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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Rubycon on August 12, 2011, 11:22:41 AM

Title: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Rubycon on August 12, 2011, 11:22:41 AM

Hi,
I was wondering what makes McAnally's Pub so special. The books seem to suggest that there is some kind of protection in his pub, besides considered neutral ground (is this so?). But how does that work? All the mirrors, placement of tables etc., is there a clear (and explained) purpose?
I'm asking because I want to include something like McAnally's in my own campaing and was wondering if there should be certain elements in it in order to work...

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Tallyrand on August 12, 2011, 11:26:27 AM

Mechanically it wouldn't actually mean much other than that the GM agrees that he's not going to mess with compelling magical high concepts as much there.  You could say that it has the aspect "Dispersed Magical Energies" or something of the like, which would occasionally be useful but it's mostly just a descriptive bit for a major locale.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Radijs on August 12, 2011, 11:37:04 AM

Mild spoiler warning ahead.

First McAnally's pub incoroporates certain symbols to disperse errant magical energies, such as the ones caused by distressed wizards. This is done through the number 13.
The place has 13 pillars, tables etc and probably other things. Mechanically this probably gives the place an aspect like "Unruly magic is dampened" or something of the like.

Secondly

(click to show/hide)

When the war between the council and the red court starts the pub was added to the list of accorded neutral territory. There's a sort of magical genevan convention in the dresdenverse. Its got no power of its own but almost all factions recognize the accords.
And in that way neutral territory means that everyone's agreed 'No fighting here'.

Nothing stops you from slinging spells there. But if you do certain people are going to get upset and anyone who's still got an axe to grind will have a legal excuse to do so. And if you're not important enough you'll probably be persecuted because everyone likes to look nice and punish the bad man violating the accords.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Masurao on August 12, 2011, 12:08:18 PM

Could it be that it is also harder to cast spells there? I always thought of it being as such, but that is just how I envisioned it from the descriptions. Might've read it wrong, though...

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Radijs on August 12, 2011, 12:10:28 PM

I don't think so, by the way I've read it the design just makes it so that there's smaller chances of magical mishaps.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Tallyrand on August 12, 2011, 12:15:38 PM

Quote from: Masurao on August 12, 2011, 12:08:18 PM

Could it be that it is also harder to cast spells there? I always thought of it being as such, but that is just how I envisioned it from the descriptions. Might've read it wrong, though...

I get that impression well, they do say in the book that it wouldn't be enough to stop a dedicated wizard, but with an Aspect the GM could compel to reduce a wizards control roll if he wanted.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Radijs on August 12, 2011, 12:25:50 PM

Quote from: Tallyrand on August 12, 2011, 12:15:38 PM

I get that impression well, they do say in the book that it wouldn't be enough to stop a dedicated wizard, but with an Aspect the GM could compel to reduce a wizards control roll if he wanted.

I'd be more inclined towards lowering the power instead of the control. Since it seems implied that the countermeasures are there to prevent accidents.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Rubycon on August 12, 2011, 01:48:35 PM

Me too. So, place 13 things of everything in a room, put some aspects on the scene and be ready (at least, as a GM... :D)
Things like POWER DAMPER or something ike this is good and yes, such a place has some unwritten rules and everone in the know will learn them some way or another... That's why I want to include such a place in my campaign. 8)

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Richard_Chilton on August 13, 2011, 05:06:23 AM

McAnally has taps and other appliances.  He serves food so he has to be able to cook it...

Maybe the "dispersal of magic energy" bit also disrupts the "tech doesn't work around wizard" bit - so that the bar's machines don't break down when a group of wardens come in to meet with (and draft) Dresden...

Richard

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Thratchen on August 13, 2011, 05:22:56 AM

Quote from: Richard_Chilton on August 13, 2011, 05:06:23 AM

McAnally has taps and other appliances.  He serves food so he has to be able to cook it...

Maybe the "dispersal of magic energy" bit also disrupts the "tech doesn't work around wizard" bit - so that the bar's machines don't break down when a group of wardens come in to meet with (and draft) Dresden...

Richard

Mac cooks over a wood stove, and he seems to serve beer from his own bottles (though he may have a keg that I can't recall or that's not mentioned).  I can't even remember him using a cash register or having electric lighting.  I don't think he has much if anything that's going to be disrupted by spells, which I think is why nothing ever breaks down from hexing.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Todjaeger on August 13, 2011, 06:43:38 AM

Quote from: Thratchen on August 13, 2011, 05:22:56 AM

Mac cooks over a wood stove, and he seems to serve beer from his own bottles (though he may have a keg that I can't recall or that's not mentioned).  I can't even remember him using a cash register or having electric lighting.  I don't think he has much if anything that's going to be disrupted by spells, which I think is why nothing ever breaks down from hexing.

Actually I believe Mac has a number of ceiling fans, which do break down from time to time.  Not as often as they would in the home of a wizard-level practioner, but more often than normal.

Also with regards to the whole number 13 thing, it a randomly arranged set of 13 pillars, as well as 13 differently sized tables scattered about the room, 13 stools at the bar, and 13 windows.  In addition to the repeated used of the number 13, the whole point is for there to be randomness, or an absence of order to scatter and difuse any power that a practioner might be emitting accidentally.  Put another way, it is really just about feng shui, as opposed to something which actively suppresses magic like a Threshold or Circle.

-Cheers

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Rubycon on August 15, 2011, 09:25:44 AM

What bothers me a bit: If it's possible to distract magic by the number and constellation of things, why not doing it at your home when you don't want the occasional wizard practicing at your home (or, being a bad guy, making it harder for the wizard to get you... ;))

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: SometimesKate on August 15, 2011, 09:30:58 AM

Quote from: Thratchen on August 13, 2011, 05:22:56 AM

Mac cooks over a wood stove, and he seems to serve beer from his own bottles (though he may have a keg that I can't recall or that's not mentioned).  I can't even remember him using a cash register or having electric lighting.  I don't think he has much if anything that's going to be disrupted by spells, which I think is why nothing ever breaks down from hexing.

Mac does have refrigeration, since he makes lemonade ice cubes, but I suppose he could be using the old freon-tank refrigerators.  He also has some sort of deep-fat fryer, since he makes onion rings.   This is probably silly, but I always wonder if he makes his own bread for the sandwiches.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Radijs on August 15, 2011, 11:30:15 AM

Quote from: Rubycon on August 15, 2011, 09:25:44 AM

What bothers me a bit: If it's possible to distract magic by the number and constellation of things, why not doing it at your home when you don't want the occasional wizard practicing at your home (or, being a bad guy, making it harder for the wizard to get you... ;))

Like I and others have said, its not actually dampening focused power. Dresden's spells would be just as powerful inside Mac's as they would be on the street. But the random discharges that happen when he's surly would be more likely to be surpressed inside Mac's.

So an angry wizard coming to get you in your 13-window/chair/table/wall/kitchen sink home will blast you apart just fine. If he's just your guest he'll be less likely to fry your dishwasher whilst sipping coffee.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Figging Mint on August 15, 2011, 03:02:43 PM

Quote from: SometimesKate on August 15, 2011, 09:30:58 AM

Mac does have refrigeration, since he makes lemonade ice cubes, but I suppose he could be using the old freon-tank refrigerators.

The lemonade ice cubes made me think he probably uses dry ice for them, because he needs to freeze them fast.    Slow freezing of lemonade tends to make water slush and concentrated lemonsugar.     

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractional_freezing#Freeze_distillation

Of course, using dry ice on a restaurant scale would probably involve *much* more ventilation than Mac could install without using electric fans, so a fridge with an off-site compressor would be more suitable.   Or an old-style icebox.

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: SometimesKate on August 15, 2011, 03:20:08 PM

That's a really fascinating link, and now I want to try freezing lemonade icecubes, just to see what would happen.  There's also a link to increasing the alcohol content of beer by freezing.  That also sounds like the sort of thing Mac might try.     

Title: Re: McAnally's and other places
Post by: Figging Mint on August 15, 2011, 03:37:57 PM

Yep.

It's a well-known industrial procedure; when we did it with silicon we called it "floating zone purification".   

Now that I think about it, the fire/ice spell Harry uses in Changes is VERY suitable for refining things.   Maybe we'll see Mab's kobolds using or something.