[Ditv] Town- Zion's Stump

[Willow]

This wasn't written up using the normal town creation rules, but rather a method discussed under my Ethically Neutral Town Creation thread- http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=24827.0

If you're in one of my Madison playgroups, or think you might be at OshCon, you might not want to read this.

Ok, what I started with was a big juicy conflict or two, and fleshed out the characters involved from there- instead of starting with Pride, Injustice, etc. until I got to a big juicy conflict.  There's actually two things going on here- that way everyone can be related to a different family caught up in the whole mess.

The Conflicts:
Br. Matthias and Sr. Delilah were romantically involved, but they weren't married.  Delilah got pregnant, which she didn't want, and the pair's parents found out, and then Br. Merari, Delilah's father, went and shot Matthias.
Br. Jabez, Matthias's father, is understandably very upset about this.

Br. Ebenezer, the branch steward, a pillar of the community, took a second spouse- which no one would bat an eye at, except he married Br. Philetus, Br. Merari's son.
Br. Hazeal, feels this is proof Ebenezer has lost the right to lead the town, and he conspires to curse Br. Ebenezer.

Demonic Activity:
Sr. Hosana, and Sr. Eda, wives of Ebenezer and Hazeal respectively, have both miscarried in the last month, and there wasn't anything Dr. Victor Bernstein, that heretic doctor from back east could do about it.

What they Want:
Br. Merari, the Proud Father, wants his daughter Delilah to deliver her baby.  He'll raise it as his own if he has to.  He wants the Dogs to say he was just in killing Matthias.

Sr. Delilah, the Young Lover, wants the Dogs to let her leave her father's house, get her child aborted, and leave Zion's Stump.

Br. Philetus, the Beautiful Boy, wants the Dogs to grant their blessing his marriage, and reconcile some peace between his father and sister.

Br. Jabez, the vengeful father, wants to make Br. Merari pay for the death of his son.  He's not too keen on Ebenezer, either.

Br. Ebenezer, the Steward, wants the Dogs to support his new marriage, and make sure Delilah's baby comes to term.  He wants them to make sure Jabez doesn't kill Merari.

Sr. Hosana wants Philetus out of the picture.  She wants justice for her baby.  She thinks 'that heretic doctor' is up to no good, and wants him run out of town.

Br. Hazeah wants Ebenezer deposed as Steward, and himself put up in his place.  If that doesn't happen soon, he'll turn to dark sorcery to get what he wants, with his wife and Br. Jabez as likely partners.

Sr. Eda wants vengance for her baby, and she blames Br. Ebenezer & family.

Doctor Victor Bernstein wants the right to practice his own religion and medicine in peace.


Questions:

Is there enough meat here?  (Is there too much meat here?)  Is there really a need to assign Prides and Injustices here?

[Trevis Martin]

Looks like great conflicts Willow.  I don't have any idea how to play these people though.

Why, for example, did Mattias and Delilah not get married to begin with?  Were they not able to for purely practical reasons?  Was it because Br Merari didn't approve?  If the latter and they conducted a relationship anyway then Merari at least has a legitimate right to be pissed off, given the customs of these people.  They've broken their social contract and put themselves before the welfare of the group.  On the other hand, if we say Merari didn't let them marry because he was chasing all suitors away from Delilah and using his stewardship over her for his own benefit (his comfort or other personal issues) instead of hers the the root of the problem is him.  Delilah and Mattias still did wrong, but I play a man who has trouble letting go of his daughter to a debilitating degree differently than I play a man who's legitimate authority has been circumvented but who is otherwise reasonable.

Sure I can noodle it out through play, with my gut, but boy it's useful to have it there in front of me.

[lumpley]

I agree with Trevis. (You knew I would.)

But I imagine that it'll go great in play just as it is. You don't have to change it to suit me! The reason I think it'll go well is because I figure that you, Willow, have an emotional reaction to the town already, quite akin to formally assigning fault.

-Vincent

[lumpley]

I should really add: I'm happy to be wrong when I'm wrong, and I don't have anything to go on but your say so. If you say that you really haven't passed judgment on (for instance) Delilah's father, cool! So it is.

If I had created that town, I'd've passed judgment already, is what I'm really saying.

-Vincent

[Willow]

I've got some AP of this town.  http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=24952.0  It rocked pretty good.