DIVIDE! The Gospel of the Geiger | A Fallout Musical!

DIVIDE! MERCH AVAILABLE NOW!

DIVIDE! The Gospel of the Geiger | A Fallout Musical!

Across the wastelands of Bethesda’s Fallout series, wherever that radioactive fog may spread, The Children of Atom can be found. Their belief in the divinity of Atomic energy, their almighty Deity ‘Atom’ and their hope for ‘Division, where creation is born anew in atomic blasts, make them some of the most interesting characters across the series for me and I’ve wanted to write about them for the longest time. In fact, I had the idea for this track WAY back when I first was challenged by Ninethie to write a Fallout track, but at the time I opted to write about Robert House as it was a much more achievable project for me.

In the years since then, the world has become a pretty scary place and being as I am, compelled to use my work and the worlds of games to hold a lens to our own, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between the Children of Atom and their blessed ‘Division’ and the world today. Science denialism, selective facts and the use of societal division as a recruiting tactic for extreme movements and ideas. It’s a lot more politically charged than much of my previous works and I did my best to make something still riotously fun regardless of the deeper themes I wanted to explore.

This project is the product of the hard work and dedication of SO many people all working to make my dumb ideas manifest. I’ve had to keep this description shorter than usual just to leave room for the credits! I couldn’t have put this together without every single one of them. If you enjoy this project, please give every one of them your love and appreciation!

STUPENDIUM ORIGINALS:
THE STUPENDIUM ON SPOTIFY:
THE STUPENDIUM ON iTUNES:

Crew:
Video by The Stupendium and Lizzy CJ
Shoot coordinator: Lizzy CJ
Gaffer and playback: @DatedRhyme
Set fabrication: Nick Henderson
Set dressing: @LawlessMarshall , Phoenix Sterling, Darcy, The Stupendium and Lizzy CJ
Costume design: @LawlessMarshall Phoenix Sterling, Darcy, Lizzy CJ
Prop fabrication: @LawlessMarshall Phoenix Sterling, Darcy, The Stupendium and Lizzy CJ
Production assistants: Darcy, @LawlessMarshall @BassedOlaf , @DatedRhyme
3D animation: @HibernateStudios

Music:
Lyrics and vocals by The Stupendium

Musicians:
Additional backing vocals: @McGwireMusic
Additional sermon vocals: @Freeced , @Shwabadi , Lizzy CJ

Performers (in appearance order):
Atomite: @OxyOxspring
Wastelander: @NinethieMusic
Wastelander: @Shwabadi
Wastelander: @AfroLegacy
Atomite: Sam Storey
Atomite: @rustage
Atomite: @dagames
Dubious wastelander: Gigi Harbers
Atomite: @ConnorQuestMusic
Mysterious stranger: @LawlessMarshall

The Fallout universe is the property of Bethesda Softworks

In loving memory of @PW02GPW he never saw the finished project, but he saw a lot of it and thought it was great.

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DIVIDE! The Gospel of the Geiger | A Fallout Musical!

#thestupendium #fallout #musicaltheatre

[TheStupendium]

DIVIDE! MERCH AVAILABLE NOW!

LYRICS:

INTRO:
Behold! He is coming with the clouds!
This place is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it!
And every eye shall be blind with his glory! Every ear shall be stricken deaf to hear the thunder of his voice!
Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.
Let the men, women, and children of the Earth come forth to gather and behold the power of Atom!
This place is not a place of honor... no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here...
Let those who dwell here in his favored land attend now to the words of the Prophet of Atom!
nothing valued is here
Come forth and drink the waters of the Glow

VERSE 1:
Now let me take you back, my friends, to times long, long ago
An age beyond the wastes you see today
Long before our fate would see the shine of Atom’s Glow
Long before His light had shined the way
If you all could come to fathom, that the smallest little Atom
Could a hold a million stars in His embrace
And those before us in their wisdom saw it fit to keep imprisoned
All that fission sitting fizzing with His grace

Then a schism started brewing – The beginnings of undoing
But we enlightened Atomites - we see beauty in their ruin
For within each tool of war we found the core of Atom’s glory
And we launched him forth and saw him scorch and call the fallen to Him
Let’s get some mushroom’s blooming!

PRE-CHORUS:
In every Atom’s light – creation
In each of us infinite worlds
What simple sacrifice – a nation
To see his radiant light unfurled

CHORUS:
Now in every charged collision - Each division sews division
In each particle have heart! Though hard to see
Their society decided we were better off divided
And delightedly I’m inclined to agree
So pass the cup! You know you oughta’ - come to sup that glowing water!
For by Atom’s might we swore to use their war to spread our order
Hear each crackle of the Geiger as his majesty inside you
Yes it’s time to be united and divide!

VERSE 2:
Now the scholar pouts and hollers and the scientist bemoans
Them physicists throw hissy fits and academia drones
Through laughably dull articles on theorems so farcical
That cast our martyred particles apart from Atom’s throne!
They’ll say ‘we’ve conducted studies!’ They’ll say ‘we’ve the facts to prove!’
‘That energy’s just energy – not blessed’ – brethren you’ve
Gotta listen to numbers – trust the experts yelling doom
Put your faith into the data – last I checked that went KABOOM
You can waste your days debating – with their squawking and dictating
Or just praise each detonation – Leave them to their calculating
For their hearts and minds are lead, my friends, ain’t nothing permeating
But in Atom all are welcome - feel His radiance radiating!
Their ‘Scientific proof’ has them dreaming they’re so bright
That they are blinded to the truth that we all seek in Atom’s light
Radiation aint a danger, just purificating rite!
What’s some faint emaciation versus living a half-life?
Yes them isotopes’ the price of hope! I promise you will find
You likely won’t see signs of growing cognitive decline
Eschew your fears – just shut your ears – take worries off your mind!
Heck I’ve been here two hundred years! And gosh I’m feelin’ fine!
Bright eyed and ionised!

PRE-CHORUS:
In every Atom’s light – ascension
In each decay we’re shown the path
To every acolyte – redemption
For those who seek that glowing calf

CHORUS:
Now in every charged collision - Each division sews division
In each particle have heart! Though hard to see
Their society decided we were better off divided
And delightedly I’m inclined to agree
Set aside those old beliefs and be baptised in glowing sea
Born new and clear and nuclear just like our family
In our bonds we find salvation – In our covenant covalent
Let us all reclaim the nation and divide!

VERSE 3:
One blessed bomb in Megaton did set us on the path
And lead us on to Genesis – from Eden’s aftermath
No confession without fission - come attend atomic mass
No creator without craters – Atom’s Eve sure was a blast
His light it shines inside us – as in every bomb that fell
From fattest man to little boy we’re all just mortal shells
Each encasing His creation stored in every dormant cell
As siren’s blare you’ll find our prayer in every warning knell
Divine in our intentions – Why we’re spreading Atom’s reach!
Close your minds to their deceptions - time to fill your Glass and preach
Think you’ll find ascension chanting lines the scientists screech?
Well you’ve a better chance of meeting Einstein on the beach
They say a lack of purpose – it can make a person crack
Oh you’ll do great with sad and worthless if you take to turning back
But those stocking stacks of bottle caps and hauling bursting bags
Shall find thee too encumbered now to ride that verdant stag
So forsake your worldly wares - well you won’t need ‘em where you’re going
That Atomic clock’s a-ticking – it ain’t just hot air we’re blowing
Faith’s the greatest chain reaction – get our radius a’growing
The future ain’t just bright my friends, it’s positively glowing!
Let’s get that water flowing!

PRE-CHORUS:
In every Atom’s light – convection
A warmth of welcome spreads to all
To every Atomite – protection
From those who would refuse His call

CHORUS:
Now in every charged collision - Each division sews division
In each particle have heart! Though hard to see
Their society decided we were better off divided
And delightedly I’m inclined to agree
What power found us here o’er this most hallowed ground zero
Where my visions did appear – Of how division’s drawing near so
Praise be Robert Oppenheimer as our Prophet up-on-high my -
Brothers, come! - The time is nigh! So let’s divide!
In the Fog we find the answers (and a modicum of cancers)
But that’s all within His plan so let’s divide!
Who cares what they have to say? We can just pray the rad-away!
We’ll all be dust on judgement day so let’s divide!

OUTRO:
Divide!
(May we find salvation)
Divide!
(For in Rads we trust)
Divide!
(May we save the nation)
Divide!
(From those not like Us)
Divide!
(Well there’s quite the payload)
Divide!
(On this gravy train)
Divide!
(Let us make America)
Divide!
(Detonate again)
Divide! (Divide!)
Divide! (Divide!)
Divide! (Divide!)
Divide! (Divide!)
Divide!
Divide!
Divide!

[redheartstudios]

Frankly "Ghoul poses as a Confessor of Atom in order to fleece followers of their caps" sounds so much like a real fallout sidequest that I'm shocked it isn't.

[kewlkid]

THE USE OF LONG TERM NUCLEAR WASTE WARNING MESSAGES IS ACTUALLY GENIUS

[bonniemann]

Speaking as someone who grew up in Southern Baptist churches, you really hit the nail on the head with the preacher's vibe

[o__o.]

Tiny detail, but I love the inclusion of “glowing calf”, because the biblical story of the golden calf is literally about how people treated a material object, from a past way of living, as a god, and how that brought them ruin

[garlicbread]

As several have pointed out, the usage of the Longterm Nuclear Waste Warning messages is absolutely INCREDIBLE. What I haven’t seen anybody mention is how a so-called ‘Atomic Priesthood’ was proposed in response to a poll in Germany for how to make lasting warnings.

The reasoning is that a model based off of the Catholic Church, a 2000 year old establishment, would survive the desired 10, 000 years. I wonder if this model influenced the creation of the Children of Atom in any way. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if it influenced Stupes ;)

[lubbster]

"Make america detonate again" is SUCH a funny line this is actually next level

[henryreed]

"from the fattest man to the littlest boy"
I see what you did there, very sneaky of you Stupendium.

[alphasaft]

" 'Put your faith into the data', last I checked it went KABOOM" - now that's why I'm here.

[TheChalkeaters]

I'm feeling that the next stop is Broadway💃 This is such a fantastic work, congrats on the release!!

[agenteiegaming]

Nice subtle hint that he may be a ghoul
"Ive been here 200 years."

[HatofMemes]

if i had a nickel for every time stupes made a musical in a post apocalyptic world with ideals from before our time with the name being a single word with an exclamation point at the end, i'd have two nickels. that isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, right?

[Wraithstrike]

After multiple viewings, I can say I've never seen a better representation of the pipeline from "mostly harmless church" to "dangerous megacult." And this is coming from someone who spent twenty years growing up in church life, so you hit all the beats.
Stage 1: People are just there to be somewhere on a Sunday. You've heard it all before, and you're just killing time until the doors open again.
Stage 2: A dry voice is replaced with an energetic, charismatic one. People start to pay notice.
Stage 3: The preacher/leader appeals to people's desire to belong, the desire to be part of something greater than themselves.
Stage 4: Big Tent Revival meeting. Speaking in tongues, "miracles" happening. People want to be part of it because it's something they've never seen before.
Stage 5: The preacher begins railing against the ways of the world, encourages everyone in attendance to be "pure, " to spread the word, to look forward to the end times.
Stage 6: Treating anyone who hasn't/doesn't want to hear the message as heathens or the enemy.
Stage 7: The preacher becomes the figurehead of the religion, the one everyone wants to be.
Stage 8: Drinking the Kool-aid. Everyone is so completely wrapped up in the preacher's words that it becomes their whole world, to the point that they don't notice they're headed right for
Stage 9: Annihilation.

This is a heady topic, with a banging track to cover it, and you showed how a cult evolves and devolves in an accelerated fashion. Masterfully done.

[FallinqLeafz]

STUPES IS NOT ONLY COOKING UP AN ENTIRE MUSICAL BUT ALSO MORE BANGER COSTUMES?? I have been blessed…

[sofiamansour-tehrani]

I love that you include the woman who understands from the start that neither the cult nor its radiation are healthy, but don't make it an uplifting story of escape or rescue in a tragic dose of realism. She can't get any help because she's isolated from the outside world and surrounded by believers. She's blocked and threatened when she tries to get out alone. Despite knowing that it's wrong, she eventually resigns herself to being trapped and drinks the toxic water like all the genuinely loyal followers. It's the only thing she can do in this situation that doesn't risk punishment. And in the very end, her clearer perspective doesn't save her. Sometimes cults and/or abusers give you false hope and sometimes they just crush your hope of ever having anything else, but either way they excel at holding you down. Many people who would leave simply can't.

It's also an excellent detail that the priest portrays science as another form of oppressive religion, saying that scientists order people to "put your faith into the data" and want them mindlessly "chanting lines". As if science is about blind trust and obedience instead of asking questions and reaching your own conclusions. He uses the word "proof" like you would use "dogma". This twists the conflict from objective truths that you can protect yourself with vs harmful lies and misconceptions to 'COULD be true, but makes me feel awful and the world seem dangerous and miserable' vs 'COULD be true, and makes me feel great and the world seem safe and hopeful'. It also denies the congregation even the abstract concepts of free, independent thought, experimentation or empirical evidence. Everything is about belief.

[kylegray]

I love the tiny details too, like popping the + charisma chews and the reveal that the preacher was a ghoul all along, as in immune to radiation, so the entire time was just a grift for caps. Genius satire and a phenomenal song to boot.

[demoonmunkay]

The use of Confessor Cromwell’s sermon from FO3 word for word is a genius was to invoke both interest and nostalgia. And man those must be Party-Time Mentats he’s downing.

[Alexi_Reynov]

We see the raw power of Reverend Stupes with 25 charisma here and Atom in his wisdom Divided him to spread his glory across the wastes!

[jonatanmonsalve]

Always gotta love how Stupendium finds the most unique an creative ways to make music based on videogames, instead of just re-telling the story of the game itself in a song

[bobatea]

i gotta respect the makeup they used for Stu's character in this one. I almost thought it was a completely different person