All right folks, I'll be running a Dresden Files RPG game to get my magical geek on. Power-level will be Up To Your Waist (7 Refresh, 25 Skill Points). City creation will be On The Fly (AKA we come up with it together as we're rolling) so as to avoid stalling out with that issue. What say you?
Ooh...color me interested! I'm a huge fan of the series, and I'd love to get to play (I have the sourcebook, just haven't had the opportunity to use it :P).
I'm not sure what I'd like to play either, but I will think up something and post it after work tomorrow!
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Ooooh, I find myself intrigued sir. I have the "Your Story" book and enjoy the hell out of it. I've made a few characters but never really sat down and played unfortunately. The 1d6 thing with 1-2 is minus and 5-6 is plus is actually suggested in the book in lieu of fudge dice.
What kind of game are we looking at? I understand that city creation would be ongoing, but what city would we start in? I've got ideas for an Avatar of Shiva who's also a Surgeon and a father and a Voodoo Bokor Sorcerer who uses his connections to the spirits to get ridiculously rich.
You could pick them up at any major RPG site Anglekos, it's a great system, but a significant deviation from Pathfinder, be warned.
Calix: The formula for 4 Fate Dice (the amount used by DFRPG) is 4d3-8 + Modifier. That comes out to the correct roll. Glad a friend showed it to me.
Mr. Bojangles: I'm actually uncertain. I was planning to have the players make their own choice of city, since that's a rather large thing, but the Locations and Characters of the City will just be ongoing. I'll also ask for input on Themes and Threats but I'll be the final say for those.
Interested, I have the books but never played before.
I am in. I just bought the rpg books a few days ago and have been steeping myself in all things Dresden and Nevernever over the last few days. This is seriously a great coincidence that you are putting together a game!
Do you have a specific city in mind, or do you want to pick one that none of us have lived in, so we are all on an equal footing?
Thoughts:
Portland, OR
Orlando, FL
Charleston, SC (ghosts of the revolutionary and civil war!)
Philadelphia, PA
Buffalo, NY
If we're in waist deep how about Detroit as a setting? Modern urban decay surrounded by a rapidly thinning suburbia surrounded by vast wildernesses. what could be a better setting for grim storytelling.
Works for me. I haven't been home enough in years so Detroit is a fuzzy smudge of impressions vs. true knowledge of locations/events.
Detroit would work well for me as well; seems like somewhere with a lot of interesting possibilities for a Waist Deep game.
I like it. Number one, make it so.
Detroit it is, now make characters *shooing motions*
Is it too late? As I (and possibly my girlfriend) would love to get into a DF game!
By "Make Characters" are you telling us to produce them independent of other players? As I thought character creation was pert of play.
Well at least give me an idea. Really the only parts of the character creation requiring other players is the last two phases of it.
Blair Renault
High Aspect: Old Apprentice Wizard
Trouble: Vow of Refusal: The White Council will not provide training nor safe harbor to Blair. He still must abide by the Rules of Magic.
Hi Ryuko, would love to participate. Could I use Zoe from the last game, just modified down a bit?
High Concept - Cursed Were-Kitty
Trouble - Insatiable Curiosity
Background - The Beast Inside:
Rising Conflict - Like a Fish out of Water:
First Story - Pride Before a Fall:
First, Helaman... Must you be a champion of the mormon faith? As far as I know, real world religions are pretty taboo on these boards.
Second, DSXMachina that is the same concept that my girlfriend sent to Ryuko in a PM. Funny.
Finally, I now present the idea of:
Eddie Tesla
High Aspect: Lightning is my Legacy
Trouble: Just Charge It!
Background:
Born into a well known family, it was almost comical when I started to exhibit signs of electricity at 15. Unfortunately my overly superstitious grandmother failed to see the humor in the situation and publicly disowned me. Fortunately I had some friends willing to help me out, even if they thought it was a temporary thing. Leeches, all of them trying to worm their way into my family's bank accounts.
Most of my problems seemed to go away with a liberal use of plastic. The banks are calling, but it's funny how the phone always gives out when I'm upset. Helps that I don't stay one place too long either. I always find a way to get the money back though, even if it's though use of my unique talents. A job here, shorting out a security system there, things were going great until we hit a place using ghouls as guards. Soon after I was contacted by the Paranet whom I laughed at a great deal for claiming vampires are real. Alternatively a man able to produce frightening amounts of electricity with enough concentration must have firm roots in science. Right? Damn them for not sending me through school before giving me the boot.
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Observer's opinion...
I get the impression that Mormons are significantly more touchy about their religion as a subject than Catholics who tend to be pretty blasé as a whole. If you bring it in as a major concept to a Dresden Files game you are making an implicit agreement that the GM will have permission to filter Mormonism through the lens of urban fantasy for use in the story by imbuing things with supernatural elements and alternate history. If you are someone who might be offended by that, you need to have a discussion up front.
Observer's opinion...
I get the impression that Mormons are significantly more touchy about their religion as a subject than Catholics who tend to be pretty blasé as a whole. If you bring it in as a major concept to a Dresden Files game you are making an implicit agreement that the GM will have permission to filter Mormonism through the lens of urban fantasy for use in the story by imbuing things with supernatural elements and alternate history. If you are someone who might be offended by that, you need to have a discussion up front.
I don't particularly agree with the more touchy thing, but this is basically my view otherwise. Really anyone who's going to have an issue with me twisting and warping any religion or mythology should most certainly bring it up with me because I have no issue messing with anyone's beliefs. As long as you're fine with that I have no issue with a Mormon True Believer concept.
@Zeta: Cool concept, I like it. What powers would you take to reflect the fact that he's only an apprentice?
@DSX: Absolutely, you could even treat the events of the other one as canon if you wished. I'd hate to waste the really cool hook Seil and I came up with for your character *Evil DM Grin*
@Inconvenience: Awesome character idea. I love it. Would he be a Focused Practitioner? Minor Talent? Sorcerer? Just curious, very cool anyhow. And actually your gf shot me a sort of 'cat burglar' taht changes into a housecat. DSX's Zoe turns into a full blown African Lioness.
I think that's it... did I miss anyone?
Cool, it would be nice to treat the previous one as canon and that would help explain why she had to escape from New York. I am certain it's evil. :P
Might change the profile pictures as well.
This is DSX's "Cursed Were-kitty", basically putting the Aspects out there.
Background - The Beast Inside:
Her father went missing before she was born. He gave her mother an Heirloom Silver Ring. "It is as precious to me as you. A seal of a deal." he told Zoe's Mother. Walking across the Autumnal Bodmin Moor Zoe & her mother were attacked by a beast. Retribution for her fathers broken promise or a hereditary curse Zoe's inherited? Her mother brutally killed in front of her eyes; a voice in her head told her to take the Ring off her mothers dead hand. Putting it on Zoe turned into a lion and drove the shadowy beast off. The voice laughed.
Rising Conflict - Like a Fish out of Water:
She has come from the English countryside, to be orphaned in NY, staying at her Aunt's place, going to Art College. She does not fit in with Aunts' WASP lawyer colleagues. She breaks curfew, stays out, trying to find a place in the world. Zoe currently lives with her Aunt, goes to Art College during the day & clubbing at night. Recently after a problem with a Red-Court Vampire whose influence extended to the mayor and threatened her Aunt, they have moved to Detroit
First Story - Pride Before a Fall:
Tyrone Eddie "Little Eddy"
High Concept - Street Hustler
Trouble - If it isn't nailed down
Background - Street gang member
Rising Conflict - Doing the Right thing.
Basic history: Little Eddy grew up in the projects and hooked up with the local street gang at 12. Dealing drugs, selling stolen property and petty larceny fill most of his days until something moved into the neighborhood. Soon people starting going missing, the homeless at first then streetwalkers and then kids from the gang. The gang went out hunting for the person responsible and found a monster. Several of the gang were killed in the ensuing fight before the monster was killed. From that point on the gang learned about many of the monsters in the city and how to keep them out of their turf.
A lot more Juice than a minor talent, but not nearly as broad an ability as a sorcerer. I thought the single element High Concept was clear enough to declare me a focused practitioner. If you want me to work the word "Fulgormancer" into it I can give it a try, but I can't guarantee that it will be nearly as clever.
Sasha Mau
Cat Burglar, Literally
Trouble: OOH! SHINY!
Background: The nine lives of the Mao family
When I was young my mother used to tell me stories of her homeland, Full of shining sands and huge stone monuments to greatness past. She would wax eloquent on her grandmother's great-grandmother's station as beloved of the gods. She spent so much time dwelling on past glories that she neglected the present. Our once great family dwindling to a middle aged woman and her daughter, living in a tenement and struggling to survive. I decided to do something about it. I started off small, lifting things from pawnshops and the local mall. When I discovered I had a real Talent for it I upped the ante and started targeting private collectors. I amassed a tidy pile of valuables, But discovered I had no talent for getting rid of them once I had them. Guess I should have taken cash.
Is it a problem having two feline shapeshifters? Zoe strikes me as a fighter type, Sasha is more the stealth type. we also have an extremely divergent source of power. If it is a problem I can sit this one out, or come up with something else.
Ryuko: One quick question, where in the Dresden timeline are we doing this? I'm noticing I'm not the only one with a Red Court event in our backgrounds.
I was planning on setting it after changes, so go ahead and avoid having them be a driving force or anything, though they were around so as long as it's a bit back they can be in your backstory without issue.
Rising Conflict - Addendum.
Whilst attending a swanky party in New York, Zoë finds that a Vampire is trying to steal Power from the Fey Courts, as well as influencing her Aunt Rowena. She meets a nice young man, Alexander, who tells her to meet him at the park. She does with her friends; during the meeting she finds out he is the Vampires 'son' and all about the theft. But they are all attacked by a demon the Vampire summons; just managing to survive Zoë tries to stop the theft from progressing.
Afterwards Zoë finds out that her Aunt has been sent to Detroit, to work on a legal case involving a Car manufacturing plant and it's immenant bankruptcy. Ambivalent emotions flood her, relief that her Aunt is out from direct influence of the Vampire Courts, with guilt that she is the one who has caused this demeaning and less-lucrative demotion.
So, Zoë forced to move as well as her Aunt transfers her course, although the college is less prestigious she finds she has more time to pursue what she wants.
First Story
After moving to Detroit Zoë feels even more lost in the world but she tries to create a purpose for herself. She wants to help those in trouble and try and prevent the unprepared being abused. Sure that she can protect those that need it; Zoë takes to the streets on an evening. Trying to act as a vigilante, she goes to bars and get a feel for the major players in town.
Unfortunately she is really out of her depth in gathering the intelligence, most of the time she ends up being chased out of bars. However, she hears that a General Motors factory that is developing 'Hydrogen-Fuel Cell' Technology and that it is going to be robbed.
Thus she sneaks inside the establishment during the night of the raid, watching from the roof-top Zoë is astonished when a group of Ghouls attack....
I'm not sure how having two "Eddies" will play out, but may become confusing. On another note, what will prevent your character from having significantly stronger ties to his gang than other players?
Didn't notice the other Eddie, I can change my characters name if it going to be confusion. I was going to have his brother, Big Eddy, be one of the gangs bosses. I imagine that Little Eddy will during game play have the same loyalty conflicts that Murphy had in the books. Little Eddy isn't a boss in his gang yet so he is free to do whatever he wants as long it doesn't harm the gang.
First Story...she hears that a General Motors factory that is developing 'Hydrogen-Fuel Cell' Technology and that it is going to be robbed.
Thus she sneaks inside the establishment during the night of the raid, watching from the roof-top Zoë is astonished when a group of Ghouls attack....
This obviously needs work, but just trying to get something new up.
She also notes a small group of humans wearing gang colors carrying nail guns and spiked bats setting up an ambush for the ghouls...
Rising Conflict: (aspect) My city's blood runs through me.
Being ignorant on the matter while the clawed things that go bump in the night try to rip my face off, as a rule, doesn't sit well with me. Once bitten, twice shy, and five times.... all right vampires exist damn it. It's like the paranet was sending them after me to educate me on the matter for laughing at them. I tried to give them a chance, but when candle floaters acted superior just because I asked about possible applications of garlic, I couldn't deal with the hypocrisy. Why should I care about a war between wizards and vamps? Can't Merlin and Gandalf take care of the issue themselves?
That's when they took my cousin Radomir. They may want nothing to do with me but it's my family. The storm that night may have fueled my power, or may have been a byproduct of my wrath, but I could see the energy of everything. I stormed that warehouse. Coiled my hatred of those that would harm my family, and rained lightning down upon the shocked vampires.
When the haze cleared, I was approached by two men wearing grey cloaks. I was still disoriented, but they said something about knocking them over while they were stalking this den.
Alright, round up of thoughts.
Zoe: I'd say that you and the other members of the last game managed to keep the Summer Vessel from the Red Court's hands.
Eddy: I absolutely agree, a little conflicting loyalty doesn't stop a good character, and this isn't Pathfinder where the whole group needs to stick together most of the time. He can be working the same cases from a different angle. On the name, I'd prefer it changed, but not absolutely necessary.
Eddie: I love the concept. Don't put Fulgomancer in there, just wanted to make sure I was understanding. Very cool character.
Changed my characters name to Tyrone Williams, nicknamed Lil' Bill.
Thanks, Ryuko. I'll work a bit more on coming up with something exact.
Wow, everyone's characters look really interesting. What sort of others guy's/ aspects do we want in town? The ghouls was just me coming up with a definite enemy.
If it taking place after changes then we will have the Formor trying to take over the Red Court's turf. Rouge necromancers would be cool also.
I certainly did plan to have ghouls, as they seem to fit with the thought of Urban Decay. The Fomor may make a few appearances but I don't really plan for them to be a driving force until we learn a bit more about them in the next book or something. Right now I'm too curious as to what or who they actually are. I intend for there to be a cabal of Skavis White Court drug dealers who feed on the despair of their employees and customers, and a few other tricks I haven't really gotten ready to play on yet. There will be a big Threat right now of a Power Vacuum since the Red Courts are gone.
That sounds really interesting. I am just trying to create some debate and creation of ideas, especially with regards to the city as well as how our characters fit in it. I do like the idea of "Urban Decay" being one of the cities Aspects and how that could tie in to any possible revival/revitalisation that may occur.
With the urban decay theme going on wouldn't the supernatural aspects reflect the same decay?
Nice! I was actually planning on making despair based white court as central theme in my first story. I had another idea than just drug dealers though.
In the heart of Detroit lies one of the oldest goth clubs in existence. This place is known as City Club. A place where all of the pale faced outsiders dreaming of a tryst with the black court are unaware of how close vampires really are. As they try to dance away depression, they feed the objects of their desire. It wouldn't be a problem, except there are the few that are unwilling limit themselves to the atmosphere.
Great idea, sounds really interesting. The sort of place where the heads of the cartel may frequent, not wanting to get themselves too dirty in the daily life of the users only their lowest-points.
How about as a counter to this a pure-mortal social worker, who tries to clean up the streets?
Runs a soup-kitchen, talks to the kids on the streets, educates in schools to mocking kids that think they know more. The vampires didn't realise that they needed to 'take the person out' until after their name was already in the media.
Perhaps the individual has a 'guardian' or unwitting sponsor? Of course, the social worker is gradually getting worn down, feeling they are not up to the job - will they too fall to despair?
EDIT: One thing I did find with Zoe, is that in a combat it takes 3+ rounds for her to be an effective grappler. (1 - change, 2 - create Aspect on target, 3 - Tag Aspect to initiate grapple.)
Added stats to Lil' Bill's Profile. I refined his concept and trouble making them more inline with a waist deep game. I still need to add his stunts though.
@Zoe - If we're starting at Waist Deep how did you start with a superb skill and 30 skill points? The book says Waist deep gives us 7 refresh, 25 skill points and are capped at great.
That was from the last game, I haven't updated her to take into account the current level. But this should certainly be better/easier to GM, will greater parity amongst PC's.
*Sorry that you cannot join us Helaman. Your concept sounded really interesting.*
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Sorry I’ve taken so long to post, if there’s still a spot for me, here’s the concept I’ve got so far:
Simon E.* Whittaker
High Concept: Mender of Broken Dreams
Trouble: Stalked by Nightmares
What he could not understand, however, was that such activity was creating dreamscapes on the Nevernever, bright beacons that attracted spirit entities to his sleeping consciousness. It was one of the more malevolent of such entities that eventually managed to breach to edges of his dream, one night in his late teens. Terrified that he could not simply will away this beast that had suddenly appeared in his fantasy, Simon found himself in a twisted nightmare he barely managed to wake from… albeit scarred by the experience.
Completely unused to feeling so powerless in his own dreams, he delved into books on Lucid dreaming, not truly understanding what had happened, but determined to learn of some precautions to prevent it from occurring again. It was amongst these new age texts and psychological textbooks that he found the first hints of the supernatural world just beyond his sight, in an old and rare book describing the Nevernever, something he considered at the time to be more metaphor than fact, he found reference to a creature he couldn’t help but recognise, and put a name to his nightmare: a phobophage.
In the few decades since, Simon has continued to delve into research to broaden his understanding of dreams, and along the way established for himself a reputation as someone who can help people come to terms with the ‘demons’ that haunt their sleep. For the most part, this involves nothing more than providing an understanding ear, so his clients can unburden themselves of their metaphorical demons. On other occasions, though, not as rarely as he might like, Simon encounters those whose dreams are plagued by actual horrors, which he drives off using the arcane techniques he has taught himself.
I’m envisioning him as an Oneiromancer, who offers his services to the public under the guise of an alternative therapist/dream counsellor.
*Eddie :P
How about as a counter to this a pure-mortal social worker, who tries to clean up the streets?
Runs a soup-kitchen, talks to the kids on the streets, educates in schools to mocking kids that think they know more. The vampires didn't realise that they needed to 'take the person out' until after their name was already in the media.
Perhaps the individual has a 'guardian' or unwitting sponsor? Of course, the social worker is gradually getting worn down, feeling they are not up to the job - will they too fall to despair?
Or perhaps what makes this social worker so dangerous to the White Court is that they are full of True Hope, and their work is starting to spread that poison to others in the community.