THE GATE BANNERS SIDESHOWS CARNIES TEN-IN-ONE EXHIBITS COLOSSUS MANAGEMENT THE BALLY
 
 
 

CARNIVALE: A THROUGH Z

 

G is for The Gospel of Matthias:

This book of arcane lore describes the creation of Earth, Man, and the struggles between Heaven and Hell, which begat Avatars and magicks. It also speaks of how a Prophet may kill another of his kind to receive a boon (knowledge and powers). Wilfred Talbot-Smith tells Justin he must find and kill Scudder so that Justin can fulfill his destiny as The Usher. Smith gives Justin a copy of the gospels for further reading. Scudder also owns a copy, which he stole from the Templar Hall in Loving, New Mexico after befriending their chaplain Kerrigan. This may or may not be the same copy that Ben inherits from Management.

"'By the hand of the Prince, the Prophet dies. Upon his death, the Prince shall rise.' The Gospel of Matthias. Chapter 3, verses 26 through 28. You have to kill him. You have to kill him with your own hands. Scudder. Henry Scudder." - Talbot-Smith (201)

 

H is for Harlot:

Rumor says that three rousties (or maybe it was three pinheads and an albino named Freddie Neff) were strung up in Babylon, back in '32, just so folks could watch em dangle. On Management's orders, the company heads to Babylon anyway. At night, miners shuffle from the darkness and into the carnival. Dora Mae performs the blow-off despite Samson's objections. The tent collapses as the miners attempt to grab her from the stage. Later, Jonesy finds one of the carnies hanging from a tree with the word "Harlot" carved in her forehead. He and others go into town, looking to hold someone accountable for the crime, but they find no sign of life. There are no men left in Babylon.

"The miners, they set out to take matters into their own hands. They were going to string Scudder up. He wasn't going to have none of that, no sir. That's when it happened. A cave-in wiped out the whole company. Terrible thing. I was there. I saw it. And then the next night... they came back. Every one of them. Every one of them, came back.... They just keep coming back." - Stangler (106)

 

I is for In Hoc Signo Vinces:

The Templars were an ancient order of warrior monks tasked by the Roman Catholic Church during the Crusades to identify Avatars and protect those deemed "Creatures of Light." In modern times, the Benevolent Order of Templars are little more than members of recreational men's clubs, but a small inner-circle of enlightened members was able to identify and locate Henry Scudder when he was in St. Louis. The words "In Hoc Signo Vinces" were inscribed on a ring that belonged to Templar member Phineas Boffo, as well on a watch fob that belonged to Scudder. Ben translates the phrase as "By this sign, we conquer."

"How did you know what he was saying? Where the hell did you learn Latin?" - Samson (109)

 

J is for (Knights of) Jericho:

Recently released prison inmate Varlyn Stroud heads Brother Justin's personal security detail, which Justin dubs The Knights of Jericho. According to Justin, Stroud has extensive experience in matters of physical security. Iris muses that Stroud is simply a thug, but to Justin, he is an apostle and archangel. The other Knights are mostly ex-cons and degenerates who share in Justin's dream of New Canaan. They don't have special training, just guns.

"You'd be surprised how many people would like to see Brother Justin dead." - Willie (211)

 

K is for KZAK

After the fire at the Dignity Ministry, Justin sits around a campfire and tells Tommy Dolan of how he lost his God. Unbeknownst to Justin, Dolan is a reporter who will repeat Justin's misfortunes on his radio program True Tales from on the Road. Listeners are greatly moved by Justin's plight and send the Crowes money to rebuild their church. Justin senses that he can use a man like Dolan to spread his sermons to the masses. KZAK becomes home to Brother Justin's Church of the Air. Buried within broadcasts are messages and instructions that cause some men, like Varlyn Stroud and Evander Geddes, to behave as Justin's apostles.

"It's going to glisten, Norman. The radio tower alone will be over two hundred feet tall. In a single coast-to-coast broadcast I will speak to more souls than our Lord did in his entire lifetime." - Justin (203)

 

L is for Lincoln Highway:

Ben travels this famed transcontinental highway, also known as "The Main Street Across America," on his way to Cheyenne where he intends to intercept Varlyn Stroud. When he happens upon a stranded Jonesy and Libby, who have been assaulted by angry Damascus locals in response to the Colossus catastrophe, Ben detours to lend aid. Later, Jonesy will travel back along the highway to rendezvous with the carnival while Ben infiltrates New Canaan.

"You get in the truck and you drive like hell back to the road. You lock up all the windows. You lock the doors. You wait for me. Whatever you do, don't get out. Something is gonna happen here. I don't got time to explain it." - Ben (209)