An FT Christmas Carol (Scrooge)

[Gullander]

I know I have been posting a lot lately but this is holiday related and can't wait!

An FT Christmas Carol

In the telling of this tale it is a story and does not represent any specific player past or present.

Scene one at Scrooge’s clan site

Characters:
C=Crachit
S-Scrooge
One and Two= naïve new players
F-Duke Fred Scrooges nephew in game

Intro: Duke Marley had quit this must be remembered at the first leaving in charge Lord Scrooge who became Duke. He was a grasping, clutching, cheating, scamming old sinner intent on defrauding other players and dispatching them when least expecting with PVP.
The scene opens with our main player Scrooge with his marshal Crachit working on clan buildings while he inventories once again his personal gold and hoard of items.

C- Sir, I’d like to level today if I might
S- Do you want in this clan or not Mr. Crachit!
C- Of course sir I need it to provide for my alts especially my newest TinyTim
S- then Mr Crachit get to mining and cutting and building or you will lose your position!
C- (mumbling to self) all this over a few levels…
S- What’s that! What’s that! What are you mumbling about?!?
C- Nothing sir, I revel in mining!
S- and don’t you forget it

Enter Scrooges nephew clan duke Fred
F- Good day Duke Scrooge! Do you know what today is?
S- No, and I don’t intend on listening
F- Why it’s Christmas time, when clans with one accord can choose to be at peace, a gentle forgiving time…
S- Forgive, Gentle??? Bah humbug!!
F- Why are you so set against it?
S- Why did you choose that clan instead of mine?
F- I have no quarrel with you, see now let us be friends and allies
S- Bah humbug! Good day
F- I will keep my good cheer and offer you the same every year!
S- Good day sir!

Duke Fred goes over to chat with Mr Crachit
F- Hi Crachit, Merry Christmas!
C- and to you sir!
F- and how is that new alt doing the lame one that is having trouble leveling
C- we have hopes sir, he will get stronger my Tim
F- I don’t care what clan you are in you are always a welcome friend to me!
C- Why thank you sir, the best Christmas to you!
S- Bah humbug!! Crachit are you going to work or chat????

As Scrooge is yet again surveying his personal wealth in game gold two relatively new players to the game enter with a proposition.
One- Hello may I have the pleasure of addressing you Duke Scrooge?
S- Did I send you a clan invite?
Two- No sir we are here for another reason
S- hmmm…what is it? I’m busy
One- Well sir it being Christmas we thought it would be neat to give away gold and items as gifts to help lower level players giving them a boost!
S- Uh…..give? Help? …..wait a minute. Let me ask you, are there monsters drops?
Two- Yes sir
S- and quests still valid, and chests in dungeons?
Two- Yes quite in operation but hard and dangerous for these low level players
S- Oh I was worried I missed another update!
One- What can we get from you?
S- Nothing
One- You want to remain anonymous ….great!
S- No to be left alone…..the game provides I do not intend to…they must use those things I mentioned
Two- But many try and only die!
S- Good than let them die troublesome little newbies, let them run to the tutorial to save them! Ha!
With that exasperated and feeling quite ready to quit themselves his guests leave soiled and sullied from the encounter.

S- Crachit!!!! How many billions did we scam and cheat for yesterday?
C- Oh, 14 billion gold I believe
S- Is that all? My alts ScroogeU1 and ScroogeU2 did 10 of that!! If you want to stay in this clan you better work harder and make sure you are worthy of staying!!
C- Yes Duke Scrooge
S- What is our motto Crachit??
C- (sighs) Scam and Cheat or Bam and Beat
S- And how do we feel about everyone else in the game???
C- (sighs) Their pain is our gain
S- I’m gonna log, you keep at it till you log!!
C- Sir, tomorrow is Christmas and I would like the day off
S- Bah humbug!!! You do this every year and I like it less now than then
C- Its only one day then back to our motto again
S- I suppose I have to but you come back the next day logged on early to keep the clan buildings in shape while I seek new players to take for a ride!!!
C- Yes sir, thank you and….
S-Don’t say it, another fanatic! I’m logging!

[Gullander]

Scene Two-Marley’s Ghost

Characters:
S-Scrooge
MG-Marley’s ghost

As Scrooge settled in for the evening he got a notification on his device. But he had turned it off completely and after several tones realized something odd was going on.

S- Oh great, my device is acting up!
As he picked it up he saw his FT game was on the screen with a message waiting for him
S- This is weird, I’m just sure I logged off
As he opened the message he could feel his heart beginning to race though he wasn’t quite sure why he felt so. The message went thus:
MG- Scrooge, Scrooge, I would talk with you
S- Why it’s Marley! But no he quit….and I removed him off my friend list….how is this happening! Bah Humbug!! A joke someone is playing a joke, aha that’s it. (Scrooge messages back and a dialogue begins)
S- Bah humbug! Marley quit long ago, what game are you playing?
MG- You do not believe it is I do you?
S- How can I it is all so impossible, tell me who are you?
MG- It is I Ebeneezer!
S- ( to himself) Wait….no one knows my real name but Marley….it must be him! (he texts) Hello my old friend I thought you quit?
MG- Nay, nay, but all this time I have been in jail.
S- In jail? But you were a good player the best at cheating and PVP
MG- Nay, nay, it is for these injustices against my fellow players I am here. And you Ebeneezer are worse for your crimes have increased these years we have been apart
S- Oh…don’t worry about that….it’s only a game…I play to win however I do that. We are no worse than any other players!
MG- Nay, you don’t know the tedium and remorse of jail. It is at the Christmas time I feel it most sentenced to wander in my cell with all my old friends forgetting me. It is for this reason I have come, though by what magic I am allowed to text you I do not know, to tell you you have yet the chance to avoid my fate.
S- You always were a good friend…but I like how I play I cannot change now, I am Duke Scrooge!
MG- Nevertheless, you will be visited by three ghosts. Without their aid you will not be able to avoid this horrible fate!
S- I’d rather not….bah humbug!!
MG- Expect the first at midnight, the second at one, and the third in his own good time. Look to text me no more Ebeneezer!
With that Scrooges device resumed its former state turned off as before. Although shaken Ebeneezer went to bed still wondering if some joke had been played upon him. But Marley’s words had planted some seeds of doubt concerning his game style and an unsuspected emotion dread and fear.

[Gullander]

Scene Three- The Ghost of FT Christmas Past

Characters:
S- Scrooge
FTP- FT ghost of Christmas past
M- Marley
B- Belle

Scrooge manages to fall asleep and exactly at midnight his device again comes on of its own accord and he awakens!
S- Oh, here we go again!
As before a message awaits him, this time from an FTPast who he has no recollection of ever friending, yet reluctantly he reads it.

FTP- Wake up Ebeneezer and text with me!
Scrooge decides this just can’t be happening and tries simply to turn off his device. But he cannot nor exit the game. Coming to accept the impossibility as a reality he ventures to answer back.
S- I am here, hurry up you are ruining my sleep
FTP- Take heed I am here for your reclamation
S- Very well get on with it then!
FTP- I am the ghost of FT Christmas past, your Christmas day past.
S- I don’t keep it, not too much to discuss
FTP- Ebeneezer do you remember when you first began playing what happened on your first Christmas day in FT?
S- Oh yes, Marley and I were in the ogres dungeon at level 8 trying to get the blue and red arm bands for Ascanius.
Scrooges mind goes back to those days and recalls certain events that transpired.
S- This is tough Marley these ogres don’t die easily
M- Yes, hey here comes a higher level player
S- Hey can you help us we are trying to get the blue and red arm bands?
Instead of helping the player created a spawn of ogres and Scrooge and Marley found themselves at 0.0.
S- So that is the way it’s going to be!
M- What a jerk, not going to let that happen again
S- Right, if we are going to advance in this game we will have to be smarter than the rest. Losers!
M- Well said, like the weak are enslaved by the strong, are you with me Scrooge?
S- Yes, I’d rather be on top not the bottom.
FTP- But not all players were losers were they?
S- I don’t know what you mean?
FTP- Oh don’t you, what about Fezziwig?
S- Oh my old friend, never a kinder more thoughtful player…..but he was weak
FTP- Weak because he offered a helping hand and befriended all types of players. You were an outlaw when he friended you!
At that Scrooge felt the pangs of remorse but pushed it aside until:
FTP- and how did you reward him? By first cheating him and then killing him in unprovoked PVP!
S- Stop it, I don’t want any more texts!
FTP- That these memories are what they are don’t blame me. They are your past! We have one more memory to visit.
S- Very well, text on
FTP- Fezziwig wasn’t the only friend you betrayed, there also was Belle!
When Ebeneezer heard that name a flood of emotions came. In spite of his oath with Marley he had become friends with Belle a sweet big hearted player who was a balm to him when the rigors of clan life became overwhelming. He often spent time with her. She knew he needed her and hoped that Scrooge would take a kinder path in his playing. He recalled one last conversation on Christmas day.
B- Why don’t you give up that clan, the cheating and PVP gets worse and worse?
S- I cannot, I am a Lord, I am needed
B- Oh Scrooge for your own sake and mine too abandon this path before it consumes you!
S- I haven’t changed I am still your friend
B- Are you? You call me friend but continue doing what I would never dream of doing. I had hopes but I see now I was wrong. I wish you well in the game play you have chosen.
Upon that last message Belle unfriended Scrooge and Scrooge who moments before had valued his tender friend dispatched her with PVP as she stood never swinging back.
S- Enough, enough!!! I can stand no more of this!
Scrooge fumbles to turn off his device and this time is successful. Filled with battling feelings he crawls back in bed exhausted from the encounter.

[Gullander]

Scene Four- The FT Ghost of Christmas Now

Characters:
S- Scrooge
FTN- Ghost of Christmas now

Scrooge is awakened at 1 AM his device once again on and awaiting his attention.

S- These ghosts are persistent….oh well let’s get it over with! (He opens the first message)
FTN- Arise and know me better!
S- I’m up…I know the routine what have you to say?
FTN- What time is it Ebeneezer?
S- Bedtime, ha!
FTN- It is Christmas time, and what does that mean?
S- I suppose you are going to tell me
FTN- It is the time of peace and good will
S- Well, that’s kind of hard to find these days
FTN- You speak truly, let us visit FT and search for the Christmas spirit at work
Upon that the locations in FT fade in and out Scrooge observing the state of things. He pauses at 0.0 to hear a conversation in progress.
P1- I gave him 2B and he didn’t give me my pet!! I’m reporting you!!!
P2- Money plz…….(seconds later) gold plis
P3- You are a loser and big fat idiot!!! (edited for G audiences)
P4- Oh yah, you couldn’t fight your way out of a paper bag! (edited for G audiences)
P5- Scammer!!! P2 is a scammer!
FTN- You are part of the reason this is so! Your scamming and cheating ways have inspired it to grow!
S- That is why our haul of gold has been down, competition!
FTN- Is that all you glean from this?
S- No ghost of Christmas now, I see what you are showing me. It was such like activities done in malice that once so long ago set me to play the way I do. But I cannot change now, I see the effects, but I cannot change.
FTN- Let us visit your Marshal Crachit.
Although Crachit had the day off from clan duties instead of leaving the game alone and enjoying real life he is up late desperately trying to level his little alt TinyTim. Scrooge is able to view Crachits screen on his own device.
S- What a pathetic alt! What’s wrong with Crachit why doesn’t he get some good armor and weapons for him and take him somewhere he can level or do some quests?
FTN- Your Marshal gives all to the clan and has no time for personal playing, he is poor. But as you say…he has monsters drops, and quests, and chests doesn’t he?
S- You use my own words against me…..
FTN- Perhaps you intend for Crachit the fate of Fezziwig and Belle?
S- No, no…..I …..no….Crachit has been a faithful player. Tell me what will become of TinyTim?
FTN- If these paths are not changed I see an alt and his owner quitting in despair. Now one last scene.
Scrooge looks and sees a conversation between two players in white chat not afraid for all of FT to read it.
P1- I heard he finally got what he deserved
P2- Yes goodbye to bad rubbish I say
P1- Yes, they’ll never let that guy out of jail
P2- Right, I heard his clan dissolved too. I wonder where all the loot went?
P1- Not to me, ha ha ha! Who cares nobody will miss him
P2- Or be missing their gold either!! Ha ha!
S- Who are these players talking about, my own situation could be the same.
FTN- My time is nearly done with you. There are two spectres hanging over the game.
S- Spectres??
FTN- Unseen but tangible, they are abuse and neglect! They are the children of your deeds and all who are like you! Fear them both but neglect will be the end of us all!!!
With that the device once again is off and Scrooge once so confident and cocky is in fear for the ghost yet to come. He is beginning to feel the workings of the first two ghosts giving him clarity and direction.

[Gullander]

Scene Five- The FT Ghost of Christmas Future

Characters:
S- Scrooge
FTF- Ghost of Christmas future

Scrooge is not sure what time it is when his device summons him yet with resolve he looks forward though still fearing what this last ghost may say. There is a simple message waiting.

FTF- Look!
The first scene is another tour of FT from map to map, it is quiet and still everywhere
S- What has happened? Where is everyone? Tell me ghost what does this mean?
FTF- Look!
Now he sees Crachits screen again this time he is not playing but uninstalling the FT game!
S- No, no, no, come back I will change, I can help you!!! Nooooooo…….
FTF- Look!
Scrooge sees a familiar player (himself) in FT jail! Loneliness and remorse overcomes him!
S- No, no….Why show me these things if I am beyond all hope? I will change, I will give, I will help, I will be at peace, I will……oh…oh…ohhh
FTF- Look!
Scrooge looks at the screen once again to see the game he has loved disappear without a trace off of his device!
S- No, no, no, I never intended……..
He slumps over falling asleep weary from all that has transpired

[Gullander]

Scene Six- Christmas Day

Characters:
S- Scrooge
C- Crachit
CW- Crachit’s wife

Ebeneezer awakes Christmas morning surprised and amazed at the previous night’s events. With trepidation he picks up his device to see the FT game shortcut is still there!

S- Oh oh wonderful! It’s all still there! Let me log in….oh I’m not in jail! Oh ghost of Marley and Christmas time be thanked! I will change, I will be an agent for good in FT and do my utmost to make this game the best game for anyone to play! Oh and Crachit I’ve got to message him, he’ll be playing anyway poor soul.
Scrooge feeling light of heart and mischievous like a school boy contacts his faithful Marshal Crachit.
S- Crachit! Why aren’t you building and cutting and mining today?
C- Sir, you gave me the day off!
S- I wouldn’t do such a thing, bah!
In real life Crachits wife who has heard way too much about Duke Scrooge and his clan seizes the phone out of Crachits hand risking a sharing an account infraction to speak her mind!
CW- This is Crachits wife, you’ve got the nerve you odious low life!!!
Crachit grabs the phone back takes a deep breath and…
C- Sorry sir
S- Ha ha ha! My dear Crachit she is right my dear friend.
C- She is?
S- Yes, I’ve been that and worse. No more clan work today Crachit, I will help you raise up that alt TinyTim and we well be having a new motto
C- Help?.....New motto?
S- I know you think I have gone crazy but no I have regained my senses! We will be helpers and a positive force from now on in the game starting with helping you my most faithful Marshal!
C- Wow sir! I……I……well Merry Christmas!!!
S- Indeed, Merry Christmas to all and may FT prosper in the year to come!
Scrooge vowed to be good to his word and more! We hope he may become a most respected player in FT. Let us dear reader strive to be the same!!!

The End

[SellSword]

Wow, greatest read in quite some time! Thanks, Gull!

[witch]

+1 !!!

[LostKnight]

I loved it.

Thank you neighbour and friend

[Leone]

Brilliant and nice in-jokes.