Dogs in Almighty God's Vineyard

[Magus1108]

Indeed. It will come as no surprise to say that the Soul Guard will feature in as a plot point in a future episode. How that will take shape, though, is a secret. ;)

Also, good news! Got a new lore post up. This one breaks down the racial groups present within the Deseret, and as an added bonus, gave me the opportunity to elaborate a little bit on Faith-Native relations. If you'd like me to go in finer detail though, Hyperewok, I'd be happy to give that a go.

Next lore post should elaborate more on general Faith theology, which I quite look forward to writing. After that, I might detail some stuff about the city of New Life, since I've become sorta interested in that after I accidentally made it a sort of melting pot for various racial and ethnic minorities in the Deseret.

[Magus1108]

Good news! Got the first part of the Theology in the Faith post up. Part 2, and Part 3 if it proves necessary, should be up within the next day or so.

[Magus1108]

Apologies for the delay in posting. Had an 8 page essay to wrap up. Got my posts up now though! Will also try to get another lore post up today, continuing detailing Faith theology and doctrine.

Also, today is the deadline for HighestLord. Have not heard from him since he went AWOL. If I have not heard from him by midnight tonight, I will formally retcon his character out of the RP. Once that is done, will put up a Players Wanted Ad up. If no interest is shown there, I will likely create a second character to help balance things out here.

Just letting you guys know.

[Magus1108]

Hit a road block in the continued digressions of Faith theology, so I've decided to focus on the New Life lore post in the meanwhile. That should be up in a day or two.

Also, since I couldn't edit that post any further, I reposted the Politics in North America lore post with some minor retcons, just so you guys know.

Also, due to the lack of interest by other players, I will be creating a second character to round out the Pack. Hopefully (s)he'll be done shortly.

[Hyperewok]

If you're tossing around topics for more background stuff, maybe something on the Underground Railroad? I imagine it changed quite a bit with Deseret being the obvious place for escaping slaves to flee to, and then there's the question of if Southerners would pursue them. Considering in real world history that was a major point of contention between the North and South before the war, when they were given legal permission to bring escaped slaves back from Northern states (and the occasional freemen who were unfortunate enough to come across them).

Also, before I forget to note this, I will be away from the 15th to the 19th and I more than likely won't have access to any computer to post anything.

[Magus1108]

I had thought about that, but I wasn't sure if the Faith, during the '40s, '50s, and '60s, would have much had much of an impact on the Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railroad had a peak period between the 1850s and the 1860s, and during this time the Faith, and the Deseret, were a relatively obscure and far off settlement. The Faith prospered and grew during this time, but I don't see it earning itself as a major end destination in the Underground Railroad.

The North, and especially Canada, would seem the more attractive option for escaped slaves. Some might go out West to disappear, but that doesn't have it's guarantee of freedom, and during this point in time the Faith would be relatively obscure. Abolitionists would love the Faith's acceptance of the African, but hate them for being heathens, since a majority of Abolitionists were Protestants.

So before the Civil War, I don't see the Underground Railroad changed too much. Some slaves might go out West to escape, maybe because of the Faith, but that would be a small, small number. Canada would still seem the more viable option, and most slaves were faithful Protestants, and wouldn't like the religious beliefs of the Faithful.

....After the Civil War, however...or the Southern War of Liberation, I should call it...

It does give me the brilliant idea that the UR does change, after the Confederacy wins its independence. Twenty years after its independence, and slavery is still legal in the CSA (mostly...more on that later, whenever I get to a lore post further exploring the Post-War Confederacy, and CSA Politics), and thus that would necessitate the Underground Railroad continuing.

And as Northern settlers come to make a new life in the West and the Deseret, word starts to fully spread around about the Faith's surprising tolerance and acceptance of the Negro. Then, when the Transcontinental Railroad is completed in 1866, it suddenly becomes easier and more feasible to travel out West.

All this combined, I can easily see Word of Mouth touting the Deseret as a new paradise for African-Americans, Free and Slave. Canada (and the United States, as slavery still gets outlawed in the USA, despite it losing the Southern War) is still a viable option, but the Deseret is closer to home, especially for the slaves in Texas and the Confederate New Mexican Territories.

Most escaped slaves won't be eager to convert to the Faith, I imagine, or at least will be reluctant to the idea. But most African Faithful put converting their fellow brethren second, and instead focus more on making the Deseret a good home for the Negro, Faithful or not.

Yes, yes...I like the sound of this.

So, an Underground Railroad lore post to account for the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s is a definite yes, at some point. We'll see when I end up getting around to it!

And if I can, I'm totally squeezing in a Harriet Tubman cameo at some point, who historically didn't die until 1913.

Also, thanks for letting me know. Your absence during those days are duly noted. :)

[Magus1108]

After getting sucked into the abyss that has become plotting out the future of this alternate history (like seriously, I wasted so much time that I've plotted a rough, possible future of this Rp all the way to the year 2017. Not kidding) I've finally gotten something more relevant up!

I hope to get a post with the CSA out of the way next, for the Lore Thread. That would have been up sooner, but I lost half of what I wrote previously, so I decided to take a break before tackling that again.

[Hyperewok]

*Tumbleweed*

Also, appropriate music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bwfm7-uNS4