Re: [HoE] Blessed in Hell on Earth --it begins

["Fuzyn9feet" <Fuzyn9feet@email.msn.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jay E Treat III <jayson@ccat.sas.upenn.edu>
To: hoe@gamerz.net <hoe@gamerz.net>
Date: Sunday, October 10, 1999 8:02 PM
Subject: [HoE] Blessed in Hell on Earth --it begins


>Hmm.  I don't know.  I don't think anything prohibits you from
>making a post-apocalyptic blessed, it's just that there supposed to be
>/extremely/ super rare.  And there aren't any explicit rules making
>miracles more difficult to perform.  Now that covers what the book rules...
> But let's discuss what the book implies about Blessed and what we
>think it should be.

Good something to sink my teeth in, sense releigen or Faith are major points
in my game (I posted some ideas of using the Book of Revilations some time
back).

> I see two main interpretations of the situation regarding Blessed
>and their power source:
> The first is that God no longer supplies power.  This could be
>because D-Day was Armageddon and he's called all the worthy up to Heaven
>and the rest are doomed to Hell on Earth.  This could be because the
>Reckoners, with their new found Dominance, have been able to block his
>access.  This could be because the Reckoners killed God.  This could be
>because God has given up.  If I had to choose one of these, it would be #2
>or possibly #1.

I don't see it as God (et al) has turned his back, been cut off or is dead.
Most beliefs on God focus (or rationalize) his it stand offish with "Free
Will." I've thrown several (assuming 4 is several) priests and ex-priest in
many guises at my posse. Each kept or lose their faith not because their God
turned it's back or stopped supplying them with power but because they saw
what they saw and could or couldn't understand why it stayed out of the
fight. Again it came down to "Free Will."

> The second is that God is in the same place he always has been.
>It could be the case that he's still doing his best to fight the
>Reckoners, but everyone's given up on him (possibly because the believe
>one of the above cases). It could be the case that his attention is drawn
>into fighting the Reckoners more directly.  It could be the case that he's
>still active but is now acting in other most subtle ways.
> Or it could be that God never existed, but since that option's
>lame we'll just discount that right off.


In such a world as Deadlands I'd discount that last one too. Except the
first one I could see how they could be the case, but the more direct way
would blow my "Free Will" theory out of the water.

> Personally, I disagree with PEG's take on the wholesale loss of
>faith in HOE.  Yes, obviously, a whole hell of a lot of people would
>become bitter and cynical.  But people need faith.  They crave it.  And
>they would find it.  Now sure, there's the Doomsayers' cult and a few
>other cults, but the faith in God is indefatigueable.  You know it's true,
>'cause I used a big word.  ;-}

I agree to a point. Like you pointed out with the Doomsayers faith is a
tricky thing. Have something really bad happen, like the Black Plague and
people's faith start to waver or crumble. Then that same period produced
extreme faith in the form of the Inquisition. And it spawned independent
thinking as well. People grab on to the damnist things in times of great
pearl.

On a close tangent Hostages relate to their Kidnappers because people need
to grab on to something in trying times.

> As such, until contrary word from Pinnacle, I will allow Blessed
>and faithful in my Hell on Earth.

Me too, but I never had a player ask.

>Jay E. Treat III              jayson@ccat.sas.upenn.edu

Christopher Merrill
W.H.A.T.T. Member