Building a Story Together

[Neil Preston]

{Anyone and everyone please contribute}

Since its been brought up, I thought I might explore, openly, the process of creating a story of consequences.

The players are Neil Preston and maybe Endeavor and Totem (as they are known to be his friends).

The situations is this: Neil goes from whatever he was doing (working in a clinic in Indonesia, but that's not all that relevant) to help Endeavor recover from her wounds suffered at the hands of DeathSquad. While he was doing that, a call came in from somewhere that there was this child that needed emergancy aid or he/she would die. Neil, who gets hundreds of these requests in a given day, declined to go and stayed at Endeavor's bedside instead.

The child dies and the grieving father holds Neil accountable for ignoring his child's plight. The grieving father doesn't want to kill Neil, but to make him "understand" how wrong it is of Neil to ignore these pleas for help. He wants to make Neil a "more responsible" nova.

Okay, the questions are these:

What does this person due to get at Neil?

Family & Friends:

Remember that his father is a famous Precog, so going after him isn't smart or safe. Neil's mother is in a very private mental institution. Neil is an only child, but has multiple cousins who he is moderately close to.

He has a close knit group of friends, but finding out who they are isn't too easy. Still doable, as they were all a clique in college.

Novas he has been close to include Endeavor, Totem, Machina, Walker, and Saimhe among others.

Money isn't a big concern for Neil. He is a Trust Fund kid with a wealthy father.

He has many good relationships with the faculty and staff at John Hopkins Univesity and Medical Center. He stays in regular contact with several advisors there, consults on medical problems, and it is the easiest way to keep track of were he is.

Who does this person involve?

We are assuming at the start this person is not a nova.

Hiring an elite, or elites is a possibility, but what other options are out there?

What resources does this person have to call upon?

[Wakinyan]

Off hand I would say if he isn't a violent man then he picks up his phone calls his senator to try and get a "Responsible Nova Act" brought into being. He could try going the legal route but Money and contacts are on Neil's side. What he "might" try to do is hire an new Elite to go after Neil in some way that would teach him a lesson rather than just outright kill him. POssibly a scenario where he attacks a public place where Neil is harming so many that Neil is overcome by it? Just a thought.

[Magus]

... Hmm...

Looking for direct contributions to the story or discussion of the ideas?

[Tarot]

You started out basing this off an idea I volleyed so to answer I'd need to know how much you intended to incorporate from the original idea. As conceived;

1. The father erupted because of the stress with abilities that challenged Neil's. A darker opposite of sorts.

2. There was a flavor of madness though its initially arguable whether its utter lunacy or "a path less traveled for good reason". Or to put it another way, the Joker is no more insane than Rorschach. I'd rather meet Rorschach is a dark alley than the clown prince but both are dangerous.

3. He blamed Neil lack of dilligence, irresponsibility, however you want to put it.

How much of the above is true in your collaborative flavors the answers to your questions. The night I originally conceived of the idea I decided (and this was just me puttering over an idea) that Preston Sr wouldn't be a problem. Might even be a cool idea.

Jumping over the usual stuff about eruption... putting limits on infinity... etc... You get what you ask for even when there are price tags involved. Psycho Dad was definitely going to be tainted but not to give him a reason to go after Neil. He already had that. He was going to be tainted because that's the price to be paid to obtain the power to carry out his mission of properly instructing Neil. He was going to see himself as something of a martyr. Paying the price for the greater good, the lack of desire to to do the same being one of Neil's personal failings.

Along with that; Preston Sr is a powerful precog, proud of his son and obviously failed to instruct his son. So "Dad", in the holographic totality of eruption factors this in and is obviously someone that doesn't show up to Preston Sr's precog.

Which would have become an interesting subplot as Preston's attempts to "help" Neil became a hindrance. I actually thought out this scene where, later, Preston is precogging to determine the cause of Neil's growing persecution complex and how to help when he realizes (here I was going to draw attention to the far more important powers of observation rather than the Oh-shit-he's-a-precog thing that everyone loves so much) that the absence of minute dust particles in the air form a man-shaped outline. Ergo someone is there that he can only perceive indirectly.

Twisted, but it struck me as a cool and very workable idea given the nature of the guy's eruption. Of course by that point Neil would have already escaped "protective custody" and be trying to stop his mentor.

Drama. Conflict. It would have made a great scenario in a TT game.

[kestrel404]

What would he do to get to Neil? It depends on who he is. Here's an idea:

Duke Randal Wording IV - Philanthropist

Randal is an mildly antiquated English Gentleman Philanthropist who got his money the old fashioned way: from his family. For most of his life he solved problems by throwing money at them until they went away. He's also quite smart, well known and well liked at the higher levels of society, and even has indirect ties with the Aeon Society.

When he found out that his adolescent granddaughter, his only surviving relative and sole hope for the future, was dying of a rare and incurable disease, with less than a week of life expectancy, he immediately started calling in markers and putting out money.

Unfortunately, his timing was poor. Utopia, his first option, told him he would have to wait at least ten days before they could retrieve their only healing nova capable of curing such a disease. Triton had a vaccine, but nothing that would help at this stage of the infection. Devries turned him down because both of their top healers were under exclusive contracts elsewhere at the moment, and no amount of money would change that. Argus, one of the few other elite agencies with a strong healing nova, declined because of an ongoing operation in Africa, which would be too dangerous to stop in time.

That left only independent novas (since the other factions would be unresponsive to his pleas), and of those Neil is the most outgoing and generous.

Not having an agent to arrange things with, and unable to get directly in contact with the nova, Randal simply sent his daughter to the Indian clinic where Neil was working at the time and prayed. His prayers were shattered when his daughter arrived and Neil had moved on to help another nova recover from non-life threatening injuries slightly faster.

What Randal would do:

Now, since he has lots of money, you would think he would use it to hire an Elite. However, Randal is an idealist, so to him that's getting his hands dirty. Instead, he would leverage his political and social connections (along with a number of 'campaign contributions') to have several legal limitations placed on Neil. These limitations would be probably be enforced by either a Directive 'bodyguard' (in the appropriate nations), or the local authorities.

Limitations would include things like requiring Neil to have written permission to heal his patients, a valid local medical license or other form of paperwork to practice medicine before he can heal someone in a given area, permission from the primary physician of a patient, written permission from the patient's legal guardians if under age...etc. Red tape. There are subtle hints that if Neil were to open a clinic or other stable, normal form of practice (where he becomes accountable for his activities and whereabouts), not only would these limitations go away, he would recieve ample funding.

[kestrel404]

Not nearly the only answer to this, by the way. I just don't have the time to write out my other ideas.

[Timeslip]

Depending on the jurisdiction, the father might seek to have Neil prosecuted under a Good Samaritan law.

[Tarot]

Quote:

Originally posted by Timeslip:
Depending on the jurisdiction...

Ooo! Baseline law rears its head.

Cool.

Along with that; practicing medicine without a license recognized in the jurisdiction of the local authority. The japanese for instance don't automatically recognize american license but only get snitty about it when the american is treating japanese. I.e. people start paying attention exactly who is practicing medicine within their jurisdiction. Which in turn might affect said patients views on her country and citizenship thereof. Of course this get Project Utopia into it as well since they are the premier representatives of nova and new world law including novas.

Ripples. You got to love it.

[Sakurako Hino]

I do have to wonder, who got this idea going in the first place.

Then again, Sakurako may not be immune from the backlash either. A quick PR attack, and Sakurako would be down for the count. No one would hire her, no one would use her designs, she'd be a non-person world wide.

That's one extreme, but more than likely for the next couple of years there's gonna be a hell of a spin campaign on both sides.

And, the fact that how much more guilt can Sakurako take before SHE cracks? Again? How good of a job that doctor in Chicago a couple years back did anyways?

Not that it'd matter anyways, because Sakurako has told Neil not to forgo other more important things.

It's in her character to do so, and not meta-game thought there.

Quite seriously, I don't see how this story would work very well without having major loopholes.

[Walker]

This is based on the idea that old demons come back to haunt you sometimes.

Wouldn't it be funny if Psycho Dad, while in the depths of his grief, gets a visit from some door to door hawkers from the the Church of Michael Archangel? All coincidence I'm sure.

The Prestons have had a previous run in with CoMA so they provide Psycho Dad with all the resources he can dream of. Psycho Dad provides CoMA with a tool they can use to get to the Prestons. Of course CoMA can then throw up their hands in horror and say Psycho Dad was obviously grief striken and they are in no way responsible for his actions.

[Tarot]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sakurako Endeavor Hino:
I do have to wonder, who got this idea going in the first place.

Gerald's player had an observation.
Tarot's player had an idea.
Neil's player had an inspiration.
Endeavor's player had a desire.

Some might call it group effort but we all know its your fault.

[Neil Preston]

Not a collaborative fiction, but an attempt for the effected character(s) to play out the negative consequences of power and how/when its used.

Totem, what effect do you seeing this happening as the Public Relation machine in the US gets going? What about in other countries?

Psimon, a discussion of ideas. What could possibly happen to make Neil's life uncomfortable, or worse?

Tarot,

1)are you sure he needs to be a nova?

Realisitcally, making him "immune" to Preston Sr. powers is both difficult and largely unnecessary. Though neither talk about it, Preston Sr. doesn't look into his son's future and is reluctant to.

I don't see the the father being a homicidal maniac. More likely he becomes insanely obsessed with getting justice ... most likely a period of focused grief leading into madness.

Now, if we marry some of Tarot's ideas to some of Alchemists, why does the guy have to remain in the background?

Can't he lead a semi-public crusade? What about a baseline drive for global nova accountability? Utopia would be in an interesting position here.

Tarot, is it necessary for Neil to be grabbed, at least initially?

Alchemist, I like the social activist angle. A global market player who can perhaps influence the various member states of the Directive would definitely change this from the usual nova vs. nova conflicts.

Even if the guy erupts, the conflict is more than personal, yet still personal.

TimeSlip, what is the Good Samaritan Law? Would it apply even if Neil wasn't were he was supposed to be?

Tarot, how does Doctors without Borders, the World Health Organization, and the Red Cross get past the medical liscence thing?

Endeavor, it has to do with Opnet actions having consequences.

E might get flak for "inviting" Neil to come to her aid. With the trouble she has been having already, this could be a real burden with the Japanese authorities.

Walker, the CoMA has been used before and I'm not sure they are appropriate here. They will certainly be interested, but any traceable invovlement with a nova hate group wouldn't do much good. Still ...

[Sakurako Hino]

Burden? Quite an understatement. the Japanese Government might get to thinking about kicking her out for being a "nuisance" resident. Not that Sakurako wouldn't mind a change of scenery, but that is her home. Second off, she won't have much for her left after S&T and the Japanese Government have their pick of her materials.

Sakurako in every way, even if this doesn't have this issue as well on her head, lose practically everything she's worked for, developed, and earn a reputation for being trouble.

All that, and she's not even a terat yet.

What I have to figure out then is what will take her in. Or, where she'll land after all of this.

[Tarot]

Quote:

Originally posted by Neil Preston:
Tarot, 1)are you sure he needs to be a nova?

Needs to be? You have to remember I'm describing a story idea I hadn't completely fleshed out, not restrictions on what you should do now.

As a story I would write, my answer would be yes because "Dad" and Neil were intended to be very similar. Neil who is well liked by all chooses who will live and who will die while Dad does the same though only in circumstances where he knows the victims could be saved if Neil were to choose to. Examining motivation once the illusion of blind chance and impotence are removed.

I find it a scary thought that someone would act that way but then I came up with the idea so no surprise there.

Quote:

Originally posted by Neil Preston:
Realisitcally, making him "immune" to Preston Sr. powers is both difficult and largely unnecessary.

Its actually fairly simple in concept and execution. The real purpose of it was to lessen Preston Senior's otherwise predominant role in the story since I didn't know he wouldn't read his son. Oddly I thought of it while asking myself why Preston Senior would bother sitting through a meeting when he could simply precog the room, listen to what gets said in the meeting and then go back to work. The answer I came up with is that if he didn't attend the meeting then it wouldn't happen the way he precogged therefore he wouldn't get the information.

Very Dr Manhatten but it started me thinking of a the man-who-doesn't-exist and what an interesting situation that would make. It was a plot device to explore the question of faith. How do you have faith in a person when the sense you have every reason to trust tells you that their problem doesn't exist? How is faith changed when the miraculous (precognition) is less enlightening than simple observation skills and knowledge of someone?

It was suppose to be an emotional moment.

Quote:

Originally posted by Neil Preston:
I don't see the the father being a homicidal maniac.

I don't mean Hannibal Lector or eating bugs insane . Less Joker, more Rorschach. Once you accept that some things are "true" then its not madness to act on those beliefs rather a question of faith. The argument running through such a man's mind is something like this;

"It is Neil's responsibility to save them. He took the oath, he swore he would, they should be in no danger. In saving them he will come to understand and accept his responsibilities therefore saving even more lives (untouched by my hands). If he fails then he's condemned them to death just as he's condemned people to die every day since his eruption through his inaction and indifference to their suffering."

"I endanger no one. I kill no one. It is Neil that chooses. Yes, it pains me to be the instrument of his instruction but I take solace in knowing that he will become a better man for this experience. And in being that better man he will save others the needless grief I bear."

"No parent should ever be condemned to outlive their child. He will come to understand this."

"He will."

"It is hard but I will be his strength."

Quote:

Originally posted by Neil Preston:
Tarot, is it necessary for Neil to be grabbed, at least initially?

Oh no, not at all! It really depends on the kind of story you want to tell and where you want it to go.

The same applies to whether "Dad" remains in the background. I was envisioning a personal story, contrasting two men that are NOT that different yet the effect they have on the world is. In my mind it really comes down to the tools available. if you're a nova with the abilities I first described then you it takes place in the shadows. If you're using public opinions and laws then your weapons are most effective in the light.

Quote:

Originally posted by Neil Preston:
Tarot, how does Doctors without Borders, the World Health Organization, and the Red Cross get past the medical liscence thing?

Diplomacy and need for the most part.

Did you know that in the earthquakes in Japan over a decade ago that American doctors weren't allowed to prescribe aspirin for patients because they weren't licensed doctors under Japanese law? Or that they were restrained from giving american aspirin to locals because it hadn't been produced under the guidelines required for medicines in Japan? Just examplez of the paperwork getting insane.

I could see a lot of people starting to pay attention to exactly what laws were on the books even if they hadn't been enforced in 20 years and seeing to it that they were ENFORCED. Today its nothing for Neil to assist someone in the stix of Mongolia experiencing appendicitus. Tomorrow, after a public relations campaign, he might find out that since he doesn't have the correct license he's technically guilty of impersonating a doctor and/or practicing medicine without a license. Penalties could be a $100 fine, mandatory 20 years hard labor or death. All decided by a local judge who may not know how to spell "Utopia" let alone be willing to wait and get the word from the capitol on what should be done with the devil nova.

You don't even want to think about the witchcraft laws getting enforced. It gets very ugly very quickly.

[Neil Preston]

Well, I am leery of an super-powerful being springing up as a plot device, especially since it is because of something Neil didn't actively do (he refused to see the patient), as opposed of something he did (actually killed the child with the use of his powers). I am a big fan of backgrounds and creating someone to make that background useless or pointless is not something I am comfortable as neither ST, nor player.

To make things a little clearer, if Neil had said he would be there, then he would have been there and Endeavor would have had to wait. That is one of the reasons Neil wanders the way he does. Neil goes were he feels he should, treats those he comes across, and moves on when he feels ready to move on.

If Project Utopia calls him, he feels no obligation beyond his own impulses to help out. Once he chooses to help out though, he gives it his all. Had he told the man he would be there for his loved one, he would have been there.

The Japanese regulations is probably one reason he isn't in the First World all that often. One, they don't need him as much, and two, he has to deal with laws he feels are needless restrictive to him.

It is the enforcement of laws on the books but terribly outdated that is the closer to what I see at the heart of the matter. It boils down to persecution of novas by pseudo-legal means. Since the laws are not universally enforced, they are a tool of oppression.

The thing is, will the baselines care?

The Mongolian situation is intriguing. It smacks of a Nova Vigilance moment.

A combination of a personal nemisis and international campaign of "Nova Accountability" is something that attracts me. It gives the whole forum something to play off of.

For the sake of continuity, I think if fails (for the most part) this time around, but it is yet another sign of the widening gulf between novas and baselines and it springs from what would be considered an insignificant cause.

Now, if the nemesis is secretly a nova (he is rich enough and secluded enough to keep the fact of his eruption secret) I think it operates more in the view of what has been suggested.

What if the guy is normal baseline crusader by day, and "Dad", out to personally bring Neil to accountability on his own? A fractured personality and kind of tragic in his dedication.

[Tarot]

Quote:

Originally posted by Neil Preston:
Well, I am leery of an super-powerful being springing up as a plot device, especially since it is because of something Neil didn't actively do (he refused to see the patient), as opposed of something he did (actually killed the child with the use of his powers).

Dude, it is your story. Your tale to tell. I signed the release and everything. I wasn't restraining, only giving up what I had plotted for your use as you saw fit.

On the quote above though I have to ask; have you looked at who walks these halls lately?



Seriously though, good luck with this. I'll help out however I can.

[Neil Preston]

Huh? Maybe its because I'm sick, but I don't get the hallway reference.

[Tarot]

Small joke. Let me restate it; "have you noticed who your character rubs shoulders with in the forums?"

The humor is in my alluding to some of the characters running around NPrime (the halls) as if they were free roaming plot devices.

Get better soon.

[kestrel404]

But we are free-roaming plot devices. That's the point, isn't it?

[Tarot]

It is to laugh.

[Magus]

You are exploring consequences. It needn't be a single person that has a vendetta against your character. Timeslip's observation on the good samaritan laws and Tarot's musings on legality are interesting.

1. Neil finds himself under supeona at a congressional hearing to testify. Can he reconcile a Hippocratic oath with his actions?

2. Rather than being punished what if in his wanderings he finds himself conscripted into service, as is legal in some countries, and forced to serve as a doctor?

3. Neil has healed combating elites. So what happens when a Primacy or Nova Vigilance member is fatally injured at a botched assassination and Neil reaches him first?

4. What happens when Neil heals a Scientology member that claims his rights have been violated or a Muslim who given the climate in the middle east chooses suicide as the only way to atone for the impurity Neil has forced upon him?

Just a few thoughts.

[Neil Preston]

What I am leaning towards now is a double layered plot.

On the surface, the grieving grandfather will start a world-wide campaign for nova accountability. I do not imagine it getting anywhere immediately, but in time things may change, especially with canon guidane winding down.

On a personal level, he will start turning the screws on Neil. As these attempts are less than successful, I see the man going over the edge and the attacks on Neil becoming more of what Tarot was describing. I also take some inspiration from "Unbreakable" and Mr. Glass on this one.

1) I like the idea of that, as the Prestons have both allies and enemies in the American political process. The AMA's reaction to the whole incident will interesting and I see John Hopkins being pretty loyal to their wandering nova. After all, they are the most aware of the consulting work that Neil does and how much good he has done for the medical profession. This may cause them some problems too.

2)The conscripted into service is an interesting option, though probably for a future time. It also brings up the confict of 'giving aid and comfort to the enemy' if his side loses.

3) In the that situation, Neil heals them if he is able. It is his nature to heal without discrimination. Again, this brings up the 'giving aid and comfort to the enemy' deal. Neil has deep conflictions over the Teragen. While he feels that is where he belongs, the actions of Charr and other violent terats have turned him away from the movement.

4) A good point, especially with him being a nova. If he uses his power on them, it is sad, but what if he merely used his medical skills on them?