The fact that you hail from a caste based society reminiscent of a sort of dieselpunk 1800s India. The adaptations your species has to a (largely) frigid hellhole that makes even room temperature feel a little stuffy. A cultural and species-related inclination towards monarchic or socialistic government structures and political views … And, the fact that unless you’ve got one hell of a portfolio and serious connections, you’re being exploited by NT officials at every opportunity in terms of pay, promotion, and career options.

 

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Character Name: Inkar Yilmaz. (Meaning, roughly; “Vehement, Passionate, and Loyal to the Family.”)

Please provide a short backstory for this character, approximately 2 paragraphs: (Proof of concept, not final) Born offworld a scant few years after the cessation of the popular revolution that gripped Ahdomai, she was raised by a family in exile. They were influential M’sai guardsmen, a small part of a sizeable detail assigned with the protection of one of the many Njarir’Akhran clans that dotted the landscape of Ahdomai. A little luck and paranoia on the part of this particular family allowed for their escape near the beginning of the hostilities between peasantry and nobility- fleeing offworld with the assistance of a human smuggling group- a little indentured servitude the only cost.

This form of payment became the go-to mode of survival for the Njarir’Akhran that served as Inkar’s parents. Sell the services of their bodguard caste for safety, while consolidating power and connections in the rimworld. In effect, they had traded a life of supremacy over a pack of peasants for a life commanding a small but experienced mercenary force- moving from frontier world to frontier world in hopes of finding a place to settle.

They never really did, but the urge to repopulate and form families was prevalent amongst the M’sai and Njarir’Akhran. A scant few cases of breeding outside of the castes cropped up, with Inkar being one of them. Obviously stripped of the inherent status and privileges of her caste (along with her mother,) she grew up the daughter of a wily Hunter, and a regal sort of Soldier’s wife.

The stories of the former glory of the Njarir’Akhran on Ahdomai, and the instructions in martial skill and prowess as she grew had a strong, shaping influence on her, leading to a proud and cocky demeanor that meshed well with her muscular, trim form. The instructions, unsurprisingly, were rushed due to the eagerness of the Njarir’Akhran for fresh hunters to hire out on “lease,” resulting in Inkar’s early introduction to mercenary life.

The rimworlds are a harsh place, made harsher by the lense of racism and childhood stories of your own supposed privilege. While the stories never really died away in her mind, Inkar very quickly realized just how backwards her people had been. She never seemed to shy away from a chance to learn- whether it was being instructed in the function and intricacies of a laser rifle, or poring over an extranet article on the revolutions on Ahdomai so many years ago.

The realization that her mother’s treasured caste of leaders were now essentially cowering in the rimworlds, traveling from backwater to backwater while using their bodyguards as a source of income was infuriating. It was a painful sort of cowardice that shattered any semblance of nobility that may have previously captivated her. The resentment simmered inside of her until the inevitable argument with her now aging father. In an effort to stifle burgeoning dissent amongst their remaining loyal hunters, the Njarir’Akhran made Inkar a flat offer. Leave her family, and they would find her independent work. The alternative wasn’t explicitly stated, but the threat was obvious.

From there, Inkar began a life as a solitary mercenary, being transferred from outfit to group as little more than cheap hired muscle. A skilled hunter- a hired gun with a penchant for managing to stay alive. Reputable work eventually fell into her lap through little more than happenstance. Perhaps through pity or a sharp eye, the opportunity to work out of a fairly prominent rimworld security contractor presented itself. From there, a few low-level transfers eventually lead her to a particularly desperate NanoTrasen security outfit that was willing to overlook some inconsistencies in her otherwise adequate credentials.

What do you like about this character? I like the contrast between her heritage and innate sense of pride, and the disgust with the inherent cowardice of those who raised her (and instilled her with that sense of pride and privilege). She’s a hunter and a soldier with some strong predatory instincts that she has completely under her thumb. She’s got a tenacity and dedication to being her own woman that’s both admirable and fun to play up. She’s a Tajaran that’s largely immersed in human mercenary and frontier culture, and I think that’s damn cool.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? I really wouldn’t. I enjoy roleplaying, I love character generation, and I’m very passionate and capable when it comes to writing stories and engaging in dialogue. But a number scale? Nah.

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Notes: Over-exposure to human culture (though primarily the frontier) has reduced her growling to a minimum, making her grasp of basic quite robust. It has also severely dampened her prior tendencies towards using third person language, though she has been known to slip up. Has a natural inclination towards using body language and hand signals due to her extensive mercenary career and M’sai culture on the whole.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Guest

[Killerhurtz]

I give this player my approval. Geradine was a delightfully animated character - and from OOC conversations, they enjoy very much the RP aspects (and is capable of reading other characters quite nicely). Too, they proved themselves reliable - I, as a RD, approved a Security genetics testing plan (which involved a very limited number of people getting x-ray and telekinesis), and not once did they abuse it, which to me shows good will. As security, also had impeccable response and protocols. And they /me'd actual emotes, too.

Honestly, I'm looking forward to seeing what this player can do. 10/10 has all of my yes.

[Guest]

Thanks for the vote of confidence man, I appreciate it. Looking forward to some feedback on Inkar, too. And more than happy to answer any questions about her, or clarify anything that's obscure.

I'm trying to go for a shadowrunner-turned-corpsec vibe with her, very much focused on very crisp responses to real threats and a militaristic unflappability and smugness due to her heritage.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

This is one of the more interesting ways to reject tajaran culture. There's still a believable cat at the end of it. Id love to see it play out. You have my +1.

[Guest]

Speaking of which, I'm planning on making it more convincing. Upon thought, the whole "oh yeah, was totally raised by a fukken coven/clan of escaped royalty" is pretty fukken snowflakey. When you write things while brutally tired, it ends up being shit/10. I'm thinking of reworking it down to a disgraced royal mother, and her "romantic interest" that got her rejected from the pre-revolution Tajaran elite. Probably also shunned further due to personal interest in reform, or interest in trading and supporting groups other than NanoTrasen during first contact.

In all likelihood, someone probably did a lot of snooping and digging- then brought their otherwise kosher and covert relationship to light, in order to have her influence within the noble caste nullified.

Resulting in a very salty mom with a half breed kid that she espouses all her ideology onto because no one else will listen. :^)

[Susan]

Approved.

[Guest]

NOICE.