Diona Species Design Document

src/SUMMARY.md

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 	- [Proposals]()
 		- [Vulpkanin](en/space-station-14/character-species/proposals/vulpkanin.md)
+        - [Diona](en/space-station-14/character-species/proposals/diona.md)
 
 - [Combat](en/space-station-14/combat.md)
 	- [PR Guidelines]()

src/en/space-station-14/character-species/proposals/diona.md

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+# Diona Species
+
+| Designers | Implemented   | GitHub Links                                                                      |
+|---|---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| Tuerk | :x: No | TBD |
+
+## Overview
+
+This proposal covers the Diona species as a playable roundstart species. Dionae are a type of humanoid/plantoid alien species. Though they have many different forms and personalities, these "components" remain the same: planty appearance, modular, omnivores, and high-powered radiothropy.
+
+Being able to choose from any number of markings to add flowers, leaves, and thorns on top of having a drastically different world-view from other species, players can shape their Diona into any form they desire.
+
+## Background
+
+Dionae are one of the many unique species to Space Station 13 that has been happily carried over to SS14, but in all this time they have not been much further developed, which I wish to change. For this, [Aurorastation 13 has by far the most developed vision for the species](https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php/Dionae), which is what I want to base this design doc on. I don't think this will cause any issues over people arguing over their lore, since the lore in question is obscure and, to be frank, most players let alone Dioan players are unaware of.
+
+This document is meant to set guidelines for future PRs to make Diona stand out in their own way from other species available in WizDen, through aesthetics and unique gameplay found nowhere else.
+
+## Design
+
+Playing a Diona should feel much different from any other species because of their inherent traits, the degree of which should be about equal to playing a Vox (who are required to breathe nitrogen at all times, but are otherwise unhindered from doing any job on the station). This is done by emphasising their unusual composite biology.
+
+A large variety of cosmetic options should also allow players to play as many different plantoid/fungoid species as they can come up with.
+
+### Core Visual Elements
+
+Diona appear to be made of plant-like matter. However, they are composed of insect- or slug-like Nymphs, represented by the multitude of eyes visible throughout their bodies, connected by viney biomass secretions. All working Dionae must have a humanoid (cyclops) form before hiring.
+
+They communicate in a singsong manner, with noises created through their own biomass that remind one of natural sounds like rustling leaves, rhythmic cracking, branches rubbing against each other, insect chirping, to less natural sounds like plucked strings or playing a flute. Dionae can still mimic facial features or appendages, such as fingers or tails, to communicate with other races by designating a nymph to create those features.
+
+### Naming Scheme
+
+Diona always give themselves names. These names are often long and intricate, representing the journey they have gone on, the experiences they have had, important emotions, actions or ideals, important locations, interactions, or daily routines. So, to say, their name should reflect their identity, which also means it can change as they live.
+
+For practical reasons, Diona shorten their names to make them more manageable, sharing their full names only with other Dionae or close friends.
+
+Examples, some of which are taken from Aurorastation, others I've found fitting:
+
+- Revelation of Self (Pensive Exultation Regarding Astonishing Revelation of Self)
+- Sanguis (Rationing Knowledge of Embodied Sanguis)
+- Ecclesiarch Devoted Emissary of Divine Benediction (Does not use a shortened name!)
+- Explorers (Explorers Of An Everchanging Conundrum)
+- Purple (Purple Blades Vanishing Into The Horizon)
+- Leaf (Crashes Through Heaven As A Leaf Through Trees)
+- Honk (Honks All Security Through The Voids And Stars)
+
+> Note! Nicknames are also acceptable! If your Diona grew up with other races, names adopted from other species are also possible! Go Wild!
+
+### Species Features
+
+Their unique biology gives them several advantages and severe downsides. Laying it all out here is an effort, and I fully expect most of these features will need to be rolled out piecemeal.
+
+> In Aurorastation, this species uses a Biomass resource mechanic to regrow limbs or create structures not unlike Xenomorphs, which I have elected to leave out.
+> > The former, to create more interaction with medical and comform with design Rule 3b: Job Impact. It will be interesting gameplay and RP for medical players to operate on a diona's individual components.
+> >
+> > The latter is left out to comform with Rule 1: A Distinct Identity; further differentiate Diona from Arachnids and their ability to build structures out of web.
+> > Personally, I would enjoy Arachnids being able to make nests, while Diona create a sort of greenhouse/forest in a station, but this would require the biomass resource, and I am debating the technical feasability on it.
+
+#### Aesthetics
+
+Having access to biomass secretions, the Diona can express themselves in many different ways by selecting from a range of markings, such as aesthetic flowers on their arms or head, and different growths on their head, for example, a mushroom cap. Through the use of multiple of these markings, players can create a character that reminds them of any plant or fungi they wish, or go any other direction.
+
+#### Diona Nymphs
+
+*Henceforth, when I refer to Diona, the humanoid player characters are meant, whereas Diona Nymphs are called so explicitly.*
+
+Diona player characters are made up of a multitude of Nymph Diona. These are dog-sized slugs, individually no smarter or more inquisitive than a corgi. Connected through biomass, they form a sentient humanoid, Diona, smarter than the whole. The Diona's personality is made up of its individual Nymphs. Nymphs that have been fused for a long time often need the Diona to remain whole to survive.
+
+Diona Nymphs are NPCs and follow the last Diona that petted them, as they rely on larger Diona forms for guidance and protection. They are created in one of the following ways:
+
+- A Diona creating a Seeding Nymph in a hydroponics tray or similar (with an interaction, some drawback and long cooldown), basically sacrificing a mature Nymph to create a very fragile plant that can be harvested a couple of times, which yields a Nymph as fruit.
+- "Maints Nymphs", mapped on stations with overgrown areas or greenhouses.
+- a Diona gibbing themselves either while dead (expanded on further down in 'Unique Gibbing Behavior')
+
+The donation of a Nymph to help a Diona or delimbed Crew in need is vanishingly rare, but in cases of great trust and need not unheard of.
+
+> For example, if a crew is missing an arm, a diona Nymph can be attached to the stump, which will then work like a normal arm. This Nymph will be in a dormant state, connecting to the host's nervous system to function as a prosthetic. They can be just as easily detached, however, with no harm to the host or the Nymph.
+> 
+> *Surgery and de-limbing, of course, imply the implementation of the new medical system beforehand.*
+
+Diona value every Nymph like humans and their kittens, with the loss of one Nymph being a great tragedy. To neglect or leave a Nymph without guidance is a taboo for Dionae. And inversely, a Nymph seeks the presence of more mature Dionae to be protected from threats and learn from. For this reason, a second version of Nymphs should be made which opens up a Familiar ghost role whose objective is to follow their seniors and learn from them until they become strong and wise enough to head out on their own. Note that nothing should stop these Nymphs from continuing to follow their senior even after reforming into a humanoid form.
+
+The intent behind the emphasis on Diona Nymphs is to make Diona a standout species beyond just turning to dust when exposed to fire and looking like a walking plant, and to also be a unique, unobtrusive feature that enriches each round for the player and the crew. *Currently, Diona Nymphs do exist, but provide nothing but evidence that a Diona had been gibbed some time ago.*
+
+#### Rooting
+
+Diona do not possess high-powered muscles like normal species, but they do possess biomass, which they can manipulate up to a degree, in this case, holding onto the floor with a multitude of vines or roots. This ability lets them move as usual in zero-G, such as during an emergency or while working/sunbathing in space, making them excellent engineers or asteroid miners. They are slowed while the ability is active and passively ingest whatever liquid is on the floor through osmosis. Usually, you do not want things like glue or welding fuel in your system.
+
+Most crew do not want to see what happens to a Diona that has accidentally consumed the blood of another sentient, as it can have any number of side effects, such as but not limited to *severe trembling, incoherent speech, narcolepsy, violent outbursts, mental decay, and/or spontaneous death or gibbing.*
+
+As a side effect of their curious form of mobility, this species is not hindered by any form of kudzu.
+
+> I uh... mostly just put this here because it's already a thing, doesn't come up often, but would be weird if lost from a rework.
+
+#### Terrestrial
+
+Even with the existence of voidic Dionae, most social Dionae trace their lineage to a terrestrial genetic baseline, thus lacking most forms of space tolerance and extreme-temperature protection.
+
+> Aurorastation allows Dionae to survive in space and high pressure as long as they have an oxygen supply, but to conform with the design rule 8 "Circumvention of Intentional Game Design", I have elected to disregard this aspect.
+
+#### Radiothropic
+
+There is a misconception that Diona are photosynthetic. In truth, their cells can generate energy from pure radiation to such an extent that visible radiation is sufficient for continued functioning. Without a source of light or radiation, the Diona will take damage and eventually die.
+
+> I am aware that light-based interactions can be hard to implement. As such, a compromise would be that regular exposure to irradiating material is necessary to stave off atrophy from energy loss, like sun-bathing at the supermatter, snacking on a bar of uranium, or having a sip of radium.
+
+#### Conditional Omnivores
+
+Dionae's diet focuses on maintaining a variety of nutrients, minerals, and calorie intake rather than on taste. Spent bullet casings and uranium ore are as much a part of their diet as is a salad or water.
+
+To ingest food, they must first enclose the item in a food vacuole, then ingest it. Uncooked meat, such as blood, is harmful to a Diona's physiology and psychology. Meat, if cooked well done, is digestible.
+
+Dionae Nymphs can consume foods directly through a sharp, extendable proboscis, while Dionae can do the same for smaller foodstuffs.
+
+> I am unsure how technically feasible this is. It would *just* require checking the tags of the food item so that if the Meat tag is present, Cooked must also be present, or else the blood-related negative effects trigger. But this could force one to check every single "cooked" food item and make sure it is tagged correctly.
+>
+> Still, if this feature is deemed unfeasible, they could just be made averse to eating meat in general, though I would still want them to be able to eat inorganic material.
+
+#### Aversion to Pain and Fire
+
+As the sensory input of Dionae is shared amongst all Nymphs in the whole, they have a visceral reaction to pain and fire. This also has the side effect of most Dionae adopting a functional pacifism, choosing to resolve issues peacefully, though this may differ on an individual basis.
+
+#### Modular
+
+When a Diona receives a large amount of damage at once, a Nymph may die off. Psychological trauma notwithstanding, depending on which role the Nymph took, an arm, leg, or head may become useless, losing all the function that came with it. Losing the "head" does not cause death; however, it just leads to an inability to communicate with other crew, as the "social" Nymph is no longer available.
+
+In effect, each limb of the Diona is represented by a Nymph.
+Given time and care, the dead Nymph can be brought back to life by medical means like any other cat, dog, or critter, and then reattached to the Diona. This should be very important to the Diona not only from a gameplay perspective, but because each Nymph is a cherished part of the community that makes up the whole.
+
+#### Unique Gibbing Behavior
+
+Dionae Nymphs instinctively band together for survival, but as a last resort they can break apart to carry on at least some part of the whole being. **THIS IS A LAST RESORT AND MEANS PERMANENTLY GIVING UP YOUR CHARACTER**
+
+While dead, Dionae can "gib" themselves, releasing a number of dead and alive Nymphs. One of them will be chosen for the Diona's player to inhabit and continue playing the game. They must then try to survive, observe, collect food, and live nymphs to merge with until they can reform. The Diona that is created by doing so is a new person, though some memories/skills/attachments are retained.
+
+> The New Life Rule is in effect on servers where it matters, meaning you should not be able to recall who exactly killed you after reforming from a voluntary gib, if the server cares about that.
+
+#### Atypical Biology
+
+Dionae are often misrepresented as tree people. But what is true is that Dionae loves Robust Harvest. It has fascinating healing properties far exceeding those of regular nutrients, capable of mending most physical damage in a fraction of the time. Charred wounds remain unaffected, however.
+Care must be taken with Robust Harvest moderation, as an overdose can cause all stored biomass to be expelled from their stores, skin to ossify into bark, and them to rapidly root into the flooring. In other words, they turn into immobile "trees", though they are still able to vocalize and interact with their environment in a limited fashion. 
+By having a helpful crewmate hack away at the excess bark, they can return mobility to Dionae, though one should have food and water nearby.
+
+> Ideally, this would mean they would not drop their equipped items on the floor.
+> 
+> Also, by "interact with their environment", imagine how a Xenoborg Core is able to hold and interact with objects in their nearby environment. If a player so chooses, they could choose to overdose on purpose for reasons like to avoid dying from environmental hazards, as they are encases in protective bark, or be silly and work a desk job with everything they need already nearby. Tree bartender anyone?
+
+Plant-B-Gone and similar chemicals are especially harmful to them, as they are quickly absorbed into their system and wreak havoc. Just as much as a Human does not like getting sprayed with acid, it is generally considered cruel to apply such chemicals to Dionae.