Talk:SCEPTRE

SCEPTRE is an in-character plot device that the Readers Guild intends to develop and allow others take part in. It is mostly "staffed" by NPC characters, although anyone is welcome to play one.

This device is part of a broad range of in character plotting that the Readers Guild is developing.

"Regular" discussion of this subject can be found on the forums in the "What is SCEPTRE?" thread.

What SCEPTRE is NOT

Hopefully this will help people understand better what this plot device should not be:

• Not a "supremacist" movement for telepaths or empaths.
• Not an "evil entity." The goals and aims of SCEPTRE are generally considered by the people in character who identify with it to be simply political. But it is not intended to be a cloak-and-dagger "Section 31" type organization. (But that doesn't mean that there isn't a cloak-and-dagger telepath organization -- it's just not SCEPTRE!)
• Not the end-all-be-all for readers. We intend for there to be many more political, social, and research organization which devote themselves to telepathic and empathic causes. SCEPTRE is just one of the largest, and sometimes most controversial.
• Not the only philosophical viewpoint. SCEPTRE has its own "brand" of philosophy on how a reader should act. But there are many other philosophies on this subject. Betazoids, Ullians, Cairn -- they all have their own ideas and philosophies about telepathy, empathy, and how a person should utilize these skills.

Think of...

Here's a list of current-day organizations that the people who are helping to create this project liken SCEPTRE to:

• Freemasons: "Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organisation. Its members are reportedly joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature, and, in most of its branches, by a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being. Freemasonry is an esoteric society, in that certain aspects of its internal work are not generally disclosed to the public, but it is not an occult system, and in recent years, it has become less and less a "secret society" than a "society with secrets". However, there are numerous reasons for the amount of secrecy which remains, one of which is that Freemasonry uses an initiatory system of degrees to explore ethical and philosophical issues, and that the system is less effective if the observer knows beforehand what will happen. It has been called 'a beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.'" (Wikipedia)
• American Civil Liberties Union: "The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non-governmental organization (NGO) whose stated goal is to "defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person ... by the Constitution and laws of the United States." Lawsuits brought by the ACLU have been influential in several important developments in U.S. constitutional law, and according to the annual report has over 500,000 members as of the end of 2005. The ACLU provides lawyers and legal expertise in cases where it believes an individual's or group of individuals' rights are being challenged by the government or other citizens. In many cases where it does not provide legal representation, the ACLU submits amicus curiae briefs in support of its positions. The ACLU has never officially supported or opposed a political candidate, and is not aligned with any political party, though it has been harshly critical of various elected officials of both major parties over the years. The ACLU is one of the most influential NGOs in the United States today; often controversial, its stances have engendered criticism from both sides of the political spectrum." (Wikipedia)
• Human Rights Campaign: "The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equal rights organizations in the United States. The HRC 'envisions an America where LGBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.'" (Wikipedia)
• Add more if you think it will help!