RP notes to self

[camwyn]

Next element I have to handle in Philly is the post-nuke version of the Society of Friends. Religions from pre-war Earth exist in vaguely recognizable forms in the games; Mormons in FNV (game supplemental material indicates they may have collaboratively bought themselves the majority of space in one or more western Vaults as part of disaster preparation), Catholicism in the Church of St. Monica in FO3. Less recognisable religion appears in game 1, where several characters make reference to 'Dharma' as if Dharma were an individual teacher's name rather than a concept. Christian missionary appears in Point Lookout, hailing from the Abbey of the Road, & Vault dweller's father in FO3 quotes what sounds like King James bible. (Which I refuse to use if I can avoid it because lousy lousy translation. Gorgeous work of English literature but lousy enough translation that my New Testament prof with a divinity degree from Yale told us not to use it. If I have Ellen quote the Bible I use the New American Bible; I realise it's Catholic not Protestant but I like its turn of phrase & Dr. Epp felt it was an acceptable translation so there you go.)

Friends teachings rather more decentralized than most of the other prewar religions we see in FOverse other than maybe Dharma. This is what happens when you have a religion that flat out says all people have a share in the priesthood and continuing spiritual revelation from the whole of the community is its primary guide and authority. nice as it would be to start from a couple of texts and extrapolate, this is not a religion that should be bound to a specific version of a specific book; it needs to be organic.

Am using http://quakerinfo.org/quakerism/Qreligm for much of my reference. Will gladly check back w/George Fox journals etc. at http://www.hallvworthington.com/FoxDoctrineBooks/DoctrineIndex.html as necessary.

Post-nuke Quakers refer to themselves as Friends. Not sure if 'Quaker' term still in use at all. May have been dropped after neurological symptoms of rad poisoning in bomb survivors made the word confusing. Friends still good as a term, though, both from Biblical references and because of sincere efforts on their parts to approach all human beings as potential friends rather than potential or actual enemies.

Primary areas of focus for Philly Friends are care for/resuscitation of the environment, and opposition to war/recreational violence. Friends will not take oaths or support any ice gang. The only weapons they carry or use are utility knives. Firm belief in the responsibility of humans to steward and care for and restore the living world rather than demonstrate dominion over it. This has led them to the two things that keep them alive in post-nuke Philly. One being that while they are not nearly as good at the sciences as they would like, they have managed to repair pre-war water processing plants to some degree and are largely responsible for the safest water in the city, on the grounds that man, animal, and plant alike require clean water. Friend neutrality towards every ice gang and other faction in the city, and refusal to carry out favors for any of them, means all factions are aware that these guys aren't gonna screw them over. Violence directed towards Friend providers of water results in withdrawal of water deliveries and redirection of the water. Usually this means dividing up the offending party's share equally among everybody else.

The other thing is that Friends make a concerted effort to rescue and care for abused animals; they are not fond at all of the ice gang habit of gladiatorial ice combat with animals thrown in for fun & will do what they can to get animals out of that situation or out of snares or other bad situations without feeding into the whole mess. (Buying an animal out from under the ice gangs' nose usually just means the caps they spend are used to purchase more guns or what have you and make things worse.) The Friends have a copy of the story of Androcles and the Lion and are actually quite good at animal psychology for the most part, and have developed a concerted program of both medical and psychological rehabilitation for animals wherever possible. The result: some of the most incredibly dangerous creatures in the city of Philadelphia are sufficiently grateful to the Friends for relieving their pain that they stay in the vicinity of the humans who rescued them and act as guard animals. YOU try attacking the pacifists/nonviolent people when the perimeter is being patrolled by mutant hippos and dogs who would scare White Fang.

Post-nuke Friends are okay with body armor and do not consider it provocation to violence but do require anyone in the faith community who wears it to mark their gear clearly with the Friends symbol. Even if an individual Friend believes for some reason that a weapon beyond the utility knife is appropriate, they are not allowed to carry one visibly at the same time they are wearing the Friends symbol.

The Friends do not approve of the goings-on at the House of Franklin, although they envy Dr. D's library. They would probably be willing to open some kind of scientific or intellectual exchange with the House if the Followers of the Apocalypse could be persuaded to ditch the prostitution and fund themselves by upping their production and sale of cheez, since they are big believers in education.

Post-nuke Friends are not gonna be real thrilled about the Brotherhood of Steel. Because: soldiers. They'll appreciate that they're at least disciplined and not given to recreational killing but beyond that, well, they're sorta perpetuating the godawful system and cycle of violence. They'll listen, but no guarantees.