Okay what I have in mind is an earthquake in Los Angels in late may. If this were to happen I would like the following thigns to also happen.

One Utopia to get there first, and a then a team of US Novas. Catalyst would be in said team of US novas, as well a lacky kind of. Showing up, offer Utopia those choices of, leaving working under their leadership of facing criminal charges.

Anyone have any ideas on if this should happen and how?

Does canon even suggest a US team of Novas? not that I have a problem with one. Considering how the United States views Utopia I don't really have a problem with the concept and would actually be suprised if they didn't have some sort of Nova squad.

I will suggest however that the politics you are suggesting to come into play don't happen during the event but afterwards. I would think the Novas involved would be too interested saving lives than arguing about who has the legal right to save those lives.

If this storyline does get whatever approval is needed Chase would definitely be involved as he lives and works in LA.

I was thinking more on the lines of US has like 3-8 in the military, about that many working for the FBI(and alike) and at least 10 or so municipal defenders.. The point is that Carlos, Catalyst's mentor, and house mate live in San Jose..There is a municipal defender of San Jose. That is 3 US novas who deal with sort of things within two hours of LA by nova traveling.

but keep up the ideas flowing I am willing to change things on this one.

I'm all for the idea of The Big One finally hitting Los Angeles, and I agree that the US probably has a reserve of novas scattered throughout various law enforcement and military arms ready to deal with such a catastrophe (they can't all join the Project, after all). I also agree that the politicking would probably come about afterwards. That said, it'd be an interesting event. Perhaps even partially caused by nova interference. Might make for an interestingly ambiguous precursor to the post-Aberrant War dilemma.

So for the 2009 boards, how closely are we supposed to stick to Canon? Not that I'm saying we have to stay married to Canon if everyone wants to see a storyline that break it.

I think we're supposed to stick with canon, just like 2017 does; however, I would be all for a natural disaster that doesn't really effect anything major in canon. So long as nothing fundamental is changed, I think it'd be fine.

And if we do decide that a nova had something to do with it, I'd prefer that remain a secret from the majority of the board, not unlike Proteus. Knowing that a nova has that kind of power this early in canon may cause issues.

I'm in with Dawn on this one. Natural disasters happen every day, some big, some small. I'm thankful the book didn't detail every single major rain storm, flood, brush fire, or what have you.

Providing the natural disaster does not interfere with what is already canon (like Pax dying in the quake) I see no reason why parts of a major city can not be destroyed.

In a day and age with novas and their powers, rebuilding a city is far from difficult anymore. What used to take weeks, now takes days.

Ditto.

Besides, this is LA. LA get's burned down or rioted or whatever every decade or so, and it still marches on.

Well, the politikaling would be some what of Catalyst's invent. Also as noted L.A. is prone to earth quakes. I do not think an evil nova needs to start it. I would far more likely find that a nova caused the start of it when erupting and then nature took it course...

Catalyst really dispies Utopia right now.

I'd like to see some organization with this. Rather than having a free-for-all fiction, let's have a central fiction where big announcements, changes in the situation, etc go. Then in smaller fictions, let there be individual characters shine (or group up in two's and three's). Does everyone like this? That way, we're not stepping all over each other.


Cat, you clearly have a plan for what you want to do with this. Could you lay it out so that everyone can respond? We do have Utopian PCs; if this is going to include the whole 2007 forum, then we all need to lay out what we expect from this.

As a note, Kara would likely want to help with search/rescue (yes, she'd probably reveal her secret power to save lives) and Aura would be invaluable when the quake has an effect on the four nuclear power plants in CA. Beyond being helpful, I would have no plans for either character.

Well, here is my grand plan in short notes.

One that the US team of novas would have Carlos, Catalyst, Seraph( San Jose MD, angel like woman with well I am not sure what other powers.) And if things go really well to me at least. US's most powerful nova. I do not know the gender for this nova, about the only things i would set forth if this nova was there would be that they would either be a quantum six or on the verge of it.

I would not think the nuclear power plants would be at risk. But I would not rule that out. The damage I was thinking about would be more alone the lines of fallen over passes, broken aqueducts fallen buildings, broken glass, and fires cause form gas lines. you know the earthquake damage stuff.

As for other players I do not know about who would and would not fit in that story. I would guess any nova who lives in that area could help if they want to. I would not rule that out.

For the Utopian side,I would think it would largely be T2M Americas. Note that the leader of that team is very powerful.Other Utopian nova well, I would like it so that there were no more than 8 Utopian novas. Anything more well would be almost two team of t2m.

I am keeping things simple and open because it is a huge issue and well I would not want to step on any more toes than i have to.

The US's most powerful nova? We'd have to make up an NPC for this? Why not just use Pax? He's tough, and we don't have to create a god-nova for this. And why would you want someone like that involved anyway? The story should focus on the PCs, and what they do, not having them overshone by a near-Q6/Q6 nova.

Is the Seraph you mention the same Seraph as I found in the Directory? "Seraph (Soumir Ben-Hamida) - Fled from her native Turkey to the United States after being attacked by a mob of Shi'ite Muslims following her eruption."

Why do you want all these NPCs to be involved? Let's keep them in the background - with the exception of your mentor. Keep the focus on the PCs, and what they do in the crisis.

I thought Pax was the US's most powerful nova. Granted he's not a city defender, but isn't he an American?

I think Cat means an unaligned American.

Pax is UTOPIAN! Not US....

Saraph is an NPC, and I am working ont he story back ground no. I can't not say who will and who will not take part int eh story. i can however say that that back gorund is most likely going ot look like this. that being said I think it s better to set up a back gorund before the the for ground.

I was largely planing on only writing the parts of the story that Catalyst was in, and then doing summery of the event, sort of like a news paper, the high lights and such...

Cat, you still have not answered all my questions. Let me lay them out for you clearly:

1) Why not just use Pax instead of making up a whole new NPC with near god-like powers?

2) Why would you want someone like that involved anyway? The story should focus on the PCs, and what they do, not having them overshone by a near-Q6/Q6 nova.

3) Why do you want all these NPCs to be involved?

4) What is your general plan for this story? I suspect you have one; you seem to have a clear idea of who you want, as far as NPCs go.

Please address all of these questions separately and clearly. Take as much time as you need; we can wait.

I'm concerned over introducing non-cannon Q6+ novas into a cannon-2009 setting. It's pretty close to building Q6 novas for ourselves. That doesn't mean it's over the line... but we're getting pretty close, and what little I've heard isn't reassuring.

The point of said nova, would be a show of force, stating that the US was wiling ot use force in maintaining it's own national rights. Using Pax would not do. Pax is Utopia. The point that rules Pax out is he is UTOPIAN. Not that he is PAX.


The PC wile the center of most stories on the board are not the center of the world. This is not something you can wave your hand and say that all of Utopia would only send the novas who are PCs. This a big thing.


I laid it out more than once. Here it is again. A disaster happens in the US. Utopia tries to pull it we are here to save the world, and US novas tell them that they are not needed, and to varying degrees tell Utopia to Piss off. The point is they may tell Utopia, they must leave the area, and let authorized personal deal with damage, if they do not they would risk being brought of on criminal charges. They could be told they could work with the US team to help out, but they would be taking order from the US nova. Like I said, a show of force. Utopia wile the biggest kid on the block is not the only one. Us has many of it's own resources, after all.

No, the US would not turn away PU's aid, even if PU wanted to run the show. Do you know why?

Because:

In 2009, Utopia is still the Savior of the World.

When we originally discussed this idea, it was going to be a case of the US having something to hide from PU. They are not going to refuse or even try to dictate PU's aid during a crisis, when PU's intervention means that their citizens (read: the people voting for them) will survive, possibly with only a minor injury. Turning away PU would be stupid. Trying to force PU to play by their rules, better, but not good because PU does this stuff for a living. This is PU's bread and butter, in 2009: saving the world, one major crisis at a time.

The natural disaster is a good idea, but you need another vehicle to realistically let Cat and the US thumb their nose at PU.

I can buy most of this. The USA has the Directive, Utopia is for giving help to 3rd world nations, the US is world power in it's own right and isn't supposed to need PU. It's easy to see some politician deciding that the US can deal with it's own disaster thank you very much. Granted, it *shouldn't* happen... but it could.

However: Needing to show a show of force doesn't mean that the US can simply whisle up a Q6 nova. The most powerful American novas that we know about are Pax, Antaus(sp?), Mal, Scripture, and/or Melicore(sp) but none of them work for the US Gov.

I'm sure the US (and any city government for that matter) would love to have a Q6 nova working for it. I'm sure Anna DeVries would too, as would pretty much anyone else. I don't see the US's desire for a show of force as a reason for creating a Q6 nova who's going to be a real force on this forum basically forever.

Well, then look at other posts in this thread. I told you what I thought of what should happen, and you do not like it. Great. let's get to something you like.

You do not want the US to snub Utopia. Why? What do you think should happen? If all you are going to do is ask me what I want out of this story then do not tell me what I want is unreasonable. If you have input, then speak up. Kay? If you do not like my ideas do not just poke holes in them..That will just lead to head banging and wile I am good at it, I am sick of it.

Or notice, on the verg of..Note that I am willing bend things all things.

Hey, I said I don't have a problem with that. That hurricane last year proved orginization isn't always the US gov's strong point, nor is cooperation, and this would be a great way to tear apart political parties which is in cannon.

The creation of the Directive was a snub. Things are so frosty between the two of them that PU had to move their headquarters to Mexico. A US snub that has the side effect of costing people their lives is very possible, even reasonable.

What I have a problem with is creation of a Pax level nova who is presumably working for... who? The US Military? The Directive? A city as a city defender?

None of these answers really work.

Oh, and on a side note, I'm thinking I'll have Brickman be there, more or less by accident. He'll even help out.

One being q of 6 is not the same as being q of 7 and having all the years to use and learn mastery powers. I was thinking a powerful nova, one that would sort of be like. Hey Utopia, we know you have Pax, but we will not back down... The said nova doesn't have to be a match for Pax..But that is just part of my dream kind of.

And note I said in the opening ont he verge of it

You don't need Q6 for that. Captain America can stand up to Superman. If someone wants to play Pursuer to Pax, at least in the media, then that's one thing.

A 30 point Q1 nova could easily do the job. For starters he'd look human. Pax doesn't have much in the way of social megas, it'd be easy to outshine him.

On the other hand, Pax hasn't fought Mal yet, so making someone Q6 right now pretty much *does* say that he's is Pax's equal.

I've told you both why I don't think the US would snub Utopia (I don't think they'd turn away help in a large crisis immediately; later, yes, they may insist on going it alone, but at first, I think they'd accept the life-saving aid) and what I want to happen (the PCs are the spotlight of the story, not some tough NPC who's only there so that the US can tell UP to fuck off). I have been speaking up; in fact, Courier and I have been the two most vocal in this thread. My questions early on were to find out exactly what you wanted; you were hedging around what I suspected you wanted based on our previous conversations, but I was trying to show you the curtesy of not making assumptions.

And since we're discussing illness, I'm sick of you reading what you want out of my posts and ignoring the rest; I can't think of any other reason why you'd state that I haven't been clear on what I think should go down. Please really, fully, completely read my posts before you reply to them.


And I disagree, to a point. I can see the US pulling a "Hey, yeah, thanks for your help but we've got it now," 4-6 days after the disaster, but during that first few days of the crisis, politics and such tend to be set aside. Later, once the immediacy of the crisis has passed and the media attention turns away, the politicians come out and start their spin.

But overall, I think that these things should be in the background. I want to read about the PCs rescuing people and changing their world, not NPCs. WW gave us enough of that in canon.

During and after the hurricane we saw the local governor and the president show that this isn't true. The Prez told the governor he was willing to send in the army, but they’d be under federal control (i.e. his) rather than acting as a part of the national guard (i.e. her control). She eventually decided she’d take that deal… a day later.

But hopefully that’s the exception and not the rule.

The easy solution for this is to let the PCs decide. In general, the spotlight should be on the PCs. Thus the Utopia PCs do in fact get summoned by PU to go there, and they do. It’s also true that this is trespassing or some such (invasion?). Thus if Catalyst really wants to make an issue of it, she can. Or we might end up with a social nova soothing feathers… or stirring them up.

Okay, here is my take on this potential story arc:

The Event happens (for whatever reason) and (off camera) while the US is responding, Utopia formally offers it aid. The US declines but those Utopian Novas who are American Citizens (and probably a few who are not) respond anyways. This means that very likely Pax, Skew, and any other Canon NPCs that are American will show up.

"On Camera" we see the rescue stoies that each of us will be involved in. For my part, Chase will definitely be involved as he lives and works in LA. Thierry might show up to help too but I'm not sure. This will give each of us the opportunity to interact with established Canon NPCs if we so wish.

On an official note the Disaster relief people on the scene (Not the politicians mind you) WILL NOT turn away able bodied help. No one who has ever worked disaster relief would be so stupid or arrogant as to do such a thing. They may attempt to exert authority over any volunteer Novas who show up (PCs included) but when it comes to saving lives and finding bodies the help will be appreciated.

The Aftermath is where things will get sticky and heated between the US and Utopia. And again, this will most likely all happen "off camera." The US will throw accusations that P:U overstepped it's juristiction and demad some sort of legal action. P:U will claim that those agents acted on their own as private US citizens and not as agents of Utopia. P:P will likely let it slip to the media that US politicians blocked Utopia from giving the proper aid to the situation and if Utopia had been allowed to intervene then perhaps the death toll would have been a lot lower, thus trying to influence the common folk. Remember, the average person thinks Novas are the shit, Utopia in particular. It's the government that doesn't want Utopia around. So the average people hearing that the US government turned away Utopia's aid in a crisis are probably going to very very unhappy with the people who made that decision. I see some politicians looking for new jobs at the end of all this.

Here is what I have seen of your wants Dawn.

US let's Utopia help out and does so with little or no leash.

PCs run the show on the ground, and the event as a whole.

Reasons this could happen.

Utopia saves the day.It's their job.

US is run by reasonable people who are willing to put lives above pride.

This board is largely made up for the PCs to have the spot light, in all events in all ways...

Reasons this would not work.

Utopia is a Private corporation, and is trying to be the global saviors. The US prior to Utopia was trying to be the same thing. This leads to complex clashes of Ego,pride and many other things.

If the US does not at least try to control the way Utopia is helping then it could be seen as a sign of weakness.

On top of that, the very reason Catalyst is not hired and training in disaster relief right now. Legal issues. If Pax "fixes" a bridge, and someone dies from it..Is he going ot jail? Well most likely not because the chance are that in such action it would be a state of emrgeancy and civil laws would be superceded until the crisis was under control or whatever. On the same note, he being not part of a governmental agency could be arerested for numberus reasons...

Now that part about the PCs, let's be honest here wile the story should always focus on the PCs. The story and the event are not the same thing. There are at least 6,000 novas on earth in 2009. LA is not a vacume. THe fact is the NPCs would act and react to something like things, even if no PC did. The stories of the PCS in this action take on stories the same way as my story of what happened to me in 1989. I lived , and my world changed, but I did not rule over the change.

You did seem to hit on my points, finally. However, you simpilified them to one line, ignoring that some of them would change over the course of the disaster, namely the crux of this fuster cluck we've been going 'round and 'round on.


Agreed. But I like Tempest's idea, where in the chaos after the event, the US novas - PU or otherwise (and probably some non-US novas such as Balm) - coming to help out. There will be a lot of confusion and chaos; it's likely that PU could get in there and get a lot done before the US could stop them. Hence my suggestion that PU is in there for the first few days, then asked to leave.

In some ways, this sets up more conflict and makes a better story: PU can argue that they were there from the beginning and it's unfair for the US to kick them out four days after.


Again, I agree with this statement IF it applies to the long-term situation between the US and PU. Immediately after the disaster, accepting aid isn't weakness; it's smart. And who said that PU wouldn't accept a certain amount of guidance from the US? After all, some coordination between PU and the US would make more sense than both of them squabbling over who gets to rescue people.


Many laws are suspended in times of crisis. Often, hostilities are as well, to a certain degree. If martial law is declared, that's even another bag of carrots. And actually, Pax is part of an international agency, which grants him different status. He is freed from some laws and penalties as well. I am not a legal expert, but I do know that members of T2M are granted cop-like status, as we've been over in the TS murder case. Cops have separate legal constraints and penalties than civilians. When Cat finishes her training as a rescue worker, she'll be in much the same position - more power, more responsibilities.

And may I add that you are far from an expert on legal issues. If you're going to be quoting them here as reasons for your side, then I'm going to ask for verification of your statements. And the reason for this isn't just because I'm a picky bitch; it's because I remember very clearly having to research child custody and labor laws for you. You were getting them wrong, and didn't seem happy when the reality of Catalyst's situation was pointed out.


Yes, story and event aren't the exact same thing. They are tied together, however, and we're here for the PCs, not PCs. NPCs exist as a backdrop to the PCs, and the second they become more important to the story than the NPCs, then something's wrong.

If there is a big custodial battle fought between PU and the US, a PC should lead it. If that's what you want to do, let's put off the earthquake for a year or two, let Cat get to the point where she's completed her training and has the authority to tell them to go away.

If we want to do another disaster in the meantime (and I'd love to see global stories pop up like this in 2009), let's have a hurricane hit somewhere, like Florida or even more fun, Texas.