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[Fury] Churches (Gates 4.0)
Gates,
So not long ago, you sent QuePasa and a few of the family members out to find FortyFour in dangerous territory. Let’s see how that went.
Please roll+weird.
On a 10+choose 3. 7-9 choose two. On a miss, choose one.
• They found Fortyfour and he’s back, alive.
• QuePasa wasn’t hurt leading the rescue.
• Rei didn’t have to kill someone.
• The scavs who attacked Fortyfour and Troll won’t be needing their jingle any longer. Add 3 jingle to the family’s coffers.
---
Church
The family gathers at your feet. Most of them sitting cross-legged on the floor or upon a wooden bench set up along the back. QuePasa rests against the wall, leaning on Jones’s shoulder. Troll sits on one side. He tenderly adjusts his position from time to time and keeps glancing at young Ghost. Protective of her, or grateful, perhaps.
Everyone’s gathered together here at Pike, in the place of your choosing. To hear you speak the words of the lord. The words which draw you together and make this group of once-strangers into a family.
All eyes are on you.
Let’s hit the dice first on the move up top… while you think of what you’re going to say.
Comments
Okay, let's roll.
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 3, 5. Total: 10)
Gonna take the first three:
• They found Fortyfour and he’s back, alive.
• QuePasa wasn’t hurt leading the rescue.
• Rei didn’t have to kill someone.
Also: see the other thread. Fortunes roll was a 7.
Gates,
QuePasa has a certain pride in her eyes, a shimmer of hope. They found FortyFour caught in a rough situation, the big guy can handle himself and the scavs out there at redhouse were thankfully afraid of his reputation enough that nobody wanted to make the first move.
And when the others showed up, fired a few warning shots enough for Fortyfour to get his head up and iron on his targets... they turned to run. Turns out Troll took the only bullet of the fight.
But the deal went bad and Fortyfour wasn't able to get the food and meds he'd hoped for... at least he didn't lose what you gave him. But in his eyes, you can see how he feels he's let you down.
But everyone's here. Even the sick hold on and hope.
Gates, do you tell the family something special about death?
What do you do?
I stand in front of the small table we use as an altar and pull the sheet I have on it off the setting revealin' a pot of freshly brewed coffee and a large cup. I pour the coffee slowly, filling the mug. Rituals are how we commemorate. How we remember. And what is a human being but a bunch o' memories lookin' to make more? I take a deep sip o' the coffee. It's good and strong. I turn and pass it to QuePasa, who sits at my right. She takes a sip, then passes it on. As the coffee makes its way around the circle, I begin.
"It's good that we're all here, together. It's been a little too long since we got together and gave thanks alongside each other."
I pause as I watch folks drink from the cup.
"And we do have much to be thankful fer, even as our bellies grumble and our bodies ache."
I turn to look at FortyFour.
"We had a scare today. We thought we lost one of our own to this harsh world. And I'll admit to y'all, I was frightened. I thought to myself 'Brother FortyFour, he's jus' gone. Ain't no one survives a scav attack like that."
I smile slyly.
"But I only feared cause I forgot two big things. First off, Brother FortyFour is a tough one, and ain't no scavs lookin' to do decent people harm is gonna bring him down!"
A pause as folks chuckle and pat him on the back.
"And secondly, I forgot the word o' the Lord, jus' fer a minute. See, I thought to myself 'we best stay here, where it's safe. No riskin' nothin', jus' keep ourselves locked up from the world.' Then I remembered: the Lord said that when a shepherd has a hundred sheep and he loses one, he better get himself lookin' fer that one, and he better get to rejoicing when he finds them."
Amen! A call from the family.
Louder now. "Amen is right! And the LORD also said that though you spend yer whole life strollin' through the valley o' death, fear not, for I am with you!"
Amen!
"And when I remembered that the LORD said these things to us I realized somethin': when you struggle, when you hurt, when you're separated from those you care about, that ain't when you give up. That's when you push forward. When you pull together. When you trust that the LORD will find some way to light the path before you like a flaming sword clearin' the brush in yer way. So I sent folks out lookin' fer FortyFour, trustin' that the LORD would bring all our Brothers and Sisters back. And look around, my friends. The family is all together."
Amens from the crowd. I quiet down again.
"But y'all know as well as I do that the Lord works in mysterious ways. He don't always provide you with good fortune, no matter yer faithfulness. Sometimes he tests you by throwin' obstacles in yer way. And some obstacles have been thrown in our way lately. We live in a mad place in a mad world, and wicked folks want to do harm to us and others."
I think of WotCee and Vignette.
"But, like I said, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Not long ago, I was tasked with doin' somethin' that seemed impossible. I was to convince someone that another who had wronged 'em, and wronged 'em good, should be forgiven instead o' killed. I despaired at havin' such a heavy responsibility placed on me, but I asked the Lord, what can I do? And I learned somethin': the Lord don't owe me nothin'. That boy was gonna do what he was gonna do. The Lord changes minds o' leaves 'em where they are, not Brother Gates. All I can do is be there fer someone and be good to them as they work it through themselves. So I told the boy stories. Stories about death. Stories about forgiveness. Stories bout how revenge eats yer soul, but forgiveness lets ya move on."
The coffee comes back to me and I finish it, then pour another cup and begin the circle again.
"And that boy confronted the one who wronged 'em. I'll tell you what, right until the last moment I didn't know what they were up to. But sure enough, they let it go. I ain't sayin' they gonna be best o' friends anytime soon, but the boy let a little ray o' forgiveness into his heart and the one who wronged 'em, well, that one seems t' have convinced the kid it ain't like he thinks."
The family is quiet. They know I'm tellin' truth, here. I ain't told no one about all this yet. A pause as I think about where this story leaves us.
"There's a lot that folks like us have to contend with in this world. All the goodness in the world don't change that."
Louder now. Realizin' where I'm goin' with this.
"But the LORD only asks us to do one thing: model the kind o' beloved community that folks need in times like this. We are stronger when we look out fer each other, when we care about each other, and that ain't just us but everyone. Iff'n we can't show folks there's another way, then what good is callin' ourselves family? What good is doin' what's right in the face o' evil?"
I quiet down again.
"So I got two questions fer y'all here today. The first is how do we model that fer folks. The second is what do we do when the princes o' this world ain't interested in listenin'?"
Gates,
QuePasa is honored to take the cup from you first, and from the look in her eye she feels like she deserves it. She drinks as you say your first words. She shares a drink with Jones, then the cup passes to the others in turn.
Fortyfour gives you a slow nod as you speak about him. He took a few hits, a few scrapes, and had a close call. And although his pride is hurt, truth is, the family came for him and you can see how much that means to him. And your words and those pats on the back bring back a bit of his smile.
Then everyone settles down as you talk about forgetting the word of the lord, then rises up to call together when your voice calls for an answer. Especially when you talk about the family being together. There's nods and shared glances between them as well.
QuePasa looks particularly touched as you talk about WotCee, so much as getting a hint of tears in her eyes which she wipes away with the cuff of her sleeve. And then the cup makes another round and you grow quiet before posing a question, then two, to the family. This time asking for answers.
"We live the good life. Show what honest work can do." Offers Jones, he is no doubt a hard worker. "The lord rewards hard work."
"Why don't we take the word to more homes? To more hearts? There must be more good souls who would listen..." Easy says, weakly. Of course, few will stop to listen, really listen. That's how it's always been right?
Rei had been fidgeting, getting up the courage to speak. Finally she rises to one knee and says, "those in power must answer for their actions. The sorry state they keep their people... their neighbors. Have you seen what it's like out there? Brothers? Hell come to earth. Why don't they do something?"
Agreement from a few, QuePasa, Troll, Fortyfour.... but silence from most.
What do you do?
I pause to think about this. Silence for a few seconds.
"Rei ain't wrong, folks. It's bad out there. And, yes, it's bad out there because the princes o' this world don't take care o' their people. They let 'em starve, while they sit in luxe.
So there's different thoughts, here. As Jones says, we lead by example. Surely, when people see that you can live well in peace and harmony, sharin' things and not takin' from those who got less power 'n you, they'll change right? But who's gonna make 'em pay attention?
Easy suggests we evangelize. Spread the good word o' the Lord. More people hear it, perhaps they'll change their ways. But what if they don't want t' listen?
Finally, Rei says we make those who stomp all over the weak pay for their sins. But as the ol' sayin' goes, us and what army? Do we really have that kind o' fight in us?
Seems to me we got three models for how folks like us could spread the joy we have out to other folks. And I'll be honest- they all go some merit to them. And the Lord backs all of 'em at different times.
The Lord says that one shouldn't be like the princes o' this world and make a big deal outta how great you are, like Jones says.
But the Lord also says that you should spread the good news, like Easy was thinkin'.
And the Lord even once said that he didn't come all the way down here without carryin' a sword with him to make sure justice is done. Sounds like the Lord is sayin' Rei might be on to something.
Let me throw one more thought in there. Whatever we decide to do. We can't do it alone. We need other folk with us. Folk joinin' our community, and folk who see things like we do. Folk to join in our righteous fight, whatever form it takes.
So i turn it back to you, friends. Who are our allies? Who shares our love o' righteousness in this wicked world?
Gates,
Complicated questions you throw back at your family. You see thoughtful looks, whispers, a few of them just look a little bit lost. Like they want you to give them the answers, not ask them the question.
Bobblehead dabs sweat from Easy’s brow, the sickness hasn’t improved and both of your brothers, Easy and Utilikilt, have fevers which come and go… coughs which hurt and occasionally produce blood. It’s hitting Utilikilt worst right now and he seems a little bit delirious sometimes.
“You’re…” begins Jones, “you’re close with Vignette, aren’t you? Why don’t we get her to do something. Doesn’t Pike hold sway with those scavs out there? Couldn’t we do something?”
“It’s not like that,” mutters Fortyfour in response. Under his breath, but all can hear.
Jones is about to rise and answer back, but there’s an unexpected knock-knocking on the doorframe. A stranger stands there. Wearing a simple robe, he stands with one hand on the door jamb, dirt beneath his fingernails. In the other hand he holds a small, carved stone.
“The answers are out there for everyone to see,” announces the new arrival from the door. “The days of men are over. We belong to the earth… we belong in the sheltered places. In the shade of the trees and sprinkled with clean morning dew... ”
The stranger pauses a moment, and you follow his deep gaze to the sick members of your flock, who suffer still with really no sign of hope.
QuePasa follows the stranger's gaze as well and looks annoyed. She rises to say something, but the stranger silences her with a raised palm and goes on.
“You can’t save everyone, good Brother Gates. I can’t fault you for trying… but your words are like drops in the ocean… even clean rain turns red when it falls in the sea. No matter how pure.” His eyes meet yours. Piercing and deep.
QuePasa looks to you for a moment, then stands as if to bar this strangers way. Rei tenses up, Fortyfour looks… concerned. But doesn’t yet move.
What do you do?
I smile warmly. No reason not to trust this stranger.
Yet...
"Hello, friend, I say, a bit flatly. Come to join our service?
Just in case, better try to get a sense o' what's up here. You can never be too careful.
Readin' a person.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 1, 5. Total: 7)
Gates,
He looks back, Gates, a similar cool expression. Nothing hostile but it's clear he feels some kind of animosity towards you. Even though you're pretty sure you haven't met.
He walks over to where Utilikilt lays suffering, kneeling down with a deft sweep of a hand to brush his robe out of the way. You see he's wearing well-worn leather boots stained with scrapes of dried mud.
"Won't be long, this one," the stranger says, no sign of sadness in his voice as he regards Utilikilt's face. "I can guide you to your rest, son."
"Stop it..." protests Ghost softly.
QuePasa walks over to stand nearby, "I don't think you belong here, friend." Says QuePasa cooly, though she's watching you.
What do you do?
Sternly, I say "Friend, that's not how we talk to the members of our family, here. If the Lord takes one of us, then he takes one of us, but we do everythin' we can to keep each other here until he makes that decision, and we sure as the cloudy sky don't give up on our family. We are all the Lord's instruments on this soaked earth, so it jus' ain't right to talk about folks like that. Now, like I said, you wanna join us fer church, yer more than welcome, but like Sister QuePasa said, you gonna unsettle folk then folk gonna ask you to kindly depart."
Out o' curiosity, what's this fella intendin' to do, here?
Gates,
The man you will learn is named Rain intends to take your flock from you, show them the truth, as he sees it. Today he's simply planting seeds. You can tell he's just trying to plant doubt in their minds. Of you... get a rise out of you, get you tripped up. But he does seem to geninely believe what he's preaching. At least.
The man crouches near Utilikilt, listening to you for a few momens before slowly standing. In a confident, but non-threatening manner.
"Isn't it wrong to deny the truth to your flock? Brother Gates? The man is being called and if he's lucky he'll hear. And go to peace." He gestures at Utilikilt with his open hand as he talks.
He addresses QuePasa.
"And you, good sister, are right. None of us belong here. Not one." He glances sharply at you, Gates.
What do you do?
The smile slowly drops from my face. "I think yer errin' in yer theology there, my friend."
I begin to walk towards this new fella, nice and slow and deliberate.
"And the Lord turned to all the angels and said 'let us make folks in our image.' And then he did. And the Lord blessed them, and the he said, 'why don't y'all go be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth; and rule o'er the fish of the sea and o'er the birds of the air and o'er every living thing that moves upon the earth. And while yer at it, eat o' all the plants o' the earth fer food.' And then the Lord took a look at this, and said it looked all good to him. So much so, he went and took himself a nap. Now I ain't sayin' we folks are always the best stewards o' this here earth, but if there's any place in the world that all of us belong, it's this here earth that the Lord provided for us. So I'd say we're all exactly where we're supposed to be."
I get right up in front of him now. I ain't a fighter, but I can take up space when I'm needin' too, and right now it seems like puffin' out the chest ain't such a bad idea.
"Now, like I said, if you want to participate in church, yer more than welcome, but you got to speak in turn like all us. If you don't, then you can leave. Maybe you and I can talk later, in private, but if yer not gonna participate, I'm gonna ask you to depart, friend."
Gates,
He listens. You approach him slowly, your words deliberate, calm, powerful. You're close enough in height that you end up nose to nose with him. Your family around, standing, sitting... ill and well. All silent.
"Hollow words from the past. Words written in ages past when the world was whole and weak-willed souls could afford to believe that this earth was made for us..."
He stares into your eyes, his brow slightly furrowed. You can see you're getting to him, a little, but he's not going to show it.
Are you threatening the man? You're getting almost physical with him. Maybe you should roll to go aggro? Family will back you up if you have to remove him from your church, right?
Well, that one tears it. My face settles into a frown. I ain't the fightin' type, but in this world, you do what you have to do.
"Listen, friend. The words o' the Lord ain't ne'er been hollow. Hollow people may speak them with hollow voices, but the truth o' the words ain't nothin' to scoff at. I think it's time you leave, iff'n you don't want us to escort you out..."
Goin' all aggro.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 5, 3. Total: 9)
Gates,
Oh he can see the threat in your eyes, and QuePasa creeps closer from one side, Reai from the other, and Fortyfour stands there... just in case. But Rain doesn't raise a hand, just his voice:
"You dare not question your words good Brother Gates," he says with all the irony in the world in his voice, "the truth is out there to see, just close your eyes! Close all your eyes!" he speaks loudly into your face with a hint of a snarl and a bit of spit on your cheek. His dark eyes full of confidence and fire... he's not backing down.
Give the word and they'll toss him out, or help you do it.
What do you do with him?
This man.
Thoughts clutter my mind. If I have the family come together to throw him out, is that admitting that I fear him? Do I fear him, or do I just pity him? Hard to know in this world, sometimes, because those with nothin' to lose are often the most dangerous.
I see the family, coiled around him. They're my concern. I need them to know that this man isn't a concern to us. His lies and his threats are empty.
I remember somethin' my mama did once when I was just a kid. We were walkin' home, when the world was even a little more confused than it is now. It weren't dark out, but it weren't light, either, and we were walkin' fast to get home before it got to night. We came across two men, no visible weapons, but lookin' like they meant business in the road. They were givin' us eyes. Wonderin' what we we had. Even then I could spot that look. I could tell mama was scared. She stopped dead in her tracks. The two men took a cautious step towards us. She just stood there holdin' my hand. Then another, and she just stood their, firm as an oak in the rain. Finally, after they took the third step, she did somethin' I'll ne'er forget as long as I live.
She started singing. Loud and proud. I got an okay voice, but my mama, she had a voice like honey. She started singin' one o' her favorite hymns. So loud the two men jumped, startled like cats. She just kept on singin', and they stared at her like she was crazy. Which, I guess, she must o' looked. After a minute or two, they just started to back away slowly. Whole thing was prolly confusin' and they just figured it weren't worth it.
My flock knows the song, of course. I smile and begin to sing the same hymn my mama sung on that day.
"Amazing grace / How sweet the sound"
I turn to QuePasa, indicating she should join in. You wouldn't believe it, cause it ain't her demeanor, but she ain't got a bad voice either.
"That saved / A wretch / Like me"
I raise my arms to indicate all should join.
"I once was lost / but now, am found / Was blind, but now I see!
Gates,
Unexpected. The man named Rain is without words for the first time, he opens his mouth and makes a sound but nobody listens. He all but staggers like he's been struck. The family is just as surprised, most of them...
QuePasa joins you first, a crack in her voice at first but she catches the tune and sings true. The others join in, one by one and Rain can't decide where to look. He turns his head slightly to the side, opens his mouth and again meets your eyes.
"You will come to me!" he shouts, barely heard over the many voices as he gestures to the sick, and sweeps his arm across the room in a move it looks like he's practiced. It doesn't seem like anyone's listening, though, as every voice joins yours in song.
Against your show of faith he finally looks flustered and doesn't know what to do, he looks from face to face, surrounded and desperate. Suddenly he cries out and raises that carved stone over his head and with a cry of frustration he takes everyone by surprise as he moves to strike you with it.
What do you do?
The Lord said to turn the other cheek, but the Lord was, of course, a better, more patient man than I. So I'm gonna do my best to get out o' the way o' this fella's rock and try to subdue him.
Gates,
Let's have you roll to act under fire to avoid getting hurt, and with the family here, subduing him is pretty much a given as long as you don't fail outright.
You've made the guy lose his composure, if only for a few moments.
sounds good
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 5, 3. Total: 8)
Gates,
Rain comes at you with that stone, you see a flash of the inscription on it, "you are merely a vague guest on this dark earth."
The family rushes in to protect you, hads grab at him, at his arm, his coat... to stop him from harming you.
But someone takes the blow for you, Gates. Who steps up?
Well, looks like this guy's gonna give me a good head-knockin'. Hopefully Ghost'll be able to get it stitched up. Well, what would life be if we didn't get a good knock in the head now-and-then. The whole family moves in but just a little too late. The rock is coming down right at me. I brace for the blow, but then FortyFour is there, like a wall between me n' him. Don't even know how he moved that fast...
Gates,
Rain's stone comes down hard at you and yeah, Fortyfour is there, throwing himself in the way to protect you. The stone comes down hard against the back of his shoulder just below his collar with a crack.
Fortyfour wheels around almost out of reflex with an elbow and a half-spin and cracks Rain to the side of the mouth. The mans head is turned by the blow just as Quepasa, Jones, and Rei close in on him and grab him by the arms and the back of his coat.
Rain spits blood, obviously dazed he drops his stone but tries to rise. The family pulls him away from you and drags him backwards towards the door. Fortyfour scowls at the man with a dark, toothy grin and an audible growl. It's all Fourtyfour can do to keep his hand off his sidearm as he follows.
Rain struggles, but he's no warrior and there's too many hands... struggling for words, he spits blood through his teeth and snarls, "it's always violence! Always death! Why do we bother living this lie! Why?!
On your word they'll toss him out into the hall.
What do you do?
I shake my head at Rain's comments.
"My friends and I would have been happy to show you what we get outta livin'. Sure it's rough, but there's moments o' beauty that make it worth it. What is church but makin' one o' those moments. But you don't get to come into church and do violence to us, my friend. You do that and you have to go."
I nod to QuePasa, indicating to throw him out.
Gates,
QuePasa is happy to oblige, and the three of them drag the man named Rain from your makeshift church, into the hall, and toss him unceremoniously into the dirt outside. Fortyfour stalks after the whole way, and you're pretty sure if it were just the two of them, Rain wouldn't be getting off so charitably.
Everyone returns to you, Rain decides to remain scarce.
Do you have anything to say or do before we close the scene?
I draw the family back to me and put a hand on FortyFour's big shoulder.
"Like I was sayin', folks. We got choices to make about how to make this place we live a lil' better. We best start makin' 'em for folks like that push us too far."
The family settles back in for a meal together. When you pool your resources you're able to at least have something warm and filling to eat, if not entirely nutritious.
End scene? Gates may want to join the others in the ongoing (future) party thread.