The Dresden Files > DFRPG
Brainstorming: Adventures in the Dresdenverse
Kristine:
--- Quote from: Lanodantheon on March 30, 2008, 07:44:02 AM ---DFRPG adventures I can see falling into the Buffy, "Monster" a week or BBETTCAWDTW (Big Bad Evil Thing That Can And Will Destroy The World" a Week structure. This week the Shroud of Turin, next week the actual Grendel and the week after that soe introspective character moments involving Sweet from Once More, With Feeling.
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You also might want to go 'X-files style' if you have mainly low powered or human characters. (one could have fairy in their bloodline, one could be a 'one trick pony' while one could just be the super investigator type) - This would be a Monster-of-the-week and/or a main uber-bad guy who comes back once in a while.
I always thought the RPG could be like a high powered Kolchack;The Night Stalker episodes - with Carl's sense of humor (very much like Harry's but understated) and investigation rather than the Buffy - there's the bad guy now roll the dice and kill it - mentality. I guess it's more of what kind of group you have. Either one would work depending on your players.
--- Quote from: Lanodantheon on March 30, 2008, 07:44:02 AM ---IMHO, the key to a Dresdenified Adventure is the Dresden Tongue-in-cheek/Dry/Black Humor that comes with Harry Dresden's world view...
Often times the players shouldn't add a pop culture reference or laugh, but they just gotta....
In fact, it's a requirement....
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It is also the GMs responsibility to add them. Maybe your fighting an evil construct of Elvis - or a winter Fae lord has decided he wants to take over the life left by Kurt Cobain. Why would The Black Court back a local (or presidential) politician? There is a ghost who has possessed a local lawyer to win the cases he lost in life. All kinds of different types of humor are a possibility. Just look in the different sections of the newspaper.
Or a history book. What, if anything, did the White Counsel do during WW2 or the French Revolution? What interesting characters can you bring from history to the present or have your characters back in time fighting something then?
--- Quote from: Lanodantheon on March 30, 2008, 07:44:02 AM ---However, no 2 DMs will approach the same material the same way. Everybody likes different parts of Dresden. Some people like the Phillip Marlowe aspect, wanting to make their game dark or like Angel. While others like the humor and have a serious threat in an awkward situation...
IT all depends on the DM, the group and the interpretation of Dresden you like.
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As a GM to keep it 'Dresden like' you should use some over-the-top humorous situations and, of course the idea that most people don't know about this stuff and it will not come out in the open in a big way for fear of stirring up the human hordes. There are big bad things out there watching you, and some are on your side, some are neutral, and some are eeeeevil.
A GM should remember that, though they are running the game, if the players aren't syncing with the stories you making (ie they are not investigators and you have a Phillip Marllow style game) then you have to adapt your world to their playing ability.
Slife:
--- Quote from: WyldCard4 on February 17, 2008, 01:26:09 PM ---Simple enough.
A young wizard is gathering to much power and influence, he is streching the councel to thin in constant raids, something needs to be done about him or we could lose the war.
The PCs are a group of agents of the White Councel who have the mission of stopping this guy.
That will be the first adventure to show that you can't just do what you want without consaquences.
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Wait... you're having your first adventure be going up against Harry?
Simon Hogwood:
--- Quote from: Slife on April 06, 2008, 07:45:30 PM ---Wait... you're having your first adventure be going up against Harry?
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I don't know if that's what Wyldcard intended, but a twist ending wherein the PC's are encourged to go up against one of the series' good guys would be great. Or, alternatively, aiding one of the bad guys. . . Such as, say, the recovery of a stolen coin collection? Specializing in 1st century Roman coinage that has been mysteriously and systematically defaced? ;)
R00kie:
--- Quote from: Simon Hogwood on April 06, 2008, 10:20:54 PM ---I don't know if that's what Wyldcard intended, but a twist ending wherein the PC's are encourged to go up against one of the series' good guys would be great. Or, alternatively, aiding one of the bad guys.
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I'm hoping to have a little more ambiguity than just good and bad. Yes - there are some pretty obvious bad guys, but for example was Bianca really bad? I know she lived by her nature, she killed people and she didnt get on with Harry, but in a certain light she was in the right, andHarry was the argessor. A lot of people don't get on with Harry and they aren't neccessarily bad.
How about Molly? If you ask Morgan he might well put her in the evil camp. So might the Merlin.
Now imagine the fun you can have by sending the White Council send the players out to deal with someone who's broken the laws of magic who's under the protection of the church. The church feel he's on Gods side, whilst the Council feel he's a Warlock. Perhaps the guys a faith healer who's cast out demons (and cured mental trauma). Maybe he's used magic to end the lives of people in great pain peacefully. You could even have someone transforming people to remove dibilitating injuries - making them whole.
Or you could look at it from the other side. How is the church going to react if some guy with a sword decapitates a beloved faith healer.
In fact how would the White Council react if they had the police, FBI and church after one of their wardens who'd just done his duty. Would they protect him or just cast him free. Maybe the'd send someone to silence him before he was interrogated?
There are a lot of morally ambiguous situations, characters and organisations in the Dresden books. The only characters who's loyalties we can be pretty sure about are Harry (since we 'hear' his thoughs) and Kincade (who is always on his own side). None of the organisations are entirely pure or entirely unpure. Both the council and the Chicago police are more concerned about politics than what's right, and groups like the White Court keep surprising us by showing redeaming characteristics. Its not black and white, so why should our adventures be?
Simon Hogwood:
--- Quote from: R00kie on April 07, 2008, 10:26:05 AM ---I'm hoping to have a little more ambiguity than just good and bad. Yes - there are some pretty obvious bad guys, but for example was Bianca really bad? . . . How about Molly? If you ask Morgan he might well put her in the evil camp. So might the Merlin.
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True, but the very fact that I said "good guys" and "bad guys" instead of "heroes" and "villains" (or even "protagonists" and "antagonists") indicates the effect that sort of dramatic twist that a scenario like what I attempted to describe would generate.
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