Neon Johnson
His personality
«He is a cold and calculating man with a strong sense of justice.«
Main features
Methodical and meticulous
He’s an extreme perfectionist who knows that in his line of work, there’s no room for half-measures.
Familiar
He’s deeply tied to his family, considering them his top priority, and holds great admiration for his predecessors, acknowledging their role in his success.
Distrustful
Yet, he’s inherently distrustful, rarely placing his trust in anyone he hasn’t known since childhood, and even then, he’s cautious.
A...Hero?
He sees himself as the protagonist and sole savior of his story, unwilling to work with others and fiercely resistant to any form of assistance.
Fearful
The vastness of the digital world and the fractured nature of the real world fuel his apprehensions about «doing what’s right» and the sincerity of those around him.
Social skills
He’s not one to seek social interaction. His only friendship was always with his sister, and currently, he trusts no one. However, it’s true that he never excelled at interpersonal relationships as he’s always found it difficult to express his feelings.
Nonetheless, he’s a very respectful and polite person who has studied the behavior of all urban cultures or generations he interacts with. It’s purely a professional move to better immerse himself in cases. Still, he struggles to empathize with the needs of his clients or with testimonies, which can be frustrating for those dealing with him.
Main mechanics
Neon Johnson has the ability to shoot, dash and interact with beings and clues. All with the goal of finding out the truth about Neon Smith’s death.
Physically
He is a tall, slender middle-aged man. His hair is dark brown, his eyes are black, and his features are angular.
Within the game:
Hair
The avatar’s head is covered by a wide-brimmed hat, as he is a big fan of the classic detective style.
Clothes
His trench coat merges with his pants, creating a single piece.
Distinctive elements
His avatar is missing an arm, a modification he obtained at a dubious establishment when he was young. His distinctive magenta and blue eyeliner is also notable.
Items
He uses a gun.
Backstory
He grew up in the digital suburbs guided by his older sister Smith, whom he greatly admired. She taught him everything she knew about the hidden truths of the network, both the good and the bad. When they grew up and his sister joined the government forces, he joined her as soon as he was old enough.
Johnson was a great agent, obedient and precise; he rarely failed. He trusted his sister to plan their missions, and they both became agents of great reputation. But year after year, he noticed Smith becoming stranger, colder. One day, when he logged in to work, he was informed of his sister’s death. Nothing made sense to him; she was too strong to have died in a minor mission accident. Her death was classified, and feeling unsupported by his peers, Neon Johnson decided to leave the agency.
After this, he set up a private investigation agency, but despite doing reasonably well, he couldn’t solve his sister’s case. Years passed, and one day he received an envelope with photos of Smith’s death that he hadn’t seen before and an address that would lead him to the digital underworld.
During the plot
Objectives
His goal is to put an end to the widespread corruption of the deep web.
Main conflict
Discovering who killed his sister and why is paramount to him. He’s determined to bring the perpetrator to justice and put an end to their actions.
Secondary conflict
- Trusting the oracle.
Motivation
He wants to finish what his sister started because if he doesn’t, he’ll feel like her efforts were all in vain.
Character evolution
Neon starts off very cold, but hearing the oracle open up to a stranger with full trust makes him understand that not everyone assumes the worst of others right away. It also gives him insight into how Smith interacted with people outside the family, so he begins to realize that his attitude toward the world shouldn’t be that of a mere spectator of others’ lives, but that of an active entity capable of feeling and opening up.