Story research help

[Nissa]

Okay, so I'm writing a nonsense fic about Aldaris being real, being on earth, and having seen Starcraft. One angle I can't really get by myself is the variety of opinions that would arise from this being the case. So, I humbly ask for your help. How would you feel if all of a sudden Aldaris turned out to be real? Also, if any of you have any insights on the legal implications, by all means.

Let me set the stage for you. Aldaris has come through a time space anomaly, where both lack of resources and inability to understand how he got here prevents him from going back. As a result, he's forced to make himself known, if only to survive on the only livable planet within reasonable range. He's appeared on the news already, and it's been less than a week since his sudden appearance.

So...thoughts?

[Turalyon]

Sounds like this'll be a "fish-out-of-water" comedy. The absurdity of the notion and the meta alone would make for some interesting laughs (just imagine having Aldaris actually play Sc1 and have him comment on it). It'd be harder to write, but it's a nonsense fic afterall, so it can't go completely wrong because the idea is so whacky/"wrong" in the first place.

On the otherhand, if you want to go the "serious" route and have it be all angsty, it's gonna be hard to balance it without making it ring falsely. It'd likely have a fairly muddied focus as well since one has to question whether you're really writing about Aldaris or the human drama surrounding his existence in the real-world. If you go for the latter, it's easy to be bogged down into human stuff which kinda makes Aldaris' presence superfluous since you could write about that stuff without Aldaris being used as an unusual and strange "hook". Also, the "serious" route would invariably have Aldaris' alienness being something held against him what with people fearing and hunting him only for him to either die, get back home or somehow live on the Earth incognito - you know, the typical stuff you'd see these days.

[Nissa]

Well, I was making it a journal fic, mostly based on reality as much as possible -- neither comedy nor drama, except as the situation warrants it (I'd imagine he has some form of PTSD).

What I'm hoping for is more personal. Like, how do you feel about him being real? Is it traitorous of a person to try and befriend him, in your opinion? Do you think he should be allowed to stay on Earth?

[Robear]

I think in the first week you would have to address the government of whatever country he shows up in trying to find out how he arrived on Earth, if other Protoss are coming, what technological secrets he might know or have on his person, if the Protoss are interested in invading Earth for its resources, possibly quarantining him while checking for space diseases/organisms, etc. With levels of hostility depending on how exasperated he gets. Emergency international meetings on what to do about the presence of aliens. it might be more interesting to brush over the first couple months District 9 style so that you could get to more possibilities of normal character interaction. Although discussions between him and scientists quarantining him and running tests but having no real idea what to look for and being really amazed and happy about him being an alien could be interesting.

[Nissa]

I don't think skipping is all that great an idea. But I like how you mention diseases. Aldy would probably hugely offended by any such implication, and he's about as likely to let a human doctor touch him as he would....I dunno, marry a DT. That's a hilarious thing to think about.

But nah, how do you feel about it? Consider this: Aldaris, whether an official member of the Conclave or not (I'd kinda assumed he was one of their higher officers who did more hands-on work), is at least partially responsible for the destruction of human worlds. Unlike Tassadar, he never at any time acted repentant about it. Do you think he'd ever be accepted here?

[Undeadprotoss]

Hmm, maybe you can begin the story arc with Aldaris being disgusted with the humans in their daily functions. Its stated in the manual (though never specifically by Aldaris) that the Protoss in the beginning of their monitoring of the Terran colonies, saw humans as reckless and oblivious to the "delicate balance of nature". Maybe you could detail how he would react to our industrialized constant emissions of pollution, animal culling, deforestation, etc.

Also, would Starcraft be a game in this earth? Maybe you could have an arc where he becomes either deeply depressed/disilliusioned, etc and then slowly builds up a friendship with a human who considers him his hero.

[Robear]

Aldaris... is at least partially responsible for the destruction of human worlds. Unlike Tassadar, he never at any time acted repentant about it. Do you think he'd ever be accepted here?

This could be another interesting point of confusion on the interrogation front. He, looking down upon humans and being unrepentant as you say, probably wouldn't try to conceal the fact that he supervised the destruction of terran exoplanet colonies (presumably he was advising Tassadar's fleet). However, if you go up to humans in 2015 and take responsibility for killing humans, from Earth, a hundred light years away, you'd get some very confused reactions... On the one hand, we don't have any space colonies to exterminate... On the other, why would this alien make something so antagonistic like that up?

[Nissa]

Hmm, maybe you can begin the story arc with Aldaris being disgusted with the humans in their daily functions. Its stated in the manual (though never specifically by Aldaris) that the Protoss in the beginning of their monitoring of the Terran colonies, saw humans as reckless and oblivious to the "delicate balance of nature". Maybe you could detail how he would react to our industrialized constant emissions of pollution, animal culling, deforestation, etc.

Also, would Starcraft be a game in this earth? Maybe you could have an arc where he becomes either deeply depressed/disilliusioned, etc and then slowly builds up a friendship with a human who considers him his hero.

Lol, well, he's hanging out in space in his arbiter, only known to me and three other fictitious people from around the world. Right now we're not saying anything, allowing him to have the chance to get back home, assuming that's a possibility -- none of us know how he got here. I've written a large bit of it already, I just want to be prepared for when I actually do reveal him on Earth. Like there are bound to be a lot of people pissed off at us for not saying anything.

You can read the story here, if you want.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9122648/1/Me-and-Aldaris

[Robear]

I've written a large bit of it already...

[clicks link]

[sees wordcount of 95649]

Nissa, this is a novel.

[Nissa]

[clicks link]

[sees wordcount of 95649]

Nissa, this is a novel.

Quite true. I'm a novelist type. I really can't write short stories except on direct inspiration -- I have to add more and more.

But don't feel you have to read it if you aren't interested. I just wanted to add some realism to a part upcoming. There's lots of legal angles on how an alien in general, a fictitious character, and Aldaris specifically can affect how he is treated as a visitor to our world.

- All the visa/green card requirements of a non-member of any country.
- Not having any government behind him to negotiate on his behalf or provide political leverage.
- Being a member of an organization known to have willfully killed humans.
- Being a member of a political entity currently in a state of war with humans.
- Illegal usage of Aldaris' identity in games, novels (?), comics.
- Illegal usage of other identities of people not present in games, novels, and comics.
- Willingness of any nation to accept Aldaris in their country.
- Attitudes of the general populace concerning Aldaris.
- Attitudes of the general populace concerning anyone willing to be friends with Aldaris.
- Nation's rights vs UN's rights -- is it okay for Aldaris to be in one nation if most other nations don't want him on the planet?

And probably some other stuff I'm not thinking about at the moment. Seriously, let's get some serious discussion going.

[Undeadprotoss]

Quite true. I'm a novelist type. I really can't write short stories except on direct inspiration -- I have to add more and more.

But don't feel you have to read it if you aren't interested. I just wanted to add some realism to a part upcoming. There's lots of legal angles on how an alien in general, a fictitious character, and Aldaris specifically can affect how he is treated as a visitor to our world.

- All the visa/green card requirements of a non-member of any country.
- Not having any government behind him to negotiate on his behalf or provide political leverage.
- Being a member of an organization known to have willfully killed humans.
- Being a member of a political entity currently in a state of war with humans.
- Illegal usage of Aldaris' identity in games, novels (?), comics.
- Illegal usage of other identities of people not present in games, novels, and comics.
- Willingness of any nation to accept Aldaris in their country.
- Attitudes of the general populace concerning Aldaris.
- Attitudes of the general populace concerning anyone willing to be friends with Aldaris.
- Nation's rights vs UN's rights -- is it okay for Aldaris to be in one nation if most other nations don't want him on the planet?

And probably some other stuff I'm not thinking about at the moment. Seriously, let's get some serious discussion going.

I feel like a portion of people (myself) would be openly benevolent towards alien species, especially Aldaris. Reason I say that is because of this study were people emphasized by default to a purple hand (as opposed to a hand with the same skin color of that person) http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/27/race.empathy/

EDIT: but to be clear, I would honestly think so much of the world would be on fire, in the sense that people (would perhaps rightfully) be asking themselves an enormous amount of questions about government involvement (Alex jones would never have a field-lifetime, nevermind a field day) and the existence of other aliens.

[Turalyon]

- Being a member of an organization known to have willfully killed humans.
- Being a member of a political entity currently in a state of war with humans.

It's really hard for the modern day human to know that this is what Aldaris was part of though or understand any significant implications since the only concrete evidence that damns Aldaris in this way is from a fictional game of the future and his word. I expect Aldaris would be smart and keep his mouth shut if trapped on a world full of the same type of people he knew he had ordered to be killed in his own time and place because, you know, he's trapped there and only one Protoss amongst many potential enemies.


- Illegal usage of Aldaris' identity in games, novels (?), comics.

Ooh, a legal drama where Aldaris sues Blizzard for illegally using his life as a basis for profit without his permission or any form of royalties being paid to him for its use.

[Nissa]

It's really hard for the modern day human to know that this is what Aldaris was part of though or understand any significant implications since the only concrete evidence that damns Aldaris in this way is from a fictional game of the future and his word. I expect Aldaris would be smart and keep his mouth shut if trapped on a world full of the same type of people he knew he had ordered to be killed in his own time and place because, you know, he's trapped there and only one Protoss amongst many potential enemies.

The trouble with "keeping his mouth shut" is that we already know about Starcraft. People are going to ask how accurate it is, as well as his level of participation in the matter. I don't see Aldaris overtly lying about it, particularly as he never indicated he was ashamed of it. But more important than that, do you think he should be punished somehow for what he did?


Ooh, a legal drama where Aldaris sues Blizzard for illegally using his life as a basis for profit without his permission or any form of royalties being paid to him for its use.

Oh yes, imagine how pissed off you'd be if someone did it to you.

[Nissa]

*Is sad nobody wants to talk legal issues.*

[Undeadprotoss]

*Is sad nobody wants to talk legal issues.*

I'll talk about legal issues!

Hmm, maybe Aldaris actually uses his legal rights as a sort of proxy/blackmail, he threatens Blizzard with even more international attention and some financial loss in order to get them to talk to him about writing SC's story, and to tell him all of the stuff he dosen't know.

[Sheliek]

I can't write comedy well, so I'll be of little help here. But damn, I wanna read this when it's done.

[Nissa]

It's a work in progress. I've arranged it in my head into four "seasons", and I'm currently starting the second season. It's going to end with Aldaris being discovered, so I want an impression of how people would react.

No seriously, you guys. You're at home, chilllin' on the computer, and then you come on these forums and see...Visions of Khas, I guess, post a video of a newsclip with Aldaris walking around. What's your first reaction?

[Sheliek]

'Sweet, my favourite bigot!' but also 'what in the fuck.' Like, those. Mashed together.

[Turalyon]

The trouble with "keeping his mouth shut" is that we already know about Starcraft. People are going to ask how accurate it is, as well as his level of participation in the matter. I don't see Aldaris overtly lying about it, particularly as he never indicated he was ashamed of it.

Oh, but that's the thing isn't it? Just because Aldaris is seemingly "real" and in the flesh in this instance, to the modern day person he would be seen as a fictional character with a fictional history for all intents and purposes. It's like the deal with Santa Claus - how can one really tell if it's the real Santa Claus if indeed the real Santa Claus (he does exist, I swear! :p) did in fact appear before the wider public.

I reckon he'll neither confirm or deny the events of Starcraft because if he did confirm it (and that's assuming that we'd believe the confirmation of something that is purely fiction from our modern day viewpoint), he'll be putting himself in hotwater where these crazy human would do him harm in retaliation for his perceived actions against humans in Starcraft and that he's stuck here amongst all these potential enemies. I'm sure he wouldn't want to rile us up due to the risk on his own safety. On the otherhand Aldaris won't deny it either because he'd be too vainglorious to do so.


But more important than that, do you think he should be punished somehow for what he did?

I can take many a perspective on this but from the modern day person who would happen to encounter this, I would say no largely because Aldaris comes from the future - a sketchy one that is based on fiction. Not only that, if we are to vilify Aldaris for his actions which were ultimately for protecting his own people (and the others under their care through their Dae'Uhl), we should be condeming of ourselves in the first place for wanting to butcher the ancestors of the K-sector Terrans because "we" considered them abominations to society at that time in Terran history. The humans in the K-sector were lucky to be excused that fate because Doran Routhe managed to steal them away for his little project - which wasn't necessarily a better alternative.


Oh yes, imagine how pissed off you'd be if someone did it to you.

I would but Aldaris is an alien. Would the Protoss even have a concept for intellectual property, copyright and privacy laws and personality rights? They do have this communal link which would make it hard for them understand afterall.


'Sweet, my favourite bigot!' but also 'what in the fuck.' Like, those. Mashed together.

My sentiments exactly.

[Sheliek]

Thank you, BTW, for picking Aldaris. Senile SC2!Zeratul could be great, but Aldaris is just leagues ahead.

[Nissa]

Oh, but that's the thing isn't it? Just because Aldaris is seemingly "real" and in the flesh in this instance, to the modern day person he would be seen as a fictional character with a fictional history for all intents and purposes. It's like the deal with Santa Claus - how can one really tell if it's the real Santa Claus if indeed the real Santa Claus (he does exist, I swear! :p) did in fact appear before the wider public.

I reckon he'll neither confirm or deny the events of Starcraft because if he did confirm it (and that's assuming that we'd believe the confirmation of something that is purely fiction from our modern day viewpoint), he'll be putting himself in hotwater where these crazy human would do him harm in retaliation for his perceived actions against humans in Starcraft and that he's stuck here amongst all these potential enemies. I'm sure he wouldn't want to rile us up due to the risk on his own safety. On the otherhand Aldaris won't deny it either because he'd be too vainglorious to do so.

I was thinking something like this. Bear in mind our extant reporters, though. They aren't going to ease up. However, I'm not really sure what point you're trying to make with Santa. Aldy is from another place. He wasn't created by Starcraft, it just happens to be a thing that exists simultaneously with his life.


I can take many a perspective on this but from the modern day person who would happen to encounter this, I would say no largely because Aldaris comes from the future - a sketchy one that is based on fiction. Not only that, if we are to vilify Aldaris for his actions which were ultimately for protecting his own people (and the others under their care through their Dae'Uhl), we should be condeming of ourselves in the first place for wanting to butcher the ancestors of the K-sector Terrans because "we" considered them abominations to society at that time in Terran history. The humans in the K-sector were lucky to be excused that fate because Doran Routhe managed to steal them away for his little project - which wasn't necessarily a better alternative.

What the UED did in exiling the K Sector inhabitants was attempt to punish people who they felt had done something wrong. It's actually sort of merciful to exile them, because they get to live free and on their own terms. That's hardly butchering. What's more, that's completely uncomparable to Aldaris' situation. The Protoss have no right to do anything to humans, as they are not our authorities in any form, regardless of what they believe in that regard. Moreover, think of what they did. It was an act of war. Think of it in national terms. If nation A exiles a large portion of its population, does that give nation B the right to attack those exiles? How is that situation comparable in either way? Why would we even bother comparing them? That's like saying we can't ever sentence anyone to prison because courts have made mistakes before, except for some reason another nation has taken over our court.

In other words, buh?!

Aldaris was willfully involved in the willful destruction of people, and did not willfully spare anyone's lives; if Tassadar had done what was intended, much of humanity would be dead without communicating to any other humans from non-infested worlds what was going on. They acted as though humans have no say in our destinies, nor need to be informed on what they've decided against us. The bigotry is real, yo.


I would but Aldaris is an alien. Would the Protoss even have a concept for intellectual property, copyright and privacy laws and personality rights? They do have this communal link which would make it hard for them understand afterall.

Uh, the intellectual property thing is how we humans would see the issue, and how Aldaris would have to treat the situation to get anything done. Also, Protoss have to have their own stories, and any society with publications is going to have their own way of dealing with intellectual property.

But again, that's not Aldaris' own perspective. His perspective is that they used his identity against his will, and he hates his portrayal because it makes him look like an angry freak. Plus, all of Starcraft is to him an abomination because we've made a game of his real life.


Thank you, BTW, for picking Aldaris. Senile SC2!Zeratul could be great, but Aldaris is just leagues ahead.

Lol, of course. Aldy is pretty much the funniest character to put into our world, precisely because he hates it so much. Zer, on the other hand, well, I don't treat SC2 as canon, so that was never an option. Besides, the SC1 version is suffering from massive depression, and taking him away from his ability to affect the K Sector would only destroy him. It's for these sorts of reasons that Zeratul and Raynor are the worst ones to pull away from Starcraft. They would just kinda shrivel and die if they lacked effectivity.

[Turalyon]

Whoops, heading into wall-o-text territory here. Sorry....


Bear in mind our extant reporters, though. They aren't going to ease up.

Yeah, but their "evidence" in corroborating their story amounts to one (supposed) alien giving honest discourse and that their original source came from something that is only known as a piece of fiction.


However, I'm not really sure what point you're trying to make with Santa. Aldy is from another place. He wasn't created by Starcraft, it just happens to be a thing that exists simultaneously with his life.

I'm trying to position myself as a modern day human that exists in the universe you created in which Aldaris has come to Earth somehow. I don't really know that this alien really is Aldaris even if he claims to be because all my knowledge about this alien is from a fictional story told by a bunch of other guys (Blizz). I used "real Santa" as an alternate but parallel example to highlight the ludicrousness of using what was (and arguably still is) a fictional story as concrete evidence that the existence of a said character in that story is actually "real" in our world.


What the UED did in exiling the K Sector inhabitants was attempt to punish people who they felt had done something wrong. It's actually sort of merciful to exile them, because they get to live free and on their own terms. That's hardly butchering.

It was the UPL actually. The K sector Terrans ancestors only "escaped" because Doran Routhe stole these people away for his experiment. Otherwise, they would've been executed like the many that fell before them. If we are to believe that Aldaris is very real and therefore, all of Starcraft and its history to be real, one should address our part in the plight of the Ksector Terrans first before villifying an alien who was essentially doing his job to protect his own people and lesser species.


The Protoss have no right to do anything to humans, as they are not our authorities in any form, regardless of what they believe in that regard.

Would that right extend to actions that would have thwarted the complete extinction of all other life (not just humans) in the K-sector by the Zerg? Can one ever deny the Zerg were a real threat that was capable of (and actively succeeding in) doing such a thing?


Moreover, think of what they did. It was an act of war. Think of it in national terms. If nation A exiles a large portion of its population, does that give nation B the right to attack those exiles? How is that situation comparable in either way? Why would we even bother comparing them? That's like saying we can't ever sentence anyone to prison because courts have made mistakes before, except for some reason another nation has taken over our court.

Keep in mind that this stuff is fictional and/or from the future from the modern day human perspective. Since there is no possible way to determine with any certainty that this future will indeed happen (the presence of Aldaris in our world is not concrete evidence since he is potentially an unreliable source in and of itself), any lawsuit against Aldaris for warcrimes against humanity will never hold any water. It's just an intellectual exercise.


Aldaris was willfully involved in the willful destruction of people, and did not willfully spare anyone's lives; if Tassadar had done what was intended, much of humanity would be dead without communicating to any other humans from non-infested worlds what was going on. They acted as though humans have no say in our destinies, nor need to be informed on what they've decided against us. The bigotry is real, yo.

Well, the Terrans are not and should not be completely excised of any culpability in their own crimes against humanity. Aldaris and Tassadar only did what they did largely because it was the Confederates luring the Zerg onto their own worlds and Mengsk using the same tactic on the Confed homeworld.


But again, that's not Aldaris' own perspective. His perspective is that they used his identity against his will, and he hates his portrayal because it makes him look like an angry freak. Plus, all of Starcraft is to him an abomination because we've made a game of his real life.

Enough to litigate for selfish reasons I wonder? I don't know, his appointed lawyer would probably push it. Honestly, I don't think Aldaris would give two craps (if Protoss do indeed crap) if his life was portrayed in this manner - it's just a bloody incosequential game that no-one should take seriously anyway. Nothing can compare to what he's actually experienced firsthand. I think he'd be more concerned about getting the hell off this crazy planet and it's frivolous people!