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Nikolaj Rising

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Started 1 year ago by M. J. Young
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Nikolaj
Member

"So then, I guess Gaia is heading for retirement." She looks out the window across the pastures toward the jungle. "She's been taking care of this world for a long time. I guess she deserves a rest."

"Yes, I think so too, but it might still take some time.", I tell her. "The message and words of Christ need to be spread and take root first I suppose. People ... or persons need to know."

"So I guess then I have to find out how I become a--what do you call people of your religion again? Anyway, I have to do that. I also am going to have to talk to my father, and he's not going to be happy with any of this. Maybe I should talk to my mother first. I don't think I should mention it to Joe--my brother can be pretty upset about what he sees as 'other gods'. I don't guess we can blame him. Gaia has meant peace between humans, elves, and dwarfs for centuries. We don't all view her the same, but we all agree that she is the same. There will be people who don't want her to go, and they're not going to listen to us, I expect.

"A christian." I tell her. "There's quite a story to that name, but it's not as relevant here. Only that it refers to Christ, the Savior of mankind or personkind in this case.

"Following Christ is not easy and he foretold that it might rip families apart, but it might also bring them together."

"But that doesn't change what has to be done. I guess this bap-thing you were saying is the next step?"

"In a sense, yes. You remember how it is only an outward sign of something that happens within? Well, it has to happen within first. You now discovered that this is something real, but that is not enough. Let me explain you, now that you are receiving." I say as I take out the wordless book and explain the gospel to her. Showing and telling her about sin, repentance, substitution/intercession of Christ, mercy, grace, restoration and a personal relationship with Christ."

Fri Jan 22 2010 10:19 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

She prays as you suggest. It has a visible impact on her, and you speak briefly about the new life and the joy that it includes.

Then she asks, "I still don't get the part about the orcs. What makes you think they are included in this?"

--M. J. Young

Sat Jan 23 2010 11:09 pm #
Nikolaj
Member

O man! Again with the racial thing! *sigh* ;-)

There is rejoicing and congratulations when she accepts Christ. I might get a bit too familiar and give her a hug. I hope she won't mind. Otherwise there would be an awkward moment and some apologizing.

I look at her with a bit of surprise at her question. "Huh? ... Oh yeah, I forget that you guys don't see them as persons."

My mouth wrinkles in thought. "It's hard to explain.", I tell her, "You need to be open for a whole new idea. But you already did that today, so I know you can."

I smile at her and look around the room as I go on. "Rather then explaining it, I think it would be best to learn through experience." My eyes settle on the servant girl holding a tray with our drinks. She must have come in while we where (or were?) praying and decided not to interrupt us.

"Come over here please. You can put that tray down if you want.", I tell her. "Please tell me, what is your name?" (sorry about that Mark)

I continue to ask her some questions.
"And what is your favorite food? Do you have a favorite color? Please, don't be afraid to tell us. What do you like to do? Do you like drawing or singing, maybe hearing or telling stories?"

"And now one more question. Suppose that somebody was hurt, and lay on the ground, unable to walk. Some persons came buy, not paying attention to him. They left him and went on to somewhere else. Then another person walks over and picks him up, and takes care of him, bringing him somewhere where he can rest. Which person would do the right thing?"

I could go on, but I'll be stopping here and see the reactions. Should miss Kucher want to stop this, I ask her if she wants to learn. Assuming her to want to learn, I ask her not to question me and to pay close attention.

Sat Jan 23 2010 11:56 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Hey, this whole world is about "the racial thing". On one level, it's a study in seventeenth/eighteenth century slavery, because the same dynamic, the "these are not humans" concept, is at work here, and most players struggle with that dynamic because it is accepted in the RPG culture that orcs are not human, despite the fact that elves and dwarfs somehow are. That's also the mindset in this world, and that's really one of the aspects of it that makes your particular take on this world so very powerful: your gospel message not only saves the humans, elfs, and dwarfs, it includes the orcs as also people, and that challenges the very foundations of this culture in much the same way that it challenged the foundations of Jewish belief concerning gentiles in the first century.

She stops you before the hug. This might be an exciting moment, but there is still some propriety to be observed by the boss's daughter. She apologizes awkwardly, saying that it might be appropriate someday, but not today.

The girl brought the beverages before you were praying (it doesn't take as long to get beverages as it does to go through the book and answer the questions). She has been standing unobtrusively by the wall. She comes over obediently when you summon her.

while we where (or were?) praying

"Were". "Where" is an adverb of uncertain place sometimes used as a pronoun, "Where were you?" "I was where the accident happened." "Were" is a form of the verb "to be" which recurs sometimes as the subjunctive and sometimes as the imperfect or other past tense, in various persons and numbers, and is frequently used as a helping form to create past or subjunctive tenses for other verbs. Is that helpful?

"Please tell me, what is your name?" (sorry about that Mark)

No problem, standard answer ready: She tells you her name. (Insert appropriate emoticon here.)

"And what is your favorite food? Do you have a favorite color? Please, don't be afraid to tell us. What do you like to do? Do you like drawing or singing, maybe hearing or telling stories?"

I am assuming that the particular answers to these questions don't much matter, as long as we agree that she answers them and that her answers are appropriate for a young girl (probably between nine and twelve, at least from her appearance relative to a human girl). She has a favorite food and a favorite color, and she does play and sing (drawing would be more difficult, as there is some expense to paper). The orcs do share stories with each other, and she likes those.

"And now one more question. Suppose that somebody was hurt, and lay on the ground, unable to walk. Some persons came buy, not paying attention to him. They left him and went on to somewhere else. Then another person walks over and picks him up, and takes care of him, bringing him somewhere where he can rest. Which person would do the right thing?"

"That's a hard question," she says, looking particularly uncertain. "It's wrong to talk to strangers. But it isn't always wrong, because sometimes you have to talk to strangers. I guess that the right thing is helping the injured person. Is that right?"

Kathrine asks her, "How do you know that? Is it because you were taught that here?"

"No, Miss," she says. "I mean, we were taught a lot of things. I just thought, if I was the person who was hurt, I would want someone to take care of me, so I would think that was the right thing for someone to do."

--M. J. Young

Mon Jan 25 2010 2:40 am #
Nikolaj
Member

I smile as the girl answers and am pretty surprised by her last answer. I hadn't thought of that. (Then again, I had no clue to her age. It could have been 14 or 16)

I am also surprised, gladly surprised by Kathrine's interjection. She's getting it.

I look at Kathrine. "What can you conclude from this?"

Would it make a difference if I told you that I try to practice 'active listening' on Katherine? It might already be assumed, but it includes watching body language as well. I assume it is part of the teaching package, as I've learned it as a way to approach kids, even todlers, and it helps to analyze or observe the motives and motivations of the subject. It's reading between the lines. It is part of but also assists/supports empathy.

Something totally unrelated. You don't need paper to draw ;-)

Mon Jan 25 2010 6:58 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You still have no clue to her actual age. Orcs are smaller than humans but mature much more quickly, and thus seem older than their size or their years would suggest.

"You're suggesting that a sense of what is right and wrong would prove that she is as human as we are. I don't know that it does. First, as she said, she has been taught many things. Jungle orcs frequently raid farms and ranches, taking our livestock and our crops. They apparently do not know that stealing is wrong. We try to teach our orcs like we teach our children, to respect property. She probably also learned about respecting life from us, even though she doesn't realize that. Also, I note that her interest in the injured person was entirely selfish. I would hope that humans would help others because the other is in need and we recognize an obligation to help those in need; she said that she would want to be helped if she were the injured person. So maybe she has moral sense, and maybe having moral sense proves she is a person; but maybe she does not have real moral sense, and maybe that wouldn't prove that she is human, either. I can teach a dog that it is wrong to take food off the table, or that it is wrong to attack the sheep. That doesn't make the dog a person."

O.K., so how would someone draw absent a drawing surface like paper? Slaves don't really own many things.

--M. J. Young

Wed Jan 27 2010 1:16 am #
Nikolaj
Member

I assume that is out of character info for me. (about the aging of orcs.)

I smile. She has good questions and thoughts. They might be a bit on the ideological side though. "Selfless love is a rare quality even among humans.", I tell her, "as are humans that do good things. You raise them like a human child, does that mean that the human child is not yet a person?"

"This book, which contains God's word, tells me that Christ teaches something about this. He tells us that a man may die for a friend or even for a stranger if he's truly exceptional, but none have died for their enemies sake. Except Christ Himself as He died for us, when we were still enemies of God, enemies of Him, showing no love for Him."

"That is to say, the wild orc, and even the enslaved ones, do bad stuff, but they may realize that it is bad when they are doing it and still keep doing it. If true people don't do that and only do good things, Christ would not have needed to come.", I told her as I waved the little booklet at the last statement.

"Orcs do bad things, people do bad things. So in this they are the same. Some are exceptional. You are exceptional for providing hospitality to me, a complete stranger. Mary here (She's become Mary in my mind. She might have a more complicated orc name) is exceptional for using empathy to place herself in the place of someone in need, even though she has been warned for strangers and does not know them." I smile at Mary.

"I propose an experiment of sorts. I've given you the idea of an entirely new way of thinking. I do not expect you to change your mind over night. I would like for you to learn from practice as I've said. So I suggest this, if you are willing to give this idea a chance.

"Observe Mary and the other slaves for a week. Compare their actions to the actions of humans, should those be in the same conditions, if you are able. Let us then discuss your observations. What do you say?"

A stick in the ground/sand/mud, charcoal or mud on walls and big stones.

Wed Jan 27 2010 10:42 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Your familiarity with Bredd and Qormlach would have given you some initial sense of that difference between human and orc maturation rates and sizes. Probably I gave you more detail than you would have surmised, but you're a pretty intuitive guy, and much of that you'd have deduced.

She agrees.

What next?

--M. J. Young

Thu Jan 28 2010 3:59 am #
Nikolaj
Member

Well, thank the slave girl and let her on with her work and actually eat the lunch. After that back to work (after proper goodbyes and making a following appointment). Does she want to talk some more about baptism? I wouldn't bring it up myself though.

I don't know how long a saddle takes to be made, but I'm a bit curious how it would turn out.

In the evening I'll be trying to visit some of the people who want to get baptized (I'd like to ask what discernment of spirit's I make there. Do I feel good or evil with some persons?) That will be the same for the week. The bible translation would be halted for the duration of this week until after the baptism.

Thu Jan 28 2010 9:37 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

She wants to be included in the baptism, but she doesn't have more comments or questions about it.

A saddle is a very complicated bit of leather work, including some wood framing and some padding but lots of leather in layers and cross-patterns, straps with buckles, and more. Robert can finish one in a couple of days, but it will take you much longer to do yours, as you are still a student here.

You have a strong assurance that these people are all sincerely seeking the Lord and coming for baptism as part of their new faith.

--M. J. Young

Thu Jan 28 2010 11:52 pm #
Nikolaj
Member

Then, unless there's some demons manifesting during talking with the people to be baptized let's get to the baptism, my meeting with Kathrine or the finished saddle; whichever comes first.

During this week and even 'this' evening, I pray that Katherine might see that orcs are really people. (Third party revelation prayer if possible)

Fri Jan 29 2010 12:00 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator
This looks like a new third party revelation prayer--which is of course possible, but means we need to construct it. The two that already are listed read:
- 1@2 Pray for Third Party Revelation M7@7 while walking, requires successful use of Prayer Tongues M7@1 40:00 TF asks God to reveal Himself to a specified other individual +38SM
- 1@1 Prayer for Third Party Revelation M+7@7 pray aloud 15:00 for God to speak to people through the words and actions of the user and his companions, -3SM
This time you are asking God to reveal to a specific individual a particular truth about her world. But I'll let you tell me what you are doing and how you are doing it.

--M. J. Young
Sat Jan 30 2010 2:47 am #
Nikolaj
Member

eyes closed
pray part of in tongues
15 min

Pray that God reveals a particular truth (about her world) to a specific person.

Sat Jan 30 2010 9:43 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You pray earnestly for this, and then retire for the night.

The next few days are routine. You see Miss Kucher from a distance a few times, as she is often in the vegetable garden overseeing the work there, but she only smiles and waves and returns her attention to her work as you continue to yours. The saddle is progressing nicely, with Robert's advice and oversight.

The next big event is the baptism, which is happening on an afternoon when most of the workers are free. As mentioned, you are using a pond not far from the ranch housing complex in a pasture not currently in use. It will be early afternoon when everyone gathers, including Bredd, Kathrine, and quite a few other human believers and their family members. Mr. Kucher is also present, standing in the back observing.

--M. J. Young

Mon Feb 1 2010 1:11 am #
Nikolaj
Member

I suddenly realize that I should have asked Mr. Kucher for permission, or at least talk with him about it. I will go apologize with him and tell him that if he wants to talk some more about it, I will be very glad to arrange for a walk with him, or some dinner.

At the baptism, we will tell what we are doing, we will explain the gospel, using the wordless book colors with the colored cloths. We will leave some time for testimonies from the people that are going to get baptized. I would like for everyone to publicly tell why they are getting baptized in a few short lines. After this they get baptized by full immersion and in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

When that's over, there is a celebration. I will have tried to get some cake arranged.

ooc: They would have been told about this short testimony beforehand, and even helped a bit when I was visiting each one of them personally. (see a few posts back)

Mon Feb 1 2010 9:29 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Mr. Kucher is calm but firm, stating that he can't interfere with the religious decisions of his employees but he will not allow his slave Bredd or his daughter Kathrine to be put through this pagan ritual. She tries to argue but he silences her with that sort of "I'm your father" look, and she hangs her head. Bredd just looks frightened.

--M. J. Young

Tue Feb 2 2010 12:19 am #
Nikolaj
Member

Oooh, that's a bummer! My own past is catching up with them.

Let us hope that the testimonies and the preaching change his mind. I will not baptize them today. If really needed we can try to do this secretly some days later. And the ritual is only a testimony to the inward change. It is not the inward change itself.

"We will not baptize you today." I tell Katherine and Bredd. "But I will try to talk with him some more in the next week. Maybe I can convince them. We should all pray that he will change his mind. Maybe we could come together for that?"

Tue Feb 2 2010 6:17 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

This puts something of a spanner in the works. I believe that Bredd was slated to be the first baptized, but that you were going to have testimonies before baptism. I expected that Bredd and Kathrine would be near the beginning of those testimonies. But then, there's been no statement that they can't speak--only that they can't be baptized.

So give me your updated program, and we'll proceed with the service.

--M. J. Young

Tue Feb 2 2010 11:33 pm #
Nikolaj
Member

Yeah, I figured as much (but too late, as I was at work).

Bredd and Katherine will not be testifying nor be baptized. I'm sad about it, but I will try to speak with her father some more tomorrow or the day after that.

Further everything will go as planned. I will take some time alone with Bredd and Katherine after the Baptism, to talk about the next steps.

Wed Feb 3 2010 11:08 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

The presence of Mr. Kucher puts a damper on everyone's spirits here. The men testify, but none of them have the dynamic life-changing moments Bredd and Kathrine have had. It does not help that Kathrine is obviously quietly fuming at her father (Hmmm--unusual idiom, it means that she has an anger metaphorically similar to a smouldering fire).

You conduct the baptism, and it certainly has meaning for those baptized, but there is a cloud over the entire service.

Mr. Kucher waits for the formal ceremony to end, and then orders Bredd back to his quarters and tells Kathrine to come with him back to the house. She glares at him, and glances helplessly toward you, but leaves with him as ordered.

--M. J. Young

Thu Feb 4 2010 3:51 am #
Nikolaj
Member

I was wondering where the resistance would be. An act such as this was bound to have some spiritual warfare going on. (Did I feel anything specifically evil around or in Mr. Kucher's person or presence?)

We had a celebration still. As Katherine looks helplessly to me, I fold my hands towards her and mouth the word 'pray' to her.

As the Kucher family is gone I gather all of the people and inform them about a second kind of Baptism. The Baptism of the Spirit. I read-translate for them from the book of Acts (the pouring out of the Spirit on the apostles, but also on the people/masses later on) and from Joël 2 (or 3 depending on translation), and then I will pray for God's Spirit to descend on them in power, and they will wait with a (hopefully) receiving heart. Afterwards, whether the Spirit descended on them in Power or not, I will lead them all in prayer for the Kucher family and for Katherine and Bredd.

prayer one:

Reading forcefully out loud (while explaining the basics): 45 minutes (I guesstimate)
Praying over the people: 15 minutes, eyes closed, hands outstretched over the people. Praying out loud.

Can I combine those for the time of an hour for this ritual? It would always be used for newly baptized Christians.

prayer two:

combined prayer for as long as we can. Personally I think I would get 20 minutes of praying in English, but I would be praying in tongues while/as long as others are praying. The goal would be that 1. Bredd and Katherine would be able to get baptized and 2. that Mr. Kucher would get to know God. That is also the priority listing of desired results. It does not necessarily have to be both, but it would be counted a great blessing.

Fri Feb 5 2010 9:54 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Mr. Kucher is not an evil person. He is a good person and a devotee of Gaia who raised his children to believe in their goddess/creator. He simply is not prepared for the message you bring.

Reading forcefully out loud (while explaining the basics): 45 minutes (I guesstimate)
Praying over the people: 15 minutes, eyes closed, hands outstretched over the people. Praying out loud.

Can I combine those for the time of an hour for this ritual?

Yes you can, making the reading part of the prayer as it were (a necessary preparatory aspect of the skill), provided you want to do that every time (or develop a separate skill for other situations). If you're good with that, I'll treat it that way.

I'll resolve this one first.

--M. J. Young

Sat Feb 6 2010 1:17 am #
Nikolaj
Member

I want to do that every time. Let's go for it.

Sat Feb 6 2010 1:27 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

While you are teaching about the Holy Spirit a few members of the group begin praying in tongues. You do not get the dramatic sudden presence of the Spirit in all those present, but it is clear that He has begun His work in His own way.

1. Bredd and Katherine would be able to get baptized and 2. that Mr. Kucher would get to know God.
I sometimes warn players to give careful consideration to what they are asking. For example, the sudden demise of Mr. Kucher would have a high probability of answering both of these prayers, but is not the outcome you desire or intend. I'll thus ask you to clarify a bit exactly what you think will bring about your desired outcome.

--M. J. Young

Mon Feb 8 2010 2:28 am #
Nikolaj
Member

2 would bring about 1, ideally. Mr Kucher would in some way, because of the preaching or in a dream or in watching the sheep or whatever, come to the realization that God is real. But I also know that God works in mysterious ways.

Mon Feb 8 2010 10:07 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

This seems very close to a skill you already have:

1@2 Third Party Revelation M7@7 15:00 TF prayer eyes closed with appropriate words asking that a specified individual perceive a specific truth about reality, using prayer tongues as part of prayer, +45SM

The differences I see are that you are praying for five minutes longer and that you are involving other people. If the other people are a necessary component, we can create a new version of the skill, but the extra five minutes is only going to add about +3 to your chance of success, which is already fairly strong, and it makes sense on some level to say that this is that skill used in another application.

Thoughts?

--M. J. Young

Tue Feb 9 2010 12:38 am #
Nikolaj
Member

let's make it the third party revelation.

I will act upon 'the outpouring of the Spirit' once all prayers are finished.

Tue Feb 9 2010 8:30 pm #
M. J. Young
Moderator

You pray that God would reveal the truth to Mr. Kucher, concerning the fading of Gaia from the world and the importance of your message. You have a strong assurance that God is answering this prayer already.

What next?

--M. J. Young

Thu Feb 11 2010 2:23 am #
Nikolaj
Member

-- Back into time a little. --

As some people I prayed for start speaking in tongues I begin smiling gratefully and openly, like a very happy child. It's the first time that God has used me for this. I go from a rational knowing or speculating that God could use me for this to a experiencing of it, making it even more tangible or believable.

If some people are freaked out, I try to reassure them that it's good and that it's OK.
then we all pray for the Kucher family.

-- After the prayer for the Kucher family. --

As I get a response from God I smile. "He's probably using Katherine for that already. Thank You Lord."

I open my eyes again and speak to the crowd. "If I'm not mistaken, God just told me that He has heard our prayer, and that He is answering it. Let's thank Him together."

And I lead the group into a prayer of thanksgiving.

What is the time of day right now? Somewhere near noon?

Thu Feb 11 2010 8:59 am #
M. J. Young
Moderator

Noon? Really? Wow. I can hardly imagine anything being over so early as that. But then, my schedule is really not very ordinary. No, that "later" concept that is so natural to me does appear in a previous post, which reads:

The next big event is the baptism, which is happening on an afternoon when most of the workers are free.
Thus I would say that we started shortly after lunch and have been here for a couple hours, so it's between three and five, probably between three-thirty and four-thirty.

--M. J. Young

Fri Feb 12 2010 12:45 am #

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