Dresden Files: The City of Lost Sleep

Hey folks, thinking about running a game set in the Dresden Files university using the DFiles RPG system put out by Evil Hat. I've picked up the source books for which and it's a pretty neat system with a lot of flexibility and some interesting approaches to game design and play. There's going to be investigative aspects to the game, and probably a fair amount of action, but frankly I want this to be a Role Playing Game first and foremost, and if the entire "party" ends up spending a month having meaningful character interaction around a bar table at the New York equivalent to MacAnally's I'm fine with that.

***POSSIBLE SERIES SPOILERS AHEAD. PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SERIES UP TO SKIN GAME

Setting: The game takes place in New York City, shortly after the events of Skin Game (not that a random heist in Chicago will affect the game or anything, no, it's just for chronological context). I'm still laying out the details of the setting (DFRPG has a REALLY detailed City Creation mechanic that can involve the players themselves, that I'm sitting down and working with now)

Characters: For anyone with a passing familiarity with the system, we'll be using the Up To The Waist Power Level for the game. Player characters are either vanilla mortals who have recently cottoned to the supernatural, or relatively weak or inexperienced members of the supernatural community, either from the Big Apple itself or having recently arrived in the city. It's assumed your characters have a passing, if recent and incomplete, familiarity with the weirder side of the world. DFRPG has rules to make this a collaborative process, in the sense that players are encouraged to work out character details together so that linking points between different characters can be created, to form a common and shared history, and if that's what people want to go with I'm completely down, and we can add in a bunch of players and then sit down in the game forums to actually make characters, rather than having you submit characters in advance.
Ideally, I'd like for us to be able to work out a shared backstory that lets you all know each other in advance, even if in passing.

Plot: Players will be dealing with a recent bout of chronic insomnia, having kept you all up for the past few days and unable to find meaningful rest. Several other members of the supernatural community local to NYC have reported similar sleeping problems, though anyone with access to the Paranet can tell that the problem seems localized to the Big Apple so far. While this has so far had no major adverse effects other than some impairment and an increase in general irritability, if it keeps up it could start to cause real problems for you.

Please post if you're interested, and I'll start setting the game up if there's interest. It'll likely be a Custom game for now, until such time as Gamers Plane sets up Dresden Files character sheets.

Double Post, don't know how to remove this, but Ro if you see this please delete.

You know I am in. Already forged a concept.

Name: Jean-Paul LaCroix
Template: Emissary of Power
High Concept: A witch-doctorate in Anthropology
Trouble: Everyone's a Critic

Short Summary: A professor of Anthropology at Pace University who has a fascination with the occult and primitive religions. In the early years of his career this became an obsession. Having grown up in New Orleans Jean-Paul's primary interest was Haitian Vodou and as such he traveled to Haiti while doing his doctorate to study the religion. In his time there he came into contact with an otherworldly entity that offered to teach him true magic in exchange for its freedom. He believes this to be the Loa Baron Semidi but the truth is far more sinister and unknowable. The character has since learned Thaumaturgy using Vodou has his methods. The character specializes in crafting, specifically potions and enchanted items. Jean-Paul has no evocation ability, but does posses The Sight. The "loa" remains trapped in an artifact in Jean's office and acts as Jean's primary connection to the occult. Jean continues his research into Thaumaturgy guided by the "loa" who ultimately seeks true freedom. He is unaware he is being manipulated. The character is weak in combat and physical activity but has a high lore skill and is a fairly skilled Thaumaturge considering his current "level". The total refresh at this point is -4. As can be expected many of his colleagues believe he has gone off the deep end. Jean spends much time in his office surrounded by strange artifacts and books and spends more time studying the occult than Anthropology. His interests have crept into his lessons and he has a following of students becoming dangerously interested in the occult. He also is a fairly attractive young man with a more than approved closeness to his female students who make up much of his following. His career is beginning to suffer and many skeptics and critics are pushing to terminate him despite his tenure.

I also have to take Marked by Power which is a -1 refresh so my character's final refresh will be 1.

Sounds good!

I'll need to post an in-depth description, but for now I'm thinking I'd like to become a Venator at some point. I'll need to think more about my powerset.

Note, gonna see if GP gets the DFRPG sheets up by Tuesday. If that happens look for the game as a DFRPG game. If not, it'll still go up Tuesday night as a Custom game, and we'll worry about migrating over if we have to.

Looking forward to it. As long as you are ok with my concept I will start creating the actual character

Oh yeah. I'm down for that. When we sit down to nail down character details I'd like to work with you guys on the city creation and chargen so that we've got some connective tissue between the characters. I'm also toying with the idea of reworking the plot (I picked it because I really liked the name, but I'm having trouble developing a really good hook for how or why you'd all be investigating this), but I'm less sure on that.

Oddly enough, while we won't be able to use this in the near future, an announcement came out last week on Jim's site that they're publishing an expansion called the Paranet Papers in early 2015.

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So uh, looks like game creation is broken, at least for Custom games. Until that gets resolved we'll keep discussion on characters and such here.

Game's up as a Custom game. If you haven't already and are interested in playing, please post here with your intention to play prior to applying to join the game.

Applied and ready for city generation.

Oh, Azz, quick thing I just wanted to point out, and I'm only nitpicking this because I'm in Academia myself, but if your character's got tenure as a professor, he's pretty much guaranteed to be at least 35.

Was the intention to be about so. In the modern world 35 is still young.

Granted, I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

Also, woot, now I feel young.

Same page indeed, and now that we are climbing the old age ladder I thought you could use a reminder of your youth.

Not seeing the forum for this game. Is it intentionally hidden right now or is it bugging?

It was a bug, I fixed it.

Name: Riley Dangerfield
Template: Sorcerer
High-Concept: Hero for Hire / Anti-Hero
Trouble: "Family" Ties

Riley Dangerfield emigrated from his family in northern NJ after barely graduating high school. He has since been servicing and taking advantage of various immigrant populations around the boroughs of NYC. Riley is always on the move and finds forging new relationships outside of his extended family difficult. Riley has a gift with persuasion and getting his way, honestly or otherwise.

Posts have been up in the game forum for a few days now. Take a look, guys.

I saw but I have just been too busy so far this week. Very excited to get this going but Thanksgiving/Black Friday are very busy in the restaurant world, and I am training 4 new employees. Hoping to be back to normal by Saturday, I apologize for the delay.

Geez, yeah that sounds like the work week from hell. It's all good, take your time, hope to see stuff this weekend.

Is this Dresden Game still going and accepting players? I have a character from a previous game, that I think would be perfect for this game if you're still taking players.

still in chargen and city creation. I cannot speak for deus but I think we still want players. We have been stalled from the holidays hopefully it will pick up again soon

Thanks Azzorak. If Deus says yes, then I'll apply to join.

Hey sorry, I'm still getting back into the swing of checking the site daily now that the holidays are long past us.

Yeah man, we've definitely got room for more players, and you're welcome to port in a character from a previous game. I'd just like to know the High Concept for the character ahead of time.

Also for the existing characters we're still slowly progressing through the phases of character creation, and while I'm trying to get things moving again it may take a few more weeks before they're done with characters.

Looking forward to seeing what you're bringing to the table.

No worries DeusMalum. Reading where some more of the game threads, I'm less sure that the character would suit, so I'll leave it up to you to judge.

As originally envisaged Dr Mathias Falkenburg is a four centuries old Frankenstein's monster, living amongst the supernatural community, and occasionally, acting as a doctor for them. He spends his time doing medical research, specialising in illness with no rational explanation, publishing a few articles to obscure journals, which are inevitably ignored.

It was the medical aspect which made me think he might be suitable, however, he may be too supernatural for the tone of the campaign.

Dr Mathias Falkenburg
High Concept: Lab created Frankenstein's Monster
Trouble: High maintenance - chemicals keep me alive
Aspects: A creation of science and magic, The monster within me rages, Medicine is a calling and a duty, Mostly undead

Let me know if you think he's suitable, if not, I'm still interested and perhaps Falkenburg can be changed, or I can come up with a different character (although perhaps one maintaining the medical idea).

PS: the game description says the power level is "Up to Your Waist power level", but the forum in Games Tavern says "Feet in the Water Power Level", so I'm not sure what the power level of the game is.

It was increased to up to the waist. Initially it was to be feet in...

Azzorak is correct. I opted to increase the power level to give players more options when making characters but never updated the OP to reflect that. I've corrected that mistake.

On paper I don't see why your character wouldn't be a fit for the team, as long as the points you need to put him together still fall within the limit set by Feet in the Water. It seems like a really interesting character. It looks like you've got 4 Aspects chosen in addition to your High Concept and Trouble. Are you interested in adding on two additional aspects from the last two character creation Phases, as outlined in the character creation rules in the book? Basically you'll be able to pick aspects for two of the other characters and two other players will decide on aspects for you, as part of a shared history. I'd like the idea of the characters at least being acquainted ahead of time, even if you're not all intimately familiar with one another and best mates.

I think that, if the high concept fits with the party, it can scale to most power levels. In the chest deep campaign he was introduced, Falkenburg was scaled up to be an indestructible monster, but the character conception does not require that.

Question: Isn't Falkenburg only missing one aspect? I thought there were 5 phases aspects, which would mean I'm only missing one.

Question: do the characters start knowing each other? If so I'd like to consider the last two phase aspects to try to include another character in the Guest Star and GS Redux phases.

PS: I've applied to join the game, if that's ok.

Accepted!

You're correct, the good Doc is only missing one aspect, with the other 4 covered.

As far as including another character, do you mean one of the other PCs or an NPC? I'm using the rules for GS and GS Redux as listed in the book so that I can have the player characters all start out knowing each other. Would this mean dropping one aspect in order to get 5 at the end of character creation, or going up to 6 with your existing 4? This is my first time DMing so I'm not sure if you're REQUIRED to have exactly 5, or if that's a bare minimum.

Also I think your high concept fits for sure. One of the other characters is also old by mortal standards, I try to be flexible in putting games together.

Now that I can see the Character Creation: Aspects thread I can see that were up to the first phase of character creation, so I don't think there's any need to rush ahead, or assume that all the aspects for Falkenburg are going to stick.

It seems like the easiest thing to is to join the thread and the process.

That works perfectly. I'm trying to get things rolling again now that we're past the holidays, but it's a slow process.

I'm also trying to find time to do some stuff for the city creation side of things.

Are you guys still trying to get this together and any chance you are looking for additional players?!

It would be pretty great if they were

Its coming slowly but surely. I think we are mostly through it now. Couple more aspects and a few city tweaks.

We've definitely got room for additional players. We're perilously close to being done with character aspects, and we just need to iron out the faces of New York before we're done and ready to start.

If you guys have High Concepts and Troubles for characters, feel free to post them here and then apply to the game. What we'll probably need is for you guys to get Aspects 1-3 done as quickly as you can, and then I'll pair you up with some of the existing characters to give you guys your Aspects 4 and 5.

Also once you're in, feel free to start contributing Faces to the proper thread, once you've had a chance to catch up on the locations and aspects for New York that have been developed (and feel free to suggest more if you feel like).

I was thinking a focused practitioner who uses Spirit channeling to enhance his martial arts. Kind of a cross between Wong from Big Trouble in Little China and the gym leader from Karate Kid (but less of a jerk). Something like...

Billy Patterson
High Concept: Chi Master Martial Artist
Trouble: My Neighborhood Needs Me

Billy Patterson grew up around here and lived here most of his life. When he was a kid, he was always the little guy the bullies singled out to pick on so his folks enrolled him in martial arts classes down at the neighborhood Y. Billy took to it like a duck to water and eventually discovered the more spiritual aspects of martial arts. Through focus and discipline he learned to focus his chi into his fighting style. Now grown, Billy still lives in the neighborhood, though it's gone downhill in recent years. He has his own dojo where he teaches self defense and he does what he can to help keep the streets clean. Sometimes there's things out there that the cops can't - or won't - deal with. Times like these, a place needs it's own kinda hero.

I like! Feel free to apply for the game if you haven't already.

Application: SUBMITTED!!!!!

Approved, welcome!

Dang, I failed at forum'ing and didn't actually subscribe to this thread. It would appear that you are now full? If not I was thinking along the lines of a man with native american heritage that can shapeshift (coyote, lynx, bobcat) something small and sneaky. I'm thinking high burglary, deceit and some investigation skills. If there is still room, i'll flesh out the details when I get home and can look at the books!

I'll bump the cap up to 7 so you can apply. Player 6 is a friend and I'm waiting on him to decide if he wants to watch or play. We have a character who's more got native american shapeshifting aimed more towards "human skinwalker" but I don't really see anything wrong with doubling up on archetypes. Feel free to post a High Concept and trouble here and then apply to the game.

Benjamin Watts
High Concept: Orphaned Werecoyote pickpocket
Trouble: Legal guardian for my little brother

Ben grew up south of Billings Montana on the Crow reservation with his Grandfather. He learned the beliefs and traditions of the Crow people from his Grandfather. His Grandfather passed away when he was 9 and in his grief shifted for the first time. After living in Montana Ben was sent to New York to live with his mother and his 2 year old younger brother Sam. After Ben turned 18 his Mom died in a car accident and he became Sam's legal guardian. Ben's had to steal and take on shady jobs to provide for himself and his brother. He's now 22 doing the best he can in New York to get his 15 year old brother through high school.

If someone ever drops from this I'd be willing to hop in. I've got experience GM'ing the game, would love to get behind it as a player sometime.