Won’t you be my neighbor?

Named for his maternal grandfather, Frederick McFeeley. Years later, Fred McFeeley would be a character in “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” And those neighborhoods sprang from almost nothing, overnight, on Feb 27, 2003. And they are here for good; in every way possible, that is the truth of the matter.

They are here, for good.

His gentle demeanor, calming atmosphere, and way with children is almost supernatural in his life, and he has doubtlessly Ascended to the position of The Father Figure. But, in his wake of the departure of his Earthly trappings, he has left a wide swath of followers, all sadly awaiting their own dispersions of the powers he has wrought, through kindness and civliity.

His channels are simple, and very effective, if somewhat limited in spectrum.

For a minor charge, Donning the Sweater can settle a group into calm, if not rational, capability. It can erase a notch of Violence from an area equal to the 10s roll, in tens of yards. One successful roll can knock an entire soccer riot into calm, if not simply reduced demolition.

For three minor charges, I’m Glad We’re Together Again can bring two parties to the same location, with high degress of efficiency; Helplessness-3 checks would be in order, if someone were channelling the Masterless Man, or Flying Woman, or was under compulsion, or would be forced to act against a Noble trait. As such, it’s commonly used to draw warring faction leaders to an area for a peace accord’s discussion.

For two significant charges, Land of Make Believe can erase some of the more harmful attributes of violence, the unnatural, and the hoplelessness of the bleak world around us; as a rule, it is invoked to calm children, the crippled, and the destitute. Performing it in a traffic jam has also been a known occurrence, often bringing peace, if somewhat bewildered at best, to the parking lot that is a trafficked interstate onramp. The effect of it is the slow, systematic increase of ‘positive thinking’ into a region, covering an area of five-hundred feet squares, one per tens-column rolled, limited by line of sight. Game effects vary, but erasing permanent trauma would be possible in small crowds, or the extinguishing of a tenement fire, draining of a flood, banishing of locusts, whatever. Your mileage may vary.

Lastly, there is the Bad Side. Deny it. Wish it away.
It will persist, like a stain on a favorite puppet.

Urban Legends, rarely benevolent, can be specific and cruel. So goes the story; in Korea, Fred Rogers was supposedly a world-class sniper, with fifty confirmed kills. In his dying days, the rumor circulated like flies to dung. In the invocation of a dire and hateful rumor, it becomes real, long enough to permanently ruin someone’s good name, regardless of status. Three siginicant charges are required, as well as the mother of all Self-10 checks. How could you, you heartless bastard?

Symbols: the trolley, the puppet, shoe removal/donning, honest smiles, and of course..