sugarvalves [1963573] —
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The city of Torn is a haven for those who would prey upon the weak, as with the likes of sharkeyfive, Collete and Dekloren lying in wait, those of a feeble disposition stand little chance against a tidal wave of hate when such tyrants are in charge of the life-raft.
These poor, wretched souls have neither the power nor the energy to fight back, and far from offering help, many citizens instead engage in victim-blaming, accusing our oppressed citizens of whining, begging and disrespect, and therefore deserving of their fate.
But this issue has been covered by this paper at length already, so why am I picking at these deep and divisive wounds when they've barely yet to scab?
The reason is simple - the bullied have themselves become the bullies, joining with great fervour in the torment of a citizen whose only crime is to eschew the religious traditions of the season. I am of course talking about the deeply troubling and prejudicial treatment of a kindly old man named Scrooge.
Image Credit: Hot Keith's Photography
Little is known of this dishevelled individual, with some speculating that he could be a former member of the Torn aristocracy due to the tattered top hat and tails he insists on wearing at all times. Others have posed the notion that Scrooge is the father of local loan-shark The Duke, with Unknown_Element claiming to have DNA evidence of this very fact.
Safe to say, few have taken this allegation seriously; partly because Unknown_Element is a notorious member of the top 10 bountiers in Torn, and also due to the knowledge that the city's forums rarely contain any truthful statements whatsoever - a truth made evident by the following excerpt.
A damning indictment indeed, although one that is entirely false I assure you. I can personally vouch for the fact that I have "won" on many occasions, and if one were to make a graph of my victories plotted alongside the defeats, one could easily ascertain that I am by no means a loser. At least, not a very consistent one.
Regardless, the fact is Mr Scrooge is a simple, harmless fellow who has done no harm to anyone. Yet, despite this, the people of Torn seem to take great delight in abusing him, with both bullies and the bullied revelling in the countless stories of unprompted attacks and thoughtless muggings upon his person.
Understandably, Scrooge keeps a low profile throughout most of the year, with only the bored and the listless taking the time to make contact with him.
But when Christmas comes it seems a free-for-all begins, as Scrooge's top hat, his boots and even his trousers are pilfered by ordinary citizens driven mad by tradition, leaving the poor man to freeze in the street, and straying perilously close to pneumonia on several occasions.
His assailants aren't interested in his clothing, they care not for his safety, they want but one thing; his uniquely crafted Snow Cannon - one of only 14 available in Torn City.
And not only are these people proud of their actions, but many have even gone so far as to complain that Scrooge is spending too much time in the hospital recovering from his injuries! The cruelty of Torn citizens truly knows no bounds, and these complaints come despite the old man being notably weaker than he has been in the past.
Scrooge's annual public appearance has always attracted huge numbers who are drawn by the prospect of beating an old man to a bloody pulp. But whereas previously he was strong enough to withstand a barrage of assaults from scores of participants, this year the authorities deemed it necessary to limit it to 25 at a time - a figure later increased after yet another public outcry.
Clearly, the collective harassment of a senile, churlish gentleman is something which unites the people of Torn more than I can ever understand. So who the hell am I, a relative newcomer, to criticise an event whose 2015 edition was so popular it brought the whole of Torn to a complete standstill?
Yet still I feel the question must be asked - what does it say about Torn City that in a place divided by staff issues and faction politics, the only thing capable of bringing us together is beating the metaphorical and literal urine out of a frail old man?
I cannot answer this. All I can do is try to understand. So with that in mind, tonight I shall muster up what little strength I have, grease up my melee trout, and join in the fun.
I am truly sorry Mr Scrooge, we know not what we do.
These poor, wretched souls have neither the power nor the energy to fight back, and far from offering help, many citizens instead engage in victim-blaming, accusing our oppressed citizens of whining, begging and disrespect, and therefore deserving of their fate.
But this issue has been covered by this paper at length already, so why am I picking at these deep and divisive wounds when they've barely yet to scab?
The reason is simple - the bullied have themselves become the bullies, joining with great fervour in the torment of a citizen whose only crime is to eschew the religious traditions of the season. I am of course talking about the deeply troubling and prejudicial treatment of a kindly old man named Scrooge.
Image Credit: Hot Keith's Photography
Little is known of this dishevelled individual, with some speculating that he could be a former member of the Torn aristocracy due to the tattered top hat and tails he insists on wearing at all times. Others have posed the notion that Scrooge is the father of local loan-shark The Duke, with Unknown_Element claiming to have DNA evidence of this very fact.
Safe to say, few have taken this allegation seriously; partly because Unknown_Element is a notorious member of the top 10 bountiers in Torn, and also due to the knowledge that the city's forums rarely contain any truthful statements whatsoever - a truth made evident by the following excerpt.
A damning indictment indeed, although one that is entirely false I assure you. I can personally vouch for the fact that I have "won" on many occasions, and if one were to make a graph of my victories plotted alongside the defeats, one could easily ascertain that I am by no means a loser. At least, not a very consistent one.
Regardless, the fact is Mr Scrooge is a simple, harmless fellow who has done no harm to anyone. Yet, despite this, the people of Torn seem to take great delight in abusing him, with both bullies and the bullied revelling in the countless stories of unprompted attacks and thoughtless muggings upon his person.
Understandably, Scrooge keeps a low profile throughout most of the year, with only the bored and the listless taking the time to make contact with him.
But when Christmas comes it seems a free-for-all begins, as Scrooge's top hat, his boots and even his trousers are pilfered by ordinary citizens driven mad by tradition, leaving the poor man to freeze in the street, and straying perilously close to pneumonia on several occasions.
His assailants aren't interested in his clothing, they care not for his safety, they want but one thing; his uniquely crafted Snow Cannon - one of only 14 available in Torn City.
And not only are these people proud of their actions, but many have even gone so far as to complain that Scrooge is spending too much time in the hospital recovering from his injuries! The cruelty of Torn citizens truly knows no bounds, and these complaints come despite the old man being notably weaker than he has been in the past.
Scrooge's annual public appearance has always attracted huge numbers who are drawn by the prospect of beating an old man to a bloody pulp. But whereas previously he was strong enough to withstand a barrage of assaults from scores of participants, this year the authorities deemed it necessary to limit it to 25 at a time - a figure later increased after yet another public outcry.
Clearly, the collective harassment of a senile, churlish gentleman is something which unites the people of Torn more than I can ever understand. So who the hell am I, a relative newcomer, to criticise an event whose 2015 edition was so popular it brought the whole of Torn to a complete standstill?
Yet still I feel the question must be asked - what does it say about Torn City that in a place divided by staff issues and faction politics, the only thing capable of bringing us together is beating the metaphorical and literal urine out of a frail old man?
I cannot answer this. All I can do is try to understand. So with that in mind, tonight I shall muster up what little strength I have, grease up my melee trout, and join in the fun.
I am truly sorry Mr Scrooge, we know not what we do.
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