The City That Eris Built, Part 1

[Doktor Howl]

As much as this city is the holy land of Fucking Nuts, I feel that has yet to really take it to the wall. Weeks can go by when I don't feel like there's something horribly strange with this town.

That's because you put your head down and concentrate on daily life.

It's weirder than ever.

[The Wizard]

You guys mentioned that you have a Vodou community down there? The Loa Erzulie corresponds to the Black Madonna and to the Virgin Mary. She's the fertility figure among the Loa. So, maybe you should inquire with local priest (Houngan) or priestess, given that Erzulie is female, maybe a priestess (Mambo).

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The Arizona link may be through the Lady of Guadalupe.

Describe the shrines, please.

Flat, oval "altar" looking thing, made out of wood about 8" thick, resting flat on the ground.  Total size about 3'X6', IIRC, and a withered up-looking carving of a female out of either black wood, or wood stained black via stain, age, or soot/pollution.  No markings on anything, some odd stains on altar that look like acidic liquid (fruit, maybe?) was allowed to etch the wood.

Surrounding this, at an average distance of 6 feet or so, were piles of electronics of all descriptions, deliberately destroyed and arranged.

This was in a courtyard completely surrounded by buildings (no alleys) downtown, approximately halfway between the legal district and the maze.

The electronics connection is especially intriguing and difficult to find links to.

[Doktor Howl]

The Arizona link may be through the Lady of Guadalupe.

Describe the shrines, please.

Flat, oval "altar" looking thing, made out of wood about 8" thick, resting flat on the ground.  Total size about 3'X6', IIRC, and a withered up-looking carving of a female out of either black wood, or wood stained black via stain, age, or soot/pollution.  No markings on anything, some odd stains on altar that look like acidic liquid (fruit, maybe?) was allowed to etch the wood.

Surrounding this, at an average distance of 6 feet or so, were piles of electronics of all descriptions, deliberately destroyed and arranged.

This was in a courtyard completely surrounded by buildings (no alleys) downtown, approximately halfway between the legal district and the maze.

The electronics connection is especially intriguing and difficult to find links to.

It's Tucson.  It could be any of the hypothesized groups, with our own weird twist.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I studied Vodou for a number of years and have never heard of anything like this... it's really, really interesting.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I mean, we have a known "black Madonna" from Poland in the 15th century, with links to the Guadalupe Mother, and obvious Santeria connections, with fucking smashed VCRs. I don't know about you, but if I was going to invent a religion, this is it.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

You guys mentioned that you have a Vodou community down there? The Loa Erzulie corresponds to the Black Madonna and to the Virgin Mary. She's the fertility figure among the Loa. So, maybe you should inquire with local priest (Houngan) or priestess, given that Erzulie is female, maybe a priestess (Mambo).

Ogun is the loa of technology, though. Nothing about the altar corresponds with Erzulie.

[Doktor Howl]

I mean, we have a known "black Madonna" from Poland in the 15th century, with links to the Guadalupe Mother, and obvious Santeria connections, with fucking smashed VCRs. I don't know about you, but if I was going to invent a religion, this is it.

Yeah, but I don't know anything more about it.  I mean, I'm heading back there, and I don't know if I'll find more electronics, or maybe this time they're crucifying hobos, right?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Oh, and being Arizona I doubt it's Vodou. We have a lot of Vodoun up here, but my guess is that in Arizona it's Santeros.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I mean, we have a known "black Madonna" from Poland in the 15th century, with links to the Guadalupe Mother, and obvious Santeria connections, with fucking smashed VCRs. I don't know about you, but if I was going to invent a religion, this is it.

Yeah, but I don't know anything more about it.  I mean, I'm heading back there, and I don't know if I'll find more electronics, or maybe this time they're crucifying hobos, right?

I want to know. We might have a whole new permutation of this religion on our hands. That would be a fucking doctoral paper, if any of us were in that line of schooling.

[Doktor Howl]

Oh, and being Arizona I doubt it's Vodou. We have a lot of Vodoun up here, but my guess is that in Arizona it's Santeros.

That, or some cargo cult bastardization of Catholicism, by back alley Maze dwellers who have been cut off from the Mission for too long.

[Doktor Howl]

I mean, we have a known "black Madonna" from Poland in the 15th century, with links to the Guadalupe Mother, and obvious Santeria connections, with fucking smashed VCRs. I don't know about you, but if I was going to invent a religion, this is it.

Yeah, but I don't know anything more about it.  I mean, I'm heading back there, and I don't know if I'll find more electronics, or maybe this time they're crucifying hobos, right?

I want to know. We might have a whole new permutation of this religion on our hands. That would be a fucking doctoral paper, if any of us were in that line of schooling.

Okay.  But if they string me up next to hobos, I'm gonna haunt you.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Well, hopefully you won't get killed. But if anything that interesting was happening here nobody would see me for weeks.

[Doktor Howl]

Well, hopefully you won't get killed. But if anything that interesting was happening here nobody would see me for weeks.

Gotta get down there this Friday night, I think.

[The Wizard]

Ogun is the loa of technology, though. Nothing about the altar corresponds with Erzulie.

Hmm, hadn't considered that. The Black Madonna aspect was what made me think of Erzulie.

Oh, and being Arizona I doubt it's Vodou. We have a lot of Vodoun up here, but my guess is that in Arizona it's Santeros.

Woops, thought you guys lived in same area.