1. Don't Godmode. 2. Don't be a jerk 3. Please post all CSs in the OOC until they're accepted. 4. This is Casual/Advanced. No one-lines, even one paragraph posts will be highly frowned upon. 5. No killing Player Characters without permission. 6. I'm the sole GM, my word is final. 7. Lastly, just be cool and have fun.
The Set Up: Despite it being late March, Eagle Rock, is still in the clutches of winter. Which isn't terribly unusual for this town. But it is strange. Snow is still deep, and the temperature rarely reaches the seventies. School, however continues no matter what. The first day of University is quickly approaching.
In Chicago Harry Dresden, Wizard, gets a call from a paranetter who lives in Eagle Rock. She alerts him to a strange and worrying activity at Yellowstone. What makes it so worrying is that the national park is right over a very powerful ley line.
The closest entrance to Eagle rock is the West Enterence. It's 2-3 hours away by car (depending on if you speed or not). There are no buses that run to Yellowstone from Eagle rock.
Apart from being a Nation Park Yellowstone is special because it is over a very power ley line nexus. (Where more than one ley line converges)
Eagle Rock is a small college town. It is characterized by the old fashioned feel to it. There's a water tower, a drive in theater, a massive theater with a bowling alley and game room, and of course, the university itself. Eagle rock gets quite a few tourists in from other countries during the tourist season.
Around the town is a lot of farm land. The areas of land that haven't been worked are a mixture of sage brush a quasi-desert. There are sand dunes north of town, about a 30 minute drive. There are also shallow lakes that periodically dot the landscape. Most of them are close to the sand dunes.
Notable places:will expand as necessary. Eagle Rock University Serpent River (A major river that runs just a little outside of town)
Acceptable characters: I'm only looking for original characters. So Harry, Karen, Thomas, etc are not going to be accepted. Ideally, I'd love for everyone to be college students. But they don't have to be. Just as long as they have a good reason to be in Eagle Rock.
One thing to keep in mind, is the stronger your character the less "free" will they have. EG Fey will always act to their nature. Vampires will need to feed, Weres might lose control, etc. The people with the most free will are vanilla mortals.
You cannot play: Angels/ Demons (Possession is iffy. PM me if you really want this), Dragons, Fomor, Ghouls, Outsiders, Gods, Fey Rulers, I think you get the point. If you're unsure, ask me.
OK characters: Faith based, Vanilla (no powers), Wizards/ Practitioners, Vampires (Depending on which court. Red's out), Minor Fey, Shapeshifters (includes Weres), Valkyries, etc.
Magic: You can play wizards. But I wont take too many of them. If everyone applies to be a wizard, I'll only take the 2 best, maximum. So please keep this in mind when brainstorming your character. Also, I will be exceptionally critical about Wizards and their magic build. If I deam you OP, I will make you re-do it.
If you need resources to help you with your magic, here are a bunch of links. Wiki Magic in DFRPG, Part One; Two; Three; Four; Five; and Six*Since I do run a DFRPG, I pull a lot from the tabletop, just because it's easy for me. But I'm not running this as a table top. You wont have to keep track of numbers, stats or such. But these are some very good resources if you're not sure how to create a balanced magic user. Supernatural Powers Ideas
Side notes: I will custom tailor the plot to each character. If you have a really good idea of why your character might be in Eagle Rock, but you're not sure if it fits into the plot? No worries, shoot me a PM. With my friends, I was running three different quests all at the same time to make sure everyone was included and was able to do their own little thing. And there was never a dull moment.
Good v. Evil: I'm not taking an overtly evil people. However it is quite possible over the course of the RP that you can get swayed to their side. Morally ambiguous people are also acceptable.
[b]Powers[/b]: (Magic, Vampire Skills, etc)(Make sure to include both strengths and weaknesses. EG. Vampires are super strong, but have to feed. Fire < Water, you get the idea)
[b]Other[/b]: (Have a magical item (no Bobs accepted) or something else not mentioned? Put it here)
RP Type: GM Driven/Sandbox. I've given you the plot and will react according to each player's actions. But it's still the player's decision what they will do. Will they investigate something or will they ignore it completely to do something else?
I've run this campaign in my Dresden Files tabletop group. And you cannot possibly mess up anything. I've had them drop a flaming tree on a house, blow up a car, incapacitate the "Big Boss" within seconds (Which is actually a very amusing story) and set a bathroom (on campus) on fire. In general, most everything goes.
Race: White Court (As if the name didn't make it obvious)
Personality: Rebecca, first and foremost, doesn't mind helping out the humans of Eagle Rock. She's well known for her charity work in and around town, organizing fundraising drives and the like. It's not playing with her food, either; she genuinely likes humans, even if she shakes her head at their obliviousness.
Bio: Rebecca is very far down the Raith totem pole, utterly unknown and unnoticed. It's not that she doesn't have ambition to move up the ladder, but she was simply born to a very obscure branch of the family tree. Most members of the House would probably have to scratch their heads and think for a second before they placed her. These days, she works at an animal shelter as her cover, while attending college as an English major.
Probably going to take me a minute, but I'm getting started.
Name: Bernard Alexander Age: 21 Gender: Male Race: Therianthrope (Werebear)
Physical Description: Bernard is an even six feet tall and his muscular form weighs in around 180lbs. His hair is dark brown and thick and his eyes are the color of dark honey. For the most part, he usually wears simple, cheap, and comfortable clothing. Dark colored t-shirts and neutral sweats are common, as are flip-flops and other sandals. The kinds of things that can easily be replaced after one turns into a 750 pound grizzly bear.
Personality: A lot of people think Bernard is fairly slow, but generally that is because he rarely has something to say and when he does he takes his time to think about it. Almost everything he does is carefully considered and every situation is met with patience and intelligence. Most of the time he just ignores people and hopes they return the favor. It takes a lot to irritate or anger him, but once he's pissed he has a hard time keeping a lid on it. People know by now to steer clear of him when he's having a bad day.
History: Growing up is never easy, especially for a shapeshifter. Bernard's family was forced to move several times, but most notably after his first transformation. Four people ended up badly injured when he came to the defense of a young girl they had been bullying. Only thirteen at the time, Bernard was left confused and distraught by the event. His mother explained the facts of life to him then, and he understood more of why his family always seemed so removed from the others around them.
As the years passed, Bernard's father began to resent the fact that his family could not settle down and prosper in the way he had had envisioned. He took this anger out on his wife and child in little ways, but it was noticeable and eventually drove a wedge between all three of them.
Bernard only moved to and started attending classes in Eagle Rock somewhat recently. His parents' marriage had begun to fall apart, and with a divorce on the way he left the family home and all the drama far behind. Having a scholarship independent of the school he was previously going to made it easy to transfer over and meant he really only had to work to support himself. To that end, he has taken a job at a local book store.
Skills: Besides being smarter than he generally seems, Bernard is good at reading situations and people. He also knows a great deal about surviving on one's own, though he has an advantage in that particular area.
Powers: Bernard can transform into a huge bear and back, but that's about it. Compared to the average human, he has a high metabolism, body temperature, and pain tolerance. His ability to shift forms was inherited from his mother, though he does use a talisman to facilitate it. While the fifteen seconds or so that it takes to shift aren't quite painful, it does put stress on his mind and body. He is only capable of incredibly minor partial shifts, and has very little control over these. Usually when he is angry or upset, his eyes will darken, his teeth and fingernails will elongate to resemble fangs and claws, and his voice will become rough and slightly inhuman.
Other: A necklace made from glass beads and bear claws. It serves as a talisman for Bernard, allowing him to better control his transformations and drawing away some of the stress of the act itself.
Name: Peyton Lee Age: 18 Gender: Male Race: Pure Mortal
Physical Description: brown hair and blazing blue eyes, and always quick with a charming smile. Peyton stands six feet even and has all the characteristics of a multi-sport jock (a toned body, quick feet, and broad shoulders). His choice of clothing ranges from sports jerseys to Star Wars to plain t-shirts, all coupled with blues jeans and a good pair of boots (sneakers were always for the sports, never for regular wear). but the one thing he always wears, his mother's brown leather jacket (no matter the weather).
Personality: Having traveled frequently Peyton is some what of an introvert, knowing that in no time at all, he would be leaving those behind that he just met. Once he opens up, however, Peyton is caring and willing to take lead. He likes to joke, and not take life too seriously.
History: Peyton lost his mother when he was a child, though it was never confirmed by family that she died, they just said she was "gone". So, naturally Peyton grew attached to his father -- they traveled frequently, never staying long in one place, so it came as a shock when his father decided to settle down in Eagle Rock. Unfortunately that's when tragedy struck, and Peyton's father died -- the Park Rangers said he was mauled by a bear, though his body was not found in the park proper. This left Peyton with little choice but to find a job, and try to work his way through college. With limited choices in a small town like Eagle Rock, Peyton managed to scrape up a job at Trade Winds (one of those stores that claims to heal people through nature).
Skills: Persuasion, Diplomacy, Athletics
Powers: None
Other: Mother's Brown Leather Jacket is stitched with various symbols, who's meanings Peyton has never deciphered.
I'd be thrilled if everyone went for Advanced, but it's casual. My only rule towards this is write more than one paragraph. Though more is always accepted.
@TK421Alrighty. Issues first. 1) The picture doesn't work. Either fix it or get rid of it. 2) Does Payton actually go to school at the moment or is he just working to save for college? You were slightly vague about that. But other than that you're good to go.
Obviously you have something hinky in Peyton's background. If you don't want anyone to know, you can PM me the addition information. What I'd like to know about is: A) The Father's death B) The mother's disappearance C) The symbols on the jacket.
@FateWeaverSince it's mostly done, I've looked it over. First, I'd like to see some more history, but it's not super important since I think you hit all the highlights (and you said you might come back to it).
Secondly, I'd like to know more about his transformation. Was it inherent, are his parents also shifters? Does he do it via magic (or even magical item)? What are some limitations? Is it an instantaneous transformation? Does it hurt? Can he change partially or is it all or nothing? If it is partially; can he use his were senses in his human form? I.E. see with the bear's eyes. Have spurt of strength that are above average for a human. Those sort of things.
Physical Description: Antoni is preternaturally tall (almost 7' 0"), and far thinner than anyone has any right to be, with bones showing against his skin almost everywhere. He has short brown hair, a mild tan, a large, pointed nose, and an eternally nervous expression. Most people that meet him assume that he's starving, rather than merely having barely enough skin to go around. Due to his height, he tends to wear whatever he can, which leads to an eclectic assortment of t-shirts, jeans, and especially baggy sweaters.
Personality: Kinda awkward, but nice enough. Stutters a bit, and has been that way since birth. Has garnered a reputation as a bit paranoid, mostly because he is. Very much a crowd-pleaser (at least, that's what he tries to be). Strangely enough, Antoni is a very good public speaker; he keeps the stutter, but all of his nervousness seems to melt away.
History: Antoni grew up in a small town in Catalonia, Spain, which was located between two rivers that split before they entered the town, then became one again as they left, making it a pseudo-island. Antoni was no different from any other child, save for his magical talent. His childhood was mostly that of a normal kid, though he was raised by his father, since his mother skipped out on them when Antoni was 1. He also had the addition of practicing his unique, water-based magic whenever he got a chance. He had always harbored an interest in other cultures and languages, and since there weren't any good colleges for that sort of thing nearby, he decided to go to college in Eagle Rock after hearing that their language program was particularly extensive. He's gotten an apartment near one of the nearby shallow lakes, and has a job at a bookstore in town. However, there's something Antoni doesn't know about himself; he's actually a changeling, and his mother was one of the more benevolent Winter fey (which isn't saying much), hence his affinity for water.
Skills: Public speaking, running, and speaking other languages (though understanding them is an entirely different story).
Powers: Antoni is a fairly good focused mage, specializing in water magic. His spells aren't affected by running water like other wizards, but to compensate, they're much less powerful. His best spell is to create a small jet of water and throw it at someone with force enough to take off someone's head, but it drains him quite a bit, so he tries to stick to things like a water whip, a la Katara. His magic is also useful for such things as healing magic (though the afflicted area needs to be wet for it to work), breathing underwater (only for a few minutes though), power over ice and water vapor (less powerful than plain water though), and various mundane utilities like chilling drinks and cleaning laundry.
Other: Has a knife that his parents gave him when he was a kid that he uses as both a keepsake and a focus. There's also a handy enchantment on it that lets it act as an impromptu flashlight. He's also fluent in Catalonian and Spanish, has a good enough grasp of English to understand his professors, and uses words in Basque to cast his spells, though he can't speak it outside those few words. His favorite drink is root beer.
@TojinThere's only on problem I see with your character. Unfortunately it's a major problem. A major part of magic is running water. I will not accept your character with that magic set.
However, if your character was a inhuman or fey, it would work. I.E. YC was a changeling and thought he was human. That I would accept. Or if he wasn't pure human and by some quirk of genetics, he was able to access non-human powers; that is also acceptable.
Re: fey/changeling: That'd work pretty well, actually. IIRC fey are pretty good at convincing people by talking, so that'd work out nicely. I'll edit my sheet accordingly.
