[Approved] TheMaskedMan2 - Vaurca Application

[themaskedman2]

BYOND Key: TheMaskedMan2

Character Names: Susanne Sai (I do play as cyborg quite a bit but I have no set name for it, and for some reason I get Antag a lot so I wind up not being my human character!)

Species you are applying to play: Vaurca

What color do you plan on making your first alien character (Dionaea & IPCs exempt): Simply the default color for an Unbound K'lax (R-51, G-51, B-0)

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Of course I have, multiple times, it's quite a fun read.

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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:

Well, I have always loved insect and arthropod races in sci-fi, as well as real life. I find the whole dynamic of a collective all designed for specific roles working together. They have always been so different, and intriguing than our typical human sensibilities. This isn't even touching on the fascinating lore that they have, and in all honesty, it seems to be one of the most in-depth and unique pieces of lore for a species. I enjoy the separate type of mindset it will encourage me to have, to think differently, the ideas of a caste system, and attempting to adapt to a human society that despises and discriminates against you. The virtual world they lived in is also interesting, and the sheer difference and vast shock that it must be to be put into reality and adapt to it, is definitely an interesting dynamic I would like to partake in.

I have also noticed, that there seems to be quite a lack of Vaurca players, and I believe the station could do with a bit of diversity, the interesting dynamic and evolution of a character, a severe minority, and attempting to overcome the discrimination, well, it's interesting. Further, I look forward to the innate 'tension' between Vaurca of different hives, and their interactions towards each-other, a unique experience to this species.

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

Well, let us start somewhere. There is quite a lot makes them different from humanity, and even other alien races as a whole on the station! There is of course the actual gameplay mechanics.

Hivenet - A global language only audible to Synthethics and other Vaurca, this allows quite a bit of a different flavor and gameplay opportunity, as it is essentially a hidden reliable method of communication. Not to mention what other races may feel regarding it, paranoia perhaps? Leads to interesting scenarios.

Internals and Phoron - Vaurca require phoron to breathe. Which they aquire typically be consuming k'ois products, this in turn means they must constantly have internals on, and something to keep an eye on. (Excluding the rare scenario if the station is flooded with phoron, of course.)

Carapace and Spacewalks - Vaurca bodies are structured differently, and as a result, do not require suits to venture out into the depths of space. Of course, they must still have internals, though they require that all the time typically anyways. The body itself, while having a quite sizable amount of brute resistance, does come at more than a few drawbacks though, they physically can't wear many items, they simply don't recover from bleeding or naturally regen. Toxins are incredibly deadly, and flashes can blind. This doesn't even mention should a Vaurca be cloned, they will be lacking their implanted artificial parts.

Caste - The worker caste is a bit slower, and lack the ability to bite, but in turn, have a greater resistance to Brute, Radiation, and Suffocation damage. The warrior caste on the other hand, is faster, and do have the ability to bite those they are holding tightly, delivering massive damage. Further, they have an increased resistance to fire, though it is at the cost of being less resistant to brute damage. An unplayable caste should also be mentioned, the Breeders, these are the rare leaders of the species as a whole, boasting a greatly increased size, and commanding the respect of all lesser castes.

Let's touch on the non mechanical aspects of the species for a moment, they dislike light, and to be honest, most of the bright lights within the station would be likely to annoy them for prolonged periods of time, and I would like to use that to further character development and RP. Though in exchange, they do have quite excellent vision in the dark. (Not an actual mechanic in game iirc) The species themselves are very specialized, being very skilled in their job of choice, but severely lacking in knowledge of other departments. For example, a Medically inclined Vaurca would know likely every aspect of anatomy, biology, and other medical practices, but would be at quite a loss regarding anything but the basic functions of hacking a door, or building machinery.

Another intriguing aspect to note, would be the speech of them. While some Vaurca can easily understand and comprehend the aspects of basic, it is not uncommon for the odd slip in sentence structure. Additionally, Vaurca are physically incapable of speaking basic with their natural voice, they require implants to be capable. Even with this, they still typically have trouble expressing and properly pronouncing sounds, commonly replacing 'S' with 'Z', and placing too much strain on specific sounds.

Besides the physical differences, when role-playing as a Vaurca, you must think in a different mindset then that of a typical human, with such a vastly different culture and society, adjusting and socializing with other species, would likely create quite the clash in ideals. For example, it would not be odd for a Vaurca to offhandedly remark the Bound as simple tools, while most other species would find the manner in which they treat their own kind at birth as revolting and inhumane.

 

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Character Name: Ka'Akaix'Pikt K'lax

Please provide a short backstory for this character, approximately 2 paragraphs

The Virtual was perfect, within, any Vaurca could dream and exist with whatever they desired. Even the most wild of fantasies could be fulfilled, and many, perhaps most even, would prefer to never leave the paradise they inhabit. Though life would never be that simple, and by necessity, some must be chosen to descend and work within the Material for the benefit of the Hive. Pikt is not much different from the others, they had no desire to ever leave the Virtual, they spent time fantasizing within, building amazing hives with intricately designed details, every piece perfected and refined for years. Though the time always comes, and they must draw the numbers, and as luck would have it, Pikt had a Black Number.

The transition was not easy, it was like having your entire being ripped through a wire, and snapping your senses shut. The Material was dull, Pikt could no longer exert the control over their perception of reality they once had. The foreign lands were even worse, the lights were a stinging, headache inducing bright, the noises and smells were sterile and strange. They lacked any meaning or purpose, and the humans, the beings that had ripped Pikt from their perfect paradise, showed no sympathy or understanding. Unfeeling and demanding, Pikt was force into a demeaning job, a lowly Engineering Apprentice. Now, while Pikt had seen the display of other Vaurcae, merely tolerating the treatment, Pikt believed they deserved more, and that the Material world was merely another world, much like the Virtual, that they had not figured out how to control. Filled with a sense of ambition, Pikt sees these new limitations as a challenge to overcome, and seeks to mold the Material much as they molded the Virtual. They simply must first understand it.

What do you like about this character?

So, I rather enjoy this character, like many other Vaurcae admittedly, they started within the Virtual, and drew a black number. What I enjoy with this, is the idea of instead of merely surviving, making their way, and hoping to return to the Virtual, they seek to thrive in this new world. They have ambition, to make the best of this and look forward eagerly. Against all discrimination, and all the hurdles and paperwork, Pikt hopes to raise the Varcua and their Hives' status out of the depths, and into a bright new world, despite how futile it may be. I believe this will make for quite interesting interactions, motivations, and potentially even Traitor gimmicks. Further, I find it as an interesting challenge to the character, and even myself as a role-player, to see them properly risen and promoted from Apprentice to a proper Job via the Avowal of Responsibility, and see where it goes.

How would you rate your role-playing ability? Fairly decent, I believe I would put myself at a 7, but who wouldn't? I will admit to not being the greatest writer, for it has always been my weak spot, but I do believe when it comes to making a character feel genuine, I do well in that regard. I'll try to explain my role-playing style. I have been role-playing ever since I was little, of course, on a fairly different scale than this! Though I have always had a fascination with putting myself within the shoes of another character, becoming something different from myself. I've expressed this throughout the years through table top games, online groups, and chat rooms. More specifically, I have always been an improviser, I believe I adapt remarkably well on the fly, and I like to remain reactionary. I have never been one for long winded plans set in stone. I prefer instead to set a base or skeleton, and see how it evolves through the actions of those involved, developing the character further in that manner. All in all, I figure that the best way to improve my role-playing abilities would be to simply role-play more and practice!

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Notes: Apologies for my long winded rambles, I thank you for taking the time to read this application, and I eagerly look forward to criticism, which I hope I will be able to respond to and address, ask any questions and i'll get to them as soon as I can. Furthermore, I am aware I am fairly new to this community as a whole, though I have always been quite the lurker, on and off again. I predict my backstory will be the weakest part of this application, and I genuinely look forward to critique. I hope to be able to play as a Vaurca and prove my capabilities as a valuable player. Further, I will continue to up my activity on the server so you may witness my abilities in game. Thanks for reading.

[sdtwbaj]

Well written, clearly has a strong desire to play Vaurca. I also like supporting intrigue, because curiosity is the base of this entire game, and this person certainly shows some curiosity and intrigue. I think it'll be interesting to see what his Vaurca becomes.

+1

[Conspiir]

I agree to having this person be a bug on the station. We need to create a phoron shortage.

[Guest]

This application explains many interesting points of Vaurca lore and shows both their physical and psychological systems, I would simply approve it if I had the qualifications to do so, I'm seeking to make something similar for my second application.

+1

[tmmytbbt]

Before I make a call here I'd just like to make sure that you understand that the lore/wiki has been updated very recently and additions will continue happening over the next few weeks, mostly additions rather than changes from here on out but still. If you're aware of this an are willing to adapt to the changes that may happen I see no problems with this.

[Diggey]

very late ninja +1

[themaskedman2]

Before I make a call here I'd just like to make sure that you understand that the lore/wiki has been updated very recently and additions will continue happening over the next few weeks, mostly additions rather than changes from here on out but still. If you're aware of this an are willing to adapt to the changes that may happen I see no problems with this.

 

Yep, I am very aware that there are changes incoming, and I am completely open to adapting to them, and as a matter of fact, I am looking forward to the changes, It'll be interesting. I've been keeping track of a lot of the loremaster changes and things going around and I think it'll be good for the species as a whole, so to answer the question, yes, aware.

[tmmytbbt]

Okay you have a clear idea on what it is to play a Vaurca, a solid backstory, the length of which shows your dedication to getting it right and on top of all that you have multiple people backing you up. Approved.