A location and character background

Ok, so I'm thinking it would be interesting to play a small businessman -- in this case, a magic shop owner, who also is a bit of a wizard or sorcerer or whatever magical using type name is appropriate for the setting.

I imagine he is located South of Market (or in some sort of really bad neighborhood) where on a single city block there is the magic shop, an antique shop, a used book store, a dive bar, a soup kitchen and some other oddities. The diverse low end businesses actually surround an old grove or maybe a fairie ring or some ancient gate. The various shop owners are actually the hereditary protectors of the site. And naturally it lies upon a ley line nexus or some such that draws trouble it's way.

Or not. Is this the kind of thing you want us to do?

I don't want to go too deep into character background, but I imagine being the son of the prior owner, whose mysterious death has left me with this unexpected responsibility. I also see having a single employee who lives in the small room under the stairs. He isn't imaginative, but most constructs aren't. He is capable of managing the store when I'm out, but not causing it to prosper or to make complex decisions. And I ride a bicycle when I must travel. Or take a bus, then walk the remaining distance after the bus breaks down. But I steer clear of trains. Don't trust them.

May have to get a copy of the dresden files RPG if we are going to do online char gen, so I know what is reasonable.

I like the idea of a magic shop, perhaps its a hangout for some of the local "in-the-know" folks kinda like a comic/game shop.

I like that. The way we used to drop by Brady's shop and end up getting games together there.

Perhaps one of the players is into computers and hosts a site that we all check regularly (except the wizard, of course, who only uses the public library machines until they crash). Sort of a "strange happenings around the bay" kind of a site where cooks from all over post their hallucinations, conspiracy theories and real encounters with the supernatural.

Or perhaps there is an old style Gentleman's Club (not a strip club run by Succubi, but an old style club for men with common interests. In this case, the occult or perhaps protecting the city from supernatural threats. Only over the years, no one takes it seriously. Until one day, we each receive an invitation in the name of our dear old great uncle Maximillian, who upon his passing willed memberships to the lot of us. Perhaps we recall him, or maybe we've never heard of him. But we discover that there is more to the Knights of the Chalice Society (or whatever it will be named -- there probably is such a society as that) than we'd thought.

Or we are contacted by a medium, Sister Anastsia, who has had a prophetic vision involving the lot of us. Only she ends up missing, and we are drawn into a mystery that has no place in our philosophies.

Or not. Just trying to get some ideas going.

I like the idea going more like Grimm, being able to see things that others can not, you know there real nature. Of cours in that setting he is more of a cop, but alo always trying to hide his true nature.

I wouldn't mind having this element in the game. In many ways Dresden does have it (or access to it) in the books. It is plot driven at times, but it still is handy.

Great ideas, both the club and sister Anastasia

One interesting aspect of DFRPG is that Locations of significance and Faces are something we brainstorm right after themes.

So, The "Brotherhood hall" could be a place.

Likewise Sister Anastasia could be a person of significance. She could provide information, kinda like a magic google...or offer jobs/mysteries to solve. Or could just be a crochety old woman who taks our money but serves to keep the general public ar eas with her wild stories of boogie-men...who we know are real.

What Faces do you all think would make for a fun game. Sometimes player's like the concept of a "Face" such that they choose that as there PC. Others are valuable assets or enemies...or just fixtures like the bartender at the neutral ground.

We need to come up with the major players and fictures for our game.

Places are much the same.

What do you guys think?

Can't we have the strip-club run by Succubi as well??

I sense a joke but the truth of it is...well...Totally.

Not only can a key place be the gentlemens club run by a succubus but she can be a person of interest. She most likely would be white court or some secretive creature of the winter fey.

I think a place like that could be also be affiliated with the local crime boss or biker gang...

Point is if we thought it would be a fun addition it could be so.

After a day and having some more time to let the thoughts stew...I think that San Francisco really would have a prety powerful White court presence...they could be subtle or overt but they would be around.

...also for some reason I like the idea of hippie fae...dunno why.

Getting back to SF. I also am interest in my thoughts that the fault-lines could provide energy of some sort...and...could represent a few areas where the spirit/fae relm is closer to the mortal world.

Ideas?

Lets each come up with some ideas for Faces in the game.

Who should the major player be?

What about secondaries.

Here is an example of a good location:

Location
Name: City Lights Books
Description: A literary meeting place since 1953, City Lights is a landmark general bookstore, internationally known for its expert selection of books and for its commitment to free intellectual inquiry. Owner and poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti's store contains 3 floors, and you wind your way through twisty corridors and stacks of books to climb or decend narrow creaking stairways. Underground is the dedicated Accorded Neutral Territory and Poetry reading room. Enjoy a cup of espresso across a scarred and smoke-stained table from your direst foe while snapping your fingers for the latest in independent beat poets.
Theme\Threat: San Francisco's Accorded Neutral Territory
Aspect: Independent to the Core, Live Free or Die (?)
Faces: Lawrence Ferlinghetti, reknowned mortal (?) poet and fierce independent.

I like the idea of a bookstore or a curiosity shop as a "home base", since for many folks these tend to be hangouts just as much as places of business. It also gives a little more of a valid reason as to how some characters may not be in every session ("Billy didn't come in this week. I think last week he said something about going back east to attend his sister's wedding.").

The idea of a succubus being a person of interest works. One running a strip joint has possibilities, but could also work almost anywhere, since I'm guessing that such beings have the ability to "blend in" society more effectively than other supernatural creatures.

Here's an idea for one, taking off of this theme. Use it if you wish:
Name: Nessia Valentino
Description: 5'8'' Moderate build. Young Italian Brunette with green eyes. Hair is combed back in a long ponytail. While seeming to be a person of some wealth, she prefers to wear a tank top and jeans, along with combat boots. She also has any number of tatoos on various places on her body. While not completely covered, they seem to change from week to week, making people who see her on a regular basis wonder if she knows both a good tattoo artist as well as good laser surgeon.

Background/Motivation:
Nessia Valentino is a up-and-coming figure in the San Francisco scene, after recently purchasing a few nightclubs as well as the infamous Red Devil Lounge, where she spends most of her evenings.

Even though she looks more like a partygoer than a businessperson, she manages each club efficiently and with more experience than someone like her should have. This is because she is a creature not of this earth who thrives off of the affections of others, and has become very wealthy doing so. While she thrives off such affection, she does not pursue long term relationships with others, preferring to "be in the moment" and spontaneous.

She also is an information broker, as people tend to do all sorts of business in her clubs, as she has always prided herself on learning all the secrets, and using them to her advantage. While not particularly ruthless, she is quite cunning and does not tolerate being messed with.

Campaign Notes:
Nessia could work as a potential point of contact with the PCs. She could also be a potential antagonist, working against the PCs, either as a rival or a major campaign villain, per the GM's discretion.

Okay looking through the Dresdenworks #1 thread, I'm guessing Nessia counts as a "Face". The Red Devil Lounge actually does exist in San Francisco (on Polk Street). I went there once to see a really cool band called Sage.