Creation Chatter

[flelm]

Alright. Building characters and the setting can actually take some time, as we want to tie into each other. Use this for discussion of characters' histories and tie-ins, and brainstorming of locations. I'd also like each person make a post for their characters. So far, that's Trogdor and Muskrat.

A location thread will have to wait until later tonight, but you can start brainstorming now.

[Trogdor]

ManWithDoor also expressed great enthusiasm for the game, though he hasn't said anything since that first post.

I'm looking at a Wizard Information Broker, for lack of a better way of phrasing it. He's the guy that Harry Dresden would call to get some information during one of his investigations. For the longest time he was content to be in the wings, just providing support. But now he's coming out into the spotlight for reasons I haven't quite worked out.

As a profession, I'd like to have him own an antique bookstore in Greenwich Village. (Hopefully Good Resources will allow that.)

Nothing is set in stone, though. I love the setting so much that I could easily find a different concept if I had to.

[flelm]

Just a few things.

I really like the bookstore idea. Would it be possible to tweak your guy a bit, go more research and books than current information? I know you haven't read too much, but wizards (at least Dresden) tend to go to spirits, faeries, and demons for information.

I think you'd be a good alternative for the ones that don't want to make deals, but still need some information.

Alternatively, you could go with what you have, but where would you get your information from, and who would that make you obligated to?

EDIT: Yeah, I saw ManWithDoor, but like you said, after that first post he dropped off. I want a further commitment from him.

[Trogdor]

Well, in the rough character I've sketched out, Lore is his highest skill. So your idea of research and books is fine by me.

Oh, and BTW, while I've only read the first book so far, I just ordered books 1-6 on Amazon.

[flelm]

Book 4 is where it really picks up, although I enjoy them all more or less. I'm on my third re-read right now, in the middle of book 5.

[flelm]

Here's what I have for NYC.

Theme #1
Idea: New York is a melting pot. Any culture, any group of people, any language, any thing, you can find it here.
Aspect: Capital of the World

Theme #2
Idea: From Wall Street stockbrokers, to the crime families, to the politicians (corrupt and otherwise), everyone's seeking power in this city.
Aspect: Pursuit of Power

Threat #1
Idea: New York's holding off the corruption and urban decay that blight many other cities, but for how long? And who wants to make that happen?
Aspect: Heart of Darkness

Threat #2
Idea: Racial harmony is always a problem, and when you add in non-humans, that gets even hairier (literally).
Aspect: A City Divided

For the supernatural status quo, I was thinking that the White Court vampires have a stranglehold on most of the city proper, with the Red Court having a token presence. Faerie-wise, the Winter Court has most of the city, while Summer is trying to gain a foothold in Central Park.

For the mundane status quo, I was going to leave that pretty much as-is. Politicians do their maneuvering, while most of the people just try to get by.

[Eanwulf]

This was a great series of books and entertaining television series

I wish you the best of luck with the project!

[Muskrat]

Here are the character ideas I discussed in the other post:

I have two character ideas: One who sees ghosts and helps the restless dead settle their affairs so they can find peace. Sort of like a social worker/ advocate for the dead. I'm not sure how she'd get compensated. Maybe she has a day job. Maybe she has an arrangement where she can get access to the dead's bank accounts without any alarms going off. Maybe she is compensated by some higher power concerned with the well-being of the dead, like Yama, the Hindu/ Buddhist god of the dead.

Second idea: A sickly youth who spent most of his time reading stories of adventure and dreaming of participating in them. Then some higher power--I'm thinking the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend--heals him and makes him her champion. Now he gets to play out his childhood fantasies--only medieval codes of conduct don't work so well in the modern world and the Lady of the Lake's ideas really haven't changed since the Middle Ages.

I'm going to need to take a look at the city-building rules I guess, but it might be a bit before I have the time to do that.

[flelm]

Thanks Eanwulf. If you want to join, you're more than welcome to.

As for city building, it's pretty simple:

Step one is to come up with the themes and threats, which I already did (unless we want to change them, which I'm more than happy to discuss).

Step two is come up with some locations. For a location you only need:
1. Idea
2. Short Description
3. Name
4. Theme/Threat/Aspect
5. Face (NPC or PC that care about the location)

And that's all we're doing right now. We can build characters concurrent to this, or get some locations down before we go ahead. I'd like us all to agree on the over-arching city themes and threats first, however.

[flelm]

Few ideas I have for locations:

Ghoul Tribe in an abandoned subway station
White Court Dance Club in the Meatpacking district
Haunted off-broadway theater
A ley-line node beneath the Statue of Liberty
Greenwich Village coffee shop, Accorded Neutral Ground