Let's play: The Shivah (Finished)

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The Shivah is a noir-ish indie adventure game developed by some chap named Dave Gilbert, who is, apparently, completely unrelated to Ron Gilbert (or at least he claims so). In the game, we take control of one Rabbi Stone, who is a SHEPHERD of souls, if you get my drift Expect intrigue, crime, collar-grabbing and general JUDEN ahead.









The few stars visible looked lonely and desperate

I could relate

Sometimes the line between salvation and damnation is a mighty fine one

I no longer knew which side I stood on

There are those who would say that I had no business being here

They might be right. I'm no longer sure what I'm doing. But I'm fairly sure I know who I am.









L'et na'asah v'cheftzo kol (this guy is voiced by the dev himself)

Azai Melech, sh'mo nikra



As I had hundreds of times before this, I got ready to speak

And, as I had hundreds of times before this, I began to wonder why







Today in my sermon, I'd like to discuss suffering (DISCUSS!!!!)

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Wherever there is pain or oppression or poverty

The question is always the same... "How could God let this happen?". Is God as good as we think?

Can he, in fact, do evil? Maybe on occasion, he even enjoys inflicting pain?







I...

and then it hit me

No. I can't do this





You heard. Go Home, mrs Raimer.

Is it over already?

Yeah.

Rabbi Stone, wait!

You can't just stop!



But...

It's OVER, Josh.

You can't mean that!

Look, you're a good kid, you've got a good voice and a good future. Don't let me hold you back. Now do a Mitzvah and call Mrs Raimer a cab.

I...











Services are cancelled, go away.

*Knock Knock*

I said, GO AWAY.

*knock knock*

Fine, I'm coming.







Tell 'em to get lost, there's no service tonight.

No, it's uhm... a cop.

Huh?





Could I talk to you for a second, Rabbi Stone?

Sarcastic response taken

It's a free country...

Yeah, yeah. Everyone's a comedian. Can you talk or not?





What can I do for you?

I assume you're not here to convert?

Are you familiar with a mr Jack Lauder?

No, should I be?

I'm asking the questions, Rabbi.

Fine, let me think.

Lauder... Lauder... Oh.

You know him?

Yeah

What can you tell me about him?

He used to belong to this congregation.

Used to, but not anymore?

No, left about 8 years ago, I think. What's this about?

Have you had any contact with him?

No, I haven't. Care to fill me in, here?

Do you read the papers?



Who has the time?

So you're not aware that Jack Lauder has been dead for three days?

I did my best to control myself. I knew this man's type, his eyes scanned me like a barcode reader, trying to read every telltale sign of emotion. Any flicker, any twitch, could be used against me later.

No.

Doesn't that bother you?

Should it?

Answer me, Stone.

No.

So, you and Lauder weren't close.

No, we weren't. What's the deal, Durkin?

I've seen Lauder's will. He left you a significant amount of money.



Huh?

You heard me.

How much?

I don't have the exact amount, but somewhere in the excess of ten thousand.

Bull. Jack wouldn't give me bubkis, let alone ten thousand dollars.

And why is that, Rabbi Stone?

... He just wouldn't.

Hm. The temple is in pretty bad shape, isn't it, Rabbi?

Well, you're not blind, that's for sure.

Can you afford the repairs?



Do I LOOK like I can afford it?

I'm just asking.

(RAEG MODE!!!) Oh, you're just ASKING? Well, I ASK you to leave. Don't let the door hit you on your way out. Get out of my office.

Listen...

No, YOU listen. I know where this is going, and I don't like it

I'm just doing my job.

Yeah, you're a real mensch. Now get out of here.

Fine. But I'll be back







But I could only hear one thing. "Jack Lauder", "Jack Lauder". The name pulled out a cork in my brain, letting loose old thoughts and memories that fought and struggled for supremacy. Jack Lauder. It was more than just a name. It was a link to a time when things were simpler. A time when I thought I had it all figured out. A time when morals and ethics meant something. A time before it all turned to crap.



After this, we finally regain control. Let's leave the office and check out the temple.



I thought I told that fag to leave.

Wow, rabbi. What was that all about?

Truthful response.

The detective just had some questions for me. That's all

Who was killed?

What did I tell you about listening at my door?

I wasn't, Rabbi. Honest! You were just very loud. So who was killed, was it that Lauder guy?



Grudging response.

Hrmpf. We must have talked VERY loud.

Well, yeah. So who is he?

An old member of the congregation

Ah, that's too bad

Yeah, well. It happens to all of us.

Are you gonna pay a shivah call? (The shivah is a Jewish kind of mourning)

I don't think there will be a shivah, Josh. Shivahs are for Jewish families. Just forget it.

Alright, if that's what you want. I guess I'll go now, night Rabbi.

Yeah, good night, Cantor.







Less than twenty minutes ago, I accepted defeat. The bank was going to foreclose on the property, and there was nothing I could do. Jack's money changed all that. The B'Nai Ben-Zion synagogue could remain open. I wouldn't have to see my life's work turn into a parking lot or shopping mall

Has God answered my prayers?

The age old question. What is the work of God, and what is the work of man? The money was a boon, there was no doubt about that. But it was blood money, and I couldn't believe God would work that way.

I don't like it. Not one bit. Why Jack? Why me? Why now?

They say God helps those who help themselves, and I had done absolutely nothing to get this money. I didn't trust it. Suddenly, the cantor's words came back to me.

A shivah call...

I can't just barge in unannounced. But I can pay a shivah call.

It's the only way...



Right, good lord, that was a lot of typing, but it was an introduction, so these are always big. I guess I'll cut down on the amount of dialogue later (or the game will do it for me, because I'll post smaller updates with less content).

Also, do note that I probably won't be updating this as often as Horde, because a) I won't have as much free time now as I had before, and b) this game is rather short, and I don't want to finish LPing it in a week or so.

Looks interesting. Certainly has an unusual hero : you don't often get to play a middle-aged rabbi in an adventure game !

cool.
synagogue looks weird. probably some american reformist jews..

Look! Bruce Campbell!

The game looks very interesting, please keep your LPs coming.

*looks at options given*

Alpha Protocol - the Jewish adventure?

Well it's certainly awesome to know where Obsidian got its idea from...

Except that in the Shivah such options are rare, most of the dialogues occur in traditional fashion. Also, those options are not 'summaries' of what the caracter is going to say, like in Mass Effect, but only indicate the tone and style.

The game is very good by the way, it has a nice atmosphere, and even some C&C. It's a little bit short though.

Looks pretty interesting, keep it up darth. Also, WTF is that "Π" and that Jewish star we see on the screen ?

the 'Π' thingy is the mouse pointer, the star of David is the pointer changing into an hourglass

ghostdog:
חי
means "alive" in hebrew. it also represents the number 18, which is an important number in judaism (have no idea why)

(if you read this, you are considered a jew - sorry!)

Welcome back! Yeah, I know I was supposed to update less, but it's weekend after all, and I don't have much to do.

Last time we left Rabbi Stone, he was informed about one Jack Lauder, who died recently and had left him helluva money.



Let's start by checking the diplomas on the wall.



It read: If statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of stardust lost in the blaze of the milky way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of - Mark Twain, 1899



Has it really been thirty years...?



It reads: This is to certify that Russell Elijah Stone has been granted the title of RABBI by B'Nai Brith Yesheva on the date of June 23, 1970.

After that, we check the computer on the desk.



He claimed I needed to join the 21st century and connect with the community. Josh has been bugging me to start using it. I suppose now was as good a time as any. If only I could remember what Josh chose as my login and password...



Where Jews connect! This sure is a kvlt site. Well, what can be the login? Good question. Let's browse through Stone's pockets.



As you can see, there is an inventory here. We'll be using it a grand amount of two times in the whole game. This is the first one.

Anyway, Stone carries around a Jewish dictionary:



And his business card



rstone@ravnetNY.com is our login, then.



Goddamn computor wants password too?! Well, let's use the CLUE option.



Busybody... according to the dictionary, it should be YENTA.



Voilla!

Let's start with a Jewish joke, eh?

Moishe was talking to his psychiatrist. "I had a weird dream recently", he said. "I saw my mother, but then I noticed he had your face. I found this so worrying that I awoke immediately, and couldn't get back to sleep. I just stayed there thinking about it until 7 am. I got up, got myself a slice of toast and some coffee and came straight here. Can you please help me explain the meaning of this dream?" The psychiatrist kept silent for some time, then said, "One slice of toast and coffee? Do you call that a breakfast?".

BA-DA-DUM-DISH!

After that, we check the mail:













Pfff, shameless self-advertisement.











It would appear Stone really is in a financial crisis (money problems? And he really calls himself a Jew?), and his preachings seem to have a tone so somber, that they scare away his flock.



Let's search for some info on Jack Lauder.



Gah, the lower resolution texts in the computer sure are nearly unreadable. Anyway, there's contact info there



And some stuff about his death



Nothing else to do here, so we leave the office.



And examine the large tapesty with the star of David

This cabinet was converted into a makeshift Torah ark after the last one was stolen in 1996.

Let's leave this god-forsaken synagogue.



The map.



Our destination.









I heard about your husband. I came to... pay my respects.

Oh, you knew Jack?



Does one need to know a man in order to grieve him?

That's a... I suppose not. All right, come on in.

I'm sorry, you look so familiar, but I can't place your face. What is your name?

If I wanted answers, she'd have to know who I was. This required tact.



And tact he did:

I'm Russell Stone

Your husband used to... I mean, we used to go to the same temple. That I go to. Yeah.





... Oh.

I remember now!

She doesn't appear amused.

You have a lot of nerve coming here!



Why do you think that, mrs Lauder?

Oh, don't give me THAT. I know all about those tricks. "Answering a question with a question". Jack did it all the time.

I'd like to think he learned it from me.

It's too late for that, Rabbi. Way too late. What do you want?



Do I need to have a reason to pay a shivah call?

If it's you? Yes!

I...

Oh stop it, just STOP it!





And NOW you drop by for a visit?

It wasn't like that...

Well, what was it then? Can you tell me that?

...



Maybe you're right. And yet, you're here. Why?



Why would the police come speak to me, mrs Lauder?

I have no idea. What did they say?

That I'm suspect number one.

Really? Well, that would make sense. Who else has a motive except for a Rabbi who hates us?



Why do you think I hate you, mrs Lauder?

ENOUGH! Do you have to do that here? Now? There's a time and place, Rabbi. And this is not it.

Look, I don't hate...

Whatever! Jack hated you, that's enough.

Mrs Lauder, if he hated me so much.



... That's impossible!

I said the same thing



It's a crazy world.

How do you know for sure?

The police told me. I have no love for the police, but I doubt they'd lie about that.

Mrs Lauder, if Jack hated me so much, why did he give me so much money?

I... I don't know!

This makes no sense! None of it does! Who would kill Jack? He was a good man...

Yes... he was.

Real smooooooooth, Rabbi.

Don't you start, you have no idea.

The police have no other leads?

Aside from you? No.

How did he die?

I don't see how that's any of your business.

I... well,



And I'd like to help.

Help? Why would YOU want to help?

I don't know, maybe I...



Maybe I'm looking to make amends for what happened eight years ago

Oh, that's rich. You come in here, puffed-up and arrogant and sputtering platitudes, and now you want to help?

Yes, if you'll have me...

Forget it! Keep the ten grand, I don't care! Just get out! I don't want to see or hear from you ever again.

See? Typical womyn behaviour. You offer help, and they get all emo

But...

LEAVE! Or so help me, I WILL call the police!

... as you wish. I'm sorry to have troubled you, mrs Lauder.

Just go.



Uh... oops?



Eventually, she made good on her threat to call the police. With my suspicious behaviour, and my dubious connections to Jack, they wasted no time in arresting me for the murder.

I can't help but wonder... what if I could go back and have that conversation again? And if wishes were wings, we'd all be flying

Yup, this means GAME OVER, and it happens when you choose the wrong dialogue options in conversation with mrs Lauder (especially that great bluff check about where Stone met Jack).

Choices and consequences, BITCH!



Oh, but you will know. Right after I come back with another update later!

Extreme Juden™

Another Roxor original LP starring a game i've never heard of.

Do go on, and also: :generic jew joke:

They arrested him like that? For asking the guy's wife about the ten grand? Manhattan sure is a shitty place

Wow, that's a pretty unforgiving game ! But at least, it doesn't waste time in telling you you screwed up.

I'd love to know just how "Rabbinical Response" is defined.

Answering with a question.

herp derp
Now we have a name for that sort of jackassery.

You think so?

I'd appreciate a bump to the second page, y'know.

[Rabbinical Response] And why do you think we know?

Isn't it obvious?