The Dresden Files > DFRPG

Alternate Locations for Dresden RPGs

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Murphy's Stunt Double:
I think Detroit would be an excellent choice for a Dresden to down a major resurgence of Black Court Vampires.... or Skavis. And before you go there, I'm not suggesting Black Court because of the racial makeup of the city. Detroit is a wasteland full of the strongest and most cunning monsters in the world that mainly come out at night. It's also very oppressed by an all-pervading sense of despair.

Just a simple google search for the latest news on our despicable mayor should turn up all kinds of inspiration for Blacks or Reds in city politics.

R00kie:
Hmm.. somehow I feel what I hoped would be my main point seems to have got lost. It probably comes down to the way I wrote it, and the lack of emphasis in my original post.

I was trying to point out that the Dresden files is very much based in Western Legends, and that be relocating to a non-western setting you have a very different campaign. As such I was hoping to point out the huge impact of culture on the very nature of the supernatural threat in a Dresden campaign.

In fact basing your campaign on Oriental or Middle Eastern legends would probably have as big an impact on the campaign as setting it in another time period.

Oren:
My advice on this situation is to set the game in a City that you know fairly well. The Dresden Files are all about Chicago and the stuff inside it, and you're going to need to be at least somewhat familiar with the place in question or you'll lose that feeling and the Players may end up feeling like they are just in random place A.

For example, I set my Dresden game in Honolulu, HI, because it's my home town and I know the area pretty well. Helps make the players feel like they are actually there.

Lanodantheon:
When the DFRPG comes out, I know where my game will be played: my hometown of  Spokane Washington, of course. In saying that, I'd just like to share my ideas on this whole Dresdenification of cities that everyone and their dogs will do when the DFRPG comes out. I don't think my interpretation of my city is really special, I just thought forum readers might find it amusing and if not then I'll get a few healthy flames telling me what's wrong with it.

When most people Dresdenify their home towns, it seems like they just play off stereotypes. I just want a location that's fun to play in.
That being said, here's my take on the podunk town of Spokane, WA:

Dresdenverse Spokane is like the Magical World's Casablanca (Complete with Werewolf-Nazis)...

In Spokane, Washington, nothing happens. We have had a World's Fair, but that's about it. There is nothing here, yet we're the 2nd largest city in the state with the 2nd worst job market in the country. However, big names still come here from time to time. This seems suspicious to me. In the Dresdenverse, even moreso. I like to think that there's something special about my town.

My lore for the city begins when the White Council's member of the Lewis and Clark expedition discovered the Native American equivalent of an Old God dormant beneath (figuratively) what is now Spokane, Cheney, and parts of Idaho. The Council kept it a secret until the 1880's when a Warden was turned into a Black Court Vampire. The secret now out, everybody wants a piece of that Old God.

The ex-Warden Vampire meanwhile broke free of the Black Court's control and sold the secrets that subsequently became the famous How-to Guide on hunting Black Court. (I'm watching spoilers here) That vamp couldn't go back to the White Council and couldn't bring himself to suicide, so instead he parked his vampiric butt here. He is now a Gentleman Johnny Marcone in a way. He is the silent, silent partner of the Inland Northwest, running his own Mini-Mafia of outcasts.

The ex-Warden (Whom I haven't named yet, I'm terrible with names) also made deals with both Winter and Summer to keep the city a spiritual "No-Fly Zone" and later was the first entire city to sign the Unseelie Accords as Neutral Territory. ALso, the Vamp Kingpin decided that no side in the current magical hostilities claim sanctuary here (Again, I'm watching spoilers) It is literally is a magical Casablanca. This managed to stop Overt action by outside groups, but like Berlin during the Cold War, but Magical Spokane is crawling with Covert operatives from everywhere. The Warden Regional commander doesn't like to come here except for recruiting Wizards, but the commander is hard pressed to find them here because the other groups snatch them up.

Because of the Old God though, everybody wants it. The secret spread to the Third Reich in the 30's. Hitler sent a special SS unit to investigate and find a way to unearth it. After the War ended, the unit stayed in the Inland Northwest and now hopes to revive the God to resurrect Hitler.
Hence the Werewolf Nazis, because you can't have Dresdenverse Casablanca without them...

That's my idea for a Dresdenverse Campaign setting. I'd like to run it.

R00kie:

--- Quote from: Lanodantheon on March 28, 2008, 05:56:49 AM ---The Council kept it a secret until the 1880's when a Warden was turned into a Black Court Vampire. The secret now out, everybody wants a piece of that Old God.

The ex-Warden Vampire meanwhile broke free of the Black Court's control and sold the secrets that subsequently became the famous How-to Guide on hunting Black Court. (I'm watching spoilers here)
--- End quote ---
Theres got to be an interesting story here. Bram Stoker did the research trip to Dracula in 1890 with his visit to Slains Castle (Scotland) and visits to the crypts under the church St. John the Baptist (in Ireland). He penned the first words later that year.  At the time Stoker was acting-manager of Irving's Lyceum Theatre in London. So the big question is how secrets sold some time in the 1880s somehow made there way from America to Europe where they ended up in the hands of a Theatre Manager.

I'm surprised you haven't tied the Great Fire of 1889 into it. Fire is always a big theme in the Dresden-verse and it appears to have happened just when your ex-Warden was breaking free of the Black Court. You really could tie the fire in and turn it into something big in the history.

I presume having 'broken free of the Black Courts control' he is still just as demonic and evil as every other Black Court vampire. After all, the Vampire isn't really the ex-Warden - its just a creature that looks a lot like him and has his memories. In this respect I suspect he'll be a lot less likeable than Gentleman Johnny - and he'll be running a lot shorter on redeaming features.

I'm also curious about the 'Old God'. Are we talking about something from beyond the Outer Gates? Something 'Cthulhu-like' straight out of the works of H.P.Lovecraft?

Its going to make an interesting setting.

One big concern though:

--- Quote from: Lanodantheon on March 28, 2008, 05:56:49 AM ---later was the first entire city to sign the Unseelie Accords as Neutral Territory.
--- End quote ---
Do you really want a campaign city where no magical creatures (including Wizards) are willing to fight with each other for fear of breaking the Accords? That is going to really hamper the game options. If the PCs do get into a fight they'd better go out of there way to hide all evidence, not just from the mortal authorities, but also from the fey, the vamps, the council and everyone who has a vested interest in screwing them over.

It feels like equal parts Dresden, Lovecraft and Buffy. It could be a lot of fun.

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