Norah Everdin

Norah Everdin

by Rin Garnett (via the Sims 4)

Norah Everdin

"I want to stop imagining a world without torching, and start living in it."

The former president of Blue Spire Academy was known for her commanding aura and exacting standards. Her steps preceded her down the halls and cloak fluttered in her wake. Her voice was heard in any situation, and she spoke with an unbreakable conviction. Rumors were, she'd even developed a new psionic discipline involving control of the elements.
But she died in shame, trying to exact deadly revenge on those who exposed unethical psionic experiments she ran on un-consenting staff and students.

Status

Deceased, 3228

Psionic abilities

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Icon for Telekinesis by Rin Garnett

Telekinesis, Lv-4
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Icon for Metapsionics

Metapsionics, Lv-4
• Potential elemental manipulation

Prior affiliations

President of Blue Spire Academy, 3216-3228

Associated campaigns

Campaign 2: The Gal Pals

BSA President

The Avlen Board of Education voted to accept Norah Everdin as Blue Spire Academy's president in 3216. Unlike most of her predecessors, Norah hadn't been a professor or dean of the academy prior to becoming president. Her only connection to BSA was having graduated top of her class years prior.
Under her tenure, BSA's reputed high standards rose higher. Her curriculum changes lowered grade point averages and graduation rates, but increased how many students went on to prestigious positions. While no major breakthroughs occurred despite her heavy focus on results, numerous smaller advances in psionics research were attributed to the school's professors.

Those who have quit the Academy haven't failed. To have been accepted is an accomplishment worthy of celebration. Once they have improved to our standards, they can always try again.

— Norah Everdin

Experimentation

Co-conspirators

Lenore King, Dean of Telepathy

Dean King sent Norah names of staff and students who suffered the effects of torching. Initially, the dean believed Norah was providing extra support to these individuals. When she learned the truth, Norah used the dean's prior compliance as blackmail to ensure continued assistance.

Charles Patel, President of Avlen Memorial Hospital

Norah request a private wing of the hospital for long-term care for those suffering "psionic burnout." The patients were few enough, and Norah's donations large enough, that he graciously complied. Hospital staff, in turn, did their best to provide what care was needed.

The Blue Spa

For phase 2 testing, Norah used a shell company to sponsor a spa outside BSA's Avlen campus. Most of its employees were unaware of its ulterior purpose. Vouchers awarded targets a free spa trip, and told the employees what treatment to provide. All without the patient's knowledge.

Norah was determined to develop a means to cure the brain damage that can result from overuse of psionics, also known as torching. Her obsession became her downfall. Knowing the experiments she wanted to run would never be approved by ethics review boards, she began her work in secret, and tricked everyone else into helping her. The ruse would only last so long, but if she had results before she was exposed, she believed she could prove the ends justified the means.

Side Effects

Locked-In Syndrome

Paralysis of the body despite full lucidity of mind.

Eternal Pathways

Constant metadimensional flow through the brain, weakening the body until death.

Memory Loss

Starting from the most recent memories, resulting in regression-like behavior.

Testing Results

28% 17% 46% 9%

Norah escalated her testing despite the low success rate and severity of side effects. In the end, she tested on 112 people, putting 50 in the hospital and 10 in their graves.
The irony is how much she detested the Emerald Legion, a group notorious for kidnapping people and forcing them through experimentation. She'd been instrumental in eradicating Legion cells on Xeros and keeping the planet safe from their machinations. Perhaps her true goal was to remove her competition.

Fall From Grace

Patricia suffered from what's now known as Eternal Pathways, but at the time was diagnosed as a novel neural-degenerative disease. With help from Tavari Zima, Jorie was able to save her mother's life, though some damage can't be undone. Dozens of others still remain under care for permanent disabilities resulting from Norah's treatments.

When BSA professor Patricia Eckhart fell ill following her spa trips, she couldn't be sent to the private wing of the hospital like the others - her husband would teleport straight to her and expose everything. Her illness thus became a matter of public interest, and the catalyst for Norah's downfall. Patricia's daughter and investigative journalist Jorie Grey tracked down the true cause of the disease and exposed Norah's lies.

Response

The Board of Education suspended President Everdin immediately, and ended her employment within a month. Though Norah acted on her own, her position as president reflected on BSA. Business deals were cancelled, students dropped out, transferred, or rescinded applications, and professors went on strike in solidarity with the experiment's victims.
Norah was transferred to Perimeter's custody, where she testified against Jorie and in favor of her own innocence. BSA's dean of telepathy came forward with proof that this was a lie, despite it also implicating herself as unwilling co-conspirator.

All patients gave their full informed consent, and I have the paperwork to prove it. Patricia did not and should not have been treated. The spa worker responsible is at fault, and should be judged accordingly.

— Norah's testimony

Death

How Norah escaped Perimeter custody isn't known, but it's suspected Lawrence Anders, then-Sergeant Major with Perimeter, released her against orders to allow her revenge against their shared enemy: the Gal Pals. Jorie and the other two members had ended Norah's future, after all. And when they defended themselves against her, they also ended her life.
It seems unlikely that the intelligent and strategic Norah Everdin would engage in a solo fight against three others. Surely even filled with self-righteous fury, she would recognize that as unwinnable. With Anders also deceased under similar circumstances, we're left to wonder if she was forced into his service, or saw it as a way to die on her own terms. An option not given to her victims.

Timeline

3182

Born on Xeros

3205

Graduated from BSA

3216

Became BSA President

3225

Began secret testing

3228

Arrest and death

Related Historical Events

• 13 Jun 3228
  Cleaned Up Xeros

Related

by AsnnnArt

Norah's experiments were ultimately exposed by Jorie Grey, aided by the rest of the Gal Pals.

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Emerald Legion crest

Despite her professed hatred of the group, Norah's tactics were very similar to those of the Emerald Legion.

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Work is ongoing to return Norah's victims to their lives, or otherwise make them comfortable for what's left of it. Ethics boards are currently evaluating whether to keep any of Norah's test results.

Author Commentary

Inspiration

Vivienne de Fer from Dragon Age: Inquisition was a big inspiration for Norah's bearing and personality. Less so for her blatant disregard for others' lives.

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Entry for Spring Improvement 2024

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