[pbp] [Recruit On] Dresden Files RPG: Motor City Blues

Super Namicchi

Detroit, Michigan

I don't get around to Detroit often. Can you blame me, though? The city doesn't have all that great a reputation without adding in trouble from the spooky side: gang violence, racial tension, economic decline following the collapse of the automobile industry. Still, anyone I've ever talked to from the area talks about the place with a weary pride like it's the favorite uncle with a drinking problem. And it makes them tough, every one of them. I've never met someone from the Motor City who wasn't ten pounds of grit stuffed into a five pound bag.

Don't even get me started on hockey, either.

- Harry Dresden

WHAT IS THIS?

This is my most recent embarkation on running a game here in CF. I don't run games often; the last game Dresden Files game I ran many years ago was titled Bloody Kansas and was set in Kansas City, MO, a city I know fairly well as I make trips there pretty routinely. The players and I enjoyed it very much and I hope to bring some of that magic back again, this time in a city I'm much more intimately familiar with, as I spent half of my life in one of its suburbs.


WHAT DO YOU NEED?

A copy of Your Story for the Dresden Files would certainly be a must. I'd also recommend a copy of Fate Core (which you can find at http://fate-srd.com/) because I'll be taking a couple things from there along with some houserules for the system I've devised.


WHAT DO I NEED?

I just need folks to sign up in Wizardlight Cyan. Don't come rolling in with character concepts or anything like that, we're going to do this the old fashioned way and do it right: once I've picked a crew, we'll make the characters alongside the city in a live session or two to ensure we get a hand-crafted experience. I will of course curate and have plenty of ideas already for the city, but nothing's set in stone.


WHEN?

I'm not really setting a "we're starting by this date" but given my schedule is oddball (I work Sunday night through Wednesday night basically on third shift, so I'm more or less persona non grata during the first half of the week) it'll probably be a week before we get something down.

Super Namicchi

Because this is relevant to our interests: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nain_Rouge

You better believe this guy is a big deal.

Desy

You have my attention.

Sakutian

You have my interest sir.

Super Namicchi

http://www.mythicdetroit.org/

I'm going to be posting really interesting links that folks can peruse to get the juices flowing. Being one of the oldest cities in the U.S. Detroit has a lot of mythology and urban legend associated with it, with many of its mythical connections stretching back to France.

Sakutian

The Snake Goddess of Belle Isle is a pretty interesting legend, thanks for the link Arc.

Super Namicchi

Another interesting thing to note: this game is Canadian-friendly! One of the unique things about Detroit is its proximity to Windsor, Ontario, a major source of tourism and entertainment for denizens of Detroit. Across the waterfront, a mere bridge ride away and you're there.

Super Namicchi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ste._Anne_de_Detroit_Catholic_Church

Another interesting read: this church predates Chicago's St. Mary of the Angels church by 12 years. It's the second oldest operating Catholic church in the US. It's not the largest church but it certainly is quite appealing to the eye.

Desy

ArcanisTheImpotent wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ste._Anne_de_Detroit_Catholic_Church

Another interesting read: this church predates Chicago's St. Mary of the Angels church by 12 years. It's the second oldest operating Catholic church in the US. It's not the largest church but it certainly is quite appealing to the eye.

Oooh. How very interesting.

And here I was thinking playing a wizard of some kind. But this link gets my mind running in a different way.

Super Namicchi

Just doing a bump, where my Dresdeners at?

Kirindal

Dresdener be here!

Ardent

I'm down.

Captain Carrot

Let's see if I have better luck this time.

KetBra

Oh hey I'm definitely interested

Super Namicchi

Cool beans, we got some responses! I'll go ahead and close up recruitment then and say we're gonna roll out

Time to lay down Detroit as it stands. I thought I was going to have everyone come together and do normal group collaboration but I decided I'd like to tweak that and come up with the broad themes and threats of the city myself and define Faces and Locations as we need them.

So what's up in Detroit?

The City's Dying
The Upshot: Once one of the wealthiest, prosperous cities in the nation, the city now stands as a shell of its former self, bankrupt and declining. The economic recession, the automotive industry collapse, and urban violence has the city on a crash course for disaster. This is, of course, how House Skavis prefers it. The despair of an entire city is a delicious source of food.
Face: Lord Antonio Skavis

Fomor Hunting Ground
The Upshot: The outcasts of the supernatural world have established their presence in Detroit, taking people with talent left and right. Unexplained disappearances are occurring every day and they're getting more and more overt; no one has stepped up to challenge them.
Face: Cethlenn of the Crooked Teeth

Things That Should Not Be, Are
The Upshot: Set against the backdrop of despair and decline it's easy for aberrations to slip through the cracks. Outsiders, demons, acts of black magic are all more common. After all, the city's pretty much a wasteland as it is, who's going to step up and stop the small stuff if no one's opposing the big stuff?
Face: ???

Super Namicchi

@Sakutian
@destroyah87
@Kirindal
@KetBra

you guys are the chosen ones! I'll discuss how we're going to make characters in another following post, but you're all free to start discussing concepts. As a heads up, we're going to be starting at -9 refresh, and here's where some house rules come in: we're going to be going with 5 aspects instead of seven, so it should look like this:

High Concept
Trouble
Backstory
My First Adventure
My Second Adventure (With Guest-Stars!)

As an aside, for the final aspect I'm fine if you all want to separate it out and do one guest-star, or multiple, or one big group phase. It doesn't really matter to me. I would like everyone to have at least one aspect that relates to another character in some way.

Sakutian

What is the status of the White Council here? Also any presence from the summer or winter courts?

Super Namicchi

Nope, nope and nope

As far as individuals, perhaps, but the town is a place where predators run free under the watchful eye of House Skavis... and perhaps even worse things go bump in the night.

Sakutian

No White Council then.

So no wardens or anyone to give the fomor or bloody nose. Interesting.

KetBra

Edit: Reading comprehension!

KetBra

Oh, and if no one has a problem with it, I would like to play a wizard. I'm at work but I'll try to get something started tonight

Desy

Oooh. Interesting.

Ok so, rough character ideas:

A man of the church with power, either having grown up in Detroit or coming in from outside. (likely True Believer or possibly Champion of God template)
A shaman focused on nature or spirit magic. (Emissary of Power, Focused Practitioner, or via Sponsored Magic trait.)
Maybe a wizard with a focus in wind/water magic.
A were of some persuasion.
Possibly a Sorcerer.

Super Namicchi

I always do enjoy wizards, Detroit could use some magic muscle helping keep the streets a little safer

Sakutian

I'm still bouncing around a few ideas, seems like we'll have the wizard angle well covered though so I will give it some more thought.

OptimusZed

Come on, folks.

The obvious answer is were-tiger.

Sakutian

Why a were-tiger?

OptimusZed

Sakutian

That is terrifying. Phobophages should feed on that thing's victims.

OptimusZed

Either that or an immortal, alcoholic French fur trader.

Sakutian

So I'm thinking maybe White Court vampire since they're going to be a big player in this. Also toying with the idea of finally breaking out the demonic co-pilot power.

Super Namicchi

Set Pieces I'm Excited to Have in the Game:

The Detroit Zoo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Zoo)
Joe Louis Arena (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Louis_Arena)
Belle Isle State Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Isle_State_Park_(Michigan)
The Renaissance Center (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Center)
Comerica Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comerica_Park)
The Detroit Casino Resorts (search Wikipedia for Greektown, MGM Grand, and Motor City casino resorts)
Buddy's Pizza (maybe not suitable for a set piece, but if anyone else has ever had a pie from Buddy's you know what I'm talking about)
The Detroit Masonic Temple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Masonic_Temple)
Fox Theatre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Theatre_(Detroit,_Michigan))

There's a ton more if you throw Detroit Landmarks into Google.

Sakutian

Arc could I be some sort of emissary of the "goddess" who lives on Belle Isle?

Super Namicchi

I'm probably going to rule that one out just because of how developed the park is. It has its own Casino. :P

KetBra

I'm thinking my character might be a curator at the DIA for her day job.

Sakutian

I wish I knew more about hockey since Detroit is such a big hockey city.

Super Namicchi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iETTyAy0AzA

"Big hockey city" doesn't quite capture it.

Sakutian

So I have another idea. I was thinking of playing a former player for the Detroit Red Wings who was approached by representatives from the White Court who wanted him to help ensure his team would lose their shot at winning a championship game. They'd hoped this would decrease the pool of people that House Skavis could feed on, weakening them. He refused and a brief fight ensued in which he suffered an injury that brought a permanent end to his hockey career, but he also managed to seriously injure one of the White Court vampires. Pissing off the White Court and also managing to find out about the supernatural in one fell swoop.

Super Namicchi

Ha, that's definitely an interesting idea

I'm a hockey fan myself ...

Sakutian

My dad took me to a game once, we were living in California at the time. I live in Pittsburgh too so I have friends who can tutor me on the hockey stuff in case I need help. Plus it might be fun to have a pure mortal in a game for a change,

Super Namicchi

A little Casey Jones action never hurt anybody!

Sakutian

Mortal stunt: High Sticking.