[OOC] The Hidden People

[Aleranicus]

If it's anything like the last time I rolled with @HeySeuss I'd say a small sized city. 100k to 500k people (probably on the low end).

He could contradict me on this one though.

[HeySeuss]

If it's anything like the last time I rolled with @HeySeuss I'd say a small sized city. 100k to 500k people (probably on the low end).

He could contradict me on this one though.

@Aleranicus

Baltimore is roughly 600k in the city, 2.8 million in the metro area and I am willing to hold to roughly those numbers. It's the 21st largest metro area in the country, big and very poor and desperate. Though in the 1980's, there are auto making jobs and steel mills still in operation. And John Calvin "Cal" Krieger, the huckster mayor of the place with a dream of harbor casinos and tourism appeal-- the guy that brought Nemsemet's bandaged bones to New Camden.

New Camden claims to be the birthplace of hair rock, not to mention the hair that goes with the rock, but LA took it over. The Camden Stallions packed up and left town, leaving the entire town bummed, but there are the Crows, their baseball team.

[Stitches]

You'll have to excuse my horrible geography, but I don't even live in the states - is New Camden an actual part of Baltimore, or a fictitious town you've made up for the sake of the RP? Are we in the metro area or on the outskirts? How close are we to nature - the water, national parks, forests or otherwise? It's all pretty relevant to how I plan out my character's backstory, since I'm going full woodland-creature here and I need a solid understanding of how many trees she could've climbed on.

EDIT: Also, I'm a huge fan of Parael and the way the CS was written, but I'm terrified at the surprisingly short number of abilities there. I like to go into a lot of detail about what my characters can do, can't do, and should be able to do if they practice. Am I going to get the boot if I put in many minor spells/abilities instead of a few major ones? Shall I toss in some more weaknesses on top of the usual 'magical fatigue' to balance things out?

[HeySeuss]

New bit on the character sheets --

Location of note: The idea is to help build the city with memorable landmarks. Aleranicus provided an example.

Location of Note: Joey's Diner on Main and 4th
Notable Person: Big Lou, the night shift cook
A fact everyone knows about this place: Big Lou is an ogre and a dealer for illicit vampire blood.

As to the abilities, feel free to go long or go short. We'll let you know if there is an issue.

Edit: Also, New Camden is a fictionalized Baltimore, so we aren't tied to real landmarks or anything.

[HeySeuss]

Also, a note here on character sheets. No need to go massive. A few lines will do on most things, history can be down to a few paragraphs. Mine is a little over the top because I was feeling it, but don't feel required to match this stuff. Be comfortable and put out something you like.

[HeySeuss]

Year for the RP is officially 1985.

Edit: I also think I'm done toying with Rusty's bio for now. I had to add in the part where he'd launch a huge crusade for the rights of the oppressed, except for drugs, free love and loud music.

Darned drugs, free love and loud music, getting in the way.

[Atrophy]

Year for the RP is officially 1985.

@HeySeuss

I hate myself for instantly getting that one song stuck in my head.

[Aleranicus]

You'll have to excuse my horrible geography, but I don't even live in the states - is New Camden an actual part of Baltimore, or a fictitious town you've made up for the sake of the RP? Are we in the metro area or on the outskirts? How close are we to nature - the water, national parks, forests or otherwise? It's all pretty relevant to how I plan out my character's backstory, since I'm going full woodland-creature here and I need a solid understanding of how many trees she could've climbed on.

@Stitches

Generally speaking, if this place was a close mirror image of Baltimore, the Atlantic ocean would be right on its doorstep. Swampland would be nearby. Farther west is the Appalachian mountains- steep, wooded country.

[Atrophy]

While I'll be using third person for the RP proper, I might end up totally stealing borrowing @Aleranicus first person style for my character sheet because I love it and you can't prove that I wasn't doing it first. Plus, it really helps in portraying the world's most nebbish and depressed bogeyman.

[FantasyChic]

Can I ask what supernatural types are allowed? I know your standard Vampire and Werewolves, but how far could one take this? I'm debating on a few different things.

And magic users are considered supernatural?

[Vowel Vagabond]

I wrote up two locations, the first is simply a park (where the Dryad I'm working on will dwell) and the other is a clothing shop that I'll probably include in the CS proper.

Hopefully they're interesting enough to read! :)

Allard Park

Location of Note: Allard Park
Notable Person: Violet Atwood, known for the collection of exceedingly rare and magical plants that she maintains.
A fact everyone knows about this place:

Allard Park is the oldest and largest park in New Camden. The park was established by Joseph Allard in 1835 when he purchased a large swath of land from the failing Truscott Company with the intention of using it as a hunting ground. However, following an unfortunate riding accident some years later, Allard generously bequeathed it to the city. Finally opened to the public in 1860, it has remained a popular place to visit for both mortal and supernatural denizens of the city ever since.

Like many other public places in New Camden, Allard Park has historically served as something of a neutral ground within the city's supernatural community. Following a brief period of anarchy, the park has recently fallen under the control of Violet Atwood. A young and spirited Dryad, she is quick to deal with any unwelcome or unannounced visitors, especially those that pose any threat to her forest.

Beyond her self-proclaimed title as "Guardian of the Forest Park", the demure Dryad is rumored to supply the ingredients neccesary for the creation of all manner of potions and poisons.

Caldwell and Westbrook Clothing and Tailoring

Location of Note: Caldwell and Westbrook Clothing and Tailoring, Washington Avenue
Notable Persons: Caldwell, famed Goblin tailor, and the equally renowned half-giant dressmaker Westbrook.
A fact everyone knows about this place:

Hidden behind an unassuming shopfront and past a burly mountain troll named Johan, lies the ancient and well-known workshop of Caldwell and Westbrook.

A staple in the fashion industry of New Camden, Caldwell and Westbrook Clothing and Tailoring has provided the supernatural community with the finest in clothing since the early 1920s. Offering clothing for all occasions (formal, semi-formal, informal and casual), the pair of strange business partners command the respect of not just other sewing professionals, but also of a large number of enchanters. Among arcane specialists, the two are noted for the powerful, elaborate, and unobtrusive enchantments they are able to weave into the clothing they create. Naturally however, such high quality does not come cheap, and only the wealthiest can afford to commission such works of art.

Until recently, very recently in fact, Caldwell was even the favored tailor of the late Count Caradoc de Lacy.

[Quoll]

Everything sounds snazzy to me. ^^

[Alina13]

@HeySeuss

Definitely want into this? Do you have a CS up in the OOC for it yet? I'll admit I was too lazy to look all the wat through. . . xD

[HeySeuss]

Can I ask what supernatural types are allowed? I know your standard Vampire and Werewolves, but how far could one take this? I'm debating on a few different things.

And magic users are considered supernatural?

@FantasyChic

Yes, magic users are definitely a part of the Court system. Human magic users and Vampires tend to be the primary beneficiaries, as they pass most easily in human society and can make money.

@HeySeuss

Definitely want into this? Do you have a CS up in the OOC for it yet? I'll admit I was too lazy to look all the wat through. . . xD

@Alina13

There's a sheet template over on the sheet tab.

[Aleranicus]

I wrote up two locations, the first is simply a park (where the Dryad I'm working on will dwell) and the other is a clothing shop that I'll probably include in the CS proper.

Hopefully they're interesting enough to read! :)

Allard Park

Location of Note: Allard Park
Notable Person: Violet Atwood, known for the collection of exceedingly rare and magical plants that she maintains.
A fact everyone knows about this place:

Allard Park is the oldest and largest park in New Camden. The park was established by Joseph Allard in 1835 when he purchased a large swath of land from the failing Truscott Company with the intention of using it as a hunting ground. However, following an unfortunate riding accident some years later, Allard generously bequeathed it to the city. Finally opened to the public in 1860, it has remained a popular place to visit for both mortal and supernatural denizens of the city ever since.

Like many other public places in New Camden, Allard Park has historically served as something of a neutral ground within the city's supernatural community. Following a brief period of anarchy, the park has recently fallen under the control of Violet Atwood. A young and spirited Dryad, she is quick to deal with any unwelcome or unannounced visitors, especially those that pose any threat to her forest.

Beyond her self-proclaimed title as "Guardian of the Forest Park", the demure Dryad is rumored to supply the ingredients neccesary for the creation of all manner of potions and poisons.

@Vowel Vagabond

It is official headcanon of mine that Parry buys a few ounces of "herbs" from Violet every month XD

[Vowel Vagabond]

Obviously for medical purposes...right?

[Aleranicus]

@Vowel Vagabond Oh, most definitely!

[Vowel Vagabond]

"You don't seem very sick Parry, but I guess I'll trust you...how much will you be needing this week?"

I see great potential in our IC interactions already. :3

[Aleranicus]

<Snipped quote>

I see great potential in our IC interactions already. :3

@Vowel Vagabond

"You don't understand! I took one dose and woke up in the zoo with a passed out rhino. I think it ate one of the brownies I made."

[Atrophy]

Here we go! @HeySeuss@Aleranicus

C.C. Schwarzman

Name: C.C. Schwarzman. Not that it really matters, people tend to call me what they want. It’s...usually not nice, but that’s fine. That’s okay.

Age: Materialized almost four hundred years ago. Not that our kind really age or anything like that, but I’m sure everybody already knows that. I mean, why else wouldn’t they come to my birthday party. Which I throw. Every year. For the past three hundred year and seventy eight years. Celebrating it. Alone. By myself.

Gender: Male. Most of us are male. Our dating scene’s pretty sad. Not that we really get anything out of companionship beside, you know, happiness.

Breed/Species/Type/Lineage: Bogeyman. That’s the catch-all term for us. Or is it Bogeymen? Boogeymen? Boogie—look, let’s just go with Bogeyman. It’s easier that way. I technically think we would fall in the broader spirit/faerie category, but they tend to disagree. It’s because they’re snobs. Er, don’t tell them I said that. Please.

Physical Description:

I must be doing something wrong. I thought I dressed well and professionally—black trench coat, black suit, black derby hat, black shoes—but most people seem horrified when they meet me. Supernaturals always grumble, and humans just scream. I guess they think I’m ugly, which seems just unfair. I don’t even have a face for crying out loud, just moving shadows, but even they are so ugly that the humans go running from me.

On Bogeymen

Excerpt from ‘Things That Go Bump by Jessifer Jericho, Sorceress and Scholar of Spirits, Second Edition

But aren’t they just Shadow Men? The short answer is kind of: Bogeymen tend to have no real appearance, or rather, their appearance tends to vary from person to person. Imagine them as the physical embodiment of terror. Around other supernatural beings they just appear to be a shadowy figure in clothes, although looking at them for a prolonged time is prone to give any but the most resilient of supernaturals a headache akin to the same way.staring too long at a stereogram without being able to solve it would. Around non-magic using humans, however, their vague appearance fills them with absolute dread because there is nothing scarier than the unknown, and the bogeymen are the unknown fear manifested.

Talents:

Talents? I don’t really have any talents. Or hobbies. Or time off. Uh, I guess my job is my talent...except, I’m not really good at my job, sooooo…

Can we talk about something else? Anything else?

On Bogeymen

Excerpt from ‘Things That Go Bump by Jessifer Jericho, Sorceress and Scholar of Spirits, Second Edition

As mentioned earlier in this chapter, Bogeymen are creatures of terror and feed on the fright of humanoids. Their Terrifying Presence has been described as anything from slightly uncomfortable to somewhat sickening by supernaturals (and magic users, whose open minds allow them to at least comprehend a Bogeyman), and has been known to make even the bravest of human’s turn tail and run. However, studies have shown that it is exclusively visual stimulation that activates this kind of terrordome effect around the Bogeyman. In other words, just don’t look. It also means that those chills human feel when they hear one talking, scratching, or knocking is nothing more than pure, simple cowardice.

Yet while looking away from the Bogeyman is easy enough, knowing where a Bogeyman will show up is an entirely different story. Bogeyman are able to Disappear and Travel Through Shadows. This is a skill necessary for their survival, harkening back to the days when they lived primary underneath the beds or in the closets of children as they feed on their terror only to quickly escape into the confines of darkness or slip beneath a door frame whenever a parent ran into the room of their screaming child. While turning on all of the lights does limit the places a Bogeyman can go without being revealed, tests have found that they are capable of fitting into shadows the size of peas.

History:

We just sorta show up. Mostly ignored. Always unwanted. I’ve been around New Camden since it was settled, following a group of colonists I hung onto from some small dump in Virginia. But does anybody recognize that? Does anybody go, “Hey C.C., you know this place well, where’s the best place to get pizza?” Not a soul. They think because I can’t eat that I can’t enjoy a nice pizzeria. Which I can’t. I heard it really good, too. Anyway, so, early life in New Camden was nice, I guess, before the Court took over. I was something of a sheriff. Only I didn’t have a badge. And nobody really called me when they needed help. And I wasn’t paid. But, I still did my duty. That’s the thing about us Bogeymen. We’re righteous.

So, I spend the next few decades tracking down humans who are up to no good and trying to set them on a more righteous path. I try and get them while they’re young. Before you know it, I’m taking down the baddest of the bad guys. The kind that stay out after dark, that don’t finish their plates, that pop their knuckles. Real scumbags. It’s not really the hardest of jobs, honestly. I just show up, tell them to stop doing what it is they’re doing, and then I run away. Mostly because they always start screaming. I got screamed at a lot.

And then the Court comes into town. They don’t like the idea of others being in charge—which is fine, which is fine. I didn’t do a great job anyway. People always kept turning out bad in the end. It’s cool. I get it. Who would want me in power? I try and step down gracefully, but a part of me is just unable to stop trying to set people right. I try and do it behind the back of the Court. I wanted to stop trouble, not to create it. Then one day I’m hiding under this kid’s bed. The kid was a real bad apple—he swore—so I was trying to scare him straight. Only, it’s not a kid, but a changeling put there by the Court. Next thing I know I get arrested for violating some edict and for failing to pay my taxes. I didn’t even know I had taxes. I didn’t even know what taxes were.

Fortunately for me, the Count’s a pretty nice guy and took pity on me. I think I got real lucky, because it turns out I was actually a real bit of scum. Ironic, isn’t it? Here I thought I was doing some good, and turns out I was breaking all sorts of rules. Instead of banishment he offers me a job. I’m gracious, so I take it without even hearing what it is. Turns out I’m what they like to call an auditor. Not gonna lie, it’s a pretty big deal. I make sure supernaturals aren’t doing what I was doing, and if they are I try and set them straight. So now I’m creeping into skeleton’s closets and hiding under succubi’s bed, and popping out at the right moment to make them do the right thing. I’m even allowed to still go after humans, but only once a month and I’ve gotta be real sure that no adults see me. It’s like I’m an actual sheriff this time.

But I still don’t get paid. Wait, that can’t be right. I don’t think the Count would screw me over. He’s a real good guy. I’m sure I did something to deserve a deduct. I, I don’t even need the money anyway. I can’t really go to the store, it’s just...that changeling kid does the same job, and he’s always flashing cash. Not that it matters anymore. The guy that would’ve signed my checks probably got melted by some hotshot mummy, too.

Psychological Profile:

I’ve been told that I need more spine. Which is troublesome, because I don’t have any of the other bones to go with it. Apparently I’m more concerned with making other supernaturals like me than with doing my duty, which is untrue. Okay, it is true. Sorry, please don’t hate me, and don’t tell my boss. He’s the first person to ever really rely on me. It’s just that us Bogeymen are real people-persons, seriously we are, and I feel positively drained when I’m not around others. I’d love to spend more time around humans, really. Something about being around them just perks me right up. Now, though, I just get so excited that I become real nervous around others. It makes it difficult to speak. Or think. Or move. I tend to just kind of creep in the background and hope somebody notices me. Also, I tend to get pretty downtrodden, especially when I feel as if I’m being ignored. I’ve been called a buzzkill before; apparently I’m too outspoken against people misbehaving.

Possessions:

I don’t really need stuff. Just, uh, friends. Friends would be nice.

Yes, and:

I’m pretty sure Parry doesn’t even know I exist. Which is fine, I guess, he’s busy. I’ve only introduced myself to him a dozen times now. I get it. I need to make more of an impression, but whenever I show up around kids everyone gets real uptight. They think I’m going to throw them in a sack or something. But he’s a friend of Rusty’s and I’m a friend of Rusty’s, so I think I’ll get through to him one day. Oh, and when I say I’m a friend of Rusty, I mean that we’re coworkers, and when I say coworkers, I mean that we’re not even on head-nod status yet. But the Alpha was hired on to take down Nemsemet, and that jerk warlock unemployed me and killed my boss. As a good employee of the Court, it’s my duty to take him down...buuuuuut I don’t know what kind of crazy magic he has, and if he took out the Count then he can definitely take out me. But Rusty’s tough! I’m sure Rusty can do it! I’ll just assist from the shadows and, uh, maybe introduce myself to him one of these days.

Location of Note: Black Cat Books
Notable Person: Jessifer Jericho owns it. Yes, the Jessifer Jericho. Beautiful genius sorceress, author of a few dozen books, largest ego in New Camden.
A fact everyone knows about this place: It may look like a cramped, cluttered, and dusty used bookstore with an overabundance focus pseudoscience and new age literature, but the back room houses a pretty nifty collection of rare tomes, cursed books, and an alarming amount of supernatural smut. The owner’s known for her rather orbital level of self-worth, and seemingly manages to work that she has written a number of books into almost every conversation she has ever had.