[Accepted] DeadLantern's 2nd Unathi Application

[DeadLantern]

BYOND Key:

DeadLantern

Character Names:

https://i.imgur.com/dIBhLBF.png

(Pfaz is unused)

Species you are applying to play:

Unathi

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

Dark Blue

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:

The Unathi have interested me well before Aurora, largely influenced by my fascination with crocodiles and other reptiles/lizards. They are a symptom of "Earthen species but made more human," but this does not disturb me that much, I always liked reptilian biology, and the lore is great. There is a lot with what you can do with this species. You could make an honorable, traditionalist lizard, or a poor Guwan. Or whatever you want. The lore restricts things so that the culture is still alien while making it so that every single character isn't the same thing over and over. I also see a lot of Unathi that fall under the warrior archetype, and I feel as if I can bring something new. Or somewhat new.

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

Mechanically, they are generally stronger than humans. They have claws, and they are largely carnivorous so they gain the benefit of eating random mobs raw. They are also the fastest of all species, but they have limited stamina probably because they do not have the ability to sweat. Culture, they are extremely different. Obviously, women are treated as underclasses but not as animals. They are respected, not because of their character, but because they are recognized as important to society and to continue to species. This means they are recognized and even respected, but still looked on as below, only serving for one thing, like station bound synthetics. Most Mohegan Unathi have a strong sense of honor and will refrain from using ranged weapons. Ouerean Unathi are much the same, however, their differences rely on their treatment of outsiders and aliens. Ouerean generally are tolerant to those species, while Mogheans may not. Moghes is also radioactive due to a nuclear war.

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Character Name:

Taelot Sezeroa

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

Taelot was born to a priest in the city of Mudki, owned by the Hegemony. Because of his father, the family was naturally high in social position, and thus had the luxury of many things that other citizens did not have. However, he fathered an abnormal son--Born with blue scales, reminiscent of the sea. His father was horrified at this, considering it an omen, something against nature. He had the conception that Mobast would be ostracized and unable to be a worthy child, and perhaps he was right--In any case, he hid this child. He did not erase him from history, but he did not utter his name outside of his home. He did not take his child outside nor discussed him with people outside of his family. He sent his 3 other sons to formal school, but he homeschooled Taelot. He instructed his children to not speak of him, as well. He did not even allow his mother to speak with him alone. This did not mean he did not love Taelot--But he saw that what he did was needed. He developed a relationship with Mobast that he did not with his other children, as he spent almost all of his time with Taelot to try to give him a normal life without setting him outside. Taelot's father was the only man he knew, his only friend. He became very attached to him, and listened to his every word. From an early age, he was taught that he would always be different and that he hid him from society for that reason. A more assertive child would challenge these claims, but Taelot was born shy and obedient. He was not dumb, however, and he realized that his father was correct with his handling of him. Unlike other things, he denied thought into what could happen if he was let out into the real world. Would it be that bad? Perhaps he would be bullied and taunted, but nothing else, right? He shunned these thoughts, keeping them locked up. He had a curious mind, but he learned to lock it for his own sake. He often fashioned masks and large roughspun cloths to hide his scales.

Even with these precautions that his father took, his existence became known. He frequently tinkered with mechanics, and noises could be heard from his room that pointed to sounds of mechanical nature. Obviously, no one in the family was skilled in this art, so many became assuming that there was something going on. Taelot's father's scheme did not work for long, and Taelot's existence was revealed. They were hounded repeatedly at their house, but it was not so much because of Taelot's color. His father's reputation was ruined--Hiding a child was considered an extreme sin to the community. It made him look cowardly and lying, that he did not admit the child's existence as if it was normal. His father grew extremely tight with him, but he could still not bear the accusations he was facing. The bond with him grew large, and it seemed to be strengthened further when they were taunted. The family's reputation was ruined. Mobast's father was slightly expecting for the truth to be revealed. The family simply disassociated from the community--this was not without consequence. Many still hounded them every time any one of them family would step into the public, and many would come to their home and ruin the lawn or the exterior of the household. When his father had duties as a priest, his word was ignored and mocked. Under normal circumstances, he would be driven to become a Guwandi--But he still kept on. It was lucky that his secret was found at a late age, when he would become an adult. The disrespect he had to handle, however, was shameful.

Eventually he grew. He could not remain with his father forever, a fact that Taelot resented. His father also was saddened by this idea, but he assured him that they would keep in contact. He began searching for a job for Taelot. He was smart and he knew that Mobast could not be in a position where he had to communicate a lot or had to command others. He noticed the fact that he constantly dabbled in machinery, and that he would give Taelot spare parts he found in a junkyard and he would create some sort of machine. He'd give him some small wheel cogs and some wood, and he'd make a windmill. He was entertained by this long ago, but now he realized it could be a career for him. He sought education outside of Moghes, and he sent him to Mars University. He and Taelot were incredibly terrified, for he knew that he existed with his father and by his father for his whole life. He had trouble with grades, at first, due to homesickness, but he adjusted and graduated. It was still difficult, however---He was shy and reportedly fashioned masks that he used to cover his face. This was now in the pass, now, however. Using his higher standing, he contacted many corporations in order for him to get a job--He got many offers, but found that Nanotrasen paid better than other jobs. He and Mobast agreed, and he was sent to his new job.

What do you like about this character?

He might not start RP situations by himself, but the mere fact that he is there on the station will create controversy. How will Unathi react? I also like that he is shy and reserved, unlike a lot of other Unathi I see. He would be good at creating RP, and his inexperience with this new life might lead to entertaining situations.

How would you rate your role-playing ability?

6/10. Not bad.

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Notes: Past Unathi app. https://forums.aurorastation.org/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=9648

Note that I have a much better understanding of the species now than I did before.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Guest

[zyymurgy]

Pretty good app overall, but I do have some critique.

First, the name. "Smograks" does not match with the naming conventions perfectly. I would suggest changing it to something without any "closed mouth" sounds, like b, p, m, etc. They don't have lips, so those sounds tend to not be found as often. The "mm" sound doesn't seem to be popular in the naming conventions as I've seen so far on station or in wiki. So, I suggest changing it to have a more "open mouth" sort of sound. However... very minor complaint, not important at all.

Second, something a little more relevant. His backstory seems a little big disjointed to me. Namely, his fascination with mechanics. An isolated child who is homeschooled is going to NEED hobbies. I would say that it would be a good idea to include his mechanical fascination in his childhood, rather than in his later life. That gives him more time to develop his skills, gives him a hobby to keep him sane, and provides him with an opportunity for a job later in life. You could do something like, he starts taking apart household electronics, then his dad lets him tinker with the family car, and encourages him to learn mechanics from books and manuals, which then helps him get a job once his father has to let him go, and then goes to Uni for mechanics and engineering. To me that would make more sense than an adult Unathi who has been sheltered all his life suddenly being great with machines and mechanics.

I say all this from the perspective of someone who was raised isolated, who dates someone who was homeschooled his whole life, and whose father was an engineer for an aeronautics company. Having no friends gives you a LOT of free time; being raised homeschooled if you don't have a hobby you will LOSE YOUR MIND; and becoming a mechanic/engineer requires a bit more than just realizing you like to tinker with cogs and windmills.

Otherwise, good app, I give it an overall +1.

[Kaed]

I have spoken with the allmighty jackboots, and this is what he hath decreed:

Ye verily, doth it be true that a blue scaled unathi is weird and worthy of shame or bullying, but hark: A male heir to a household is too important to hide away in the basement. Had they been a female, the shame and concealment might have been justified, but a manlizard must be displayed and deal with the ridicule that doth come with thy tainted scales.

Basically the 'princess in a tower' storyline doesn't really work for a 'prince' in a heavily patriarchal society structure. You can't hide one of your male heirs away from the world, it's important that people know you have 4 heirs, not three, even if one of them looks like a blueberry.

Either revise the story to be different, or make it a female unathi, which has it's own changes, like her probably not being homeschooled and pampered as much as this guy was.

The stuff previously mentioned about names is also important.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

I will get to this before the end of the 14th.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hello, I hit this a day later than I thought.

I'm glad to see that you changed his life to be that of prejudice and not being locked in a closet for all his life. Male heirs are important, and the mixed response of people blasting on his father for hiding him away as well as thinking he is a weirdo is a good mixture of a headache for the family.

We have only had female blue unathi so far. You might be the first male blue unathi I have seen.

Your application shows a good understanding of the lore and while you re applying with an unusual pitch, as Zymurgy said, with your changes you have a good app.

Accepted!