User:Ottari/History

Ottari – The Political Scientist The Man - History - News - Groups & Allies - Medals & Awards - Necrowatch Scans - Project Development - Rants & Wisdom Historical Background Early History Even as a child, Ottari knew he was destined for a career in public service. He graduated with honors from the College of William & Mary in Virginia, majoring in government, with minor concentrations in mathematics and psychology. From there, he went on to graduate in top of his class from Harvard Law School, with job offers from some forty law firms throughout the U.S. and Europe. His final choice, a small yet prominent firm in the City of Malton, proved more fateful than he could have ever imagined. Clewett, Mossley, Whitlock, Roachwood, & Blackmore Why the law firm of Clewett, Mossley, Whitlock, Roachwood & Blackmore? Simple... it was the oldest and most well-connected law firm in all of Malton. Their office, located at The Hewetson Building in Dunningwood dealt with several of the major business and social interests in the city, providing even a young lawyer with a steady income. Work for the firm gave Ottari a chance to meet and greet Malton's elite, and the ability to observe the city's political machinations firsthand. The Candidate When Ottari first came to Malton in the 1970s, Brad Mossley was arguably the most popular young lawyer in Malton. He came from one of the old city families, was active in the community, served on several hospital boards, and had just negotiated the legal details of a massive business investment in Malton. The project, estimated to bring nearly $125 million dollars in private investment and 1500 or more high-paying jobs, was the groundbreaking of Necrotech's Malton division. The public saw Brad Mossley as a young man dedicated to revitalizing the city where he grew up... and they were right. Ottari became quick friends with Brad, and they were often seen around the firm deep in conversation about the latest political happenings in Malton. Indeed, one of their most frequent pasttimes was debating the most recent action (or lack thereof) taken by Malton City Council, over a glass of scotch in the law firm's conference room. Maybe it was the scotch, or their mutual idealistic belief in government and the common man, but Ottari came to realize how he, together, he and Brad could bring about better days for Malton. Mossley for Malton Though it took some urging, Bradley eventually agreed to run for Malton City Council, with Ottari as his manager. Using the methods of persuasion he had picked up in the course of his psychology studies, Ottari crafted a message that resonated with Malton's unsatisfied electorate. The establishment is worn out and unequiped to handle the challenges of the future. Brad Mossley has a vision for Malton's future. Together, we can invest in our school system, bring well-paying technology-based jobs to the city, and cut down on crime. Lets work together, to move Malton forward. Running for an at-large seat in a city of nearly 350,000 people wasn't going to come cheap. Initial polling showed Mossley losing by double digits to the incumbent councilman. Ottari and Brad needed money, if they were going to get their message out and persuade voters. Just two months before the campaign, the Mossley for Malton campaign began to pick up momentum. Charges of embezzlement, fraud, and tax evasion were leveled against all sitting city council members in a sweeping investigation. Perhaps more importantly, the Mossley campaign received endorsements and significant infusions of campaign cash from Malton Rail and the Necrotech Corporation. Brad's partners at the law firm: Richard Clewett, Samuel Whitlock, Arthur Roachwood, and Joseph Blackmore all contributed substantial amounts of their familys fortunes to the effort. The influx of cash enabled a series of television, radio, and newspaper ads highlighting Brad Mossley's vision for change. Ottari ran an extraordinary field campaign as well, recruiting hundreds of volunteers to knock on doors, make phone calls, and place signs. Indeed, as the campaign drew to a close, every single suburb in Malton had at least one campaign volunteer actively working for Mossley... an army of hundreds. As the polls closed on Election Day, exit polls confirmed that Brad had gone from a double-digit deficit, to a commanding 57% victory in the race for Malton City Council's at-large seat. Ottari's legion of volunteers, more than 250 strong at its peak, had carried Brad Mossley across the finish line. Victory: At What Cost? In the wake of the election, Brad appointed Ottari as his chief aide, trusting Ottari to pull the necessary strings, execute much-needed reforms, and serve the people of Malton behind the scenes. Ottari soon found that governing was far harder than it looked. Daily calls came in from Brad and Ottari's former partners back in Dunningwood. The requests ranged from hospital board and city commission appointments to requesting the police cease and desist investigations into the law firm's clients. Prominent financiers with Malton Rail requested a massive transportation package, laying down twenty miles of new rail tracks around the city. The city accountants were in a state of panic as transportation costs went through the roof. When Ottari first entered his new position, he had faith in the ability of government and collective action to bring about positive change for the community. After months of yielding and performing favors to campaign contributors, Ottari was far less naive. Necrotech was the easiest to deal with... They always called to announce a new lab opening around the city, new job openings for Malton's citizens, and promised numerous investments. The only thing they asked for in return was less frequent visits from the city's safety inspector. The question always plagued Ottari, years later... If he hadn't yielded to Necrotech, would things have turned out different for Malton? The Outbreak Ottari's life had become a repetitious cycle of filling out legal paperwork for the city government, shaking hands and being lobbied by Malton's rich and powerful, and doing quality checks at government-owned and government-regulated facilities. Not quite the glamous life of making change he had envisioned, but some moments were worthwhile. As fate would have it, Ottari was on a tour of the Blakesley Grove Police Department with the mayor when the first signs of the outbreak appeared. Blakesley Grove had recently cracked down on gang activity in the area, arresting twenty individuals suspected of links to the criminal activity. Like most politicians, the mayor was more than happy to turn the event into a press conference. What happened next is hard to say... somewhere in the crowd, a man screamed, and the sounds of a pistol firing were clearly audible.