Magic...It can get a guy killed. Dresdenverse/Modern fantasy Rp Idea.

Started by Cuchulainn, October 07, 2012, 10:59:44 AM

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Cuchulainn

Howdy folks,

So yes I am currently quite in love with the dresdenverse I absolutely love the books and am quite happy to sit and read them over and over again. Well, actually that's a lie, simply reading the books is no longer enough so I wish to roleplay in the setting.

What's that? You don't know anything about the Dresden files? You only came here because because you saw the words Modern Fantasy? Have no fear! This paragraph is specifically for you as, to the best of my abilities, I will attempt to explain to you the wonderful world of Mr Harry Dresden. Basically it is a world almost the exact same as ours except for the fact that magic exists, there are wizards, vampires, fey, ghosts, werewolves, gods, angels, demons all manner of supernatural beings. But this universe is different to say Laurell K Hamilton's or the True Blood ladies in that all these supernatural beings and creatures are hidden from the mortal world i.e. Normal every day humans. Hope that gives you the gist of the world I hope to set this roleplay in. I will go into a little more detail on some of the creatures later in the post and any other questions feel free to message me.

Time for a summary...


THE ROAD SO FAR


Kansas Carry on my Wayward son A little theme music.

So, our story is set in modern day London during the war between the Red Court and the White Council, although even at this time there is talk of peace between the two factions. Very little chance of characters from the books taking part in our story but who knows there could be a few cameos. As for the plot of the story it's quite simple, a young, charismatic, billionaire philanthropist (at least that's what his press release says) has recently inherited his grandfathers estate. His grandfather was an avaricious collector of historic curios and so the young philanthropist has decided to donate a great deal of his collection to the London museum. The museum was so pleased they have decided to throw a charity gala in his honor, and why wouldn't they be pleased with the items they have recently gained. Extremely rare pottery belonging to Chinese emperors, golden statues of Inca gods, and one rather strange item a beautifully hand crafted wooden box, inscribed with various rune's and sigils. Contained within this box, in a soft cushion of crushed velvet, a single roman denarius in pristine condition except for a strange symbol burned into one side of the coin.

Does that summarize everything?

So if you fancy having a go, just leave a wee post saying so, maybe include a character idea and what you think the setting etc. should be. As for character ideas be creative I would prefer if it was a bit more of an alternate universe so I would like some Knights of the Sword or maybe even a member of the Order of the Blackened Denarius my favourite bad guys of the series.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with the series I'm going to give you a brief overview of some the various creatures and supernatural beings you can be for the roleplay.

Humans - Thought I would start of with an easy one. Humans. I would imagine you guys are already pretty familiar with their general abilities. So there you go you could be a standard every day human, maybe they are are aware of the supernatural world, maybe it will slowly be revealed to them over time, up to you.

Practitioners - These guys are pretty much human but just with varying degrees of magical ability. In this section I'm going to cover the low level abilities. So even low level magic users can still use a lot of spells, just since they don't have much power they have to make up for it by making sure none of said power is wasted this means that they need a lot of focus and concentration when casting. This means that your most basic form of magic, evocation, which is kind just flinging magic around with out any real ritual or magic circle is very awkward. Of course the magic can affect them in other ways though. For example certain werewolves get their ability from being pretty basic practitioners with pretty much only one trick in there repertoire. Other examples of similar situations in the book are someone who can see a few seconds into the future. Or a man adorned in mystical tattoo's who uses his meager magical ability to increase his speed to super human levels.

Witches/Wizards - These guys are the 1%, the ones with all the magical mojo. This is what Mr Dresden is, a wizard. They are neither late or early and always arrive precisely when they mean to. These guys are pretty much your high level practitioners, but aside from being able to use magic, to bend the raw forces of nature to their will they have a couple of other nifty little tricks. The first is the sight, the third eye, whatever you want to call it. Basically when they open this metaphysical eye they are able to see everything for what it truely is. The can see magic, they can see through veils, if you looked at someone with alot of emotional scars you would see those scars. Jim Butcher describes it a lot better than me and all this typing is messing with my brain a bit so lets just say it lets you see magic and be done with it. Oh and whatever you see with the third eye you never forget, so if you see something horrifying...well your stuck with it so use if sparingly. Next is a soul gaze, now this is very interesting and it is why you should never meet a witch/wizards eyes or if you are a witch or wizard you should avoid looking people directly in the eye because of this. If witch or wizard meets someones eyes for to long then the basically see the other persons soul, and that person sees theirs. They see there essence, they see what they are, they get to know that person, sometimes better than that person knows themselves. Again very complex if you want more detail about it feel free to message me. The final little wizard trick I'm going to mention is that they live for a very long time. Their lifespan is usually a good few hundred years. Although you do age, so you will look old. Unfortunately its not all sunshine and rainbows. Technology does not get on with wizards and witches, things tend to break around you. Clocks, computers, cars, lights, refrigerators, heaters...it sometimes sucks to be a wizard.

Vampires - Time for everyone's favourite, vampires, not my favourite though. I hate them, nasty blood sucking things, should kill them all. So the dresdenverse is quite interesting in that they have 3 different kinds of vampires, black, red and white court.

Black court - These guys are pretty nasty, they look like corpses, they smell like corpses, generally pretty corpsey. Also generally one of the strongest and rarest kind of vampires. Their very fast, very strong, very hard to kill, but they do have their weaknesses. Stabbing the heart of lopping off the head would do it, as would burning them, they don't like garlic, or holy water, or anything with faith behind it really religion doesn't matter to much. A couple of them have some powerful magical mojo and they are capable of creating "Reinfields" Who are basically humans turned into mindless slaves. Drink blood, pass on the curse through a bite...oh sunlight is not good for them either. They are rare because the wizards wiped a lot of them out.

Red Court - In red corner we have the red court! These guys don't look like corpses, no they look like large slimey bat like creatures with large swollen stomachs. Thankfully though they can change their appearance to look like your average every day, extremely attractive human. They also are very strong and very fast like the black court, the have alot of the same weakness although faith doesn't affect them as badly and they don't care about garlic one way or the other. They also drink blood and they saliva is like an addictive drug that makes you feel wonderful. Pretty much paralyses their foe with pleasure so yea, pretty nifty. When someone gets infected with red court venom them become a half vampire so still human, but superhumanly strong and fast but with a strong thirst for blood. The minute the drain someone of blood the conversion is complete.

White Court - Finally the runts of the litter, the best way to describe these guys is sex vampires. Yea you heard me they feed on sex...well they feed on desire and lust stealing a bit of your lifeforce along with those emotions as well and the best way to feed is through sex. The pretty much are like normally human beings and can be killed liked normal human beings. Although to my knowledge they don't age and they don't get sick. What makes them different from normal humans apart from their breathtaking good looks, is that they are also very strong and very fast...not as strong or fast as the other courts but still pretty superhuman can also heal themselves rapidly as well. The only problem is using these super human abilities burns through the lifeforce and energy they had consumed when feeding on people through sex and so they get pretty hungry. These guys aren't created either they are born. If either parent is a white court vampire they are born a regular human. Then the first time they have sex, if it isn't with someone their and truly in love with and who truly loves them back. The kill them and steal their life force becoming a vampire. Otherwise they stay human.

(Ugh starting to regret this)

Faeries - These guys are pretty much what you imagine, beautiful, magical, fast, strong, immortal, allergic to iron. You get the picture two different courts, winter, summer ya da ya da.

Changling - These guys are half faerie half human. Pretty much all human up until they hit puberty then Bam! their body starts changing, mood swings all that jazz. How they are affected comes down to what kind of Faerie their parent was. For example a troll...well put on a bit of weight, become a lot stronger, a lot more aggressive. When these changes come about you belong to whatever court your parent was from until you choose to become either fully human, or fully faerie.

Werewolf- There wolf, there castle. So Werewolves. Their are quite a few different types of werewolves so lets see if I can cover them.

Werewolves - Okay as a mentioned these guys have a bit of magic but only can just that magic to turn into a wolf. That's pretty much it, have to undress though before they change or they'll get tangled up in their clothes. Turn into a wolf, with a humans brain so usually to start with don't have the instincts of a wolf just the awesome senses and body.

Hexenwolf - These are people who turn into a wolf through another persons magic, usually through the use of a talisman i.e. a wolf belt. Stealing the next bit from the wiki "At the same time, the talisman provides an anchor for a "spirit of bestial rage" from the Nevernever, which wraps itself around the human personality. The spirit provides an insulation to keep the person's spirit from being destroyed, as well as helps control the physical wolf-body. Through this protection, the person's human intelligence and reason remain intact; at the same time, the person loses their human inhibitions, making them prone to act on their conscious and unconscious desires without doubts." These belts can be addictive and you can loose yourself a bit to the animal in the belt.

loup-garou - These guys are the dangerous ones, people cursed to turn into a large wolf like demon, think your standard half man half wolf werewolf. They are a near unstoppable force. When transformed the person has no control and just begins a rampage, destroying everything in its path. The transformation usually occurs around the full moon. The only way to kill a Loup - Garou is with inherited silver, yea I pretty specific weakness.

Lycanthrope - These guys are weird, they don't turn into anything instead they act as a channel which makes them beast like but only psychologically. When filled with this rage, they are stronger, resistant to disease and injury and heal very rapidly. Pretty much basically the old viking Berserkers.

That is all I'm gonna post for now, if you have your own idea drop me a message and I'll give my opinion on whether or not it would fit in with the dresdenverse.

Caela

I do love Mr. Dresden! Not been on a Modern Fantasy kick with my reading of late but did so enjoy his world the last time I was and would love rp'ing there. :)

I have a bit of an idea for a Witch but it'll be hard to flesh her out until a setting and time period is determined because those will effect her background and family history. Am thinking she'd be from an established family of Witches/Wizards, perhaps even having one, or perhaps both, parents on the Council.

bubby

If the time period chosen captures my interest, I would love to play The Leanansidhe, if she could fit into the story.

helvorn

I love the books as well and am working my way through a second read in preparation for the newest book to come out.  I have a couple of ideas for characters any of which would work out equally well.  A Warden, a werewolf (like Billy's band of happy shapechangers) or a White Court vampire.  Any of the above would be fine with me and can be modified to suit the GM's game.

As for time period I think that modern fits the Dresden 'feel'.  I would like to set it while the Red Court is still in play.

Cuchulainn

Okay lets see I prefer to answer posts in one so lets go.

Caela - Well so far we've only had a vote for modern modern as in present day so unless anything dramatically happens to change that. No one has mentioned anything for geographical setting so I'm going to suggest London. Love a bit of London me. Again waiting to see what characters people suggest before getting anything set in stone story wise and if anyone has any suggestions feel free to give them. But currently leaning towards Order of Blackened Denarius, Necromancers or something to do with the war between Council and Red Court.

bubby - Well as I said to Caela seems to be heading towards modern day, has this piqued your interest or is it too predictable? As for Leanansidhe, do you mean you want to get Mr Dresden himself involved in the story perhaps making a cameo with you coming along and making sure he goes to the ball, or that you just want to be the character and be a really powerful faerie lady causing havoc or that you want to be somebodies faerie god mother?

helvorn - Defiantly while the Red Court is still in play, preferably while they are at war. Can give it that all's fair aspect. Honestly play whatever you want powers and abilities don't matter that much expect for affiliation. For example the Warden doesn't necessarily need to be on council business to get involved. etc. The characters motivations and views are what matter. Consider Morgan and Dresden, both wizards, both wardens, both very different.

helvorn

@cuchulainn - Do you intend to have us interact with Dresden, Murphy and the other characters of the book or would we be working in parallel with them? 

Hmmm... Warden, White Court vampire or werewolf?  So many choices. 

Are you going to use the Dresden RPG rules or play it more sandbox?  Personally I prefer the sandbox as I am very vague on the Dresden RPG.

London as a location works fine for me.  Any of the main plot ideas work fine.

@bubby - Personally I'd love to see the Leanansidhe played.  She's not all that busy with Harry so she'd have lots of time to mess with mortals and non-mortals alike.

Caela

I wouldn't mind setting it a little bit in the past (maybe back a few decades) but wouldn't want to lose some of the fun feel you get from the fact that a lot of modern tech doesn't work well around the magically inclined. Some of the fun in the books is the way they get around the fact that things, like a modern oven, don't really like to work for them. Ex: Harry's Beetle constantly breaking down on him, at the worst times, always amused the heck out of me in the first books. It's minor, but it adds charm to the story and to the 'Verse as a whole.

London works fine for me too. I'm thinking my girl will still be American, but from a wealthy Council family so studying abroad would be both easy, and expected.

Caela

Just a rough draft of a character in my head. She's been sort of raised to be "off the radar" since her folks were trying to keep out of all the scheming, backstabbing, and politics that is everyday life in the magical world and give her some form of a "normal" childhood. She's totally tweakable though so let me know if she works for what you are thinking, Cuchulainn.

CS Rough Draft

Name: Emilie "Em" St. John
Age: 24
Classification: Witch

Magic: Em has a natural affinity for evocation and her greatest learned skill is Versimilomancy (illusion magic), the latter is helped by the fact that much of her life among the magical community is a type of illusion. She's shown an aptitude for learning new types of magic and enjoys studying even just the theory behind those magics she finds most difficult. The hardest branches of magic for her are Thaumaturgy and Psychomancy and no matter how much she studies spells involving them have her lowest success rate as well as draining her faster than any others.

With her skill at Evocation, she has the raw ability (though not the training yet) to be a Warden someday...if they ever realized she was more than she seemed.

Magical Focuses: She has a protective amulet that has been in her family for centuries and is, traditionally, passed down from mother to oldest daughter when that daughter either married, or struck out on her own. Em's mother gave it to her when she moved to London for school.

Like most Wizards she has a staff that she carved herself with runes and sigils for protection and defense and aid in her evocations.

She also has an interest (hobby, not an intense area of study) in magically charmed items and a few small pieces that she charmed personally. Her favorite, and most successful and useful, being a pair of leather gloves that she spelled to always keep her hands warm. Less successful spells include a ring that squeezes the wearer's finger when someone around them lies. It sounded good in theory, but when her finger went numb from the number of times it got squeezed but of all the socially acceptable lies swirling around her, she dropped to the bottom of a box and never wore it again!

Personality: Having grown up with money, and the comfort and luxury that it brings, Em can seem to be a bit haughty and arrogant at times. She doesn't actually believe that her parents money makes her better than anyone else, but she does take for granted a lot of things that other people don't. At her core she is kindhearted, loyal and clever but she's also learned to play those things close to vest because many people in her world would see them as weaknesses to exploit. When in public, she will often play off being pretty but vapid. Only those truly close to her know she isn't the brainless socialite sucking off Mommy and Daddies money that she often seems to be.

Background: Born the daughter of Kassandra and Rupert St. John, Em was being taught how to shape and use magic almost as soon as she could speak. While other children were learning to read with "Dick and Jane" books, her tutors were teaching her both English and Latin translations of her parents varied collection of spellbooks. She took to learning magic as naturally as some children take to music or art and took just as much joy in her craft as any artist ever did their own.

She also learned to hide the true scope of her knowledge and skill. Her Mother made it clear to her that there were many in their world who would exploit and use her gifts if she wasn't careful about who she trusted. Her Father also talked to her about the manipulation and Machiavellian scheming that often went hand in hand with a certain level of power. Not wanting their daughter to fall prey to such things too early, they did their best to keep her away from many of their own "kind". All contact couldn't be avoided of course, not with Kassandra being a member of the Council, but what little there was, was minimized and highly supervised and most of her parents peers ended up thinking that they were hiding Em away because she was either not magically powerful or because she was vapid and foolish (a belief they all encouraged) and that they were ashamed of her.

To further the belief that she had little in the way of magic, they decided that she would go to a "normal" University in Europe and she decided on King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry. It wouldn't further the idea that she was vapid in any way, but it was easy for people to believe the only reason she got in was because of Daddy's money. Though anyone who did their research on her would find that she was in the top 2% of her classes. Even with her grades, a future in medicine easily furthered the idea that she would need a job in the mundane world.

With prior beliefs about her filtering through the magical community, few would stop to think how the deeper knowledge of psychology, biology (classes she took by choice since there was simply no way to be a medical doctor when few, if any, modern medical devices would work around her!) and science would actually add to her understanding and abilities with magic.

Misc.: While she's a Witch, she is not Harry. Em doesn't seek out attention, trouble, or the darker side of their world. She grew up in a mostly happy, if somewhat cloistered, home, showered by love and affection from her parents; not with an Uncle seeking to use her. She's not battle tested, most of her skill comes from hours of practice and study, not actively battling evil. She doesn't have any enemies, that she's aware of, because most of the magical community think she's not worth being an enemy or ally and being genuinely kind most normal humans don't take issue with her either.


bubby

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 08, 2012, 05:38:01 PM
Okay lets see I prefer to answer posts in one so lets go.

bubby - Well as I said to Caela seems to be heading towards modern day, has this piqued your interest or is it too predictable? As for Leanansidhe, do you mean you want to get Mr Dresden himself involved in the story perhaps making a cameo with you coming along and making sure he goes to the ball, or that you just want to be the character and be a really powerful faerie lady causing havoc or that you want to be somebodies faerie god mother?



Modern works just fine with me. It's the Dresden verse I know, so my mind can wrap better around it. As for the rest, I know you said this 'verse would be more AU, but do you plan on having Harry in it at all? It would be great if there was a Harry to play off of, but I am very much leaning towards the true Lea. Second only to Mab of the Winter Court, playing havoc upon any or all characters.  >:)

Cuchulainn

So many woman...
...Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods.
Where's the street-wise Hercules, to fight the rising odds.
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream
of what I need!

Ahem...yea.

So! Q&A time.

Well folks looks like we have someone looking for a slighter older feel to it. Someone want to cast the deciding vote? Although I could be mean an make technology be fine and demand all witches have warts. Hey its canon.

So Ms. Caela what timezone where you thinking? Prohibition time? bunch of guys and dolls? Or perhaps the 70's white court vampires with Afro's hanging out in roller discos. Bio's fine, just a few questions, does she do anything with her magical talents or just study magic? Did she pick up a job in one of those fields or is she just living off Mummy and Daddy? Finally what kind of magic comes most naturally to her? Is she a magical wrecking ball like mister Dresden? Master of mental manipulation like are darling Molly? Perhaps another area? Defensive magic? Warding? Shape changing?

Helvorn -  I don't know anything about "conventional" roleplay with the dice and the structure and all that. Very competitive, I just enjoy the story aspect. A story where I contribute and can shape but at the same time there are bits I have no control over and can still leave me jumping for joy or crying out with despair at the plight of the characters. Is that sandbox?

bubby - The Faeire wild card? I like it, really hope some one is naive or desperate enough to make a deal with you, that would be very interesting. Most likely there will be no Dresden. In fact almost none of the characters from the books besides so of the Faeries or Nickleheads or members of the Council. You know the characters who tend to be left in the side lines a bit.

Caela

I don't have a specific decade in mind, just that I would like it to lean toward more modern because I think that would give more the feel of the Dresdenverse than making it a period story would. If someone has a specific time period they're jonesing to write in I am cool. :)

As for Em, she will use her magic but I haven't decided how, exactly yet, or what she'll have the strongest affinity for. Right now I am thinking that she will be a jack-of-all-trades but not the "wrecking ball" that Harry is. Since she'd have a different background, and will have been taught in different ways her methods won't be as off-the-cuff as Harry's often are. She'll be more precise in her casting. Sort of the difference between the wrecking ball you mentioned and a surgeons scalpel. She would be the sort of student that Bob often laments that Harry isn't! lol I think what I end up making her major affinity for though, will sort of depend on what time period we settle on and what is going on in the magical world at that time. After all if the Council were at open war with one, or more, of the vampire Courts than her family would have focused on things like defensive/protection magic and Warding so she'd be able to protect herself while they might be more lax in those areas if it's more a time of peace and just the normal internal infighting to deal with.

Like I said, she's a rough draft right now. I was really just getting some thoughts out more than anything.

Cuchulainn

Well Ms Caela it definitely seems like its going to be set in modern day to day. As for the vampire war the maximum that would be going for would be 5 years, although personally I don't think it would affect her affinity to much. That someones affinity is just sorta the way they are wired, its a good bit of nature not nurture. Its like say someone was born with a natural affinity for a certain sport, they could spend time learning other sports but they would always have that instinctive grasp of the one they where born for. That's how I sort of see it. As for the scalpel metaphor, so she may not be in the same power league as Mr Dresden but she makes up for it with skill and focus. Her magic is power saver the right amount of energy applied at the right spot rather than Harry's throw in a lot of power and see what happens.

One other thing you need to consider for a witch. Foci? Focuses? I want to see some interesting trinkets, don't want everyone running around with a blasting rod and bracelet. Let's see some creativity!

Caela

She is definitely more with the thoughtfully applied pressure than just blasting away at things until they break! I wouldn't necessarily say that she has less power then Harry, just that she's been taught to use it differently and she doesn't go out looking for trouble like he does so she's not had reason to try spells of the same magnitude. In truth she wouldn't really know where her limits would be energy-wise, because they haven't been tested that way.

Focuses...will have to think about those. Definitely not a blasting rod but I was actually thinking she might have a couple pieces of jewelry.

She'll have a natural affinity for Evocation and learned skill at Verisimilomancy (Illusion magic), the latter being helped by the fact that much of who she appears to be in her everyday life is a type of illusion. She'll have minor skills with other magics but Thaumaturgy and Psychomancy are particularly difficult for her and spells using them may not always turn out as intended.

helvorn

I like keeping the modern feel of the Dresden books.  If we are set in London then there is little worry about bumping into Harry.  We might run across the other two Knights of the Cross, Morgan and some of the Wardens from the books.

I'm thinking I would like to run a white court vampire after all.  Will that be a problem with people?  I'll sort of be the enemy... :)

bubby

We need more dudes in this game for it to work.... >.>

And no Harry works fine too cuchulainn, I have ideas a-brewing already..lol. At least for the little witch.. *Winks at Caela*

But seriously... we need more men...

HairyHeretic

I could maybe give things a go, but I warn you, my muse has been sucking pretty hard this last while, and I haven't been able to write much. I'm still hoping I can find something that will spark me back up, but so far it still hasn't happened.

Character-wise, my DFRPG character (my local pen and paper group) was Conor McCloud, a somewhat grumpy Scottish wizard. Freeform I've also had a member of the Venatori Umbrorum, an ex military black ops guy rescued from a Red Court lair in South America, and an assassin turned monster hunter in a different urban fantasy game.

I have another character, originally created for a Buffy game that might work well here. He's a sort of possessed, unwilling monster hunter. He was a small time thief who stole a sword that happened to be the home of a demon. The demon had been bound into the sword (Chinese broadsword) centuries before and held in a Buddhist temple. Surrounded by monks, immersed in Buddhism, it sort of .. went a bit strange. It decided to seek it's own Buddha nature, and repented through extreme violence towards other demons. If you're familiar with Journey to the West, and Sun Wukong becoming a better, well, demon, it's a similar idea.

During WW2, the sword was taken by a Japanese officer, retaken by an American one, and eventually stolen by our reluctant hero.

At any rate, it kinda .. compells him .. to fight demons, whereas putting his ass in danger is the last thing he wants to do. Unfortunately, if he doesn't, it can possess him, and he ends up doing it anyway. At least this way, he gets to fight on his terms, though with demon boosted physique.

I'm using demon here in the Chinese sense of the word, as opposed to the Western one.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cuchulainn

Caela -  That all seems perfectly fine.

Helvorn - Yea it will most definitley be modern day by the looks of things. Not going to use Shiro, although his sword will most likely come into play. As for Sanya...I may keep him as a knight he is quite interesting. Also go ahead with the vampire I don't necessarily want everyone on the same side anyway, the general idea I have at the minute is a powerful artifact that everyone will want for their own reasons.

bubby - I know we need more men, hence me singing Bonnie Tyler. Go out and shake that booty, entice them in.

HairyHeretic - Who knows maybe a Dresdenverse filled with women will cure what ails you? As for the characters ideas, sure I could see a lot of them working. Although I would be slightly wary of the human turned monster hunter...that ain't an easy gig, sure look at Murphy the most competent human character in the series and she still struggles often enough but hey, up to you. As for the Chinese sword, again sure but would he still be compelled if he just let go of the sword? Would the sword still compel him to fight Judeo-Christian demons what with the fact they where once angels or is it merely the Chinese variety?

bubby

*Shoves Caela out to shake the booty cuz her own never really draws them in.*

HairyHeretic

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 12:06:11 PM
HairyHeretic - Who knows maybe a Dresdenverse filled with women will cure what ails you? As for the characters ideas, sure I could see a lot of them working. Although I would be slightly wary of the human turned monster hunter...that ain't an easy gig, sure look at Murphy the most competent human character in the series and she still struggles often enough but hey, up to you.

Yes, but as you say, Murphy is pure human. This guy isn't, not any more.

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 12:06:11 PM
As for the Chinese sword, again sure but would he still be compelled if he just let go of the sword?

Yep, he has a demon inside of him now. He doesn't know how it got there, what he did to let it out of the sword, but it's there now and shows no intention of leaving.

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 12:06:11 PM
Would the sword still compel him to fight Judeo-Christian demons what with the fact they where once angels or is it merely the Chinese variety?

Any evil really.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cuchulainn

Quote from: HairyHeretic on October 10, 2012, 04:38:56 AM
and an assassin turned monster hunter in a different urban fantasy game.

Sorry though that was a human.

Anyway so sounds like you'd really prefer to go with magical sword guy, well to me he sounds a little like a white court vampire with the demon being fed by the desire to vanquish evil rather than steal the life force of mortals. So would his powers be similar to there's? The healing and the enhanced strength and speed?
Also anything evil, is evil defined by the wielders beliefs or does the demon have a clear cut view of what is evil perhaps based of the Budha's teachings? Would this give him a desire to say kill petty criminals such as himself and he would have to struggle against this? Also with the fact he is possessed, even if it is by a free formed demon that is quite happy to ride shot gun as long as he is going in the right direction, would he have some of the weakness of demons? Would holy places make him uncomfortable, faith, holy weapons, etc. Would crossing a threshold uninvited significantly reduce his powers?


HairyHeretic

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 03:50:22 PM
Sorry though that was a human.

That one was. The closest fictional character I can think to compare him to is Edward in the Anita Blake books.

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 03:50:22 PM
Anyway so sounds like you'd really prefer to go with magical sword guy, well to me he sounds a little like a white court vampire with the demon being fed by the desire to vanquish evil rather than steal the life force of mortals. So would his powers be similar to there's? The healing and the enhanced strength and speed?

The demons desire doesn't feed the power in the same way white court get. Think of it more like a weaker version of the Denarians (assuming you've got that far in the books).

In terms of powers .. mostly physical I would imagine, possibly a version of the Sight (though that might require the demon coming to the fore, with associated shapechanging going on), and an occasional bit of demonic information dispensed.

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 03:50:22 PM
Also anything evil, is evil defined by the wielders beliefs or does the demon have a clear cut view of what is evil perhaps based of the Budha's teachings? Would this give him a desire to say kill petty criminals such as himself and he would have to struggle against this?

Probably not so much kill as receive a lecture on the need to rid the self of desire in order to obtain true happiness. At least if the mortal can't distract the demon with a nice, shiney 'much more evil thing' instead.

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 10, 2012, 03:50:22 PM
Also with the fact he is possessed, even if it is by a free formed demon that is quite happy to ride shot gun as long as he is going in the right direction, would he have some of the weakness of demons? Would holy places make him uncomfortable, faith, holy weapons, etc. Would crossing a threshold uninvited significantly reduce his powers?

Entirely possible. The threshhold affects all magical powers, innate or otherwise (as I understand it). The demon would probably be affected by some other stuff, but I'd need to check up on the weaknesses of Chinese demons before saying exactly what.

Here's a couple of possibilities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox-Head_and_Horse-Face

or for something played more for amusement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huli_jing

The latter would probably need a bit of refining of the backstory somewhat .. or at least be a lot less concerned about obtaining a Buddha nature ;)
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cuchulainn

"And so it came to pass that the players took there final places,
Making ready the events that where to come..."

That all seems fine HairyHeretic, just make sure you note all this abilities in the bio.

So, a Sidhe lady, a witch, a white court vampire, and a possessed thief.

Still hoping to see a few more.

bubby

*Sends out her sirens song to get more TESTOSTERONE in the game.*

Anon315

I have an overabundance of that hormone, and am a fan of the Dresden books (MONTH AND A HALF). I could work up a character, given time.

bubby


Cuchulainn

Hooray! *throws Anon a parade*  Another male, thinking we are almost ready to start yes? Have a bit of a plot worked out...well an opening anyway.

bubby

I say make a char template darlin, so people can get an idea how to flesh out there characters, and post them up here.

Anon315

I am to presume then that we are free-forming this rather than use the actual DF RPG rules?

bubby


Cuchulainn

So many demands, fine, fine.

[b]Player Name:[/b] Your login ID
[b]Character Description:[/b] Image or brief paragraph describing your characters looks.
[b]Character Name:[/b] Name of your character
[b]Gender:[/b] Male or female
[b]Nationality:[/b] What country are they from?
[b]Age:[/b] Or in the case of you long lived creatures, what they appear
[b]Sexuality:[/b] Straight/Gay/Bi

[b]Personality:[/b] Just a small bit about their motivations, disposition to the major groups and strangers in general.

[b]History:[/b] Doesn't have to be to precise I know some of you might be thousands of years old, keep it recent if you wish.


Hows that?

Also yes Free-form, that's the one without dice yes?

bubby

Free-form = no dice yes.

Yay char template! (Ignore a portion of my last PM Cuchu darlin'. Heh)

I need to take care of a few things first.... ok I need to hit the liquor store...  ::)  then I'll return and make my char.

Cuchulainn

Did you drink the entire store?

Okay so gonna' keep this brief cause no got a lot of time here, no because "they" found me or anything or people are trying to break into my house I just have to go. So story wise what I was thinking was some philanthropist gets his hands on a blacked Denarius and donates it, amongst other things, to the natural history museum and chaos ensues.

Anon315

I had forgotten to make my character as well. Time sneaks up on us and ambushes us.
Character
Player Name: Anon315
Character Description: Brown hair cascades lightly around a face which never quite finds itself properly shaven, ending just past the chin. Eyes of blue gossamer shimmer behind thin wire framed glasses which mark the obvious disability and serve to accentuate them further. A body of unremarkable state, save possibly for looking a little hungry, clothes itself generally in polo shirts and khakis or jeans. He is of fair skin and taller than most, rising to a full six feet and four inches. His hands are well maintained and the nails precisely manicured.

Character Name: Andrew Mills
Gender: Male
Nationality: American, Caucasian
Age: Late 20's
Sexuality: Pansexual

Personality: Andrew is obsessive-compulsive to a T. He demands everything in his life to be just so, to the point that he eats in almost the same place each day of the week, and doesn't like any sort of variance in his schedule. His is of a more mild sort, but he still reacts poorly to having his schedule altered by unforeseen circumstances. In socializing, which he schedules time for each week, he is a listener and likes to drink a precise number of drinks he found through trial and error. He doesn't like to talk over-much because he finds words get in the way of expressing thoughts and are generally not conducive to understanding or friendship.

History: Dr. Mills has always known he would be a doctor. It wasn't that he played doctor with other children at a young age or anything so banal, he simply always knew that it was his job to save lives. In school watching E.R., House, and Grey's Anatomy he found it distracting how much time they spent not practicing medicine. After all, wasn't that what they were paid to do? So when the time came for him to choose a college he went directly into Pre-Med, scored unbelievably well on his MCAT and went on to Emory University school of Medicine, because it was the one which offered him the most financial aid. He excelled there, graduating at the top of his class due to an attention to detail which not so much bordered on the neurotic as traipsed all the way through it. After his residency, which was torturous on him because he did it in an Emergency Room in Georgia, he moved to town and started work at the local hospital / clinic in general practice, which was when he noticed things going awry. People came in with anemia while he was unable to determine any source of injury. Machines worked or did not work depending on who was in the room. One of his fellow physicians never used any of the machinery and in fact had an office specifically placed as far as possible from the Intensive Care ward. He figured it was some sort of religious idiosyncrasy and he certainly wouldn't be one to judge another man's odd habits. 

helvorn

Player Name: helvorn
Character Name: Melissa Raith
Character Description: Melissa is a dark haired, slender bombshell with impressive curves.  She is 5'8" 110 lb with brilliant blue eyes and an aura of pure sensuality.  She appears to be in her late teens although she moves with a confidence that is well beyond her appearance
Gender: Female
Nationality: USA
Age: Apparent age 18, Actual age 83
Sexuality: Bi

Personality: Melissa is ambitious, scheming and ultimately amoral like most White Court Vampires.  She is less directly ambitious than most preferring to enjoy her life of wealth and privilege while maneuvering in the background.  She is fully immersed into the life of a White Court vampire although she has not descended into depravity like many.  Melissa also is more like her half brother in that she does not regard humans as simple Kine but rather powerful creatures in their own right that can provide amusement and help in her schemes as well as satisfying her many hungers.  She does not care for the Red Court considering them boorish and overly concerned with temporal power as well as a set of rivals.  She finds the Black Court to be disgusting.  Melissa regards the White Council with deep respect and steers clear of openly crossing them.  She is  as loyal to her half sister Lara as could be expected and is particularly fond of her half brother Thomas.

History: A daughter of Lord Raith and a mortal woman she was enthralled to her father for many decades along with her half sisters.  When Lara became the power behind the throne her bondage to her father was broken and she gained freedom of action.  She has continued to be a loyal member of the White Court while pursuing her own agendas of building a power base amongst the humans and maneuvering in the newly dangerous world where the Red Court battles the wizards.

She was recruited by Lara as a member of the Venatori along with Thomas.

She works when she does work as a stage actress and model and is quite active in the arts community.

Doesn't have to be to precise I know some of you might be thousands of years old, keep it recent if you wish.

Attributes:
Sexual Glamor - Melissa unconsciously exudes an aura that creates a strong sexual attraction in men and women
Domination - A White Court vampire can control a human victim which includes thralldom, mental slavery, domination, seduction
Perfect physique and beauty - Melissa is perfectly formed and almost unnaturally beatiful
Unnatural Strength and Agility - By drawing on the power of her inner demon Melissa can perform feats of amazing strength, dexterity and speed as well as survive damage that would instantly kill a human.  As well she is naturally skilled in weapons and weaponry.
Rapid Healing - By drawing on the power of her inner demon Melissa can heal crippling wounds
The Hunger - the inner demon always hungers for the energy of humans, the more so when Melissa has used its powers

[Updated to add powers]

Caela

Player Name: Caela
Name: Emilie "Em" St. John
Age: 72, appears mid-20's
Sexuality: Straight
Classification: Witch

Magic: Em has a natural affinity for evocation (she's good enough that simpler spells, ie: small gouts of fire or wind don't require a focus) and her greatest learned skill is Versimilomancy (illusion magic), the latter is helped by the fact that much of her life among the magical community is a type of illusion. She's shown an aptitude for learning new types of magic and enjoys studying even just the theory behind those magics she finds most difficult. The hardest branches of magic for her are Thaumaturgy and Psychomancy and no matter how much she studies, spells involving them have her lowest success rate as well as draining her faster than any others.

With her skill at Evocation, she has the raw ability (though not the training yet) to be a Warden someday...if they ever realized she was more than she seemed.

Magical Focuses: She has a protective amulet that has been in her family for centuries and is, traditionally, passed down from mother to oldest daughter when that daughter either married, or struck out on her own. Em's mother gave it to her when she moved to London for school.

Like most Wizards she has a staff that she carved herself with runes and sigils for protection and defense and aid in her, more difficult, evocations.

She also has an interest (hobby, not an intense area of study) in magically charmed items and a few small pieces that she charmed personally. Her favorite, and most successful and useful, being a pair of leather gloves that she spelled to always keep her hands warm. Less successful spells include a ring that squeezes the wearer's finger when someone around them lies. It sounded good in theory, but when her finger went numb from the number of times it got squeezed by of all the socially acceptable lies swirling around her, she dropped it to the bottom of a box and never wore it again!

Personality: Having grown up with money, and the comfort and luxury that it brings, Em can seem to be a bit haughty and arrogant at times. She doesn't actually believe that her parents money makes her better than anyone else, but she does take for granted a lot of things that other people don't. At her core she is kindhearted, loyal and clever but she's also learned to play those things close to vest because many people in her world would see them as weaknesses to exploit. When in public, she will often play off being pretty but vapid. Only those truly close to her know she isn't the brainless socialite sucking off Mommy and Daddies money that she often seems to be.

Background: Born the daughter of Kassandra and Rupert St. John, Em was being taught how to shape and use magic almost as soon as she could speak. While other children were learning to read with "Dick and Jane" books, her tutors were teaching her both English and Latin translations of her parents varied collection of spellbooks. She took to learning magic as naturally as some children take to music or art and took just as much joy in her craft as any artist ever did their own.

She also learned to hide the true scope of her knowledge and skill. Her Mother made it clear to her that there were many in their world who would exploit and use her gifts if she wasn't careful about who she trusted. Her Father also talked to her about the manipulation and Machiavellian scheming that often went hand in hand with a certain level of power. Not wanting their daughter to fall prey to such things too early, they did their best to keep her away from many of their own "kind". All contact couldn't be avoided of course, not with Kassandra being a member of the Council, but what little there was, was minimized and highly supervised and most of her parents peers ended up thinking that they were hiding Em away because she was either not magically powerful or because she was vapid and foolish (a belief they all encouraged) and that they were ashamed of her.

To further the belief that she had little in the way of magic, they decided that she would go to a "normal" University in Europe and she decided on King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry. It wouldn't further the idea that she was vapid in any way, but it was easy for people to believe the only reason she got in was because of Daddy's money. Though anyone who did their research on her would find that she was in the top 2% of her classes. Even with her grades, a future in medicine easily furthered the idea that she would need a job in the mundane world.

With prior beliefs about her filtering through the magical community, few would stop to think how the deeper knowledge of psychology, biology (classes she took by choice since there was simply no way to be a medical doctor when few, if any, modern medical devices would work around her!) and science would actually add to her understanding and abilities with magic.

Misc.: While she's a Witch, she is not Harry. Em doesn't seek out attention, trouble, or the darker side of their world. She grew up in a mostly happy, if somewhat cloistered, home, showered by love and affection from her parents; not with an Uncle seeking to use her. She's not battle tested, most of her skill comes from hours of practice and study, not actively battling evil. She doesn't have any enemies, that she's aware of, because most of the magical community think she's not worth being an enemy or ally and being genuinely kind most normal humans don't take issue with her either.

As a side note, Em is technically a full member of the White Council (as any fully acknowledged Wizard is) but when it came time for her Trial, she did the bare minimum necessary to pass. So, while she can claim full Wizard status, most view her as little better than an Apprentice and few would stop to think that she (and her fmaily) might have encouraged that belief simply to keep her out of the politics surrounding the Council until she felt ready for them. While she doesn't know Harry Dresden personally, how he's acted and how the Council had treated him, is a cautionary tale in their home and all the encouragement Em needs to stay away from both Chicago and the Council at large.

Anon315

My character feels simultaneously young and old. He will look older while simultaneously being waaaaay younger than the others.

helvorn

I added the White Court powers and drawbacks to Melissa's description.

bubby

Though I love this idea, I personally can't see it going to far with only this many people.

Caela

~pushes Bubby into the hallway~ So go shake that ass and drag more folks in!

Cuchulainn

Oh Bubby, ye of little faith

Doesn't seem to be much interest, should have named it "Magic...it can get a guy killed...or laid."

Still, could go well, could crash and burn, I don't mind waiting a bit longer but at the same time I don't want to wait to long and where it gets to the point where those you have signed on loose faith and interest.

The other option is to start the thread while at the same time looking for more members.

Caela

I have no problem with starting and continuing to look for more players. Depending on how we want to develop the story a small group might work better, it's not like we can't make NPC's to fill in holes until we get more players.


Cuchulainn

Well a hold a quick vote, those in favor of waiting say so, and those against...also say so.

helvorn

I say start.  We can run a three person game just as easily as long as we work out a good story for close cooperation.

Cuchulainn

Hmm may have found some people interested in joining outside of the site but might attempt to get it up and running while the join, so if people agree with starting sooner rather than later then I shall attempt to hopefully start it this weekend.

Mister Grimm

I may be interested in joining if you are still looking, but it might take me a while to draft up a character. Its been a while since I've read through Dresden, but I'll be gearing up for the release of Cold Days next month by tackling all the books again.

Real quick though. Can you put a quick summary up of what was agreed on again? It'd probably make it easier to have a condensed version of what was talked about somewhere to attract more people or to even give others a refreshment. Also- where is it being started in terms of group play? Light small group? Light big group? Exotic? What?
I've got all the things I need. It's the nature of my breed.
I'm independent, s m o o t h and confident.
Always in command with a graceful element and a tasteful compliment.
Do you know who I am?
I'm a deadly handsome man.

Caela

Good questions Mister Grimm.

As for placement, I'd suggest Small Group NC or Exotic since there's room for both between fairies, vamps and other various baddies in Dresden's world. Choice is up to Cuchulainn though. :)

Roxy Rocket



      A summary would be good.

      (I'm lurking just now.)

Anon315

I'd like to see this game happen. Enough games are not happening that I should very much like to be part of one which goes a fair distance.

bubby

Quote from: Caela on October 18, 2012, 04:14:44 PM
~pushes Bubby into the hallway~ So go shake that ass and drag more folks in!

*AGHS as she shoved into the hallway, squeaks as the door is slammed behind, pounds on it for re-entry!*

My ass is too big to be tossing it around willy-nilly like that! Someone will put an eye out!

OMG COLD DAYS IS OUT NEXT MONTH!? *Fangirl squeal!*



I promise I'll have my char sheet up by Saturday at the latest I SWEAR. I'd say tomorrow but that is payday and I'll be taking care of giving it all away. Truly sorry for the delay. I do have a pic picked out though!

HairyHeretic

I'm still here and interested in playing. Should hopefully have my character sheet up later today.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Mister Grimm

Quote from: bubby on October 19, 2012, 02:16:42 AM
OMG COLD DAYS IS OUT NEXT MONTH!? *Fangirl squeal!*


Ha, yeah. Had a November 27th release date last I checked.
I've got all the things I need. It's the nature of my breed.
I'm independent, s m o o t h and confident.
Always in command with a graceful element and a tasteful compliment.
Do you know who I am?
I'm a deadly handsome man.

Anon315

Quote from: Anon315 on October 13, 2012, 01:13:01 AM
I have an overabundance of that hormone, and am a fan of the Dresden books (MONTH AND A HALF). I could work up a character, given time.

Quote from: bubby on October 19, 2012, 02:16:42 AM
OMG COLD DAYS IS OUT NEXT MONTH!? *Fangirl squeal!*

*notes his post which referenced this fact* Already have it pre-ordered.

helvorn

I'll probably Kindle it. I bought the hard copy of Ghost Story because Jim B came by our local B&N and I got it signed.

Anon315

Jealous. So Jealous. I've only seen Jim at a certain convention, and have yet to actually approach him because fan-boner would be embarassing.

helvorn

It was nice.  He spoke for a while and then was very gracious during the signing.

bubby


Cuchulainn

Hmm placement...I have no idea...don't know too much about the different sections of the site and so I shall defer to your judgement.

and a summary? Alright I'll give it a shot do you think I should post it at the start or just keep it here?

Summary has been relocated!

Caela

Personal opinion, you should put the summary at the beginning where folks who might be interested will see it right away instead of them having to read through everything up to this point.

HairyHeretic

Player Name: Hairyheretic
Character Description:
Character Name: Mikasi 'Michael' Shadow-on-the-face-of-the-moon
Gender: Male
Nationality: American
Age: 27
Sexuality: Straight

Personality: Michael has found himself a somewhat unwilling fighter against the things that go bump in the night. He would much rather spend his time with a hot girl and a cold beer. His passanger though frequently has other ideas. Given the choice between taking on assorted gribblies on his terms, or waking up with a battered and bruised everything, he grumbles and does what he needs to.

History: Michael never knew his father, and as a child his mother made it clear that that man wasn't someone she cared to talk about. Growing up, he was teased by other children about being a 'half breed', half native American, and half .. something else. He learned how to fight when he had to, and when it made more sense to run.

A troubled child grew into a troubled young man, one whom brushed up against the law on countless occasions, but seemed to be lucky enough to avoid serious trouble ... which was a good thing, as he learned the fine arts of petty larceny. His few friends shook their heads, telling him that he would one day get himself in trouble that he couldn't talk, run or fight his way out of. He laughed at them, full of the arrogance of youth.

After he found the sword, his laughter stopped.

It wasn't his fault. I mean, the sword had to be the most expensive thing in that old guys house, and he wasn't going to need it after he'd died, right? Only he couldn't get rid of it. It was like other people couldn't even see it. He tried to dump it, but woke up with it sitting at the foot of his bed. Then the voices started. Well, one voice anyway. He figured he was going mad, right up to the point that something with far too many teeth and claws tried to eat his face.

He's still a little fuzzy on that part, but most people don't turn into minotaur like monsters, and bounce around like something out of a Hong Kong action flick. The next few weeks are still a blur, a haze of alcohol, camera flash memories and pain.

A chance run in with a member of Paranet (he saved the girl from some nasty or other, so she says) got him in touch with some people who really knew what the world was like, and how he'd fallen into the cracks too.

After his mother died, he found himself with a tattered photo and a pair of letters, a lead on the father he never knew. A name ... James Hennesy, and an address in London, England.

((Will add more later))
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cuchulainn

That all seems fine but I have one very important question...is that a power ranger?

bubby

I will DEFINITELY get my char sheet done tomorrow. This I vow.

HairyHeretic

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 19, 2012, 03:25:13 PM
That all seems fine but I have one very important question...is that a power ranger?

Not that I'm aware of.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cuchulainn

Hmm, I guess not, still something familiar about him.

Bubby hurry up! You've been at the off license for days! Don't make me punish you.

So yes, again, about the placement I really have no idea and I know I've said this about quite a few things but it really has to be up to you guys because this isn't for me to indulge my preferences its to tell a story, may indulge them a little if the opportunity arise but still..yea..what do you guys want?

HairyHeretic

I got the image off a random google search. I suppose it's possible he's an actor, but I couldn't honestly tell you one way or the other.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

bubby


Player Name: bubby
Character Name: The Leanansidhe
Gender: Female
Nationality: Unseelie High Sidhe
Age: Unknown, appears late 20's
Sexuality: Straight

Personality: Like most of the Unseelie (Winter) Court, she is cold and sometimes cruel in nature. Cunning and enchanting, she can alternate between caring and vicious at a moments notice. She can have a tendency to have a child-like glee during torture and or the death of an enemy.

History: The Leanansidhe is second only to Queen Mab herself, carrying out the Winter Queens orders, but holding immense Power in her own right. She has remained within the Never Never for an unknown period of time, but has recently gotten wind of an antiquity that must be watched.

HairyHeretic

Isn't she going to be a tad powerful compared to everyone else?
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

bubby

Yes. She is.

But don't worry, I won't over play her I promise.

Roxy Rocket



      Yeah, this is definitely one of those "not my speed" games.

Cuchulainn

Why does power matter? It's a story! Dresden Files where full of very powerful people and he still managed to live, thrive and survive.

What you mean Ms Roxy? Is it to do with the speed between posts? Are we too slow putting it together? Where you wanting something fast paced an action-y in a Michael Bayish way? One that was slow with the characters building up strong emotional ties as they coped with their traumatic life experiences by creating wonderful art, refusing to share it to the world because that's not why they made it? Do you want it to be able to make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs? I don't understand.

bubby

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 20, 2012, 03:41:38 PM
Why does power matter? It's a story! Dresden Files where full of very powerful people and he still managed to live, thrive and survive.

What you mean Ms Roxy? Is it to do with the speed between posts? Are we too slow putting it together? Where you wanting something fast paced an action-y in a Michael Bayish way? One that was slow with the characters building up strong emotional ties as they coped with their traumatic life experiences by creating wonderful art, refusing to share it to the world because that's not why they made it? Do you want it to be able to make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs? I don't understand.

Cuchulain.. will you be my BFF?  ::) Even your OOC responses are so very entertaining.

helvorn

As long as the players aren't god'ing their characters around I'm ok with bubbly's character.  She is damn powerful but is limited by her Fae nature to a more limited path than mortals. 

HairyHeretic

Maybe I just have too many years behind the GMs screen, but I prefer to have a group be on roughly the same level. That way, everyone gets their chance to shine in the game. With one person significantly more powerful than the rest, they can overshadow the others, and leave them feel more the sidekicks than the heros.

Now, I don't mean to say that will happen here, but it's something to consider.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Roxy Rocket



      Clarification: lack of structure, use of character bios, use of pictures, swarms of fairy godmothers.

      (Okay, not swarms.)

      I just think we're looking for different things.

Mister Grimm

Mmmm, I may sit on this for a while longer. It seems interesting, however I'm a little iffy on the idea of the Denarius. while I love them in the books, I'm pretty sure that they were all either already assigned to a Host or locked away. //shrugs

Doesn't mean that I'm still not interested, I just hit a bit of a character/muse block and I'm trying to work through it. I'll try to get a sheet up soon.
I've got all the things I need. It's the nature of my breed.
I'm independent, s m o o t h and confident.
Always in command with a graceful element and a tasteful compliment.
Do you know who I am?
I'm a deadly handsome man.

Cuchulainn

Hmm I totally posted a message here where did it go? A well.

Okay first order of business where do people wish for this to be placed, I assume it would need to be placed based on participating characters fetishes and the setting.

Now, Mr Hairy, I get where you are coming from but the way I see Bubby's character is the Genie in Aladdin, someone who has a lot of power but tends not to be to overt in using it. Someone who will approach various characters in the game when they are at their weakest or in need and attempt to trap them in a deal. Of course I could be reading Bubby's intentions wrong. Also if Bubby's character was such a problem by the same logic so would Anon's character be due to his
weakness compared to most of the other characters, no magical or fighting ability, just a simple doctor about to thrown viciously
into uncharted waters...here be monsters.

Fair enough Ms. Roxy, the bios are just so I can get a bit of information on the characters and make sure I can make it so they become involved, pictures well personally I prefer written descriptions to hard to find pictures to fit what I imagined but I defer to the people. As for the lack of structure? Definitely I hate to much structure, you make out a plan that this, then this, then that should happen and then your own characters arrive and end up doing the exact opposite.

As for the Denarians Mr Grimm, they probably are but I've decided to go slightly AU, might throw out someone wielding Fidelacchius as well. Don't want Sanya being lonely.


bubby

Quote from: cuchulainn on October 21, 2012, 08:06:05 AM
Hmm I totally posted a message here where did it go? A well.

Okay first order of business where do people wish for this to be placed, I assume it would need to be placed based on participating characters fetishes and the setting.

Now, Mr Hairy, I get where you are coming from but the way I see Bubby's character is the Genie in Aladdin, someone who has a lot of power but tends not to be to overt in using it. Someone who will approach various characters in the game when they are at their weakest or in need and attempt to trap them in a deal. Of course I could be reading Bubby's intentions wrong. Also if Bubby's character was such a problem by the same logic so would Anon's character be due to his
weakness compared to most of the other characters, no magical or fighting ability, just a simple doctor about to thrown viciously
into uncharted waters...here be monsters.


This. In the books The Leananshidhe's power is referenced quite a lot, but she never really uses it. Yes, as Winter Court Sidhe she could kill at the blink of an eye, literally. But that is not the point! She will be around to attempt to broker deals with people, through wily ways, not through physical confrontation. With that being said, if anyone in the game is ever willing to be tortured a bit, I'm quite game!  >:)

Caela

Also, while the books make a point out of how powerful she is, they also make the point (repeatedly) that her power in the MORTAL realm is much more limited. Harry laments, more than once, that she wouldn't be able to do most of the things she does to him magically, if he hadn't made a bargain with her and given her a tie to him.

Don't make a deal with her and stay out of the Nevernever and you'll be fine lol.

bubby

Quote from: Caela on October 21, 2012, 02:01:34 PM
Also, while the books make a point out of how powerful she is, they also make the point (repeatedly) that her power in the MORTAL realm is much more limited. Harry laments, more than once, that she wouldn't be able to do most of the things she does to him magically, if he hadn't made a bargain with her and given her a tie to him.

Don't make a deal with her and stay out of the Nevernever and you'll be fine lol.

;D

Cuchulainn

So I shall write up the first post when I get the time, lotta' stuff been happening this week. Halloween!


Caela

That would be awesome! If you have the time. With Halloween coming up lots of folks will be partying this weekend!

bubby


helvorn


Mister Grimm

As much as I'd like to join, regrettably I'm going to have to pull out. A group RP may be a bad idea at the time since my muse is fluctuating and I don't want to slow things down. Another time, perhaps.
I've got all the things I need. It's the nature of my breed.
I'm independent, s m o o t h and confident.
Always in command with a graceful element and a tasteful compliment.
Do you know who I am?
I'm a deadly handsome man.

Cuchulainn

Aww fair enough, and I haven't forgotten about this but honestly I have barely been in the house since Friday and trying to complete an application at the same time, but it shall be posted hopefully by the end of the week!

helvorn


bubby


Genbu83

I am interestes to see how this is going. If there is room, I have ideas for an artificier concept that might work within the rules of the DresdenVerse.

Cuchulainn

No idea what an artificer is but sure, the IC thread should be popping up today.

helvorn


Cuchulainn


helvorn


Genbu83

item focused, to an extent. I am a technician of sorts, and so I want to apply my theory of electronics to magic, for a different sort of wizard....or at the least a very resourceful practicioner.

The concept is somewhat of the punk-rock, indy, hacker type as a wizard. Still swilling the ideas about in my head, but not everyone can have Dresden's conviction and focus, and so this "kid's" schitch, is ingenius us of focii and manipulation of ambient magic.

helvorn


Cuchulainn

*sigh* potions get no love.

Yea it does sound like a good idea, would be be a real one trick pony? Skilled only at making foc, being able to use them and nothing else? Or would he be a wizard with a strong preference towards foci magic.

Caela

It'd be interesting to see a hacker type as a Wizard. Especially since he wouldn't actually be able to use a computer! lol

I can visualize this inner wellspring of frustration from suddenly not being able to do something he used to like, once his magic manifested and started making electronics go ka-flooy!

helvorn

If you were really good at making 'stuff' then you could get away with not being good at flash bang attack magic.  You'd have items that could be used to duplicate those kind of effects and probably more reliably.  The bad thing is when you run out of juice in the items or if you get caught without them...

Cuchulainn

Don't forget to throw potions into the mix, potions are awesome.

helvorn

Potions are under appreciated in the books but do show up a couple of times to good effect.  I like the lust potion that Susan accidentally imbibed in the second book I think.

Anon315

Potions are great, but you're right they show up less and less after the first books. Three weeks until new book! (Some chapters up already on his web site.)

Cuchulainn


Anon315


helvorn


Cuchulainn


Caela

Will get a post up by this weekend. Have the next four days off to get caught up on my stories! Yay! :)

Genbu83

I hadn't decided yet if he should be a full fledged wizard, or just a high level talent. If he were an apprentice or wizard, potions and magic theory would apply to him more. However as Dresden explains it, belief is morw important. So working like a living circuit board would be his individual laws to magic.

As far as interaction with technology goes, there are two ways he can go about that. Being under running water, or reducing power. Crossing a threshhold obviously is the most surefire way to.do that.


My theory on magic as an energy, actually works to make the use of technology possible. Capacitors and inductors mostly. Say my hacker store energy in a series of crystals, akin to Dresden's force ring. That energy is being directed and stored as it is created, and thusly creates less interference with technology. However once his "batteries" are charged, standard rules apply.

The batteries are his first source of magic, and he would have a plethera of items similar to the ring, belt, buckle, and such.

As far as being out of juice goes...I imagine him as the rugby/soccer hooligan type...which will make him a bit scrappy and gives option to have him go warden or join another equivalent mage brute squad.

What is certain about the character so far is that he likes enchanting chains and studs, and likely has a cricket bat for a rod.

Cuchulainn

Hmm, I know Dresden goes on on and on about how "He's got so much magic that thinks break easy." But it doesn't add up for me, when he goes to the aquarium and they make that circle he suddenly starts panicking because the only magic he can use is what he takes in with him which suggest not a lot and that the exhaustion he feels is the act of using it, not so much the magic itself. Which also suggests it is not there personal reservoir of magic that messes with the technology more the fact they are wizards.

The other point is also that they weren't technologically inept and that before witches and wizards had warts and pimples appear on their body because of the fact they where sorcerers. Also the fact that every other creature, even the ones with magical mojo can use technology without problem and only interfere with it when they want to.

I don't mind a bit of work around to make the use of technology possible but I don't like the thought of wizards using computers successfully, specially consider how often regular humans having problems with them.

If you wanted to take him down the one practioner root and make him a one trick pony, like the girl who can see into the future and the flash with tats then yea I could see him using computers, as long as he remained very zen. Although as a practioner  that would mean no spells which would mean no blasting rod as a blasting rod is just a focus for fire spells similar to his cane sword built for earth magic.

Caela

I think part of his being able to break things easy isn't just the level of his own personal magic, but that he can channel a lot of magic around him as well. He can draw in a lot of the energy (heat, kinetic, etc) from around him and use it to empower his magic as well. With the circle in the aquarium, the Denarians were cutting him (and the Archive) off from that outside source of energy, leaving him with only what he could carry in himself and that made what he could do much more limited since he wouldn't be able to replenish, or use, those outside sources of energy.

I don't think a lot of the other magical creatures can use technology either. It could be more just a natural aversion to it than an inability but you don't, typically, see them using it much. The vamps certainly seem to use it more than most, especially White Court but they aren't really much for the waving around of magic (for the most part) so they probably don't disturb it like Wizards do.

Cuchulainn

No I'm pretty sure non mortal practitioners can use magic, sure bob mentions how good the internet is, also I am pretty sure in summer knight? There is a line somewhere like about non mortal practitioners not affecting electronics unless they want to.

helvorn

The non mortal practitioners did not use magic like human wizards or were one trick ponies like the werewolves.  I think that along with the power of a mortal wizard is the effect on technology.   I'd say you could figure out a way to use magic and at least some tech but you'd be limited otherwise in your magic.

Pumpkin Seeds


HairyHeretic

The affect on technology is a magical leakage, so to speak. If you have 100% concentration on the magic, it doesn't leak out and affect stuff. Your mind wavers, you get leakage. That's waht causes stuff to get messed up.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Caela

Quote from: cuchulainn on November 09, 2012, 01:16:27 PM
No I'm pretty sure non mortal practitioners can use magic, sure bob mentions how good the internet is, also I am pretty sure in summer knight? There is a line somewhere like about non mortal practitioners not affecting electronics unless they want to.

I didn't mean that they couldn't use technology, just that they don't seem to. I think some, like the fairies have an almost natural aversion to it (all those man-made material and metal) and Harry tends to deal with heavy hitters and leaders and in most of the non-mortal groups that also equal OLD in a big way and lots of them just seem to distrust modern technology. Might be interesting to see how some of the younger (less than a century old) characters of those groups act around modern technology.

As for how tech reacts around them, like Helvorn said, most are one trick ponies so they don't have the same build-up that a mortal Wizard does and the ones that aren't (like the Black Court vampire Mavra) never seem to be using tech either. I think some of it might have to do with the type of energy drawn on as well. Harry mentions using natural energy in his magic and most tech runs on that as well so it's easy to see why magic would screw with it really since it would disrupt the flow of energy to the machine itself. From a tech pov a fairy might have an easier time with a computer because their magic is drawn from the Nevernever so that energy might not be as disruptive to something from our plane.

Just thoughts. :)

helvorn

I think that fairies don't use tech so much because that is not their nature.  Butcher makes a big deal of human free will and the fact that the fey at least are locked into behaving according to their natures.  So if tech is not in their nature then they don't use it.  Plus for most of the fey they can do what they need without recourse to using tech.

Lastly, iron bothers the fey so I'd imagine anything with a significant hunk of that metal in it will be uncomfortable for them.

Now the White and Red court vamps are huge users of technolgy but then they have no real 'magic' like that of a wizard.  They do have powers but they are powered by feeding on others rather than use of natural magical energy.

Cuchulainn

Quote from: Pumpkin Seeds on November 09, 2012, 05:07:18 PM
Is this game still accepting players?

Yea totally feel free to join.

As for technology,
Quote"Magic wasn't always screwing up post WW2 tech. Before WW2 magic had other effects. It sorta changes slowly over time, and about every 3 centuries it rolls over into something else. At one time, instead of magic making machines flip out it made cream go bad. Before that magic made weird molls on your skin and fire would burn slightly different colors when you were around it." Currently, magic interferes with technology and causes it to randomly break down; the more magic in the area, the greater the chance of something wrong happening.
This does not effect minor practitioners as much as full wizards because of the different energy levels they control

Basically to me it sounds like Wizards are lightning rods for ambient magic and their bodies basically pull it towards the wizard. So no computers for a wizard, computers are by far to complex and complicated. It is to established it is one of those facts of magic of the Dresden universe and I am almost certain it only really affects mortal magic, sure butters managed to hook bob up to the internet.


Genbu83

Busy week, where is the IC and OOC thread link? I think i have.my character prwtty fleshed out. I just need to watch attack the block, hackers, and the goonies again.


Anon315

Quote from: HairyHeretic on November 09, 2012, 05:19:23 PM
The affect on technology is a magical leakage, so to speak. If you have 100% concentration on the magic, it doesn't leak out and affect stuff. Your mind wavers, you get leakage. That's waht causes stuff to get messed up.
It also just has to do purely with how much power you're tossing about. It's easier to control a leak from a garden hose on low pressure than from a pressurized fire hose.

Genbu83

Quote from: Anon315 on November 20, 2012, 12:24:56 PM
It also just has to do purely with how much power you're tossing about. It's easier to control a leak from a garden hose on low pressure than from a pressurized fire hose.

Think of the Wizard Interference with technology, as a magnetic field with variances in both frequency and power. A wizard is like an EMP, so to speak. just as with an emp, which can be shielded against, one can shield against magic users. Granted magic using humans are ground out when under running water or when they cross a threshhold univited.

My concept is akin to how you shield against emp, the ambient magic energy is going to find the path of least resistance and get ground out. that is also where the magical capacitors come into play. My character beleieves magic works like electricity, and so he quantifies it in terms of it's load potential, path of current, and how it can overcome resistance.

Natural reserve, drawn power, and stored power come into play when it comes to my character casting spells. His naturally reserve is not nearly as high as Mr. Dresden, however I'd imagine he is powerful enough to be a council wizard. What he does with his own power is all done with efficiency in mind. Next is the drawn power, this is taken from nature, spirits, bargains, or in my characters case magic occuring around him or directed at him. Where as a lot wizards use shields against each other, my character has shield spells, but rather harness all the energy being direct at him. Think in terms of akido, an attack is a gift. Physics wise, that is energy to be manipulated, redirected, or stored for later use. finally stored Power, in the books, rituals, charms, areas, and potions all store power. They all have a liited ammount of time to be active for the most part, however that is where i got the idea for magical capacitors. Magic slowly leaks out, so if you build charms in the way that they are designed to slowly drain energy and absorb energy, there is an ebb and flow. You still have energy to work with, but you don't need to worry so much about constantly reinforcing certain effects upon them.

Sorry to get intoo all the electronic their, but it's how I imagine magic works in Butcher's series, outside of the belief thing. Magic is much more complex for mortals than it is for fey and outsiders.


Anon315

So are any of those who posted characters / interest going to post ICly? It's rather lonely with just the two of us.

helvorn

Working on one.  Life has finally settled down for tonight.

Caela

Will get a reply up later today...Helvorn, your vampires assumption that my girl isn't powerful made me giggle. It's exactly the sort of underestimation she has spent her whole life attempting to inspire in people. Utterly perfect! :D

Genbu83

Working on my post now. I had no luck findinga good punk-rock looking caster. So I just found a normal looking punk rocker.

helvorn

Quote from: Caela on November 24, 2012, 05:19:09 AM
Will get a reply up later today...Helvorn, your vampires assumption that my girl isn't powerful made me giggle. It's exactly the sort of underestimation she has spent her whole life attempting to inspire in people. Utterly perfect! :D

I wanted to slip that in.  You've done such a great job with the character I felt the need to add it to my own reaction.

HairyHeretic

Work has left me rather drained of late. I'll try and get something up soon.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cuchulainn

I give you guys the social event of the year, one that would be teaming with interesting men and women both real and fictional...and you all go hang out down the local pub. Cretins, you clearly lack a refined palates. Well the sword was just supposed to be a filler item, an ordinary finely crafted sword that was mistaken for something else but if you want it to be magical sure why not you all seem to be giving it a lot of attention anyway. Well I shall stand back for the moment, let you all engage in your meet and greet, don't forget all those games to help you remember everyone's name. If you seem to be stuck I'll start throwing plot devices at you to get you moving...maybe someone hits the fire alarm, who knows?

...wait a minute this isn't the OOC thread.

*starts shooing the discussion over there.*

helvorn


Aeroa

Player Name: Aeroa



Character Name: Marc "Smitty" Smith

Gender: Male

Nationality: American

Age: 24

Sexuality: Bisexual

Personality: Friendly, sarcastic, intelligent.

Abilities: Can conjure hellfire, unusual resistance to pain, heightened senses, learns things very quickly.

History: Born and raised in America, Marc lived an active life able to balance social and academic aspects almost perfectly throughout elementary and secondary school. He developed a love for jogging in somewhere in mid high school along with a girlfriend he was quite fond of. Ideally, he would have continued with academics but when he broke up with his first girlfriend after two years of being together, he felt worthless. Around the same time his parents got divorced, his father left, his best friend moved to London and his little brother attempted suicide several times. Dropping into a minor depression and fancying drinking, he fell into the wrong crowd and eventually lost interest in school. Despite these events he maintained a positive attitude and remained social. During one of his out of town parties he came across an unusual coin and he's kept it ever since, calling it his lucky coin and never leaving home without it. Months passed. A strange tattoo-like symbol appeared on his right shoulder blade, hallucinations began, voices whispered in his ears so he started seeing a psychologist on a semi-regular basis and was placed on anti-psychotic medication. Convinced there was nothing left for him there, he immigrated to London for further schooling, to start a new life and live with his closest friend. Since then, he's stopped taking his medication and become acquaintances with the voices that are evidentially able to bestow knowledge, physical prowess, and magical ability upon him.