zk/2020-04-08-qoheleth.wiki

%title Qoheleth
%date 2020-04-08 16:11
:writing:post-self:qoheleth:fiction:scifi:outline:novel:

The basic structure is in two threads: the plot from Qoheleth intertwined with the plot from Exocortices, with the shared theme of memory and forgetting. Dear can't forget RJ, RJ can't forget information while lost. The lost lead to tech required for uploading.

Includes appendix about both threads.

= Cast =

== Thread 1 ==

Plot 1:
* RJ Brewster (patient 0224ebe8 \ptRJ)
    * person who gets lost
    * AwDae online b/c canid muzzle - gender neutral
    * Surrounded by theater troupe, who bat for him
    * no romantic interest - asexual
    * Sound
    * Born in US, moved to UK for the theaters after studying sound design
* Priscilla/Prisca - cat
* Sasha (Michel Hadje)
    * Friend online from hs, gets in touch with Caitlin later on
    * skunk
* Michel Hadje
    * Debarre online
    * weasel
* Collin Jackson (patient aca973d7 \ptCollin)
    * Cicero online
    * Debarre's boyfriend
    * Cat
    * Got lost early on
* Caitlin Fowler
    * lights
* Sarai Coen
    * stage manager
* Bernhard Johansson
    * director


Plot 2:
* Dr. Carter Ramirez
* Sanders
    * neurochem
    * govt. plant to keep things away from truth
* Prakash Das
    * neurochem spec on the case
    * Russian Bloc spy
* Avery Croft
    * stats and history on the case
* Sandra
    * lawyer on the case

== Thread 2 ==

* Ioan Balan
    * Journalist, storyteller
* Dear, Also, The Tree That Was Felled of the Ode Clade
    * Instance artist
* Qian Guowei
    * Assassin
* Qoheleth, ne Life Breeds Life, But Death Must Now Be Chosen of the Ode Clade

= General outline =

* Act I
    * Thread 1
        * RJ gets lost
        * CR gets hunch
    * Thread 2
        * Dear hires Ioan
        * Qoheleth plots
* Act II
    * Thread 1
        * RJ explores
        * CR struggles against unseen forces
    * Thread 2
        * Dear and Ioan progress
        * Qoheleth leads a merry chase
* Act III
    * Thread 1
        * RJ and CR figure out secret independently
        * RJ is rescued, as are others, but changed due to memories/forgetting
    * Thread 2
        * Dear and Qoheleth have similar thoughts on memories/forgetting
        * Qoheleth assassinated
* Epilogue
    * We learn that the Name is RJ and that Sasha is Michel Hadje

= Todo =

* [X] RJ = would have listed Sasha as a contact along with parents. She should know (even if not at first) that ey was lost
* [X] If Sasha is Michel and Dear is Michel, then Sasha should have thoughts on being an artist. Perhaps held back by need to survive, thus teaching?
* [ ] Also, perhaps Sasha swore off relationships after RJ died, thus Dear being shaky on relationships.
* [ ] Dear promises to discuss Umwelten with Ioan at the end
* [ ] Furries at risk due to relative affluence/online nature and yet those who upload rarely wind up as such in the system without mutating due to being anchored in their humanity.
* [ ] Most of the Ode clade is human because Sasha didn't hone species as much, not as much identity built up in skunks, and thus little of her image bound to anything other than her human form. A few skunks, plus Dear and Serene
* [ ] Reconsider Torah/Nevi'im/Ketuvim naming. Doesn't really fit. Either change/remove, or add in more kabbalah to fit.
* [ ] Maybe something from Sasha earlier in Part 2

= Order and status =

Check when edited

0. [X] Epigraph --- Ecclesiastes 3:15
1. [X] Torah
    * [X] RJ 001 --- Rehearsal night
    * [X] RJ 002 --- Crown Pub with Sasha
    * [X] Ioan 001 --- First message from Dear
    * [X] RJ 003 --- going to sleep
    * [X] Carter 001-a --- Carter learns of RJ
    * [X] RJ 004-a --- Dress rehearsal
    * [X] Carter 001-b --- gets a hunch on the train
    * [X] Ioan 002 --- Ioan meets Dear
    * [X] RJ 004-b --- RJ gets lost
2. [O] Nevi'im
    * [X] Carter 002 --- Sanders vs Carter, Carter's space
    * [X] RJ 005-a --- Investigating auditorium
    * [X] Ioan 003-a --- AES message, the puzzle begins
    * [X] RJ 005-b --- There's a mic
    * [X] Ioan 003-b --- Ioan decrypts the message, sends Dear a letter
    * [X] Carter 003 --- Neutrois patient, spoiled by tabloid
    * [X] RJ 006 --- Finding microphone, making notes
    * [X] Qoheleth 001-a --- Spying on Dear and Ioan
    * [X] Carter 004 --- Planning to visit Johansson
    * [X] RJ 007 --- Sleeping in the auditorium
    * [X] Qoheleth 001-b --- archive
    * [X] Carter 005 --- Pub with Johansson
    * [X] RJ 008 --- clothing from school
    * [X] Ioan 003-c - trying to figure out archive with Dear, gets in, finds pgpkey. Frustration at another encryption method, discussing diff between exocortex and archive.
    * [X] RJ 009 --- Home is unlocked
    * [X] Carter 006 --- Carter dreams of shadows
    * [X] Ioan 003-d --- Moves in with Dear, who is upset that no one else seems to be taking this quite so seriously
    * [X] RJ 010 --- No water, no coffee, dreamlike books
    * [X] Ioan 004 --- Ioan working, Dear's in a good mood
    * [X] Sasha 001 --- Sasha meets with Caitlin
    * [X] Ioan 005 --- Talking with Dear, learning of Qoheleth being an Odist
    * [X] RJ 011 --- RJ visits implant clinic, travel skips
    * [X] Carter 007 --- Carter gets smacked down, has to let folks go, contacts Sasha
    * [X] Qoheleth 002 --- Qoheleth's signifier
    * [X] RJ 012 --- RJ at the clinic, discovering ey don't need ACLs in a lucid dream.
    * [X] Ioan 006 --- Back at home with Dear, Qoheleth messages (split)
    * [O] Sasha 002 --- things are moving quickly
    * [O] RJ 013 --- struggling with numbness, trying to learn to manipulate the dream, memories.
    * [O] Carter 008 --- At work, viewing everyone with suspicion, DDR votes changing
    * [.] Carter 009 --- Carter calls out, Prakash warns, threatened by mooks
    * [O] RJ 014 --- explores memory instead of will, finds deck in eir exo, then way more, struggling to forget
    * [ ] TODO
        * [ ] Ioan/Qoheleth: story before gathering of Odists, perhaps a flashback to/story from Dear about forming the clade?
        * [ ] RJ: Going a bit nuts, language creeping in from the shadows, deducing what happened to Cicero, emself
        * [ ] Sasha: gets lost while working with Carter and Debarre. As seen from the inside gives Carter hint to use mirror rig
        * [ ] Carter: decides to go after RJ, helped by Caitlin, emails Avery and Prakash
3. [o] Ketuvim
    * [ ] TODO
        * [ ] RJ: going crazy, bending world to eir whim.
        * [ ] Carter: makes it to RJ, gets mirror rig in place, gets attacked, Caitlin fights mooks while Carter dives in.
        * [ ] RJ: Surprised to see Carter there, resists leaving as the sudden aspect of something not being in control is a shock
        * [ ] Sasha: endless field of dandelions, then suddenly Debarre, pulled back, brought up to speed on what Carter learned about how to rescue lost and the conspiracy
    * [o] Ioan 007 --- Mustering the Odists
    * [o] Qoheleth 004 --- Qoheleth is patient
    * [o] Ioan 008 --- Ready to head out
    * [o] Qoheleth 005 --- Qoheleth gets Dear's ping
    * [o] Ioan 009 --- Qoheleth gives his speech, is assassinated
    * [o] Qoheleth 006 --- Assassinated
    * [o] Ioan 010 --- Wrapping up with Dear, Serene, Praiseworthy
4. [o] Havel Havalim
    * [.]  Carter --- retrospective: Sanders in jail, Prakash back to RB working on upload tech using info about exo mirroring, Carter praised for saving the lost and exposing plot
    * [o]  RJ --- Ode in letter/suicide note to Sasha
    * [o] Ioan 011 --- Ioan merges, begins to write, (sends Dear a sensorium message on a whim asking if ey might send a long-lived fork to stay with em to write. Codrin Balan, perhaps? From Romanian codru, 'woods'. Maybe asks Dear how this works. Ioan from John re bible, names important)
    * [.]  Sasha --- Sasha at/after funeral, learn she's Michel Hadje
    * [.]  Qian Guowei --- Gets next assignment