Fantasy Give us bread, but give us roses l Heaven and Hell collide during the Cold War

[Comrade in the Shade]

The year is 1963. Humanity is on the brink of nuclear extinction. The two great superpowers are locked in a Cold War that frequently ignites proxy conflicts across the world. In history classes, we were taught the names of the great leaders of this time, American President John F Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushcheva, Cuban Revolutionary Fidel Castro, and American Civil Rights Leaders Martin Luther King Jr.

But what we learned - what our teachers only knew to be true - wasn't even half the story. There in the shadows with the CIA operative, or the smoke-filled room in Moscow, or the crowd of protestors demanding justice and an end to Jim Crow. Did you see it? You have to look hard to catch more than a glimpse of the agents at work. Because while the human race was more powerful than ever having harnessed the Sun in nuclear weapons, a new war between age-old enemies was breaking out: Hell has declared war on Heaven.

Behind the great human leaders are angels and demons guiding nations to fill a purpose higher than humans can understand. In the trenches with the troops and in the streets with protestors are fiends thriving in chaos and fallen angels protecting innocents? The Cold War itself is a proxy war for the latest Great Celestial Conflict. Further, some humans have become aware of the war and don't take too kindly to the idea of being pawns of Heaven or Hell.



GIVE US BREAD, BUT GIVE US ROSES will be a character- and story-driven group roleplay game set during the height of the Cold War (the 1960s). Players will create human, devil, angel, fallen angel, or half-breed characters and choose sides: Heaven, Hell, Humanity, or self-interest. This is a time of conflict and I really want to explore as many kinds of conflict with players as possible: international, ideological, political, religious, economic and racial. Within each of these, your characters can find a lever to pull or an angle to play for their side. Will you help avoid bloodshed in the streets and on university campuses? Will you help to corrupt Holy Mother Church as an imposter priest? Will you hunt the devilish half-breed mafia forming in your neighborhood? Or will you work with arms dealers to tip the scales toward conflict increasing misery, pain, and chaos?

Characters will receive missions from Archangels, superior devils, or their supervisors in the CIA/KGB, etc. I'll work with you to determine short, medium, and long-term goals that will also drive your roleplay. It is likely that regular gameplay will be limited to certain geographies like New York City, Birmingham, Alabama, DC, Moscow, Seoul, Havanna, Paris, and Jerusalem. Perhaps special missions could lead you to other places in the Third World or Europe.

Divine powers and Hellish interventions will play a major part in the story but 1960s steel, holy water and prose will be the weapons players reach for most often. The inspiration for this game will include the 2005 movie Constantine (and the Hellblazer comics) and maybe some Lovecraftian mischief. I would love to build this world together too so I hope players can bring their own content and inspiration with them into the game!


What do you think?

 

[Dmitri Tolenka]

I think you had me at this.

Further, some humans have become aware of the war and don't take too kindly to the idea of being pawns of Heaven or Hell.

It really depends on what kind of God, Devil, Heaven and Hell we're dealing with that will determine what sort of character I'm going to be trying for though. A bona fide good, loving God would see me create a different character than a tyrannical, narrowminded gay hater, much like how a full on personification of misery would steer me well clear of the Legions of Hell. Unlike, say, Hazbin Hotel Hell.

 

[Comrade in the Shade]

It really depends on what kind of God, Devil, Heaven and Hell we're dealing with that will determine what sort of character I'm going to be trying for though. A bona fide good, loving God would see me create a different character than a tyrannical, narrowminded gay hater, much like how a full on personification of misery would steer me well clear of the Legions of Hell. Unlike, say, Hazbin Hotel Hell.

Here are my ideas:

God is Lawful Good - but is absentee and seemingly arbitrary and uncaring of the wishes of mortals. God's commitment to free will is ultimate... however, some of God's heavenly host, Archangels, and other agents may veer from Lawful Good and the rule of free will if they believe it is in pursuit of their Lord's will. This may lead the agents of Heaven to strive for Order and the absence of bloodshed but perhaps will work to maintain an unjust status quo. The Church will maintain human prejudices and structures of Earthly power, but the agents of Heaven won't perpetuate homophobia, for example.

Lucifer is Lawful Evil - but, he doesn't need to bargain much or sign contracts with mere mortals very often. The legions of Hell will be bound to Lucifer's will, and while Satan's contracts and laws are meticulous, some of his agents will find loopholes. There also may be a significant faction in Hell that would rather Chaotic Evil rule and pursue purely sadistic and hedonistic goals. These factions may be led by familiar characters: Lillith, the Antichrist, and others. If they get too influential, Lucifer may have to rein them in.

Generally, I think these apply:
- Fallen Angels: Chaotic/Neutral Good/Neutral - you will need a reason for your Fall from Grace, likely a breach of God's laws in pursuit of what you believed to be Good.
- Half Breeds: Chaotic/Neutral Good/Neutral/Evil - this will depend on if your half-devil, half-angel, or something else...
- Humans: Whatever alignment you want, but we humans are fallible and Heaven's version of "Good" may not align even with a Lawful Good character, but they will try to modify their actions to better align while a Chaotic Good character may just shrug and continue what they consider is good work.

 

[Dmitri Tolenka]

I'm thinking now of an Angel that got the boot because she was a bit too indiscriminate with the whole 'PURGE THE UNHOLY' schtick and needs to eat some humble pie by now living as a human for a bit. Kind of ditzy, and used to solving problems with brute force. Now that just isn't an option anymore for her, in part because her powers have been locked away behind some tight restrictions, and in part because her God given mission here is 'to redeem a Sinner'. This may potentially be another player or an NPC. As a bonus, several factions may be interested in recruiting her given she is in essence a walking ICBM. I do not expect her to use that level of power at all during the RP, but it would give some people reasons to try and get her on side.

Alternative idea, a Demon that's content to just provide political cover for the intelligence agencies' worst excesses. None of the agents are actually demons, but with just a little encouragement they do so much vile misdeeds it brings a tear to the eye. MKUltra, Operation Paperclip, Operation Osoaviakhim, the list goes on.