Interest Check: Dresden Files RPG?

[Dizzied]

The Dresden Files is a series of novels detailing the adventures of Harry Dresden, a modern-day wizard living in Chicago and attempting to run his own PI firm. As the series progresses, Harry deals with vampires (of various types), demons, faeries, ghosts, and of course, evil wizards, all in the name of helping his friends and the innocents of Chicago against the wrath of the obscured, supernatural world.

A paper-and-pencil RPG of the game was released a year or two ago, and enables players to create their own stories in the Dresden-verse. I was lucky enough to play in a prior game here on E, but alas, it seems to have quieted down for now. And, having just finished Ghost Story, you could say I have a craving for some Dresden-action.

I'm hoping someone will step forth and volunteer to run a game...personally, I'm pretty unfamiliar with the FATE system which the game uses, apart from the previous games I've played on E. I would love to play, but finding a storyteller is generally the hard part. (I might be willing to run a game but it will depend on how some RL issues play out for me over the next few days.) If interested, I suggest you make a reply here, and include a few details about the kind of things you'd like to see in the game. (Action-oriented, character-oriented, plot-oriented, etc...) Personally, I think I'd be fine with any kind of game that anyone would like to run--I'm flexible like that. I might prefer to see something on the lower end of the power scale, rather than chest-deep or submerged characters who are already somewhat powerful in their fields. Buts by no means a deal-breaker.

For anyone who hasn't read the series, I highly recommend it. ^_^

[Dizzied]

Oh! I had pretty much given up hope.

Would love to play in a game, though, if you'd be interested in running. I don't mind a recent absence on your part, as long as you don't foresee another shortly after starting.

[Dizzied]

Absences aren't issues for me. On that note, keeping it to two or three players is a good start. As is bumping this thread to death with flimsy excuses for chatter.

First question is obvious: Does every game need a wizard-type character to thrive and can a wizard play an electric guitar long enough to win a rock off with a supernatural entity?

Well if Jack Black and KG can do it, I think a wizard can for sure. ^_^

I think a good storyteller wouldn't need a wizard type protagonist. The dresden-verse seems pretty diverse.

[Muse]

Good morning.  *Bows*  May I play? 

[Kunoichi]

I'm certainly interested in giving this system a shot. ^^

[Wintercat]

I've read a bit on the series, and I have read the rulebooks. Haven't played with the system, but could be interesting. I could be curious, but if you get a lot of interest you'll probably find someone who can devote more fully to this ,or that have prior experience too. Still, I think I might keep an eye on this.

[Wintercat]

Alright. I've read most of the books, like the Dresden Files as a setting and I have read the rulebooks, but I have -no- real experience with them, or the rest of the FATE system as it stands.

So, based on lack of system know-how and not wanting to sink the game by having to ask advice all the time, I'll step out. Have fun.

[Kunoichi]

Ironically, I've got zero familiarity with the books, but a reasonable amount of knowledge on the system. ^^; No practical experience, admittedly, but I'm willing to learn.

[Raveled]

I would not be adverse to a Dresden game, and I've got all the books and the core RPG book. What sort of story/Refresh level were you thinking, provisional-GM?

[Dizzied]

Awesome that you're enthusiastic about this, Roxy. :) Any city that you think you'd be most comfortable running it in?

Location and refresh would be the next steps, I think, in getting a game started. Or perhaps interviewing potential players if thats your style.

[Kunoichi]

...Bear baiting? ^^; I'm not familiar with that term being used in this context.

[Dizzied]

I'd say its Roxy's call, but if you aren't familiar with the books, Kunoichi, it might be best to sit out. Or try to chew through the first one by tomorrow. (They're fast reads, IMHO)

Knowing something about the Dresden-verse will probably be important to your enjoyment and to keeping the game moving. Having to explain the difference between red and white court vampires, for instance, may take time the storyteller didn't count on.

Any locations come to mind, Roxy? Las Vegas? Chicago? New York? Moscow? Mogadishu? (Please not Mogadishu)

[Kunoichi]

Well, while I haven't read the books, I actually have heard a few things about the setting. ^^; I know the difference between White Court, Red Court, and Black Court vampires, and I've at least heard of Jade Court ones.

If we're going at Feet in the Water level, I think I can work up something, though.  Someone with very little experience with the supernatural side of things, maybe even a touch of denial...

[Muse]

*chuckles*  The vampire courts are explained in detail in the GM guide.  ^_^;; 

[Raveled]

I love the idea of a Vegas game. Plenty of chances for mundane as well as supernatural corruption, not to mention some "Those were just special effects" fireballs. :P

[Kunoichi]

Rural, hmm.  That sounds like something that could be interesting.  Strange happenings in a small town, perhaps?

I'd be fine with Vegas too, though.

[Dizzied]

I've got an intro 'hook' that's just about a four story building under renovation that can pretty well be stuck anywhere. Likewise a slightly longer one that involves street Biomancy operation, not really city specific.

Mogadishu sounds good, but I've never liked french food so I might go for something else.

Bear baiting means we slather everyone in honey or steak sauce or something and have them dance around a hungry bear, whoever manages not to get eaten (or is just eaten last) get to play.

First two adventures I had in front of me are city-nonspecific and immediate have all the players in the same scenes. Specific answers on cities...

Do you really want me to lay down some options?
Gotham or very fictionalized New York
Rural Area with a spooky reputation,
A Roaming game about Ghost Towns
An upbeat take on money-sexy-mobster-celebrities-mini-gold-motorcycles in Vegas

Maybe we should start with a description like...
Grand Theft Auto meets Tim Burton
Constantine, with a lot of Se7en mixed in.
Scooby-Doo goes to Silent Hill
Or stick a lot of Cthulhu reference into a tale of corporate intrigue.

Maybe I need a dart board with picture or a ouji board or word puzzles where you fill in random nouns and verbs and things until you get plausible jibberish.

I don't have a strong preference so I'd say its up to you. A poll would work well if you want it to be up to the players, but since you're running the show, I don't think anyone will be offended if you make the choice of location.

[Ex68471]

If there are any open slots, I would love to get in on this.

[Kunoichi]

You mean we'll have to send in papers on the deadly properties of Dihydrogen Monoxide? :o

To be honest, I find that thinking about a campaign in terms of Aspects tends to help. ^^; Like, when talking about that rural idea earlier, I came up with Strange Happenings in a Small Town.  It's short, descriptive, and makes for a good starting point from which we could talk about what sorts of strange happenings we could wind up seeing.

I need people to bounce ideas off of, though.  I can't come up with everything on my own. >>;

[Dizzied]

Strange happenings in a small town sounds like a fun possible theme, one that I could definitely enjoy. I would also like to throw out there 'Mysterious Underworld Upsets' as a possible Trouble aspect for a larger city setting if thats chosen.

Personally, I like a good bit of action in a story. I'm not a fan of stories that require the characters to piece together some giant puzzle mystery, or stories that lead them from one clue to another without any real answers. I like for there to be clear-cut objectives, and for the characters to be directly motivated by the plot. Personal or professional involvement seems to be the best motivation in my experience.

[Kunoichi]

...And it looks like nobody else has any thoughts. >>; Anyone have any objections to that small town setting?  If not, I vote we settle on that, and get started talking about what sort of strange happenings we'd like to see.

[Raveled]

I don't know how much room for adventure there is in a small town. What if we use that as a prologue; all of our characters start in a small town somewhere which gets destroyed through some supernatural buggery and that propels us to... something. Whatever. You can see how well I've thought the idea through. :P

[Dizzied]

I think there can be plenty of room for adventure in a small town. There might not be an undercity, or rave parties in abandoned warehouses, but theres certainly potential for danger and intrigue, maybe on a more intimate level since characters in the town are more likely to know each other.

People are disappearing suddenly, then turn up a few days later with amnesia. Thats the sort of mysterious trouble that might attract a group of talented people to investigate.

[Dizzied]

The skeleton you've described for starting the story sounds excellent. I'm working on a character concept right now--probably some kind of focused practitioner, either a hydromancer or a cryomancer. Considers herself on the tough side, but certainly has a conscience beneath that exterior, one that can be exploited.

Personally, the first-person narrative works for me to a level, such as introducing the story or characters, but I doubt I would enjoy it once the game proper gets underway. It's harder to feel like this is our story if someone else is telling it. Third person seems to lend itself to that feeling better, for me at least.

So, we need to come up with ways Olivia has met our characters? And naturally, part of the character creation process involves finding ways in which your characters have already met each other, so we should work that out too.

[Kunoichi]

Hmm.  Given my lack of having read the books, the basic character idea I was thinking of earlier was of someone new to the supernatural side of things in general, the sort of person who usually winds up being an audience-surrogate character for the purposes of exposition.  Looking through the Types and Templates chapter, Pure Mortal could work for that concept...  But the Emissary of Power option is looking more appealing.

So then, someone who has maybe gotten a little in over her head with forces she can't really comprehend at the moment, who has to do the bidding of some being of incredible power, but who at least gets some nifty abilities to help her stay alive through it all...  Or maybe an appropriate Item of Power?

Hmm.  About the only thing I can think of that could point to a possible patron, though, would be the aspect 'Love/Hate Relationship with Lady Luck', and I'm not sure that would work...

[Kunoichi]

Er...  I'm not really seeing how that's all that much different from what I had in mind, to be honest. ^^; Does being an Emissary of Power carry some extra connotations with it that I'm not aware of, or...?

Edit: I do like the idea of being tied to a more minor spirit, though.  Perhaps it could be built on the same amount of refresh as she is, and slowly increase in power as she does?  Or would that be getting too much into the mechanical side of things for something more story-based?

[Kunoichi]

Ah, I see.  I'm guessing Marked by Power usually comes with story-related drawbacks that don't make it worth its cost, then?

The basic concept I've got for the characterization of this spirit is that it generally likes humans, but mostly in a similar way to how some people can be said to like animals.  That is, it finds them interesting and amusing, and probably usually aesthetically-pleasing to look at, but has very little understanding of human society or psychology.

Similarly, in much the same way that people who like animals will generally dislike trophy hunters, it tends to dislike supernatural forces that act in ways that are harmful to humanity.  At the same time, though, it also sees nothing wrong with humans doing bad things to one another.  If watching a serial killer at work, for example, it will tend to view the scene similarly to how a human might view a pack of wolves bringing down a deer; it's as likely to be impressed by the killer's skill as it is to feel sadness over the victims.

Does that seem like a good basic concept to work from?

[Kunoichi]

Let's see, we're playing at 6 Refresh...  Spirit Form (-3) is pretty much required, Swift Transition with the No Mortal Home discount (-1) is fitting...  I'm thinking Demesne (-1) might also be fitting, make the spirit fairly strong while on its home turf, but not able to do much outside of it, and then for the last point of Refresh...

Would it be possible to give this NPC a sort of 'opposite' version of the Ghost Speaker power?  Some sort of 'Mortal Watcher' ability that lets it get a good look at mortals and mortal-related things without having to manifest?

I think I'll avoid taking Marked by Power for now, but pick it up later on when (if?) the spirit starts getting more powerful and well-known.

Hm.  Now to come up with a basic name and shape for this spirit, maybe toss on an Aspect or two...

[Dizzied]

That looks like the list.

Spirit form -3, as written
"Mortal Speaker" -1 to allow it to contact our world without manifesting. (We ought to think up a new name for that one down the road.)
Demesne -1, as written
Swift Transition (Plus no mortal home) -1

Zero Refresh and it makes sense to me.

I thought you had to keep at least 1 point of refresh unspent or else you become an NPC. >_> Might want to double check.

My own character idea is kind of developing. I'm thinking of a fledgeling sorceress, a young lady who is stuck doing something she hates in life and desperately wants to escape. Her father owns a local convenience store and she has to work there, but in her spare time she's been studying the occult and learning, discovering her own innate talents. She finds she has talent for hydromancy, and her magic has a certain Hindu/Indian flare to it. (Mantras, sanskrit carvings, etc.)

As for refresh, she'd have -2 for Channeling(Water), -2 for Ritual (I'm thinking divination--she can use a scrying pool to remote view and things like that?) and that leaves 1 point to play around with. Maybe a mortal stunt reflective of her other interests.

Specific aspects I'm still working on, but how does a high concept of "Fledgeling, bottled-up magus" sound?

[Kunoichi]

I thought you had to keep at least 1 point of refresh unspent or else you become an NPC. >_> Might want to double check.

You do.  That list was for an NPC. ^^;

[Dizzied]

You do.  That list was for an NPC. ^^;

Derp. Ignore my late-night posts.

Yeah, bottled-up magus in the making sounds better IMO. Seems good for a high concept for now, I don't know how much advancement will take place in the story but it can always develop later on as she learns more.

As far as location goes, I'm kind of interested in seeing something that takes place in the southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, etc.) Just because I like the landscape there. But I could just as easily enjoy a game in a more temperate climate.

You want bad ideas? You asked for it...

-A nearby Indian Reservation is full of true believers--not in the christian God, but in the ways of their ancestors. A rogue element of their number is interested in summoning dark forces.

-A slew of red court vampires has just moved into town, thinking that it will be an easy place to lay low for awhile as well as grow fat. They might have pissed off some of their red court superiors.

-A law-breaking wizard fugitive has been living in town for decades and is finally growing old. He/she considers a spell that drains youth from others.

-A local practitioner's son/daughter bought an unusual gem at the flea market. Next thing they know, there's a hit squad after them.

-Locals find a charred corpse outside of town that they claim is 'proof of alien existence.' It's actually some kind of supernatural creature. But the players find out that the autopsy discovered a strange artifact in it's stomach.

-Drug use is widespread and rampant near the border. What happens when a supernatural creature takes over the drug trade and starts pushing it's wares with mental magic?

I'm gonna go massage my brain for a little.

[Kunoichi]

By the way, as far as my character concept goes...

My own character idea is kind of developing. I'm thinking of a fledgeling sorceress, a young lady who is stuck doing something she hates in life and desperately wants to escape. Her father owns a local convenience store and she has to work there, but in her spare time she's been studying the occult and learning, discovering her own innate talents. She finds she has talent for hydromancy, and her magic has a certain Hindu/Indian flare to it. (Mantras, sanskrit carvings, etc.)

One of the ideas I've got for my character is that she's working a part-time job somewhere in order to earn enough money to go to a good college.  Perhaps our two characters could be co-workers?

Powers-wise, the character I've got in mind is actually starting to look a bit like a magical girl, to be honest. ^^; Human Form, because she doesn't have any powers when it isn't activated, and then the Item of Power is the +1 discount version, because it looks like a bizarre, if harmless, piece of jewelry most of the time...

Still working out the exact powers, but I'm thinking she'll probably have Ghost Speaker on all the time, as a side-effect of the power she's received, and probably some variety of Inhuman Speed and/or Toughness when transformed.  Maybe also Riposte, or some other mortal Stunt...  I'm thinking that the necklace, or whatever the item is, would give access to the combined combat abilities of all of its previous wearers, so maybe it'll grant one genuinely-supernatural ability, and then a bunch of stunts?  Or maybe I should focus a little less on combat. ><;

For the location, I'm fine with a small town in the southwest.  For an actual location within the town, perhaps the town originally sprang up around an oasis out in the desert, and the oasis itself became the town's first, and so far only, park?  Modern irrigation has made the whole town considerably greener since the days of yore, but the park itself (Oasis Park?  Paradise Park?) still remains.

The theme or threat of the place could be tied to the Summer Court, somehow, and I imagine the face of the place would be whatever government-employed individual is in charge of maintaining the place.  It might be interesting to leave it ambiguous on whether or not he's something other than human...

[Dizzied]

If we go with the oasis idea, it'd be hard to have the town by the ocean. Personally I don't mind it being in the middle of the mojave or chihuahuan desert, but if you have story ideas that require coast, thats certainly fine.

As for size, maybe 3-4 thousand population? Again, not terribly important to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartzsite,_Arizona

Looks like a decent starting position. Not too small, but definitely has that small-town feel. And its not too far from Phoenix and LA, so there's room for bigger adventures if necessary. And it definitely captures the feel of a small town in a desert. Plus, there are abandoned mine shafts on the outskirts. What else could a storyteller want?

[Kunoichi]

As I understand it, boards aren't really something you request. ^^; It's something automatically awarded once a game reaches a set number of posts, though I forget the exact number at the moment.

Sending PMs would be a good idea.

[Muse]

  Good evening.  *Bows*  I heard you might have some space for me after all? 

  I'll have access to my books later tonight. 

[Kunoichi]

Hmm, name ideas, name ideas...

...I'm bad at coming up with names. ^^; Um...  Just Deserts?  Or maybe Desert Justice, though that sounds significantly less witty.

[Muse]

The Crystal City?

Play on the town's name, new age accouterments, and give tribute to a Card novel. 

Rock Capitol of the World is also good.  ^_^;; 

[Kunoichi]

I kinda like the sound of Sorcerers and Swapmeets, myself.

[Muse]

Has anyone included in the storytelling yet the fact that half of the town are senior citizents? 

I wonder what it's like growing up in a place like that.  The sprawled out nature of the place's geography is similar to my home, with even poor folk having huge yards and spacious one story houses. 

[Dizzied]

Personally, I like Just Deserts. Rock capitol of the world also rings with me.

A high senior citizen population means more work for the younger folk, (like our PC's so far) and it could also be causing political/economic strife.

[Kunoichi]

Well, in case you haven't noticed, the thing about the title Just Deserts is, it's a bit of a play on words.  Like, the phrase 'Just Desserts'? ^^;

Rock Capitol of the World certainly could work...  I don't really know what to make of the senior citizen thing, though.  I guess you could consider me ambivalent on that issue.

[Muse]

Well, I like to imagine who my charecter's paretns where and what life was like growing up.  I noticed that something like 2 or 5% of the population is under sixteen right now.  I was just thinking, "What would it be like to be one of those 150 kids? " 

[Muse]

Would another focused practitioner be redundant? 

[Muse]

*chuckles*  So actually I'm looking at a Changeling--the child of a powerful satyr like being and a mortal woman. 

While I'm still at the conceptual level, would one gender or another fill out the story better? 

[Muse]

  :)  Just reviewing people's ons and offs, guess I'll go with a guy.  :) 

I would have three concerns with changelings.
1) You have to be comfortable with GM fiddling. It's basically what the template was made for, a big stack of unknowns and likely compels with a very real chance of turning into an NPC.
2) Faerie catches come up often and affect their use of things like magic. The mortal world is -full- of iron and the discount on certain powers means it's assumed it comes up a lot.
3) Some NPCs will not like you. Some will not trust you, ever. It's the same way they'd treat a vampire. Or a Wizard of the White Council.

I suppose I'll go look up satyrs.

Please note that steel is not cold iron.  Not that normal iron is terribly hard to come by. 

I just went through the book to see if there was anything specific to a satyr, and got Zilch. 

I imagine I would leave it a mystery to my character whether his father is a  Hobb elevated to the sidhe or something else. 

I gather he'd have to be one of the sidhe for me to have inherited Seelie Magic? 

I've just begun to work on character and history, but I do somewhat imagine him as growing up pursuing cordial relations with the local little folk, which encouraged his interest in Pizza 'til he got a job delivering the stuff.  :) 

[Muse]

  Oh, and I am cool setting myself up to be messed with.  :) 

  My other concept--which I'll play some other time--was a white court virgin whose human parent was a wizard.  :) 

  I'll look over the catches on fairy magic a bit more, but getting something that powerful at such a discount should have plenty of catches. 

[Wintercat]

I am still interested in Dresden Files but I am not sure if you'll want a 4th as it appears Muse has appeared as the 3rd, and as said I am fairly busy so I try to limit my involvement in too many new games right now. Still, I am tempted to make Dresden Files one of them. I had interest before and I still do, just thought that the terms laid out in the past were such that it would be better if I stayed away.

I have not played with the FATE system afterall, and I don't recall the 'starting strength' you were planning on using, right away at least, but I think it was less than a 'full wizard' requires?

Anyhow, if there's room and so, I might be curious.

[Muse]

I have some knowledge of the system, Winter.  It's really cool, and fairly unique.  Let me know if I can help. 

[Saric]

I have read all the Dresden Files books and loved them. I would love to play a game in that world. I have never read the books and don't even have a copy of the pdf.

All that said if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the books, and if there's room for one more, I'd love to get in on this.

Alternatively I've got a problem when it comes to coming up with ideas, the problem being I get to many of them, so if anyone (DM included) want's a brain storm to pick through all you need to do is give me a frame and I'll give you a list.