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...