by Kati Evans
Here is the full production script for Week 3, Day 4.
To ensure this fills the 30–60 minute window, the Storyteller portion is substantial. It is a tragedy, and tragedies take time to tell effectively. I have also included a post-story discussion about the specific legal difference between "Retirement" and "Expulsion."
Special Instruction: You must copy the "Part 2: The Story" section into a Notecard named Script: The Lazy Man's Fate and give it to your Guest Speaker (or perform it yourself) before the event.
📜 SECOND LIFE SCRIPT: WEEK 3, DAY 4
Event: The Storyteller ("The Lazy Man's Fate") Host: Kati Evans Guest Performer: The Storyteller (Guest or Kati) Target Duration: 40–50 Minutes
🟢 PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST
[ ] Rez the Stage.
[ ] The Storyteller: Ensure they have the script notecard.
[ ] 1:00 PM: Start formal RP. Announce 5-minute gathering.
🎤 PART 1: THE INTRODUCTION (Kati)
(Walk to the podium. Signal the start.)
[Chat Block 1] /me steps onto the stage. She looks serious today. There is no humor in her eyes. "Tal, Citizens. Welcome to Day 4 of The Circle."
[Chat Block 2] "Yesterday, we spoke of the Wheel of Society. We celebrated how the High and Low Castes work together to keep the city moving. But what happens when a cog in that wheel stops turning?"
[Chat Block 3] "In Teletus, we value labor. Law 2.6.1 says every Free Man must perform the duties of his Caste. But we are also human. We get old. We get tired. We get injured."
[Chat Block 4] "The Law provides a path for this called Retirement (Law 2.6.3). But some men are too proud—or too lazy—to walk that path. They try to stay in the Caste without doing the work."
[Chat Block 5] "Today, our Storyteller brings us the tragedy of 'The Lazy Man's Fate.' It is the story of Torgus, a Builder who refused to build, yet refused to leave. Listen well, for pride is a heavy stone."
/me steps down and takes a seat near the fire, gesturing for the Storyteller to take the chair.
📖 PART 2: THE STORY (For the Guest Speaker)
(Give this text to your Storyteller. They should paste one block at a time, roughly 15-20 seconds apart.)
[Block 1] /me sits heavily in the chair, rubbing their hands together as if washing off dust. "Torgus was a Builder. He wore the Yellow Caste robes. For thirty years, he laid stone upon stone. He helped build the very wall near the North Gate. He was a man of respect."
[Block 2] "But time is a cruel master. Torgus's back began to ache. His hands began to shake. The heavy stones became too much for him. This is natural. It happens to all men."
[Block 3] "The honorable path was clear: Go to the Scribes. File the Retirement Record. Become an Elder of the Caste. Sit in the hall, drink paga, and advise the young apprentices. That is the reward for a life of labor."
[Block 4] "But Torgus was proud. And Torgus was stubborn. He said, 'I am no old man! I do not need to retire!' Yet... he did not go to the work site."
[Block 5] "Instead, Torgus went to the tavern. He sat there all day, wearing his Yellow robes, drinking on credit. 'I am a Builder!' he would shout. 'I built this city!'"
[Block 6] "Weeks passed. The Head of the Builders came to him. 'Torgus,' he said. 'We need you at the site. Or we need your papers. You cannot be a Builder who does not build.'"
[Block 7] "Torgus laughed. 'I am on break!' he lied. 'I will be there tomorrow.' But tomorrow came, and Torgus was still in the tavern."
[Block 8] /me leans forward, voice dropping. "Then came the audit. The High Council reviewed the rolls. They saw Torgus. Active status. No work for three months. No retirement filed."
[Block 9] "This was not aging. This was Dereliction of Duty. This was Fraud. He was claiming the rights of a worker while doing the work of a sloth."
[Block 10] "The Guards did not come with a pension. They came with a decree. Law 2.5.3: Expulsion for misconduct and refusal to work."
[Block 11] "They stripped the Yellow robes from his back in the middle of the market. They took his tools. They struck his name from the Caste ledger."
[Block 12] "Without a Caste, Torgus was no longer a Citizen. He was an Outlaw. They marched him to the very gate he had helped build thirty years ago... and they pushed him out."
[Block 13] /me looks at the audience solemnly. "He sits there still, outside the walls, begging for bread from the men who replaced him. Work, or Retire. There is no middle ground."
(The Storyteller bows/nods.)
🎤 PART 3: THE ANALYSIS (Kati Returns)
(Walk back to the podium.)
[Chat Block 14] /me stands and nods to the Storyteller. "A sad ending for a man who built so much. But Torgus dug his own grave with his pride."
[Chat Block 15] "Let us look at the Law. Law 2.6.3 states: 'Any Free Man unable to fulfill his Caste obligations must submit formal retirement papers.'"
[Chat Block 16] "This is not a suggestion. It is a requirement. Why? Because the Caste protects its own. Caste Sanctuary (Law 2.1.6) ensures that if you are sick or old, your Caste brothers feed you."
[Chat Block 17] "But Sanctuary is for members. By refusing to work and refusing to retire, Torgus was stealing from his brothers. He wanted the free paga without the dust."
🗣️ PART 4: DISCUSSION (Time Filler)
[Chat Block 18] /me looks out at the gathered citizens. "I want to ask the Circle a question. It is a hard one."
[Chat Block 19] "Is there anyone here who is afraid to retire? Anyone who thinks that putting down the tool means giving up on life?"
(WAIT. Let people answer. Usually, someone will say "Yes" or "A Warrior never retires.")
[Chat Block 20] "It is a common fear. Especially for Warriors. But listen to me: An old Warrior who cannot hold the shield line endangers the man next to him. To retire is an act of honor. It says, 'I love my city enough to step aside for a stronger arm.'"
❓ Q&A SEGMENT
[Chat Block 21] "I will take questions now regarding Retirement, Expulsion, or Caste Duties."
(Signal PLANT A)
[PLANT A QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress, does retirement cost money? What if I am poor and old?"
[Chat Block 22 - Answer] /me shakes her head. "No. The filing fee is usually waived for the elderly. And once you retire, Law 2.6.4 says you retain the right to vote and attend meetings."
[Chat Block 23] "Most Castes have a fund to care for their elders. You will not live in a palace, but you will not starve. The Caste is your family. But you must respect the family rules."
(Signal PLANT B)
[PLANT B QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress, can I be forced to retire? What if I think I can still work, but my Head of Caste disagrees?"
[Chat Block 24 - Answer] /me nods. "Yes. If your hands shake too much to hold the scalpel, the Head Physician can order you to stop. He has a duty to the patients."
[Chat Block 25] "Law 2.5.2 allows a Head of Caste to remove members for cause. If you are a danger to the work, you will be retired forcibly. It is better to do it yourself, with dignity, than to be forced out."
🏁 THE CLOSING
[Chat Block 26] /me smooths her robes. "Tomorrow is the final day of Week 3. We have talked about Castes, Mandates, and Retirement."
[Chat Block 27] "Day 5 will be an Open Forum. We will hold the Sorting Hat Ceremony. If you are new to the city and do not know which Caste to join, come tomorrow. We will hear your skills and tell you where you belong."
[Chat Block 28] "Thank you to our Storyteller. The Circle is closed!"
(Signal Crier/Slave to end.)
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