From: "Joshua Whalen" <nicodemus>
Date: Sat Oct 2, 1999 1:02 am
Subject: Monday evening
Let's start with one thing: I agree with Stephen that we need some
kind of layout. So, without further ado, I'd like to propose an arc involving
Thailog.
'Nightstone War Arc'
1. Thailog sends the Pack in to Nightstone to retrieve a nanotech
device acquired from a Russian government facility. It's bleeding edge
stuff, and looks almost alien in manufacture (it's actually draconic). The Pack
is successful, though it loses one or two members and possibly
disintegrates, and Thailog is once more returned to health.
2. Thailog makes his move against Nightstone, attacking them through
buyouts, smear tactics, and possible exposure of Demona's gargoyles nature
(though I think this shouldn't happen). Demona eventually loses the fight, and
falls back to her reserves, preparing to take the fight to Thailog.
3. A war rages between the two gargoyles for control of Nightstone,
growing more and more intense as they up the stakes repeatedly. This affects
others in the manner of them being 'innocent bystanders': the Manhattan Clan may
run into mercenaries or attack groups raiding warehouses or facilities, Andrea
may be taken hostage or shocked out of her wits by the revelation of
Demona's true nature (for some reason, I see Garlon doing the revealing, rather
than Thailog), and Angela is going to have to look at her mother's increasing
obsession with destroying Thailog at the price of innocents and wonder about their
relationship.
4. Pivotal episode or two-parter, where Angela gets caught up in the
main cross-fire between the two factions. She's eventually rescued, but
during the thing, Demona's obsession with destroying Thailog causes her to take
actions which nearly get Angela killed. Rather than blame herself, though,
Demona focuses her hatred on Thailog, and redoubles her efforts.
5. GWC, Angela goes with Manhattan Clan party (_without_ Broadway;
she wants to be alone for a while) to get away from the fighting and think on
things. Delilah goes as the representative of the 'Mutate Clan', and acts as
Thailog's agent and spy.
6. Final two-parter, where Demona finally triumphs over Thailog,
driving him into exile. Demona's victory, however, is Phyrric; Andrea's probably
turned against her, her company's taken a _major_ beating, her reserves are
drained, Goliath's probably thrown her out of the clan again, and Angela's not
sure if she wants to continue her relationship with her mother. Thailog,
meanwhile, is found by the one who 'controls' the nanotech: the dracolich Koschei
(who appears for all of five seconds in the story).
(I see the final scene being in a room devastated by the final battle,
perhaps the main office. Demona's feeling exultant over her victory,
while Angela's looking around at all the destruction, and growing rapidly
disillusioned. When Demona finally tells Angela that she's won, and
that now she can go on with her other plans, Angela just looks at her with a
hard expression and says disgustedly, "Yes, you won. I'm happy for
you, 'Demona'."
Then she glides off without looking back. Demona doesn't realize
what's going on for a couple of minutes, then she maybe sees a picture of her and
her friends from just before the conflict. She realizes what's going on, falls to
her knees with a devastated look on her face, looking around at the room with
new eyes, and whispers something like, "Oh my God, I won!")
Note 1: This arc gives Demona a chance to regress in her redemption
without it looking artificial. Just because she's given up wiping out humans,
doesn't mean she can't still be ruthless, uncaring, and blinded by revenge when
her blood is up. With humans and the clan, she knows she can't attack them without
alienating her daughter. Thailog, however, is an enemy that she can
attack without remorse or reprecussions, so all the hate and anger and
frustration that she's bottled up inside of her for the last two or three years is
going to finally have an outlet. We (and Angela) get to see her ruthless side,
as well as her tendency to not care to much about 'collateral damage'.
Note 2: For all that I've mentioned her, Demona is _not_ going to
appear very often. In the original series, she appeared in only about 1/4 of the
episodes. Following that, she should appear in only about 4 to 6 episodes this
season. The arc should focus a bit more on Thailog, and perhaps Angela's
reactions to her mother's regression, than on Demona herself. Of course, the
better part of the arc should be the 'side-effects' of the war that cause problems
for the gargs: mercenaries going around, shooting stuff up; schenes Xanatos
might employ to capitalize on this matter; the remains of the Pack; etc.
Note 3: Angela's going to be disturbed at first. She's spent 3 years
trying to get Demona 'tamed', and it looked like it was working. Now, within a
few weeks, Demona's her bestial self again. At first, Angela will try to
rationalize the matter, and blame Thailog for this behavior. Then, after the pivotal
episode in the middle of the arc, Angela begins to realize that this is the way
Demona is that while she can modify Demona's behavior slightly, this is what
her mother's truly like. And Angela begins to wonder if she wants a mother so
badly that she willing to overlook this particular '800-pound gorilla'. At the end,
Angela knows she can't, and flies off (to think about whether or not she
even wants to start up relations with Demona again).
GWC Delegate List
Here's a list of who I thought should go to the GWC (Greg said there
were 12 clans in 1996, so I'm assuming that's how many there are in 1999-
2000).
If you're interested in short bios of new characters, I'll provide
them later tomorrow or Sunday.
Nicodemus
