In what ways could one make a campaign setting that is a synthesis of Fallout: New Vegas and the Bible's New Testament? Let's say the game's canon can be played a little fast-and-loose, I.E "this is a different timeline, don't expect everything to be like the game."
My friends brought this idea to me, and I can't stop rolling it around in my skull. We play GURPS, if that's important.
Played Honest Hearts?
Truthfully, I only got to play Dead Money and Lonesome Road. But I have an embarrassing amount of playtime through the entirety of the base game.
A lot of people shit on that one but I like it.
Joshua was an absolute treasure.
Well, look into it, christian themes have a prominent place in it, should give you some inspiration.
Also, look into Dogs in the Vineyard.
In a 'sense', Good Karma Courier with Independent Vegas is kind of like what would've happened if the Jews image of Jesus (a.k.a. great jewish warlord who would defeat all of Israels enemies) came to fruition.
In some ways you could frame the Second Battle of Hoover Dam as Revelations...
Ulysses could perhaps serve as a sort of John the Baptist equivalent, who spreads the myth of the Courier as great harbinger of destruction and change.
Of course Honest Hearts could be used as a "Moses and 40 Years Wandering"-esque adventure, wherein it stars Daniel as well.... "Moses" guiding the Sorrows out of Zion into a new Promised Land. I realize that's Old Testament but... fast-and-loose
Some of the DLC locations (Big MT, The Divide, Sierra Madre) are pretty eldritch-esque which to me is somewhat more evocative of Hell. With my loose familiarity with Dante's Inferno, you could use those locations as "Circles of Hell".
The '12 Disciples' could be seen as The Courier's companions, since much like Jesus, he teaches them shit and brings them misadventures.
You could take the Deadlands route of narrative but having things set up as a story being told by a Narrator. Which would explain things away like fast-travel, healing, hammerspace, etc.
A dumb idea which makes nah sense but change the prelude of the story: Courier delivering the Platinum Chip. The Courier having woken up from being shot in the head, starts somewhere else instead of Goodsprings. So he tracks down Benny and finds Benny crucified, he tries to negotiate with some of the Legion but fails and thus uses aggressive negotiations. Which fails.
Gets buried in a shallow grave, but is resurrected by "X" (X = Plot Device/Plot Character).
Read A Canticle for Liebowitz
This man speaks truth. My favorite part is an account of the nuclear war in the style of the bible. Worth reading on its own merits, doubly so for someone interested in religion in the post-apocalypse.
It's a fascinating look at how the mundane can become symbolic or even sacred in the right context.
I think it also does an excellent job at showing that modern religions with millions followers aren't likely to die the wasteland. They'll adapt and become syncretic with local beliefs.
There's an excellent scene in the final chapters of the book about a new type of messiah born without original sin.
One change I'd suggest is that horses should still exist in canon, like in the comic.
The Courier should be the messiah figure. The players are always hearing whispers about him, and always coming into places he's just graced with his help or his judgement, but just out of reach (at least to begin with).
His disciples should be between his companions and maybe a few notable NPCs to fill in the gaps.
His trials and tribulations (his 'temptation' and 'roaming the wilderness') should be things in the DLC:
>Dead Money dealing with greed and letting go
>Honest Hearts dealing with when to fight and when to run
>Old World Blues dealing with the danger of directionless science and dedication to the past rather than what lays ahead
>Lonesome Road with the deeper impact of the decisions you make and your choice to acknowledge or ignore them.
Also: there could be a reference to the pistol Maria, maybe. I don't know how.
What do you guys think?
I'd change the moral of the latter two.
OWB could be about the dangers of pride and reaching beyond your grasp, as well as how one should be content with their human lot and not try to get what's above that.
As for LR, the core idea is good but I'd reword that. Probably seeing how the Courier is the God's messenger, this could be about him accepting his lot as the instrument of God's will and how everything he does exacts that will.
you forgot the part of him literally coming back from the death.
>12 Disciples
>ED-E, Cass, Boone, Raul, Veronica, Rex, Lily, Won't Shut Up, MILF Bearclaw, God/Dog, Dean Domino, Christine.
Joshua isn't a companion, you're HIS companion for the Zion endgame.
Ah, I forgot Arcade.
I always forget Arcade.
Well, nevermind, then.
Why would a dog or robot be disciples? At least the mutants were once human and retain humanity.
Fine, if you insist on being all speciesist about this, then Rex can just be a pet. ED-E sacrifices himself for the sake of Humanity, though, he has a soul worthy of Paradise.
Back down to 12 w/ Arcade, then.
Though, Dean doesn't really improve as a person, at any point, he's as evil as when you first meet him when you part ways.
Make the Messiah a sorfware-based AI born from a virgin birth...
>patched together out of numerous hardware based AI interacting
Judas?
But would the Courier really be surprised if it was Dean?
Jesus knew of his coming betrayal, user.
Which characters might fill the roll better?
Ten pieces of silver? That's a bargain.
It was a mistake in the comic, man.
Benny?
I know, but for this, horses feel like they wouldn't be out of place. Why not?
That would imply he was even pretending to have good intentions to begin with, but maybe.
Benny ain't a companion, yo.
At best, for a really soft-hearted Courier, they're an "attempted rescue".
Funny note: Arcade's middle name is Israel.
Bump
Isn't the bible almost entirely wiped from existence in Fallout lore?
The Courier had apparently never heard of Christianity before arriving in Zion.
I think what the Kings are doing is technically a sect of Christianity.
Ncr are clearly Jews already so it shouldn't be too hard senpai.
>Captcha: LOSE playa
J Mans, AKA the Cripsy Avenger, is a mormon.
I think they're really the only bastion of old world religion left
People forget, but there is an actual church in ivet City in Fallout 3
That's on a whole different, worse coast.
Sure, but this is about NV and there's very little contact between the western and eastern former US. For our purposes, they doesn't exist