Waiting for the Man
The parking lot at [I]The Rough and Tumbler[/I] is full but the lights are out and you skulk around to the back entrance as the note mentioned. The old house that was converted into a pub has a basement entrance and you descend the concrete staircase to a large steel door. You knock three times rapidly as you were instructed and after a long pause, the door swings open, revealing a double-barrelled shotgun. It’s hard to suppress a yelp until you see the bearer: Oisin, the owner of the [I]Tumbler[/I]. The shotgun looks out of place against his glasses and cardigan sweater vest but you don’t mention it as he leads you inside to where the others are.
Ten or so people are crowded around a couple tables that have been hauled down from the upstairs pub. Although most people are quiet, one woman, Debra Jinkins is frantic, squealing something about her neighbours.
“…it’s starting to affect the other children. My neighbour, y’know, Marie? Well, she said that she came home the other day and the house was covered in blood! She was so scared- I can only imagine! Well, anyway, she said that she’d found her daughter Jeanne over the family pet -with a steak knife- just drenched in blood. How horrible! They buried the dog but the whole family has gone upstate to the relatives for some down time. Poor Jeanie, she was so close to Hannah,” she pauses, everyone in the room suddenly going quiet.
“Now now Deb,” Oisin says, “We’ve no proof that anything has happened to the children yet. That’s what we’re here to find out, isn’t it?”
Suburbs are like small towns with their own politics, secrets and sometimes their own justice. You've contacted the police but per usual they have done little to help; children run off all the time after all. But now three children have gone missing in the past month and a half and there's talk of a child abductor invading the neighborhood. At the last Block Watch meeting there was talk of doing something about it, but what could you really do? As one of the more vocal people at the meeting you have been sent an anonymous letter, detailing the whereabouts of a meeting to really discuss the disappearing children.
This is a New World of Darkness game taking place in a suburb of Philadelphia. You are a person living in the suburb: a parent, an older sibling or maybe just a concerned neighbor. Regardless, you are just a normal person trying to live their life and protect the things they care about.
I am looking for 3-5 players for the game which will initially focus on the search for the neighborhood's missing children and may even involve a brush with something beyond your current understanding. The game will likely be PbP unless we can find enough players for a Saturday or Sunday game over IRC. Right now I'm really just looking for character outlines but if you'd like to include a background that is always nice.
Some things I'd like in your outline: Are you attached to the missing children directly or indirectly (are you a parent of one of the missing children or another relative?), do you have children of your own (were they attached to the missing children? How is your own worry over them manifesting itself?), if you don't have children of your own and aren't attached to the missing children then why are you helping out (are you a police officer disappointed in the efforts of your fellows? Do you consider yourself the neighborhood's protector?
Anyway, I'll be accepting applications until I find something I like. Later on, this might turn into a Hunter game but for now none of you have met with the supernatural in any way you can prove.
IC ThreadCurrent Protagonists:Caleb, neighborhood do-gooder and... family pet?
Hank Walker:
"Kids are the only people who aren't afraid of me. It's nice when someone gives you a break. The Feds tell me everything's going to be cool if I rat out Tony and they'll put me someplace nice. But regular people know a guy like me when they see one. This witness relocation thing is a bunch of horse shit. At least when I was in the pen, we were all equals. Can't believe that doctor talked me into this... she was cute though."
"I don't, thank god. Still afraid I'd turn into my Dad. Mostly, I'm pissed off. There was this one kid, his fucking liberal parents had to name him 'Dove'. Think about that for a second, a boy getting that name pinned on him. He watches me fix up my old beater in the driveway. He tried out for Pop Warner because of me... and he's a hell of a linebacker. I watch the games from my car.
"You're goddamn right I am. Cops are so fucking useless it ain't even funny. And they got even more useless than cops out here with their bullshit planned community badge-mokeys. I know criminals when I see one. I know a dude who's casing a house when I see one. I can tell a rapist who's looking for a place to hide in so he can jump soccer-moms or their teenage daughters while they're out jogging. I know a dude prowling a schoolyard when I see one. I know a guy who beats his wife and kids when I see one. We have little 'talks' sometimes. Even a wolf has to watch the sheep sometimes."
Tara Jinkins:
Appearance: Tara's an attractive, well-built Irish redhead, with the standard green eyes and a smattering of freckles. She's always well-dressed to suit the weather and the latest fashions, and she usually has a slightly-confident smile on her face. Anyone who gets close enough to her can tell that she's not thin because of the usual eating disorders, but because she has a killer aerobics workout.
Background: Tara had a pretty normal childhood, always being one of the popular girls in school, making friends here and there, and in general enjoying herself. She found herself becoming fast friends with one of the less popular girls, Jin Lee, another member of the gymnastics team who also had a knack for science, math, and computers. Tara helped Jin out of her quiet, shy, shell, and Jin helped Tara with her academics, in what could probably become a cheesy teen Best Friends Forever movie.
Now, after graduation, weird things have started happening with the younger kids, and Tara's protective enough of her little sister Hannah that she got involved. It was hard not to get involved, with her mom screaming bloody murder to all the neighbours, but Tara got herself involved. And she's going to find answers, even if it means putting herself in harms way. That's what older sisters do, right?
Adam Marcus IV:
Okay, how about this:
Arthur Marcus IV come's from money. He doesn't like to talk about it, and he doesn't really flaunt it, but his family is very well off, and he's never really had to work for anything in his life. He's studied at expensive schools, pursued numerous hobbies, and always finds himself somewhat... bored. He'd say he hasn't found his calling - anyone else would say he's spoiled and lazy. He moved to the neighbourhood to get away from his own reputation and, somewhat more importantly, his family.
He claims to have attended the neighbourhood meeting because it was the right thing to do, but, honestly, he was just curious... and somewhat worried that the time of his arrival would mark him as the lead suspect in the disappearances.
Brent Harris:
Brent is a Gulf War Vet and currently works with the Red Cross, managing local blood drives. He lives next door to his brother's family. During one of his brother's long business trips, Brent and his sister-in-law succumbed to loneliness and temptation. This one-time tryst led to the birth of his "niece", who's one of the children gone missing. Brent's seen strange things during his service; something about her disappearance feels off.
Maybe when she's safe and sound, he could reveal the truth to her and his brother.
Posts
Also, what books are you using aside from WoD core? As long as you say 'not Armory' I'm happy.
Unfortunately I don't think he would work as a normal Philadelphia resident
EDIT: I have all the nwod books I think so as long as it's not ridiculous I don't mind what you use.
nah not him. The Kieran character I sent you when you were running Celebrity and the Kieran character that I altered for Rainfall's ill fated Hunter game (I consulted briefly with you about his motivation ). Its been a while so ...
However, I would like to give it a fair shake if you're willing to help me with character creation.
If you could make an NWoD version of Hank Walker from your *ahem* D20 modern game that'd work for me. I liked Hank and wish I could have played him more.
Shoe, nWoD character creation is pretty intuitive if not exactly simple. Since it's mortals, there's no wacky powers/classes to pick so it's not hard to run people through it.
Bruce Lee vs. The Vampires of the East !
Anyway, concept!
Egos - I deleted the PMs but I remember something about an artist who encases people in stone to make perfectly life-like statues
Shoe - I'll whip up a quick Hank Walker and once you see how the sheet works we can hammer out something together
"Kids are the only people who aren't afraid of me. It's nice when someone gives you a break. The Feds tell me everything's going to be cool if I rat out Tony and they'll put me someplace nice. But regular people know a guy like me when they see one. This witness relocation thing is a bunch of horse shit. At least when I was in the pen, we were all equals. Can't believe that doctor talked me into this... she was cute though."
"I don't, thank god. Still afraid I'd turn into my Dad. Mostly, I'm pissed off. There was this one kid, his fucking liberal parents had to name him 'Dove'. Think about that for a second, a boy getting that name pinned on him. He watches me fix up my old beater in the driveway. He tried out for Pop Warner because of me... and he's a hell of a linebacker. I watch the games from my car.
"You're goddamn right I am. Cops are so fucking useless it ain't even funny. And they got even more useless than cops out here with their bullshit planned community badge-mokeys. I know criminals when I see one. I know a dude who's casing a house when I see one. I can tell a rapist who's looking for a place to hide in so he can jump soccer-moms or their teenage daughters while they're out jogging. I know a dude prowling a schoolyard when I see one. I know a guy who beats his wife and kids when I see one. We have little 'talks' sometimes. Even a wolf has to watch the sheep sometimes."
Ah he changed quite a bit (except for being a tad nutsy) I guess from your game to Rainfalls. In Rainfalls, he was a thief who justified his occupation by serving a higher cause as a hunter. ITT I talked briefly to you about making the character make sense.
edit: As I said if you need Hunters later on Which I doubt you will, but just in case.
EDIT: Hank Walker
If you want some clarifications on things Shoe just drop me a PM
Age: 18
Player: Rainfall
Concept: High-school queen
Virtue: Charity
Vice: Pride
Intelligence 2 Strength 3 Presence 3
Wits 2 Dexterity 3 Manipulation 2
Resolve 2 Stamina 2 Composure 2
Academics 1 Athletics 4 Animal Ken
Computer 1 Brawl 1 Empathy 2
Crafts Drive 2 Expression 1
Investigation Firearms Intimidation
Medicine 1 Larceny Persuasion 3
Occult Stealth Socialize 3
Politics Survival Streetwise
Science 1 Weaponry Subterfuge 2
Specialties: Athletics( Acrobatics) Empathy(Emotions) Subterfuge(Hiding Emotions)
Retainer 3 (Jin Lee, BFF)
Contacts 1 (High-school Students)
Resources 1 (Part-time job at a clothing store in the local mall)
Striking Looks 2
Willpower: 4
Health: 7
Defense: 2
Initiative Mod: 5
Speed: 11
Morality: 7
Appearance: Tara's an attractive, well-built Irish redhead, with the standard green eyes and a smattering of freckles. She's always well-dressed to suit the weather and the latest fashions, and she usually has a slightly-confident smile on her face. Anyone who gets close enough to her can tell that she's not thin because of the usual eating disorders, but because she has a killer aerobics workout.
Background: Tara had a pretty normal childhood, always being one of the popular girls in school, making friends here and there, and in general enjoying herself. She found herself becoming fast friends with one of the less popular girls, Jin Lee, another member of the gymnastics team who also had a knack for science, math, and computers. Tara helped Jin out of her quiet, shy, shell, and Jin helped Tara with her academics, in what could probably become a cheesy teen Best Friends Forever movie.
Now, after graduation, weird things have started happening with the younger kids, and Tara's protective enough of her little sister Hannah that she got involved. It was hard not to get involved, with her mom screaming bloody murder to all the neighbours, but Tara got herself involved. And she's going to find answers, even if it means putting herself in harms way. That's what older sisters do, right?
Merits are always the downfall of my speedy sheet-making. Unfortunately a high-school student isn't going to have much in the way of EFFECTIVE allies. I figured Jin would be mostly focused on Academics, with maybe three dots in Athletics, and average social attributes/skills.
Whether their past interaction with him was just a nice chat, him giving some basic help, or defending them from a would-be attacker.
It'd at least give him an advocate in a neighborhood where a lot of people might think he's a creep.
But y'know... someone who has an idea that he's a violent bastard with a heart of gold.
But that is pretty apt, yes.
How would you feel about the eldest child of that particular family no one in the neighbourhood really likes to talk about? I'm thinking of a surprisingly bright high-school drop-out and general ne'er-do-well who's showed up at the meeting to help find her younger brother, something she know her parents aren't likely to do.
It'll be like an episode of Buffy guest starring Ron Perlman or some shit.
I could be misreading, but it seems like Rainfall's character is a rather upstanding member of the community, what with the gymnastics, prom queen, and aspirations for college. The, as of yet unnamed character I'm thinking of, would be more along the lines of the community black-sheep, with a juvenile delinquency record that would suggest she was going for some sort of high score.
Still, I'll try to figure something else out, just in case - I don't want to step on anyone's toes.
To Horseshoe: See, now I can't help but imagine Ron Perlman as a Watcher, and that image is hilarious.
EDIT: Also, juvenile delinquent I guess could work but my character would object strenuously.
Especially in the Alien 3 type makeup with the scars and prison haircut.
Obviously serving the crucial support role while at the same time coming from a highly scientific background and having to deal with all this unexplained phenomena .
I was actually trying to create the character so as not to step on anyone's toes - hence the note about her being "bright" - as it looks like both Hank and Tara are less academically focused. Plus, I figured, as the town delinquent, she wouldn't have any prejudice against Hank, perhaps even a bit of foolish admiration.
As far as a possible alternative concept, hmmm... How about a young, bookish, and rather well-off man who's just moved into the neighbourhood? He has no family, and no direct connection to any of the missing children, but he feels it's that it's the only right to help out those who have lost someone. Plus, as he arrived just days before the children disappeared, he's a little worried that he's become the prime suspect.
I think the first character'd probably be more fun to play, but I'm fine either way. Really, it's up to Jacques and Rainfall.
There could be some very interesting interactions with a dude like that and a rougher type of guy like Hank.
Maybe when she's safe and sound, he could reveal the truth to her and his brother.
Damn, dude. That's some serious family trouble there.
Indeed - Hank's competence would constantly be a reminded of just how over his head Bookish has gotten himself.
Basically just Andy from Weeds.
He claims to have attended the neighbourhood meeting because it was the right thing to do, but, honestly, he was just curious... and somewhat worried that the time of his arrival would mark him as the lead suspect in the disappearances.
Virtue: Justice
Vice: Sloth
Okay, here's my go at writing up a sheet. I'm really not very familiar with the system, so let me know if I got anything horribly wrong.
I was thinking about a neighbor who has become kind of a father figure to one of the children. He moved into the neighborhood about 3 years ago, and became friends with family next door very quickly. He felt a connection to their child, and began to feel responsible for him/her (doesn't really matter). Once the news of the disappearances was brought up, he felt like it was his duty to help find them.
If this is ok I probably wouldn't be able to put a sheet up until tomorrow or the day after due to finals, I just wanted to get my concept out there.