Predator Whitelist Application
Byond ID: Retrokinesis
Marine Name Audrey Aulin (marine)/Evelyn (synth)
Name of the Yautja Character you wish to play Kelsar Te'dak
Have you banned in the past month or are currently banned from other servers? No
Are you familiar with the Predator Code Of Honor? Yes, including the updates made when applications reopened
Yautja Character Story
A successful hunt was a cause for celebration. The two Yautja hunters clashed fist-on-fist in the ship's dueling pit, bravado and clan rivalry boiling over in a controlled and entertaining fashion. The other hunters stood on the edges and roared, each favoring one fighter or the other.
Kelsar Te'dak leaned against the wall, a bowl of Serpent meat stew in his hands. He savored the aroma of the meal, prepared by his hands from prey he hunted according to the ancient recipe of his clan. Many of his brothers took no time for such matters, but Kelsar would have no meal unworthy of Thardha's feasting hall.
The duel finished shortly after he consumed the last of his stew, the young hunters having finally purged all the post-hunt tension via sparring. The Yautja gathered and began to boast of their triumphs, displaying the trophies they had taken. A Serpent pelt here, a human skull there. Kelsar wasn't impressed. The others jeered as each trophy was presented.
When his time came he withdrew from his hunting pouch a metal star. It had been dull and worn when he claimed it, but he had since polished it to a mirror shine. Etched on its surface were words in the human tongue: "COLONIAL MARSHALL". Kelsar held it before his brothers and watched as they stared, curiosity in their eyes.
"Brothers". He raised his hands for silence. "Listen well, as I tell the tale of my hunt. Of the lawkeeper who refused to let either the Serpents or the cold take his life, and how he proved worthy of being my quarry. And how I emerged victorious and claimed the symbol of his power and authority but left him with his life. It began out in the cold... "
***
Kelsar Te'dak enjoyed the cold. Of the things that distinguished him from his fellow Yautja hunters - one of the few for now, but no doubt countless more in the future - his tolerance for the bitter cold winds of LV-312 is what had set him on his current path. The planet was a diminutive ball of ice, all rugged hills of snow and a few bleak plateaus, where those curious creatures called humans had recently tried to make their home. Unbeknownst to them, however, it was already home to the Serpents. Kelsar and his brother hunters had come to cull the Serpents for future hunts only to discover they had overrun the human colony and captured most of its residents, taking them as hosts to more Serpents and growing the hive into a massive threat.
Kelsar Te'dak was, naturally, delighted by this prospect. He had come expecting an easy hunt and was now faced with a challenge worthy of a legend in the making such as himself. Their ship had landed on a glacial shelf just outside the colony, a featureless sheet of ice on the edge of the boreal abyss. All of the other hunters had agreed to head towards the colony and sweep the indoors, as it was the most likely place for both the Serpents to have established their hive and any human survivors to have hidden themselves. Kelsar agreed with them and then proceeded to head the other way alone, out onto the icy plains. He wasn't interested in Serpents coating everything in resin that would take hours to scrape off his immaculately-maintained equipment or humans who survived by hiding in lockers and under beds.
No, he was interested in the humans who would risk slow death in the cold rather than cower waiting to be taken by a horror from the dark. And the rare Serpent clever enough to realize there must be some humans who braved the long trek to the next outpost once they saw what was happening to their comrades. He understood why his brothers might prefer the more numerous prey in the colony itself. Quantity had a beauty of its own and there was certainly honor in taking as many trophies as possible. But Kelsar's clan had a tradition: the Grand Feasts of Thardha. Before every hunt, a decadent revelry of the highest order was held. The young and weak-willed gorged themselves on appetizers, leaving no room for the superior courses that came later. Only those who possessed the self-discipline to pace themselves and an eye for quality would taste the finest delicacies.
So, if his brothers wished to amuse themselves with the ample prey in the colony itself, Kelsar was inclined to let them have their fill. The surviving structures were warm and the Serpents' hive no doubt warmer still, far more suited to the average Yautja's temperament than the frozen wastes. But Kelsar Te'dak was not the average Yautja. And he enjoyed the cold.
***
It didn't take him long to find what he was searching for. The human had covered their tracks well, brushing snow to conceal their footprints. But Serpents didn't rely on sight alone to stalk their prey and the three that followed had no reason to obscure their passage. Why would they? This was their hunting ground.
Kelsar followed the Serpent tracks to a small outpost on the furthest outskirts of the colony, not bothering to cloak himself as his own footprints would give him away regardless. The frost-coated building looked abandoned at first glance save for the Serpent carcass slowly burning into the metal steps. He knelt to inspect it. A stealth hunter, capable of making itself nearly invisible. Vicious claws, strong tendons for leaping at prey. Fairly young, probably newly grown. Kelsar turned the creature's head over and noted the cause of its demise: multiple holes from human projectile weapons. Brushing the nearby snow aside, he found several discarded tubes. If his memory served correctly the humans called them 'shells'. No red blood. Close range, but the Serpent didn't land a blow. A good kill, for a human.
One down, two to go. This hunter could prove to be worthy prey, if it still lived. Kelsar cloaked as he climbed the stairs and looked around the darkened lobby. Immediately, he noticed the traps. Explosive mines placed next to fuel tanks. Tripwires. Automated guns hidden behind soft cover. The room was a killing field. He clicked his mandibles in amusement and weaved through the traps. One Serpent hadn't been so lucky, however. Further down the hall he passed a second carcass. Builder caste. Probably here to support the others. Not worthy prey. He kept going, barely paying it a second glance.
Two down, one to go. He was intrigued now. The human has demonstrated tenacity, cleverness, and skill. It would be a shame if the final Serpent had taken this one already. The door at the end of the hall was slightly ajar and Kelsar shoved it open and stepped through. Beyond, a bulky purple Serpent lay dead on the ground. Warrior caste. Excellent prey. Its carapace was crushed and shattered in multiple places from heavy blows. The Yautja dropped his cloak and clapped three times, mimicking a human laugh. He had found his prey.
The human who had slain the three Serpents wore a heavy jacket against the cold, a golden star emblazoned with the words "COLONIAL MARSHALL" on his chest. Kelsar recognized it as the title for human lawkeepers. He stood over the downed warrior with a fire axe in-hand, edges still sizzling with acidic blood, and raised it threateningly as the Yautja appeared. Kelsar scanned him briefly and nodded. Uninjured. Truly skilled, then. And more than worthy. He approached and drew his ceremonial dagger, expertly carving the creature's hide. This left him exposed to the axe-wielding man, but Kelsar was unconcerned. When he was finished, he laid the skin out in front of the human.
"Lawkeeper. Take your trophy. It is earned". The synthesized voice from his bracer was cold and monotone. "You have lived well. But you cannot endure forever. What one Serpent knows, all know. More will come".
The marshall stared at him warily, axe still raised, and then down at the xeno pelt. "What are you?"
"Hunter. Survivor. Like yourself. There is a way off this planet. I will show you". The wristblades extended from his gauntlet with an audible hiss. "If you impress me".
The duel was swift. Kelsar emerged victorious, as he had expected, but had to admit he was impressed. He plucked the badge from the downed marshall's chest and slipped it into his hunting pouch. Turning to leave, he gave the worthy human one last nod. "East. Walk to the cliff's edge. One of your vehicles remains inside a structure there". Kelsar activated his cloak and began to walk away. "If you can survive the trip, you have earned your life. If not, know you died with honor and will be noted".
Kelsar Te'dak strode back out into the cold, his trophy secured and honor gained. It would be the only trophy he took on that hunt, but he was content. It would be a worthy edition to his collection. As would the story of the hunt that claimed it.
Describe how your Yautja acts, and how you intend to play them I see Kelsar as a kind of predator skald, a warrior-storyteller who wants a hunt worthy of song and story and not just an opportunity for trophies and honor. He knows all the tales of the Yautja hunters of legend by heart and strives to emulate them so his name can be forever remembered as well. To this end he's always interested in the story of the current round and its characters, observing and recording worthy actions even from humans and xenos so they might find some small measure of honor as sidestories to his grand saga.
Kelsar is knowledgeable but fairly lacking in practical experience and not all that amazing a hunter yet but he has a gift for observation and a keen insight into the behavior of others, Yautja and otherwise. He places a high value on cleverness and approves of novel solutions and raw tenacity over brute force as well as appreciating it when his prey surprises him. This tends to make humans his favored prey although he is more likely to underestimate and thus be surprised by a particularly cunning Serpent.
Kelsar's primary goal in each round is observing various scenes until he has uncovered the narrative: whether that be a marine victory due to the heroic actions of a few soldiers, a lone xeno that saves their hive from certain doom, a tug-of-war with no clear victor until a single moment decides it all, or a chaotic mess. He's not above creating a narrative if one doesn't emerge naturally, suggesting challenges to those he suspects could be worthy and deliberately staging cinematic battles between his foes. He'll follow the participants to observe the climax of his work and, in the case of humans, provide them with any trophies they have earned from it. Of course, he can always cast himself as the villain if need be. What audience doesn't love a good tragedy?
Personality-wise, he projects confidence and bravado to hide his inexperience and his default demeanor is one of dry amusement, someone who has seen it all before and knows how the story is going to end but appreciates the artistry of a unoriginal narrative executed well. Kelsar has a burning need to earn his place in legend and loves an audience, causing him to take risks he probably shouldn't because they are dramatic or impressive.
In your own words, describe the difference between an honor duel and a hunt An honor duel is much more than simply the predator fighting worthy prey one-on-one in melee. It's a reward bestowed upon a particularly worthy foe by the predator, a climactic encounter that should be remembered by all regardless of how it ends. Most instances where the predator engages a lone opponent with melee weapons will be hunts, not actual honor duels.
Only Yautja can initiate an honor duel and they are obligated to provide their opponent with a hand-to-hand weapon of some kind. Absolutely no ranged weapons may be employed, unlike against worthy prey where thrown weapons are still honorable. Anyone who interferes with an honor duel is unworthy prey even if they are defending their allies, and the foe also becomes unworthy if they call for or accept this assistance, heal themselves, or flee. Likewise, a non-Yautja demanding an honor duel without being challenged is unworthy.
An honor duel also has specific conduct expected during it. Your opponent should be allowed to reclaim their weapon if disarmed or stand back up if knocked over rather than simply knocked out and immediately killed. They are fought to the death, though the victor may choose to show mercy in recognition of their opponent's skill or honor. Predators also sometimes handicap themselves in honor duels in ways they wouldn't normally during a hunt, such as by dueling an armed human while unarmed or without armor.
Anyone who emerges victorious from an honor duel against a predator and then chooses to spare them must be acknowledged as an equal and this status conveyed to other Yautja.
How do you intend on interacting with other predators during a round? Kelsar is very gregarious for a Yautja and tries to get along with any of his fellow hunters, acting as a moderating force in personal or clan disputes if needed. He encourages them to boast about their past trophies or how successful the current hunt will be, as well as swapping stories at the conclusion of a hunt.
He never misses an opportunity to share his mostly theoretical knowledge about humans and Serpents or the wisdom of famous Yautja of legend, nor to learn from Elders and other more experienced hunters. His own lack of practical hunting experience is a bit of a sore point for him, though he is a quick study and takes defeat or failure in stride as a learning opportunity and chance to experiment.
He is also a fairly devout worshiper of Thardha and loves a good revelry, especially as a venue for tales and boasts. This makes him a bit of a hedonist and, ultimately, he wants to grow his personal legend in order to become a larger-than-life figure in Yautja lore. He has an appreciation for fine craftsmanship and prefers trophies that are visually striking and unique.
From a meta perspective, I feel he provides a solid opportunity for RP with predators of all kinds. Elders will find an eager student, brash hunters a more patient and analytical companion, storied heroes someone to chronicle their tales, and rising stars someone who can appreciate their ambition and skill. His focus on narratives also provides a good round-to-round through line for building IC relationships. Providing he survives, of course.
Why do you want a predator whitelist? I didn't, when I first started playing. I originally assumed predators were a purely combat-focused antagonist role and, as someone who really enjoys RP and support roles, that's the opposite of what I was looking for. I saw people running off and abandoning their missions to chase and kill the predator the second someone said "Jamaicans" and wanted nothing to do with it.
But then I actually started interacting with predators and realized they have a ton of potential. I've had some very memorable encounters with them, even as a xeno. Especially as a synth, I realized how RP-focused they could be when they felt like it.
Predators have an interesting place in the round because they're wildcards; neither friendly nor hostile to either side at first, and the actions of one predator don't necessarily tell how you how any of the others are going to be.
I feel like my RP is very good and I've been putting more effort into improving my combat roles as of late, and I believe Kelsar's playstyle and personality would allow me to create enjoyable and memorable encounters without interfering with the "main storyline" of marines v. xenos too badly.
Do you understand that any player - donor or otherwise - can have their whitelist status revoked should they break our rules or disobey the Predator Code of Honor? Yes
Spoiler:
Originally Posted by Sleepy Retard
