Here continueth the adventures of Professor John Oakmaster (AKA "Oak", AKA "Dr. John Oakmaster", AKA OOC "John III"). Just when you thought it was safe... :)
These adventures begin in the B Movie Monster World Gather, in the archived threads "Stretching the Yellow Ribbon" and "John II Is Not At Home".
After versing out of that world, my character sheet looked something like this, plus or minus some of the items I had bought in that world (which were specified later).
These adventures continue in the current world Sherwood Forest, starting in the archived thread "An Unfamiliar Familiar Forest".
The action resumes in response to this post.
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I nod my head thoughtfully in response, and respond softly.
"I know. As it is written, 'Without faith it is impossible to please him...'"
I continue to get to know the others as best I can, and to make myself useful, and to minister to the needs around me.
I continue to learn what I can from the others. Outdoor skills, survival skills, quarterstaff and longbow, stories and songs and bardic ways and how to play instrument(s), ministering to the sick, woodworking skills (making quarterstaffs, longbows, arrows, musical instruments), etc.
I keep my eyes open for a hunk of oak suitable for making an oak quarterstaff, and work to make one. If it doesn't come out well enough, I repeat the process until I have a good quality oak quarterstaff.
I continue to look for ways to gently and lovingly promote Biblical faith, such as by singing suitable psalms and hymns and spiritual songs that include Biblical doctrine (as opposed to Romish doctrine).
I look for an opportunity to make or acquire a musical instrument suitable for a bard (small celtic harp, lute, etc.).
And I continue to ponder how best to serve the LORD here. For I know that I am sent to help these people... but how? By doing what I am already doing? By manifesting His power to heal the sick? By manifesting His power to help free King Richard from his captivity? Could I do such things? Should I?...
Hmmm... I sought the LORD's guidance once, and He clearly directed me here. Perhaps I should do so again...
"Aye, you've got it, lad. It's about faith, isn't it?"
Little John is happy to show you again how to make a good quarterstaff, and although the one you make isn't the best, it's certainly functional.
Over the days that follow you continue practicing your newly acquired skills in long bow and quarterstaff. As I recall, you were interested in buying a musical instrument when you got to a city sometime, but no one is headed that way at the moment.
Some of the men laugh at the fact that you are singing so much, and they tease that you're going to take Allain's job, but it's clear that they are cheered by the music and encouraged by the words.
Groups go out almost every day to waylay wealthy travelers and bring the valuables back to camp, but thus far no one has said anything to you about joining them.
--M. J. Young
Even though I know that the group does what it does for a good cause, and though I know that the LORD has sent me here to help them, I am still not particularly eager to go rob people myself. I know that the LORD will open and close doors in His good time. So I am quite content to serve in whatever capacities He puts before me, and to wait until if and when I am asked before setting forth with the waylaying groups. Plus, I am well aware that my skills need additional development before I make the transition from strategic liability to asset...
So I continue to help out within the camp however I am able, and to learn and improve whatever skills I am able (described in the previous post):
Outdoor skills, survival skills, quarterstaff and longbow, stories and songs and bardic ways and how to play instrument(s), ministering to the sick, woodworking skills (making quarterstaffs, longbows, arrows, musical instruments), etc.
If an opportunity comes up for me to learn how to make a longbow and arrows, I happily take it. Knowing such things would be useful, and could also be a stepping stone to eventually develop my woodworking skills toward creating a musical instrument...
If an opportunity comes up for me to make or acquire an instrument (particularly a small celtic harp, or a lute), I happily take it.
I practice with the binoculars, and offer to teach any other interested folks how to see through them as well.
And I ponder. For I know that the LORD brought me here to help these people. And I know that He chooses to manifest His power in more obvious ways here.
But should I attempt to interfere in this world on such a scale, as to seek King Richard's return? At the moment, I am uncertain, so I leave the thought for further consideration later.
And should I attempt to help heal the others? Somehow this seems a bit more straightforward, for I am already here amongst them, ministering to them as I can, and Tuck is already praying for them...
Thus it is that before the next session I have with the sick, I spend a quiet time in reading relevant Bible passages aloud, and in singing, and in prayer. And as I help minister physically to each of them, I sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs relevant to healing, and as I conclude with each one, I briefly pray aloud along the lines of "Dearest LORD, Heavenly Father, please heal this child of yours, I pray in Jesus' Name... Amen."
A few questions on the healing process:
- Concerning this:
I spend a quiet time in reading relevant Bible passages aloud, and in singing, and in prayer.
I see this as a distinct task, one which improves the chance of successfully healing those for whom you later pray. (This has several advantages, including that I can make it effective for a specified period of time regardless of for how many people you pray.) The question is whether doing this is a necessary component of the healings, or only an optional preparatory period that enhances the prayers later? - How long do you envision this taking?
- In the individual sessions, you wrote:
And as I help minister physically to each of them, I sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs relevant to healing, and as I conclude with each one, I briefly pray aloud along the lines of "Dearest LORD, Heavenly Father, please heal this child of yours, I pray in Jesus' Name... Amen."
What do you envision as the amount of time you will spend with each of those for whom you are praying? - Are you doing anything specific, physically, when praying for them, such as folding your hands or placing hands on them or dabbing them with oil or anything more than just saying the words of the prayer?
You learn to make bows and arrows; you do remarkably well for a beginner, they say.
No one here knows how to make a musical instrument. Allain has showed you a few things on his lute, but it's a complicated instrument mechanically, and you would have to buy one from a craftsman somewhere.
No one seems able to get the hang of using the binoculars.
--M. J. Young
I see this as a distinct task, one which improves the chance of successfully healing those for whom you later pray. (This has several advantages, including that I can make it effective for a specified period of time regardless of for how many people you pray.) The question is whether doing this is a necessary component of the healings, or only an optional preparatory period that enhances the prayers later?
In character, I have no conception of these game mechanic considerations. In fact, given that my interpretation of Biblical prayer avoids "meaningless repetition", it is far likelier that I will usually petition the LORD differently each time (rather than using the same words each time, or taking the same amount of time each time, or always having advanced preparation, or etc.).
So for better or worse, I will probably end up with a character sheet with lots of slightly varying versions of skills at a low level -- short term gain ("beginner's luck"), but long term pain (low skill levels). That is, unless these skills are flexible enough that using different words, different durations, different gestures, different songs, etc. are counted as the same skill.
In character, my expectation would be that I petition the LORD by whatever means, and that He will answer according to His will (rather than according to what words/duration/gestures/etc. I used).
So how should that translate in term of the mechanics of what I'm doing? I could open the rulebook, and deduce which interpretation of my actions would be most favorable to me mechanics-wise, but I think it is fairer to simply give you my in-character perspective above, and let you decide what is most appropriate. I already find myself rulebook-peeking enough with strategies for increasing my bias, but I at least have the in-character pseudo-justification that I was given that in-character information from the Architect.
But to give some answer to your question, since my expectation is that I petition the LORD by whatever means, I suppose that means that it is an optional preparatory period. But you could say just as accurately that it is required this time, given that I will no doubt do it differently next time anyway, and that it will therefore be a different skill...
How long do you envision this taking?
Assuming that whatever duties I have permit me to have a quiet time, approximately one hour.
What do you envision as the amount of time you will spend with each of those for whom you are praying?
The same amount of time as I normally would while ministering to each one (helping them, feeding them, changing their bandages, etc.), singing all the while, plus a minute more or less in prayer afterwards.
Are you doing anything specific, physically, when praying for them, such as folding your hands or placing hands on them or dabbing them with oil or anything more than just saying the words of the prayer?
In addition to whatever I'm doing when ministering to them, I sing appropriate psalms and hymns and spiritual songs during the ministrations, and lay my hands upon them afterwards while praying. Given the relevant Biblical passages, I also anoint them each with a dab of oil (assuming I can procure some).
Concerning the rules versus the flexibility of ritual, I am embarrassed to admit that my structuring of the rules does not so easily support my own theology on the matter--I more envisioned those of our type of theology quoting specific bible passages as prayers, and overlooked the flexibility of language. However, the way I overcome this in play is to note "{specified duration} of prayer using appropriate words requesting {specific outcome}", where duration and outcome are included in the description. Thus in this case, "one minute of prayer using appropriate words requesting healing of disease" would cover you for whatever you said, and the minute would of course be an approximation (as it always is, really).
You say that you can't envision it being different in some future time, that is, that you would pray for healings without first spending that hour in preparation. I'm challenging that. I see this not as a general "I'm spending time in prayer and study" but a rather particular "I'm spending an hour in prayer and study in preparation for healing the sick". I can envision you in the future doing the same thing in preparation for blessing warriors in a holy battle, or seeking divine guidance, or asking to be transported (Philip-like) to another location, or any of a number of other tasks you could intend to do. I can equally see you coming into a situation unprepared in which someone is sick and needs healing, and doing your healing prayer without preparation. Thus I can see a particular advantage in mechanics terms to divorcing the two prayers, because if the one bonuses the other the other may still work without the bonus, while if the one is necessary to the other the other will not work on its own. The former is more consistent with my, and I think your, theological understanding of the matter, so that's what I'm recommending.
As to oil, it is a natural by-product of about seventy-five percent of everything cooked (all meats and many vegetables) and a valuable component in most cooking and much primitive medicine (acting to seal wounds and protect them from dirt and infection), so it's certainly readily available as long as you're not too particular concerning what kind of oil you want.
- As an aside, I note that you keep typing LORD in all caps. I'm not objecting, but curious. I know that the New American Standard Bible, at least, uses that convention (technically small caps) to represent the tetragrammaton, the Name of God (rendered Jehovah in the King James and a few other early bibles). This practice is consistent with Masoretic practice of marking the name of God with the vowel points for the word Adonai, Lord, to alert readers not to speak the name of God (lest they speak it in vain) but instead to say "the Lord" when the name appears in the text. However, it does not make sense to me to think that you are substituting LORD for the tetragrammaton, so either you're not cognizant of that meaning or you mean something else by it. I'm not uncomfortable with whatever you mean by it, just curious as to how I ought to take it. In Internet speak, it comes across as shouting, although for a single word it probably is more like a revivalist preacher's emphasis on the word.
I'm thinking that Friar Tuck probably spends about fifteen minutes, plus or minus, with each of his patients during his rounds. He could spend more, but given that he is also feeding at least some of them, he needs to move to the next. Since you're making rounds with him, this would be the time you would spend.
You spend your hour in prayer, singing, and reading aloud, and then go to join Friar Tuck in his rounds feeling confident.
I don't have a specific number of sick people, and I'm sure the number fluctuates, so this is going to be based on a GE roll. Would you rather that there were only a few sick people (so that there is a minimum of attention drawn to your healing ability), or that there were a lot (so that you can heal more people)?
--M. J. Young
However, the way I overcome this in play is to note "{specified duration} of prayer using appropriate words requesting {specific outcome}", where duration and outcome are included in the description.
That makes perfect sense to me. :)
You say that you can't envision it being different in some future time...
I'm not certain I follow -- I think I thought the opposite. That is, I can certainly envision my words/gestures/etc. being different in some future time, but I am more doubtful that it would be exactly the same words, duration, gestures, etc. in some future time. However, with the more generic version above that allows for variations in such things for the same skill, things fall into place better.
Thus I can see a particular advantage in mechanics terms to divorcing the two prayers...
That works just fine for me -- I think your recommendation is spot-on. Of course, that is the OOC me, since the IC me doesn't know a thing about such mechanics...
As an aside, I note that you keep typing LORD in all caps. I'm not objecting, but curious...
I use the King James Version, and read the Old Testament a lot. Since "LORD" (the rendering for Jehovah) appears in that form quite frequently (5530 times, all in the Old Testament), I tend to use that form as well. :)
I don't have a specific number of sick people, and I'm sure the number fluctuates, so this is going to be based on a GE roll. Would you rather that there were only a few sick people (so that there is a minimum of attention drawn to your healing ability), or that there were a lot (so that you can heal more people)?
Hmmmmm. It might be true that for my own sake I would want to keep a lower profile. However, I would want to do all I could to heal as many as possible, rather than leave them in affliction. Since the number fluctuates, I would know of a number of them personally, and wouldn't want them to miss out if the LORD chooses to manifest His power. So my preference would be for more to be healed, rather than fewer.
Miscommunication. What I thought you could not see being different was the connection between the two skills--that you thought you would always spend the hour in preparatory prayer, but I thought that you would probably face situations in which you would need to pray for healing without the luxury of advance notice.You say that you can't envision it being different in some future time...I'm not certain I follow -- I think I thought the opposite. That is, I can certainly envision my words/gestures/etc. being different in some future time, but I am more doubtful that it would be exactly the same words, duration, gestures, etc. in some future time. However, with the more generic version above that allows for variations in such things for the same skill, things fall into place better.
The first person for whom you pray is noticeably better immediately. The second also improves some, but the third immediately rises and stretches, fully healed. The next four show some improvement, and two after that remarkable improvement. Two after that show no observable change, but the twelfth, and last, also rises immediately and returns to his regular work despite Tuck's suggestion that he might want to rest for the day.
By the end of the day, ten of the twelve for whom you prayed are fully recovered.
--M. J. Young
Is Scott correct about the number crunching? I'll try make my response sufficiently generic to cover ten healed or twelve healed... :)
::Wow. Praise God. Thank you, Sovereign LORD...::
I've seen the power of the LORD manifesting in amazing ways here in this world. I have been healed. I have been guided. I have been transported. And yet, each new answer to prayer that comes is no less a wonder.
I move off alone to give thanks to Him, for I do not wish to be like the nine out of ten lepers in Luke 17 who were blessed, and yet simply went their way rather than stopping to give thanks and glory to God.
And in these moments at the end of the day, after having been focused upon the sick all the afternoon, I am struck anew by the beauty of the forest, the loveliness of the trees, the freshness of the air.
::Thank you, dearest LORD.::
Yet in the back of my mind, I still wonder. Is this how He wishes me to help these people? Or are there other ways as well?
Thus it is that in the fading light, I take my Bible, read aloud appropriate passages seeking His will, lift up my voice in singing appropriate songs of worship, and seek His guidance in prayer.
"Dearest LORD, you have brought me to this place, and kindly revealed to me that you have sent me here to help these people. But how do you wish me to help them? By gently and lovingly introducing them to true knowledge and true doctrine from the Word, and through psalm and hymn and spiritual song? By serving them with my hands? By petitioning you to heal them? Or through other ways as well? For example, should I seek to free King Richard? What would you have me do to help these people, dearest LORD? O LORD, please guide me, I pray..."
Bible, singing, appropriate words aloud, two-handed gestures, total time of around fifteen minutes.
Afterwards, I move off in the fading light toward the campfires, wondering if the healing that took place this afternoon was particularly noteworthy in this world, and if so, what the reaction will be...
Scott is also wrong; but he's right that I was wrong, and I've corrected it, I think. All were healed.
You pray, and as you turn back to the Bible, your eyes fall on Luke 7:22.
--M. J. Young
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
I feel the goosebumps rise upon my skin as the LORD leads my eyes to rest upon these words from His Word.
::Thank you, dearest LORD. Help me to serve you faithfully, and to share you faithfully, and to serve and share with these you have brought me faithfully. I pray in Jesus' name... Amen.::
Afterwards, I move off in the fading light toward the campfires, wondering if the healing that took place this afternoon was particularly noteworthy in this world, and if so, what the reaction will be...
OOC: BTW, what afflictions were the twelve healed of?
As you approach, the men suddenly seem a bit uncomfortable, a bit deferential--something like high school freshman act when the Varsity Quarterback comes over to their table in the cafeteria, maybe.
One of them finds his tongue. "Would you like to, ah, join us, your grace, er, reverend--sorry, not sure what to--" He trails off.
The rest are notably quiet, their conversation seeming to have stalled.
--M. J. Young
OOC: BTW, what afflictions were healed from the twelve?
I give them a warm and kind smile.
"'Not sure what to... call me'? Nothing so fancy or grand, lads. But I'd be honored to share your fire a bit, and have you call me 'friend'."
I take the offered spot by the fire, and regard them gently.
"My name is John, but many folks call me Oak. And since Little John already has a claim on the one, folks here mostly call me the other."
"I come from a far land, and am still learning of this one. Please, what are your names? And what paths brought you all here, to share this fire with me tonight?"
Since the ones who are sick enough to require attention are bed-ridden, there would be a mix of respiratory and digestive ailments and some infections possibly of injuries in the limbs or torso.
I am reminded that in the All Creatures Great and Small series (at least, the BBC version) there is a local knacker/butcher. His business includes that if an animal dies but is healthy when it dies, if he can remove the carcass fast enough he can sell the meat--but he has to have the vet's approval that there is nothing infectious in the meat. Thus the knacker is always telling the vet that his diagnosis is that the beast died of "stagnation at lung"--that is, it died because it stopped breathing. The vet usually ignores him. I tell this story, because I think it quite likely that the people who are sick here have very different illnesses from a modern perspective, but are all simply "laid up", thought to have the same sort of illness (but for those with infected wounds). They wouldn't distinguish too strongly between kinds of diseases, since they're all treated the same way, and many of them have similar or overlapping symptoms and go through phases.
Thus as far as you know you healed people who were "sick" or "wounded".
They tell you their names, and have much the same stories you've heard before--taxed out of their farms and driven into hiding.
--M. J. Young
I talk little and listen much, gently drawing them out, getting to know and understand them, and allowing them a chance to get more comfortable with me.
And when the time seems right, I take my leave, and go over to join the fire where the Big Five have gathered...
You look for The Five, but see only Friar Tuck sitting among the others.
I presume you ask where the others might be. He says that they're all off on one thing or another. Alain has his minstrel travels to make. Will sometimes slips in among the courtiers to get information. Little John is visiting villages to deliver aid and see family. Robin is off in the woods somewhere, maybe thinking, maybe looking for good spots for future ambushes--people don't ask him where he's going, and he doesn't often volunteer the information.
--M. J. Young
Since I won't be stepping on Alain's toes, I gently take the opportunity to offer some music when the moment seems right.
If the suggestion is well received, I lift my voice in song...
"A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever."
My voice dies away, giving place to the crackling of the fire.
If this song is well received and they desire to hear another, then I proceed to sing...
"I cannot tell why He whom angels worship,
Should set His love upon the sons of men,
Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers,
To bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that He was born of Mary
When Bethlehem's manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,
And so the Savior, Savior of the world is come.
I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,
And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here.
I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
When He the Savior, Savior of the world is known.
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:
At last the Savior, Savior of the world is King!"
The music is fairly well received. Friar tuck grudgingly admits that not all the contemporary music is bad, although he finds the melodies of those songs overly complex, and doubts anyone could do it in harmony.
--M. J. Young
"You would be surprised. In my church back in my homeland, the congregation is able to sing such hymns in four-part harmony, and the choir in eight-part harmony..."
I enjoy the warmth of conversation and campfire, and the fresh air and forest around me, and the sky and stars above me.
I listen much, continuing to learn all I am able to of these souls the LORD has brought me to, trying to gain knowledge and understanding both of the individuals and of the culture and of the language.
Thus I contentedly pass the evening.
And in the coming days, I continue trying to develop my skills, and to minister to the needs around me, and to share the True Gospel...
Outdoor skills, survival skills, quarterstaff and longbow, stories and songs and bardic ways and how to play instrument(s), ministering to the sick, woodworking skills (making quarterstaffs, longbows, arrows, musical instruments), etc.
If an opportunity comes up for me to make or acquire an instrument (particularly a small celtic harp, or a lute), I happily take it.
However as for this...
I practice with the binoculars, and offer to teach any other interested folks how to see through them as well.
After my previous lack of success showing people how to use my binoculars, I decide to try something which might be a bit easier, and attempt to show them how to use my magnifying glass...
"Four part harmony? What kind of cacophanous--how could anyone listen to more than one or two parts at once? I don't see how God could enjoy such noise."
No, they are not able to get a handle on the magnifying glass. They see how you do it, and are impressed with what it does, but when they use it themselves, they can't get it to focus aright, and grow frustrated quickly.
--M. J. Young
"Four part harmony? What kind of cacophanous--how could anyone listen to more than one or two parts at once? I don't see how God could enjoy such noise."
I give a good-natured grin in response.
"Ah, but you enjoy Alain's lute well enough, do you not? Consider well, for even a new apprentice such as I knows that his lute has more than four strings... and yet it is possible for them to unite in harmony, rather than cacophony."
Outdoor skills, survival skills, quarterstaff and longbow, stories and songs and bardic ways and how to play instrument(s), ministering to the sick, woodworking skills (making quarterstaffs, longbows, arrows, musical instruments), etc.
If an opportunity comes up for me to make or acquire an instrument (particularly a small celtic harp, or a lute), I happily take it.
In the coming days, I also seek to expand my skills in other ways useful to support outdoor living -- how to make the type of shelters they live in, how to identify and harvest useful plants and herbs, how to track and hunt, etc...
OOC: Feel free to determine any skill increases and fast forward to any action of interest, if you are so inclined... :)
Tuck reluctantly concedes the point.
You continue learning and practicing what you know; people come and go.
After about a week, one of the men comes to you with someone you've never seen before.
"Pardon, your grace," he begins. "Philip here brings me news; it seems my sister has taken ill. Would your grace--I know this is a lot to ask, but could you possibly visit her and, you know, pray for her or whatever it is you do that heals people? She is my sister, after all."
--M. J. Young
OOC: What is the name of the one talking?
I give him a kindly look and a gentle nod.
"Please -- call me Oak, friend [insert name here]."
"It is for the LORD to heal her, or not to heal her... but I will certainly go to her, and pray for her."
"Where is she now, and how shall I find the way there? How long is the journey to be?"
I'm not going to remember names, so sometimes when I throw them into the dialogue it's because I don't know how to say what I need to say without a name. Assume you know the names of people you know, but don't worry about names unless someone starts to become important. For the moment, this is just the man with the sick sister, but you can call him whatever you want.
"She's in a village, about three hours through the woods. Philip and I will go with you."
--M. J. Young
What time of day is this? What day of the week?
I nod.
"Then, friends, let us gather what may be needed, and go without delay. And may the LORD bless our endeavor."
I let Tuck know of my errand, and borrow a bit of oil. I also make sure we have food and water enough for the journey.
"Friend Stephen, friend Philip. I am ready. Shall we depart?"
The time is mid-morning. I note that you have a travel clock (and a cell phone), which would be able to tell you the time more precisely--provided it has been set to something and is working in the present world. Have you attempted to set it, and using what as a reference?
As to the day of the week, in what way does it matter, and what do you prefer? I do not know what day it is, but if it matters I'll find out.
You get what you need (which you've mentioned is oil, food, and water; what else are you taking, if anything?) and start the journey through the woods.
--M. J. Young
I wouldn't bother with the cell phone. My method of setting the travel clock would have been to:
- as the rising sun's light first hits the highest leaves of the highest tree, initially set the clock for 6am
- as the same day's setting sun's light fades from the highest leaves of the highest tree, observe the clock's time
- take the signed distance (in minutes) between sunset and 6pm, divide by two, and adjust the clock accordingly
This procedure should give me a time that is symmetric about 12 noon. If there are twelve hours of daylight, my clock will assume that they are from 6am to 6pm. If there are thirteen hours of daylight, my clock will assume that they are from 5:30am to 6:30pm. Etc. :)
Actually, though, I was really more interested in an approximate time of day (early/mid/late morning/afternoon/evening)... :p
I have no preference about which day of the week it is -- I was just curious as to where we were relative to Sunday.
I also take my small KJV Bible, canteen, compass, mini LED flashlight, swiss army knife, disinfecting gel, pocket first aid kit, flint and steel, magnifying glass, matches, travel alarm, fork/knife/spoon clip together set, whistle, and food rations/concentrate.
I'm wearing my usual layers of underwear/t-shirt/socks pants/sweatshirt/wool_socks shoes/jacket, sufficient for the temperature range I have observed to date.
As we depart, I observe our direction via compass and landmarks with interest, both from curiosity and to ensure that I know the way back if anything unexpected happens. I also check the time as we depart, so I know how long the journey there takes.
Thus we begin our journey through the woods...
It is Friday.
You did manage to set the clock, which seems to be working. I gather you didn't show it around to people.
At some point you take a break. Philip says that he needs to scout ahead, because there is a public road through the wood here, and it would be best not to be seen on it.
As you sit and relax a moment, you have a nagging feeling that you left something somewhere--pointing directly back the way you came, toward Robin's camp.
--M. J. Young
OOC: Sigh. I meant to include my oak quarterstaff in my list of items, which I want to use as a walking stick. Is it too late now to specify that?
I reflect in momentary surprise upon the "tug" I feel, apparently toward my items back at Robin's camp. I had forgotten about that. That was handy -- a useful means of finding my way back, if need be.
If Stephen is inclined to converse, I get to know him better. If not, I take the opportunity to pray for our errand.
As I do so, I can't help but revel in the beauty of the forest. The fresh air... the green trees... the sounds of birdsong carried upon the breeze. It is a blessing to be in the LORD's creation, so much less spoiled than in my native universe.
Thus we await Philip's return...
Stephen seems to be of the opinion that when Philip is scouting you need to be as quiet as possible, so as not to be discovered and not to distract him.
In any case, it is not more than five minutes before you are out of the forest and walking on what passes for a road--a pair of wheel ruts with grass growing between them, closely lined by the branches of surrounding trees, and chewed up by horse hooves.
--M. J. Young
As we walk, I discreetly check my clock to find out how long the journey has been thus far.
Then I ask softly, "Where does this road lead?"
And I continue journeying on with them toward the object of this mission of mercy...
"Lead? Well, Nottingham, of course, but that's behind us. Roads through Sherwood all head to Nottingham; it's the royal government in Nottinghamshire. In this direction, it doesn't really go anywhere--just passes through the woods to the outlying villages. Farmers use it to truck goods to Nottingham, and the Shire Reeve's men travel it to collect taxes and conscripts."
You've gone about two hours at this point.
--M. J. Young
I listen with interest.
"What are the outlying villages like? What are their names? How many people live there?"
"And what is Nottingham like? How many people live there?"
"How risky is our journey today? How often are the Sheriff's Men out and about? Would they know you on sight, and wish to capture you if they could?"
And thus we journey on...
They are farm communities in the midst of fields and pastures. Not all of them have names, unless the shire reeve calls them something. Usually they're just called things like South Fields and West Pastures and Brookdale, describing where they are. They consist of three to twenty families who work the surrounding lands."What are the outlying villages like? What are their names? How many people live there?"
"And what is Nottingham like? How many people live there?"Nottingham is a big city--not as big as London, but probably five or six thousand people. There are lots of fields and pastures surrounding it, all worked by residents of the city for the Crown, overseen by the shire reeve.
"How risky is our journey today? How often are the Sheriff's Men out and about? Would they know you on sight, and wish to capture you if they could?"It's almost impossible to say, really. Some of the shire reeve's men would know Stephen, some wouldn't; some would want to know what peasants were doing traveling instead of working; some would just harrass them for being peasants, or arrest them on suspicion of being part of the bandits in the woods. Some would ignore them as beneath contempt. But it's unpredictable. You can't know where they will be when.
And if that answers your questions, the trees part and you see fields and pastures at the center of which, still perhaps two miles away, is a cluster of small mostly thatched buildings.
"We're here," Phillip says, as if that distance was the length of the driveway.
--M. J. Young
I discreetly check my clock, computing how long the journey took, and compare the current time with the most recent sunsets to estimate how many hours of daylight are left.
And as we approach, I observe the surroundings with interest...
It will be between two and a half and three hours by the time you reach the houses themselves, and your clock says quarter after one; sunset is getting later, around seven, so you have a few hours before you must return--and your guides do not seem worried about traveling at night.
--M. J. Young
And as we approach, I observe the surroundings with interest...
"Tell me about your family, Stephen. What is your sister like? Do you have any other siblings?"
His sister is younger than he is, married, six children, a farmer's wife. Stephen doesn't see that much to tell, really--she's an ordinary person, but that she matters to him because she's family.
The interesting surroundings have been described as fields and pastures, sheep in the pastures, various crops growing in the fields, most of them far from ripe.
You come among the houses, and are led to one. There is a woman abed there, looking pale and weak, and several young children standing around looking helpless. Although she is prematurely aged by the hardships of farm labor, it is difficult to imagine that she is older than twenty-one.
My recollection is that you did not spend the preparatory time in prayer at camp before departing.
--M. J. Young
"Peace be unto you, my sister in Christ."
"Stephen has asked me to come, and to minister to you as I can in your affliction, and to pray for you. And so I shall."
And so I do...
Simple things, really. Gently wiping a feverish forehead with a cool damp cloth. Spooning a bit of broth into her mouth. Anointing her with the oil I brought. Reading relevant passages of Scripture from the Bible I brought.
Each simple act of ministration accompanied by gentle, soothing songs of praise and petition to the LORD, and interspersed with intercessory prayer.
And after around half an hour total, a final word of prayer...
"Dearest LORD, Almighty God, thank you for loving us, and caring for our every need. Thank you for inviting us to come before you with our praises and petitions. Thank you for your Sovereignty, that you are also able to do anything, and all things."
"We lift up this daughter of yours to you now, and pray that you will put forth your hand of healing upon her. We pray this not because she deserves such favor as to be healed, and not because I deserve such favor as to have my prayer heard... but we pray this by appealing to your mercy and grace, and to your glory alone."
"We know that you know best, O LORD our God. We know that you may have your own reasons why it is needful for this daughter of yours to remain in affliction. But we lift her up to you, asking that you would heal her to your glory, if it be your will. And we pray that through your grace and mercy manifested, that these children of yours would come to know you in a deeper and truer way."
"Thank you for loving us, and for hearing our humble prayers. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ... Amen."
You sing, read, and pray, anointing her with the oil you brought.
She thanks you, weakly at first, and then with a look of uncertain surprise, as if she does not really believe what is happening to her.
She sits up, and tentatively puts a foot out of the bed.
"Dear," Philip says, as if to keep her resting.
"I'm," she begins, "I'm all right." She stands, and the men gasp. "I've work to do," she says. "Again, sincerely, thank you."
--M. J. Young