[Declined] Zyymurgy's Lore Dev Deputy App

Ckey/BYOND Username: zyymurgy

Position Being Applied For: Deputy Lore developer

Past Experiences/Knowledge: I have over 15 years experience with RP and the same amount of experience creating and writing about original species and planets. I enjoy Thinking Deeply about things like ecology, ancient history, and the different components of culture and their evolution -- all things I hope to bring to the table as Unathi Lore Deputy. I've already spent time discussing things like this with Jackboot, and my intention as Lore Deputy is to be able to continue these discussions and make some canon lore.

Examples of Past Work: I wrote a very large document for Ouerea, parts of which Jackboot has already made canon, here.

Preferred Mode of Communication: Discord, Ziy#5598

Additional Comments: If elected I plan some work on the natural history of Moghes, before the wars, including more animals and fauna and describing their place in the ecosystem and Unathi culture. Also working on the existing animals known, including writing wiki entries for Moghean beasts that can be seen in the code but have no wiki entries yet (those giant lizard beasts, Stoks, etc??). I also plan on revealing some lizard lore I've been working on for JB's approval for canonization. In addition, there are a couple concepts on the Unathi wiki that could use some minor clarification, such as the Unathi stance on same-sex relationships (mainly how they don't recognize same-gender attraction as being different) and the limited types of Unathi women that would realistically be seen on station (masculine or barren freewomen and guwans or Ouerean liberals). All this, of course, with Senpai's direct intervention on the finished product.

Jackboot likes an overview and politics. I plan on being his deputy to flesh out the parts that he doesn't like or have patience for. And I have the time and dedication to write over 20 pages about a topic on a whim. I hope you will consider me for the position. (Harsh criticism accepted.)

If I had a say on who would succeed me or take my second deputy slot, Zyy would be one of them.

I look forward to see how you do.

Do you plan to write most of your lore in a void? By this I mean a narrative void, where no matter the change or impact of the story, the result is ephemeral at best and completely ignored at worse in game. How do you believe unathi lore could be represented? How would you effect unathi in tau ceti?

Right now I see a lot of people misguided about a couple things, namely the types of Unathi women they expect to see, and the misconception that Unathi are homophobic. These are things I'd like to correct through wiki edits, ooc comments, and IC play if elected; right now I can only summon Senpai's authority with regard to that. I don't want to minimod but I'd also like to be able to clear that up, as I've discussed it thoroughly with JB.

In addition, the work I'd be doing on Moghes and Ouerea would include some things like culture, and pop culture, that Unathi could reference in-game, which I at the very least would plan on doing, and I know others who read the wiki would be into it. Basically more fables, more TV show brief descriptions, maybe a list of books and brief summaries for their influential fiction. Stuff like this is lacking right now in most Xeno lore, and it would be fun to have some esoteric stuff for Unathi to discuss and confuse/delight humans with. Ideally it would be vague descriptions and lists that give players a good jumping off point to say something either funny or deep about each. I've already asked and prompted Senpai to come up with some stuff like this.

But further, the lizard lore I have been working on, I have been implementing with my newer Unathi charactrers. It involves an ethnic group of Unathi who have specific beliefs and rituals, which make them noticeably different among other Unathi. I've been playing characters like this, and Senpai has seen the lore I've been working on for it, so I'd ideally open this lore up to others making similar characters. If something like this appeals for Unathi, I'd be interesting in making more ethnic Unathi cultures later on too, trying to show a diversity among the alien species so it doesn't feel quite so Star Trek, 1 Species 1 Planet, style.

As for Ouerea I consider it a mostly ignored space in the lore. I would ideally like to develop its inner workings and tensions more with Senpai's help, as right now the relationship between the frontier's settlers and the capitol are unwritten, as well as the relationship with the xenos on the planet. I've done major writing for Ouerea which has seen minor additions to the wiki, and I'd like to open it up for other Ouerean players to have some baseline information about the cities and what their hometown could possibly be like. And I'd ideally like to see some canon lore tension between the settled colony and its homeworld, as the Izweskis have just come in and taken it as I recall. Something like that would be interesting to work on and could possibly effect things on station as either a possible Ouerean liberation is had, or the Izweskis crack down and become a more hated figure for Ouereans. People who keep up with IG news would have reason to alter their character's perceptions of other Unathi on station.

I'm not sure if any of this is too ambitious or not suited for a lore deputy, so all I've got to say in closing, is that I have a lot of stuff I want to be able to bring to Jackboot with a tiny bit more authority than I have right now, and I'm more than willing to take assignments from him too. I've already been bringing stuff to him, and then been showing on station to general approval. So I feel like I've got a good start on some work that having lore deputy status would help me develop further, to possibly open up to more players on station with approval.

That's how I'd like to affect the station, I guess. People can easily ignore new lore they dislike, but I personally would be bringing it on station. With others having the opportunity, I'd like to see them take it -- but I'd also understand if it was disliked, which is why a lot of what I just mentioned is either yet to be written or being worked on now in secret, for Senpai's eyes only.

Hello, thank you for your application and investment in the unathi species.

One of your biggest strengths is your devotion to the species and eagerness to create content for it. However, this can also be a source of contention because your methodology is fundamentally different from mine. You have over a dozen pages dedicated to a single planet and the biomes on it. You, in general, write a LOT of information. A LOT of what you write will end up cut. Currently we are trying to avoid creating additional layers of information on our wiki pages, focusing instead of consolidating and explaining what we already have.

How do you feel about balancing density with accessibility?

Part of my main way of thinking about worldbuilding includes dealing with ideas from the bottom up. That means that a LOT of what I think about tends to be ancient history, which isn't exceptionally relevant except for in its far-reaching effects. But... I'm okay with most of what I write being cut and considered secret lore or just not considered at all in the big picture. Not every single thing I write needs to go on the wiki, because the vast majority of it simply informs the present tense stuff that is wiki ready.

That's why my ass isn't burnt to a crisp over you picking about 10 paragraphs out of a 20 page document to put on the wiki. I understand that I write a lot, and the wiki needs to be brief and informative.

I feel like the way you've mercilessly edited my work so far has been very nice; you know what to cut down to make it brief but still get the main thought across. However, if you don't want to serve as my editor, I can cut my own work down after writing a lot. Whichever way works for you, but I do feel you're a good editor, Senpai.

The main crux of it is I write a lot for fun, and I'm fine with that being cut down to something much more concise, whether I have someone else edit it, or I do so myself.

Plus, if you end up not liking what I do, you can always redirect me and give me something to work on that you don't want to deal with.

Hello, I am sorry that this set for so long. Thank you again for your application and interest in the lore team. While I always enjoy spontaneous applications to a position within the lore team, this one landed in a trifecta of factors that really delayed proper processing.

That doesn't mean I've neglected to think on this application at all - I have given it periodic thought and I've gone back to your posts and our discord conversations and your past shown work.

One of the major problems persists in the density of your writing. I brought up the level of detail you create for what amount to mundane aspects of the lore. Your response to this concern was to put the responsibility of throttling your lore upon my feet and saying you will continue to write at length. This doesn't seem to be the most good-faith way to respond to this concern. As a player I am obviously a required gatekeeper (since I am the one that physically puts what you write on the wiki) but I trust people that I bring on as developers or deputies with high levels of autonomy. Just writing at length anyway as a deputy will have no gatekeeper unless I take the time to methodically comb over all of your projects - a process being a deputy is meant to allow you to skip in majority.

You and I have fundamentally different design/writing philosophies and I do not think they can be reconciled. You are of course always invited to present projects as a player when you have proposals but I will be declining your deputy application at this time.