It is an interesting idea. I certainly want everyone to be and feel like equals, and so I want to avoid the idea that it looks like Eldritch and his mystical friends. As long as that isn't a problem, I'm good with it.
And for further clarification.
The character's name is Adrian Eldrich. His hero name is Eldritch, and the team name is his hero name, Eldritch.
We are down to 4 players, right?
Should I recruit a 5th? or play a DMPC? Or maybe a rotating set of heroes who guest star in the comic? Could be an established character or something of my own making.
I think 4 is plenty characters, but it was nice having a voice being able to speak through Seven.
Also, the group's mobility is pretty limited. Any thoughts about a vehicle for a mystical team? It doesn't feel quite right to have a Jet.
Some kind of mystic portal device? A magic carpet? A wind elemental?
I did not notice the difference between Eldritch and Eldrich until GKG pointed it out.
So, I had an idea: with Adrian Eldrich dead, would anyone mind if Sinclair took up the mantle/name of Eldritch? Meaning, calling himself Eldritch. Sort of like when others have taken up the mantle of Batman.
I don't want to take more of a spotlight in the team, but I was thinking it might be an interesting idea for continuity. Obviously, most allies and villains would know the difference, but the mass would not and see continuity.
Appreciate your feedback.
thanks
Storm Dragon? Echoes Myron?
Would like to get your thumbs up before developing. Thanks
For a transport idea, there could always be keyed magical portal coincidentally near the encounter that we access through our Network.
Or if we're rich, a private business jet charter would get us anywhere, too.
cheers
I am happy with four characters, especially as it seemed possible that either Dunwich or Eoten may return later. While I understand the desire to keep parties larger since players often flake, I also struggle to keep up with what's happening when there's more than four PCs.
My current build has one or two power points left. While I was probably going to throw them into something boring like defenses or whatever, I'd be okay with putting at least one into a shared HQ or special "vehicle."
Given Deadman is supposed to be a business backer, as Sinclair says, a private jet is not out of the question even if not very mystical. It would kind of actually be funny to have magical monsters attack the jet with mystic forces and can't do anything to it because it's straight up technology.
But if that's no fun... we could borrow a little from that time Wonder Woman's invisible jet was actually a sentient shapechanging alien device/creature. In our case it could be a golem in the form of an airplane or some kind of shapechanging creature who, beholden to us for saving it, has decided to become our form of transport.
Sinclair: if being called "Eldritch" alone doesn't fly, what about "Master Eldritch" or "Eldritch Junior" or "Captain Eldritch" or "Mr. Eldritch" etc. etc. ? So that it's slightly more distinct from the team name? I'm still good either way, this idea just occurred to me.
Besides updating his profile picture, finding some pictures for his new look, and tinkering with his PL10 build, I've updated his Origin for the time jump and added Enemies in his Complications. @GM for ideas about the villains.
After starting in 2014, Max finally graduates with honors in 2019 after missing many courses and a whole semester saving Earth’s dimension as a core member of Eldritch. He majors in History, Folklore, and Mythology learning everything that is officially accepted as fact about magical entities and their activities.
Medea first encounters Max in Boston, as a wealthy collector of magical tomes and artifacts. As a student at Harvard, he sought her ought to view her collection for school research. Sinclair ran afoul of Medea by disrupting her revenge on a powerful crime boss in Boston who attempted to back out of a deal with her. Sinclair was able to save the crime boss’s family who have since gone in the witness protection program with the boss.
After graduation, Max returns to Freedom City financially living off the funds of Deadman. He restores his connections with the Claremont Academy and the Hunter Museum of Natural History but refuses to commit to anything time-consuming to avoid disappointing others. The activities of Eldritch are time-consuming enough.
The Hellqueen encounters Sinclair when he discovers and disbands a few of her minion factories upon recent relocation to Freedom City. They have traded blasts a couple of times as she was leaving but have had only one significant brawl to really test magical abilities; Sinclair retreated. Now, she is trying to insinuate into his personal life. Since the demon is from the Netherworld, her attention and ambition will transform if she ever discovers his personal relationship with Seven. Then, she would want to leverage him to potentially take the mantle of the Queen of the Netherworld from Seven.
Seven years after the death of Adrian Eldrich and disappearance of Seven, Max becomes one of the most knowledgeable heroes about magic on Earth-Prime. His highly theoretical use of magic would be tested many times over the years in life or death situations. He would lose battles and friends and becomes battle-hardened. His Motivation at this time becomes, responsibility: with great knowledge comes great responsibility.
I'm waiting for the green-light from the other players, before potentially renaming him Eldritch.
cheers
I'm fine with it.
So how does everyone feel about Cesarina being sent out by the Church to "supervise" Eldritch? Maybe as part of some kind of pledge to become allies with the new peacekeepers of Earth. I imagine a whole lot of organizations that deal with the supernatural would have a vested interest in sinking their claws into the new team.
@Sinclair, I'm totally cool with him taking up the mantle of Eldritch! That makes complete sense to me.
The brownstone full of antiques and magic items seems par for the course, but I wouldn't mind doing something else either.
I wouldn't mind recruiting one more player. My brain is hard-wired for five-person teams.
As for our vehicle, I would LOVE to have it be something that appears very mundane that is capable of something extraordinary. Without ever seeing Dr. Who, I feel like what I have in mind is very similar to the TARDIS. A vehicle that always appears generic in whatever setting it is in that can be driven or even teleported. If we for some reason time travel to a victorian era, it appears to be a horse and carriage. 1980's suburbia? Station Wagon. That sort of thing.
Cesarina would bring in a great angle with the Church!
With all that said, I think this is what I'm going for! May be inspired by a certain symbiotic wall-crawling lifeform. Shades of his father's abilities with a twist all his own. His Rift powers are inspired by Valorant's Reyna, who launches an eyeball into the sky that limits her opponent's vision. In his case, The eyeball can cause immense fear, or chaos (in the form of mind control), explode in a burst of tentacles and other gruesome attacks or even heal.
The Eyeball here is actually a rift to different parts of the Dream Realm. Fear and Pain (the burst attack) from the realm of Nightmare, Chaos from Pandemonia, and Heal from the most peaceful parts of Dream.
Oswald Searle, OZ - PL 10
Strength 0, Stamina 2, Agility 2, Dexterity 0, Fighting 0, Intellect 0, Awareness 1, Presence 0
Advantages
All-out Attack, Fearless, Improved Critical 2: Clawed : Strength-based Damage 8, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Takedown 2
Skills
Athletics 5 (+5), Perception 5 (+6)
Powers
Nightmare Form (Activation: Standard Action, Advantages: All-out Attack, Fearless, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Takedown 2)
. . Clawed : Strength-based Damage 8 (DC 23, Advantages: Improved Critical 2; Reach (melee) 4: 20 ft.)
. . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 4 (Traits: Close Combat +8 (+8))
. . Face Ripper: Morph 3 (Alternate; +20 Deception checks to disguise; Broad group)
. . Leaping: Leaping 2 (Leap 30 feet at 8 miles/hour)
. . Movement: Movement 7 (Permeate 3: full speed, Trackless: Sight, Smell 2, Wall-crawling 2: full speed)
. . Protection: Protection 6 (+6 Toughness; Impervious [2 ranks only]; Noticeable: seems to blur and shift)
. . Senses: Senses 7 (Counters All Concealment: Mental, Darkvision)
. . Triggers Animalistic Fear: Feature 1
Nightmare Rift
. . Chaos: Cumulative Burst Area Affliction 10 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 20, Cumulative, Increased Range: ranged, Selective; Diminished Range, Noticeable: A Giant Staring Eye)
. . Fear: Cumulative Perception Area Affliction 10 (1st degree: Impaired, Dazed, 2nd degree: Immobile, Stunned, 3rd degree: Paralyzed, Unaware, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Perception Area: DC 20 - Sight, Cumulative, Extra Condition, Selective; Noticeable: An eye that displays each individual targets fear)
. . Pain: Burst Area Damage 10 (DC 25; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 20, Increased Range: ranged, Multiattack, Penetrating 10; Noticeable: An Eye with grotesque appendages lashing out )
. . Rest: Burst Area Healing 8 (Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 18, Energizing, Increased Range: ranged, Selective, Stabilize; Noticeable: a floating eye emanating radiant waves)
. . Travel: Teleport 10 (4 miles in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Accurate, Portal; Noticeable: An Eye that opens into a portal)
Shadow Meld: Concealment 10 (All Senses; Limited: to Darkness, Limited: Not Machines)
Offense
Initiative +6
Chaos: Cumulative Burst Area Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Clawed : Strength-based Damage 8, +8 (DC 23)
Fear: Cumulative Perception Area Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Grab, +0 (DC Spec 10)
Pain: Burst Area Damage 10 (DC 25)
Throw, +0 (DC 15)
Unarmed, +0 (DC 15)
Complications
Addiction: When assuming the Nightmare Form, Oz hungers for fear, chaos and disorder. The form revels in negative emotions as if it were feeding on it.
Curse Sworn: Unbeknownst to him, Oz is one in a long line of Dream Guardians. His father completely overlooked him and had not considered that Oz could've been chosen.
Disability: Oz suffers from Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Assuming the Nightmare Form helps alieve those troubles, yet the form comes with problems of it's own.
Monstrous: The Nightmare Form is a shadowy, shifting form. Unsettling, many people who gaze upon the form find themselves uneasy in the stomach,
Obsession: Oz is obsessed with his father's disappearance. He knows his father was a bit of a space-case, but he refuses to believe that he ran off with someone, or is dead.
Languages
Native Language
Defense
Dodge 7, Parry 6, Fortitude 7, Toughness 8, Will 7
Power Points
Abilities 10 + Powers 113 + Advantages 0 + Skills 5 (10 ranks) + Defenses 22 = 150
Oswald is a 21-year-old college dropout. Most of his time is spent crashing on couches, playing videogames, drinking and smoking some bud with his friends. His mother keeps psychoanalyzing him and blaming his lack of ambition on his father who she staunchly believes ran off with another woman. Oz doesn't know what to make of it until he begins to have strangely vivid dreams. The dreams at first were rare, but they became increasingly more common, and increasingly more realistic. Each one seemed to involve his father's voice in a colorless void screaming for help. These dreams started seeping into his waking life, hearing the voices in the distance while grabbing lunch with friends, or seeing a ghostly image of his father in agony on the screen of the television while playing games. To Oswald, it feels like a scream for help, as though his father is trying to reach out from...somewhere? The dreams shift into images of people and places unfamiliar to him. Wizards, knights, giants, castles, that sort of thing. Oswald pays no attention to them until one day when he stumbles upon a building that seems... familiar? But where has he seen it before... could it be that his suspicion is true? Is his father trying to tell him something from beyond?
As for our vehicle, I would LOVE to have it be something that appears very mundane that is capable of something extraordinary. Without ever seeing Dr. Who, I feel like what I have in mind is very similar to the TARDIS. A vehicle that always appears generic in whatever setting it is in that can be driven or even teleported. If we for some reason time travel to a victorian era, it appears to be a horse and carriage. 1980's suburbia? Station Wagon. That sort of thing.
Well, this is the way the TARDIS is SUPPOSED to work, anyway. The Doctor's has a busted chameleon circuit though (read: getting new props every episode was too expensive).
Storm Dragon, are we just rolling with a Freedomverse version of the Church that has women as priests. I'm pretty much fine with that if that is the plan. Cesarina seems like an ideal, which I am good with in these times. Just want to know what I'm getting into.
Does that not work with the setting? I really know pretty much nothing about the Freedomverse.
But yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking of. Honestly I didn't even think of the "no female priests" angle; I'm not a Catholic but I'm pretty sure I've seen characters like this in media before.
We will stick with the players we have. You guys all seem pretty solid, and I'm sure Eoten will return at some point. Not optimistic about Dunwich.
I like the idea of a vehicle that is just mystically available and whatever you need. So it might be a limo, a party bus, a private jet. Could be a leftover creation of Adrian or a gift from something you helped during the 7 years.
Most major/global Christian denominations that have clergy have female priests; the Catholic church is the holdout (something I have frequently heard muttering about every time I have encountered large groups of nuns (my aunt is a Franciscan nun so this has happened a few times)). If in doubt you could always just choose to be, say, Episcopalian. But if we lived in a more enlightened Freedomverse that works too.
Thanks team for the vote of confidence for not hogging the spotlight.
Here's his PL10 Profile ready for review.
I would suggest that Cesarina be the Church's representative on Eldritch. It would be great if she was connected to the Order of Light within the Church. Maybe an Order of Saint Lucia, as the Catholic patron saint of the blind. Or an Order of Saint Thomas Aquinas, as the Catholic patron saint of scholars.
Sure thing on different denominations. I was just thinking that usually when you see a Church organization organized enough to field a superhero, it is Catholic or using Catholic imagery.
I'm good with any of those answers to the question of who Cesarina works for.
I'd like to stick with "Catholic Church but not as antiquated in its views on who can be a priest" if you don't mind; saying "I was sent by the Baptist Order of Exorcists" or whatever doesn't have the same ring to it.
As a longtime member of the Quaker Order of Exorcists,* I find that highly offensive. ;)
In seriousness, I dig it. I mentioned Episcopalian in particular because they go back pretty far and are basically Catholic in terms of forms and structures but without the pope. But the religious community that housed the Inquisition is hard to beat for certain symbolism.
* We just ask the demon really nicely to leave.
======
In other news I am attending to some sudden family stuff--non-crisis but nonetheless urgent. I may be slow; please bot me if needed.
Everyone's builds look good to me. I'm thinking of getting started early next week. Sunday or Monday.
Sounds good to me!
Trigger Warnings and Mature Content
I've managed to read the rest of the published campaign this week and do some pretty extensive prep on the next adventure in particular. It does a good job of having a four-color comics code feel while dancing around much darker and more serious topics.
I'm a middle aged middle class cisgender white man who hasn't always had an easy life and has a lot of mental health struggles, but I realize that I'm approaching most things from a priviledged perspective. For me, it is fun to fight homophobes or punch Nazis, but I haven't had to deal with that hate personally.
I guess all of this is to ask whether there is anything you guys would like to place off limits, or anything that you would like a warning for? Child endangerment, childhood illness, homophobia, misogyny, racism, or anything else.
I don't want to build themes into the adventure that will make this less fun for anyone.
None really for me.
Mulling over Cesarina's intro post: about how new do you guys think she should be? I'd like her to be new enough that there's some disconnect; she's "out of the clique" and mildly distrusted to an extent, but not so new that we need to go through a whole character introduction for here.
I was thinking she was assigned here within the last 6 months to a year?
Appreciate the warning. Had to look up the definition of cisgender, because I'm in your privileged demographic, too. And probably less well-read.
I'm good with an R rating, as opposed to an NR or X rating. I'm alright to encounter and maybe fight most of that bad behavior, because some times you cannot fight every villain. However, I would appreciate keeping the description of detailed bad guy behavior off screen. Meaning, please don't elaborate on what a pedophile does with the kid. It's enough to suggest clues or let NPCs confirm it. Hope that comment makes sense.
@Storm Dragon. Max relocated to Freedom City after graduation in the summer of 2019. Cesarina could have joined up during that time. One of Max's plots during that time was discovering and battling the Hellqueen. You're welcome into that storyline. Let me post the Hellqueen if you don't have the Freedom City PDF.
The powerful demoness they summoned needed a human host to work through, and Gwen was perfect. Her fell energies merged with Gwen’s body, and the unholy being that rose from the altar unleashed blasts of hellfire to kill the foolish mortals who thought to bind her to their will. Then she seized control of the remainder of the cult.
Driven at least partly by Gwen’s subconscious feelings, the Hellqueen kidnapped Nancy Dumont as a sacrifice to raise more of her kind. The intervention of Captain Thunder saved Ms. Dumont and broke the Hellqueen’s cult, but she escaped and plotted revenge. Over time, the Hellqueen became fascinated with Captain Thunder. On several occasions, she tried to seduce him into becoming her consort, but each time he spurned her advances. It was Nancy Dumont who finally defeated the Hellqueen by appealing to her former friend Gwen, buried deep within the demonic personality. Gwen was able to reassert her sense of self and exorcise the demon from her soul, and was placed in psychiatric care.
The threat of the Hellqueen was believed over, but when Captain Thunder’s true identity was exposed, Gwen Nugent saw the broadcast, and it all came together for her. They had tricked her! Nancy, and her husband Ray, who was really Captain Thunder, played this joke on her the whole time. They were probably laughing about what a trusting fool she was behind her back after they left her to rot in “recovery.” In her jealous rage, Gwen gave in to the demon trapped within her and the Hellqueen lived again. She decided to maintain quiet, mousey “Gwen” to hide her activities and quietly began gathering her cult again. Now she works her way into the lives of her enemies and destroys them slowly from within.
The Hellqueen made other attempts against Captain Thunder and his wife, as well as their son—once an innocent bystander but, eventually, an adult hardened by experience and disappointments of his own. There was a soul to tempt a corruptor like the Hellqueen. She has taken an interest in both Thunderbolt and the “simpering goodness” of Centuria, as well as holding onto larger ambitions for earthly power. The Hellqueen’s followers grow in strength as she seeks new ways to corrupt goodness, gather power, and plot for when she can unleash Hell on Earth.
PERSONALITY
Gwen Nugent was originally a shy woman looking for approval and acceptance. The Hellqueen is jealousy and hate personified, her actions always viciously cruel and wicked.
She delights in causing pain and suffering, particularly in bringing about the downfall of others through their own mortal weaknesses. She loves to surround herself with willing worshipers who fulfill her slightest whim. Her greatest pleasure is to break a strong-willed enemy and have him or her bow down before her.
She has learned patience and greater guile in her many years on Earth and interactions with mortals. Where she originally tended to lash out or go for showy rituals of blood sacrifice, now the Hellqueen prefers to bid her time, use her shapeshifting and phantasm powers to get close to her foes, and exercise her power to cloud their minds to her schemes. She may insinuate herself into their lives as a friend or ally, learning their weaknesses and hopes to eventually use against them.
POWERS & ABILITIES
The Hellqueen has a number of magic-spawned powers at her command. Her demonic might enhances her borrowed flesh, making her superhumanly strong and tough. She does not age, nor is she subject to mortal needs for food, air, or sleep.
She commands a mystic “hellfire” she can project as fiery bolts from her hands or eyes or shape into flaming weapons like tridents, swords, or whips that she wields. She can also project hellfire aimed at her target’s soul rather than his body, inflicting searing psychic and emotional damage instead of the usual physical harm.
The Hellqueen was originally a succubus, or demon temptress, and she retains those powers as well in her current form. She can alter her appearance at will, looking like any humanoid, and her touch or kiss can cloud the mind, making victims distracted and less aware of their surroundings, less likely to notice any danger or deception.
Finally, the Hellqueen can travel at will to the infernal realms, various hellish dimensions like the one she hails from. This also allows her to vanish in a burst of hellfire and black smoke, slip through the infernal realms, and reemerge onto Earth some distance away. By projecting her perceptions through the infernal realms, she can scry through flames, seeing and hearing all that happens some distance away.
Thanks for asking, SuperT. I have a hard no on childhood sexual abuse and on attempted or actual sexual assault/rape/similar horrors directed toward PCs. Brief, nongraphic mentions or insinuations are fine. I.e., we might meet an NPC who tells us about a villain who raped her, but I don't want to come in on the scene and get a graphic description of it. RPGs are an escape from reality and I don't need to be reminded of certain realities within them.
I trust issues of discrimination and cruelty based on gender, race, sexual preference, etc. will be handled in context of "these are bad things." Generally my only concern about these things in an RPG are when, for one example, a player says, "Well, I'm just ROLEPLAYING a Ku Klux Klan member, it doesn't actually mean I'm racist," and then uses the character to get away with constantly saying racial slurs and horrible things, with the obvious player intent of making everyone uncomfortable, hurt, or shocked. As I don't think anyone like that is in this group--Dunwich's brief skirting of misogyny aside as fairly tame--so it shouldn't be an issue. I'm the one who mentioned using White Knight as a villain so obviously I'm okay with the idea of a Klansman supervillain and would trust SuperT to play that NPC with care.
My suggestion to GM and players alike is if you feel in necessary in game to bring up something that might be hurtful or triggering to other players is to ask about it in discussion or via PM first, rather than post it in-game. And that if someone is hurt or triggered, folks can bring it up without unnecessary accusations--just, "hey, this bugs me for personal reasons, can we veer away from this conversation?" And hope that folks will be respectful of that.
I'm with GKG on this. Any sort of violence towards children is usually a hard no for me. I'm not a fan of sexual violence either in games, or any indulgent descriptions of sexual or violent acts.
I really appreciate you going out of your way to ask. I wish more GMs made that a habit rather than scoffing at it.
Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm just trying to make sure everyone is having a good time. I want to run a game where heroes get to confront evil, but I want to make sure that I'm not causing anyone real world pain.
Sinclair, good on you for engaging and looking up cisgender. I'll admit that a few years ago I wouldn't have included that in my identity. My LGBTQ+ students have really pushed me.
And I should give kudos to Green Ronin. The post was triggered as I was looking back through my notes and read in a character's motivations something like "this character hates men and will focus their attacks on men. They are more sympathetic to female or non-binary heroes." That inspired me.
2. Max got that book from Una's study. In the seven years, what has he discovered about Adrian Eldrich's death? Like what happened, and where's the body?
3. In the seven years, what is the current relationship with Seven? How often do they see each other? Is it still an ultimate long distance relationship? Or, has she said no, and he carries a torch for her?
I would suggest that they have strong romantic feelings for one another. They occasionally hook up in an out-of-the-way dimension. They ignore what happens when they are not together. They both secretly hope that they could be together, but neither can imagine a way that that could happen, yet. They hang on to one another for different reasons: she hangs onto him to avoid losing herself within the persona or Queen of the Netherworld. He hangs on to her, because he has never met a more amazing woman.
cheers
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** spoiler omitted **
2. Una had plans to become the Master Mage of Earth, bringing her total controlled dimensions to 1000 and making her basically a god. Her direct assault was too powerful for Adrian to Tank, but he activated several contingency spells to defend Earth. Your research suggests that he cast a spell that wove his magical power and consciousness into the magical fabric of Earth's dimension. That prevents the spirit left behind in the Crypts from knowing how he died, because that part of his experience is somewhere else, basically. The rest of that is a mystery to be explored in the campaign.
3. I like the idea of them being an item, but as they are both busy defending their realms, they only get together infrequently. This is a lot like Strange and Clea. Seven can't leave her realms without them falling apart, so Max would have to go there when he gets a chance. For extra pathos, maybe the Netherworld is messed up by Max's magical presence if he spends too much time there. They could have a set of magic mirrors or something that let them dimensional Facetime to keep in touch, but even then it isn't like they have time to hang out all the time. Busy Arcane Power Couple.
This Halloween night is unseasonably warm, with temps in the low 70s as a hurricane coming up the coast from the south brings tropical warmth and humidity.
"Unseasonably", ha. That's every year down here in Sunny Florida.
Will post tomorrow, along with updated charsheet and background.
Sure. I think the default for Freedom City is vaguely between New York and Boston or New York and Philly, so less sub-tropical.
A city in Florida would make a good setting for a supers game. Not much has tapped that setting.
With the description of Freedom City, I've always thought of it as effectively Baltimore.
cheers
The 2nd edition version of the book, or maybe 1st edition, had a section called Where is Freedom City. I don't see that in 3rd edition, which is the only one I have in pdf. I'll have to dig out my books.
This Halloween night is unseasonably warm, with temps in the low 70s as a hurricane coming up the coast from the south brings tropical warmth and humidity."Unseasonably", ha. That's every year down here in Sunny Florida.
Hey, I'd say today feels like a new season! I've always wanted to make a cape setting based on Miami, or even Tampa. Orlando just doesn't have that big enough feel just yet.
With the description of Freedom City, I've always thought of it as effectively Baltimore.
cheers
Damn, is the in-book description of the city really that bleak?
Excuse me, proud Baltimorean here.
I've honestly not made a connection to Freedom City with my home (it seems more like Philly to me--a bit larger), but it's a wonderful city. It's deeply supportive of local artists, it has a lot of gorgeous architecture and greenery, and there's a deep neighborhood feel--all neighbors look after each other. We only get attention when something horrible happens here. Yes, due to systemic racism and redlining, not to mention a hideously corrupt police force, we have deep problems caused by oppression and poverty, the same as every other city in the United States, and we are working every day to improve things. Quite frankly if you're gonna be here to insult my home, you can go f#%! right off.
Freedom City is situated along the coast at the confluence of the Wading and South Rivers where they flow into Great Bay, which makes its way through the Centery Narrows out into the ocean. The Interstate passes close by the city along the coast, providing easy access to all points of the city by land.
Well, I arrive at Baltimore by process of elimination. They refer to New York and Washington DC in the book, so it's not them. It refers to a Great Bay on the East Coast, so that's either Baltimore (Chesapeake) or Wilmington (Delaware). And, the Delaware is not really a Great bay, and Wilmington is not as developed as Freedom City seems to be.
My two cents
cheers
Excuse me, proud Baltimorean here.
I've honestly not made a connection to Freedom City with my home (it seems more like Philly to me--a bit larger), but it's a wonderful city. It's deeply supportive of local artists, it has a lot of gorgeous architecture and greenery, and there's a deep neighborhood feel--all neighbors look after each other. We only get attention when something horrible happens here. Yes, due to systemic racism and redlining, not to mention a hideously corrupt police force, we have deep problems caused by oppression and poverty, the same as every other city in the United States, and we are working every day to improve things. Quite frankly if you're gonna be here to insult my home, you can go f@~~ right off.
No offense meant, but my experience living there was sadly not as pleasant as yours seems to be; I rank it as the second worst place I've had to reside for any length of time (below Fort Lauderdale, if you're curious) and was glad when I could move out of Baltimore proper and into other bits of Maryland when I was working up there.
Freedom City is situated along the coast at the confluence of the Wading and South Rivers where they flow into Great Bay, which makes its way through the Centery Narrows out into the ocean. The Interstate passes close by the city along the coast, providing easy access to all points of the city by land.Well, I arrive at Baltimore by process of elimination. They refer to New York and Washington DC in the book, so it's not them. It refers to a Great Bay on the East Coast, so that's either Baltimore (Chesapeake) or Wilmington (Delaware). And, the Delaware is not really a Great bay, and Wilmington is not as developed as Freedom City seems to be.
Certainly I get that--I guess Wading and South Rivers would roughly equate to the Jones Falls and the Patapsco, going into the Chesapeake Bay (although otherwise the geography of it is totally fictional as far as I can tell). The location makes sense; I was just noting that Freedom City seems to be intended to be a much larger city than Baltimore (TV Tropes describes it as an analog to New York, though if they also mention New York as a separate city I'm not sure how that works). If it's in the same location but a bigger city I could see that. I could also picture it in say a place like where Havre de Grace, MD is -- further north up the Chesapeake (though only one river flowing in, the Susquehanna). Havre de Grace is just a little town, comparatively, but was once a thriving port town when commercial traffic still could go down the river; I can imagine it evolving in an alternate history into a much larger metropolis.
No offense meant, but my experience living there was sadly not as pleasant as yours seems to be; I rank it as the second worst place I've had to reside for any length of time (below Fort Lauderdale, if you're curious) and was glad when I could move out of Baltimore proper and into other bits of Maryland when I was working up there.Excuse me, proud Baltimorean here.
I've honestly not made a connection to Freedom City with my home (it seems more like Philly to me--a bit larger), but it's a wonderful city. It's deeply supportive of local artists, it has a lot of gorgeous architecture and greenery, and there's a deep neighborhood feel--all neighbors look after each other. We only get attention when something horrible happens here. Yes, due to systemic racism and redlining, not to mention a hideously corrupt police force, we have deep problems caused by oppression and poverty, the same as every other city in the United States, and we are working every day to improve things. Quite frankly if you're gonna be here to insult my home, you can go f@~~ right off.
There is no point in having a debate about this here. Suffice to say, even if different folks have different experiences of the same places, everywhere is a beloved home to someone, and a home to people and things that they love. If we can agree not to make snide comments about where someone might live or have lived, I'm happy to leave it at that.
Folks, when the world becomes normal to allow for safe travel, if anyone ever wants advice on visiting Charm City, hit me up in the PMs.
And in other news, Grace is updated. Please let me know if there's any issues with her character build that seem apparent.
Am I right in assuming, as I have been, that once she activates her powers, they are sustained until she dismisses them or she is unable to make actions? Or do I need to rework anything?
SuperTumbler, I added to her story, and also added a longer-than-intended description of Winifred. If you have other ideas or plans about what Winifred is like I can certainly adjust. Let me know if any questions or concerns.
I wonder if Cesarina should have some sort of magic or demon sense?
I'm confused with the current scene. Is it a dream sequence with Grace being young? Is Max walking by? Should I react? Should I wait?
Please advise
thanks
I wonder if Cesarina should have some sort of magic or demon sense?
Hmm, maybe. I hadn't thought about it. I could move some skill points around to grab Magic, Demon, and Undead sense. Seems reasonable, so I'll do that.
The little girl isn't me, it's a little girl dressed up as me, whose name is also Gracie (her last name is Whitehall; my last name is Hartwell).
I was thinking I might spot them but I wasn't sure how we were all to be arranged. I think I'll just dive in.
Gracie has the right of it. This was just a nod to the popularity/public knowledge of the group.
Perhaps Max should be farther away since he can teleport to the scene, but whatever you think works.
I can be further and wait for a call.
cheers
FYI I had forgotten to add Gywn ap Nudd as a nemesis in my complications; I have added it now.
Hate to remove him from combat so soon, but I think it would fit the character perfectly. Completely in over his head, dealing with some strange nightmare forces within him and unable to process the overwhelming senses currently overloading his brain. I didn't want to go full nightmare mode yet, so I hope you guys don't mind this.