I've had some questions about what has been going on with the club, with the Purgatory tag and all the ideas coming out of that. I want this roleplay to be as open as possible so I wanted to take some time and explain what we are doing and where we are coming from. As Anjel's rhetoric amps up, I think its important for the players in gangs, HPD , etc understand where he's coming from.

A Brief Summation
In a town like Hathian, relatively poor, corrupt, and overrun with crime, etc. It would make sense to me that there would be a movement on the other side of the table. That when a group is threatened often people not within the circle of those groups are looking for answers, hence religious fundamentalism arises from extreme oppression or corruption.

Purgatory is a movement started by an ex-con, a grifter, and a charlatan born again with a twisted view of purity in a world of corruption. The first to buy into his words was a very bi-polar and very disturbed young student named Ava Delacroix. She strayed a bit from the intent of the word, wrapping it into a twisted version of her own insanity, and instead of being able to save her, he followed her down a rabbit hole...

Anjel opened a club in Vodou/Black Bottom partly because the Den needed a dance club, but also as a way to attract the young and impressionable, it coincided with his work at the College.

Purgatory is about the idea that we are on this world to judge and be judged, that this is our last stop and chance for salvation. That to deny who and what we are is to deny ourselves, and that those who oppress out of fear and weakness are the weakest of all. This was born out of the mob's assassination of a daughter he never knew and a wave of police raping of several of his students at the college.

As with many things diversification is the key to strength. Not everyone that works at the club or spends time with Anjel is exposed to his teachings, but it is there, and it is in everything he says. He preaches the destruction of all the gangs of Hathian (he doesn't believe the Cerebi go far enough), and has been willing to kill and murder to prove his point and has asked for similar acts from those willing to follow him.

There are followers, who believe the Word and walk the Way, and live their lives openly and freely, feeling supported and safe from the "Family" of Purgatory. These are Purgatory's Children. There are those willing to take up arms and fight against oppression and suffering, these are Purgatory's Soldiers. He does not push his religion on those around him and often lets his actions speak his volumes. He speaks a bastardized version of some sort of Buddhist/Anarchist/Christian hybrid. Its laden in sexual undertones, both to manipulate people and entice the strong to find a reason to follow him.

Like most leaders, he's a hypocrite. While he speaks about strength, he's a weak for the flesh of a girl, and as much as a man denies his nature....he owns a piece of the brothel on the other side of campus, and plans to use it as a clearing house for high profile targets to either recruit or murder. There are Dolls in the Dollhouse that are assassins that answer directly to him, perhaps 5 percent. The rest may never know whom they work with or who funds their den of sin.

The next steps will be overt, Project Mayhem type acts to announce their presence and revolt a big against the lifestyle of most of Hathian. This does not mean some big sweeping events that shut everyone elses' roleplay down, but if people want to be involved, we'd love to have you.

What this means for players

*We'd love to have you. At the moment, most of the followers are women from the surrounding college...they will need strong men to manipulate and lean on when things get hard

*We'd love to get into it with some of the gangs. Either converting a few to a new way of life or perhaps someone needs to die? We'd love to help you tie up your story with a lovely death.

*We need people to work the Club and around campus. Whether Faculty or bartenders or DJ's...we're close to campus, and its a great way to meet people.

*There will be public and open "teach-ins" or basic preaching times where Anjel will be speaking about the world. If you have somewhere you wouldn't mind having him, let me know, but I don't plan on dropping my ass in Lous and hikjacking the intent of that building unless invited OOC to do so. I'll post and congregate where I am welcome

*We'll need a few HPD insiders and supporters. Maybe to help us disrupt a weapons shipment or help us ...reintroduce a few people to a new way. Whether its a criminal you arrested that is brought to us for re-programming because you believe Jail only makes people worse....

*The door is open, and on the front of it, our club is just a club. Campus is just a campus, and Anjel will only talk on the surface about what he's about. PLease don't metagame this information or avoid us because of what you know. The point is, on the outside, he's just a creepy engimatic and charismatic advisor/dean on the campus who is likely to tell you how a wrong life has made him better.

(Any other questions, please add to this thread. If you have specific questions or issues that might derail a conversation about the movement or whatever, feel free to PM them, we'll talk and post the results of that convo here after we've had a chance to talk.

I also encourage those who want to chat about things to add me to the messengers listed so we can talk face to face the best we can in the internet age. I don't enjoy tit-for-tat on the boards, and I know this post might open up some criticism, but I felt it was necessary to share our Storyline..

Thanks to everyone who's been a part so far