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Vanaheim Vice | Urban Fantasy

Vanaheim

A city built up by ancient brick and new age steel, illuminated by unblinking neon lights. Its residents range from young and optimistic to hectic and highly paid, to worn out and awaiting reprieve. Humans have always lived alongside their supernatural brethren here, from the mysterious draugr to the much more visible elves and dwarves, and despite a few age-old prejudices, the coexistence has been mainly peaceful. Crime rates have been soaring upwards, and some of them are decidedly supernatural in origin. Magic is mere myth to the residents of Vanaheim, and yet evidence is piling up that suggests the arcane arts might once again have surfaced. The mostly human police force is spread thin across the urban sprawl and limited to more mundane cases. While more and more crimes are committed, many thanks to a new breed of supernaturals known as "psions", who seem to possess psychic powers, the residents of Vanaheim are looking for some hope in solving the mysteries.

Adam Dyer, a rich man born into the Dyer dynasty, of Dyer Pharmaceuticals fame, has stepped forward to become the vigilante that the city needs. Well, not personally. He's arranged for certain criminals to be released from prison, assembled various police officers to be transferred, and contacted particularly skilled citizens in order to create a task force. Adam has no problem with providing funding and equipment to his new crew, as he hopes that a group of investigators, supernatural and human, will be able to solve the crimes that continually baffle the police. His motives aren't entirely clear and he's keeping the comments to news reporters very terse. Rumors claim he had started his endeavor after a concerning report regarding the psions, but he refuses to confirm or deny the speculation.

The city's going to hell and he's offering the supplies to save it. Will you tackle the seedy, dangerous underbelly of Vanaheim to discover if magic has really returned to the realm of humans?

OOC Below

http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/86857-vanaheim-vice/ooc

Broken Circle: Arcana Americana

True Name: Sainjacques Majeur
Taken Name: Baron La Croix
Given Name: Weslé Dambreville

Age: 28

Appearance: Standing at 6'2", Weslé is tall even for his family. He inherited his height from the so-called Amazons in the family, or his mother's mother and grandmother. He has a bit of a belly, which is a new addition to his frame upon coming to New York. Otherwise, he is built pretty gracefully and even though he let his hair dread in the most natural and unruly of ways, he still needs to exert effort in order to get that "man of the shadows" look he strives for. The glint of gold in his mouth when he curls his lip is decidedly real. A golden tooth courtesy of Ogun himself from when Weslé decided he could make it in the real world without the loa's help. Frankly, in that fight, he was lucky the only thing he lost was a tooth.

Personality: What started out as a childhood penchant for pranks blossomed into, for lack of a better word, some dickishness on Weslé's part. He enjoys taking advantage of other people to bolster his negative self image, wallows in his own bitterness, drinks too much, and seems to have little in the way of impulse control. However, it's not all bad. Despite being an almost insufferable cynic, he has a deep reverence for magic and shows naivety in regards to what magic can do for the world. Deep down, he's probably some sort of idealist, but he's long forgotten what that feels like. He also desperately wants to become a better person, or a cheap alternative, so that he can unlock his true potential alongside Ogun. Voodoo is an art built almost entirely on empathy, being able to establish links with other people and infusing objects with said bonds, and Weslé is trying to learn to be more receptive of other people in order to kick start his progress in the craft. A man like Weslé can't plateau without negative consequences.

Nature of magic: Contract

Magic practice: Voodoo

Brief bio: Weslé grew up surrounded by voodoo. His mother practiced it for tourists while his father and sisters worked the real magic back at home. Their clients were much more well-informed, and they paid better for the hefty services they asked for. The Dambrevilles go back a long while in Haiti, having started off as a small clan of freed slaves and ending up as one of the most populous names on the island. However, quantity of life doesn't always translate to quality of life. Some of the Dambreville clan decided to take their magic and talents to New Orleans decades back, and the ones too poor to travel with them tried to emulate the successes of their cousins. Many of the clients departed alongside the main branch of the family, and they found themselves back at square one. Weslé's mother and father display a gift that hasn't been seen in the cadet branches for centuries, being capable of actual contact with the loa in order to power their spells and potions. Each member of the family is claimed by a loa, who acts as their contact to the powers of magic in exchange for sacrifice and reverence.

Weslé, always the troublemaker growing up, thought for sure that Baron Samedi would pick him for his vessel. When he and his sisters came of age, he realized he had been chosen by Ogun, the warrior. He feared that Ogun's influence would limit his ability to create dastardly tricks and diabolical pitfalls. Over time, he and the just loa came to see close to eye-to-eye, but Weslé still harbored some resentment. He went out of his way to concoct cocktails that would backfire, con clients, and to only do business with slimey individuals, constantly hoping to prove his worth to the Baron. Around the age of 25, Ogun grew tired of this behavior, knowing that the young man could no longer be treated like a child, and threatened to withhold his power is Weslé didn't straighten out. Reluctantly, the voodoo practitioner decided to attempt to turn over a new leaf. He's still in the process of doing so now, finally having moved to America where he admittedly feels his powers have weakened. It's a strained relationship in need of repair, but if Weslé can manage not to be an asshole for any amount of time, it always proves to be worth his while.

New York, after all, can provoke some of the worst impulses in even the most mild-mannered of men.

Broken Circle: Arcana Americana

I'd definitely subscribed to this thread, but alas, it looks like it didn't see fit to tell me that things were actually happening.

Anyway, I'm here and will post up my little voodoo asshat posthaste.

Vanaheim Vice

Reserved for the NPCs you'll be encountering, first and foremost the Dyers and your coworkers.

Vanaheim Vice

Vanaheim is a city of unknown origins, one that clearly shows its age with many centuries of architecture lining its streets, but one that also verges on the hypermodern when you approach its downtown. Busy streets are constantly bathed in neon lights and those in residential areas slept tucked away within brownstones and Gothic boarding houses. For as long as anyone can remember, Vanaheim has been called home by everyday average humans as well as supernatural beings. They have lived in harmony, if not always in equality, for many years. However, this general peace has not stopped the horrors that often come along with city living. Arson, theft, rape, murder, and otherwise indescribable scenes that had to be the work of something beyond what humans are capable of, all have occurred within Vanaheim. The police, a predominantly human organization stretched thin by the sheer amount of urban sprawl they must safeguard, can't always do much against the more inexplicable cases that cross their desks, meaning they often go unsolved. Citizens have long expressed their dismay about this fact, but with more mundane crimes demanding the same level of attention, there's very little that can be done.

Here enters a mysterious benefactor. The second son of Dyer Pharmaceuticals, Adam Dyer, has put aside an enormous sum of money in order to solve that very problem. One evening, seemingly out of the blue, a handful of convicts were assigned prestigious lawyers to conduct appeals, bail was paid, and they were all in the process of being released. Concerned citizens with particular talents were sought out and treated to a well-worded document about Dyer's cause. Officers were transferred from the precinct to a "special assignment". Adam was making something happen in Vanaheim that had never been attempted before. He was creating a team composed both of humans and supernatural creatures and using all of the resources at his disposal to assist them in ensuring the bizarre crimes that had long plagued their city would finally be solved.

Why? Adam still hasn't come forth with his motivation for funding such an enterprise, but seeing as the mad dash to assemble a team came hot on the heels of the presses finally addressing the latest oddity in Vanaheim, so-called "psions", now calling these otherwise average humans with limited "powers", if you will, a medical rarity and not seen as a threat, many have theorized that the younger Dyer brother has some interest in the psion case. Nonetheless, the millionaire is willing to play vigilante (with the bodies of others, of course) and Vanaheim could certainly benefit from some more unconventional investigation.

CS

Name:
Age:
Sex:
Race: (See Races tab)
Background: (One word here. Were you a convict, an officer, or a citizen before Dyer brought you along?)
Appearance: (Text and a picture would be preferable, but either/or works)
Biography: (Go into more detail about the one-word answer above. History, personality, and the likes all go here.)
Stats: (See FRAMES tab below)
Traits: (You will be able to give your character two custom traits to start off with. I will be approving these, so feel free to throw ideas out there and I will tell you if they work and give you pointers if they don't.)

FRAMES

Much like in traditional console and tabletop RPGs, your character will have stats broken up into categories. From 0-10, 0 means you have no skill whatsoever in that field and penalties may even occur, 1 means you're competent and have a very basic grasp of that stat (5 is where you get to reliable knowledge), and 10 of course means legendary proficiency. Don't be afraid of 0s if you really want to boost up a certain skill, but just know that it's going to be like giving your character a gun to hold for the first time when it comes down to using that stat. Could go surprisingly well, could end with someone bleeding on the sidewalk.

You will have 30 points to distribute between 6 stats, known as the FRAMES stats. Make sure you build your FRAMES to suit your playstyle:

Focus: Things such as lock-picking, taking aim, and resisting distractions require incredible focus. This is a mental trait, covering both intelligence in a mechanical sense and mental will, but it also extends to sensitivity to magic and signals a proclivity towards it later.

Resistance: Resistance is endurance, but on a broader scale. It means you can take hits and run for longer distances, as endurance always means, but it also extends to things such as alcohol tolerance, poison tolerance, and others.

Acrobatics: Speed, the ability to dodge, flexibility, and free-running skills all fit under the umbrella of acrobatics. It makes you more at ease in navigating the city, especially in case of combat in an unusual locale or giving chase.

Might: Brute strength. Good for melee characters, allows you to carry heavier things and generally function as the muscle for the group. Leads to an intimidating presence which can be useful for intimidation.

Expertise: Book-smarts and niche knowledge, particularly with technology, allow you to be handy with crafting, hacking, repairing, medicine, and other scientifically-minded pursuits which would require some prior knowledge, such as through a trade.

Subterfuge: Being charming, lying through your teeth, and sneaking around are all in your wheelhouse. This allows you to be a proficient pickpocket, thief, and public speaker. Deception is your art, and you use both your words and your body to perform.

Races

Humans: Your run of the mill human being with no extraordinary powers to speak of. However, that doesn't mean they can't be a valuable asset to the team. Humans are the most numerous group in Vanaheim and they come from all walks of life, providing their own unique point of view and skills. They tend to be the most adaptable. (+1 to Expertise)

Draugr: A corporeal ghost, or in other words, a being who has died but retains their body and walks among the living, cursed to remain on earth because of lingering desires. Pale, gaunt, and requiring the life force of others to survive, many consider draugrs to be a type of vampire, but they don't burn up in the sunlight. Some draugr are born out of strong, unfulfilled ambitions, but most are the result of curses, and thanks to their extended lifespan, they often have perfected the art of living undetected, or taking full advantage of their state of being by taking up much more social pursuits. (+1 to Subterfuge)

Elves: The second most populous group in Vanaheim, elves tend to live in relatively "worse" conditions than humans. Part of that is because of the elven desire to be closer to nature rather than enclosed in concrete, but it is much more likely to relate to the fact that most elves found it hard to break into the industrial sector and thus many had to turn to less admirable pursuits to make money, including thievery. Others use their natural grace in order to become celebrities within Vanaheim, known for acting, dancing, or musical pursuits. (+1 to Acrobatics)

Psions: Physically identical to humans, psions are a new breed of creature, which science is still stuggling to understand. Psions appear to have limited powers, usually of the mental and psychic variety, and many have begun to use these abilities to become formidable criminals. There is much speculation regarding these individuals and what they mean for Vanaheim. (+1 to Focus)

Werebeast: Having been bitten by a werebeast, these individuals transform into werebeasts themselves. Many types are known about, the most common being canid-werebeasts and feline-werebeasts, though there have been reports of much more unusual species. Many exhibit physical traits reminiscent of whichever animal it is they transform into. Transformation occurs, to an extent, every night. Closer to the full moon, transformation becomes much stronger, causing the form of the werebeast to shift to a completely animal state, last much longer, and usually results in vicious behavior. (+1 to Might)

Dwarves: Shorter and stockier than the average human, dwarves are hard-working members of Vanaheim's society, usually working jobs that require large amounts of physical labor. Renowned for their endurance, love of alcohol, and close family relations, they are regarded as the most welcome supernaturals in Vanaheim. They usually stay out of trouble, being a practical race, besides a few bar brawls. (+1 to Resistance)

Vanaheim

As a city, Vanaheim features many unique districts.

Downtown: The premier shopping and entertainment district, Vanaheim's downtown never sleeps, and offers all sorts of dining, movies, theatre, clubs, and other pleasant distractions. During the day, salons, bakeries, and video stores do god business, but everyone agrees that night is the premier time of day for this district.

Crier Docks: A series of piers, ports, and harbors along the water, Crier Docks and the surrounding area is known to be nothing short of seedy. The warehouses are home to criminal activity just as often as they are home to imported goods. Gang violence is known to be on the rise, and at night, the only people who can be found roaming the streets are prostitutes, pimps, and wanabee punks. Crier Docks is also home to an unfinished amusement park that sits atop a pier.

Westerly Heights: The premier residential and commercial district of Vanaheim, occupied by old and new money alike, it is home to mansions, astronomically expensive fine dining, and a permanently upturned nose.

Haven Plaza: Home to affordable living and office rentals, most small businesses set up shop here, as do chains, doctors, and others. Most of the day to day life for the majority of people occurs within this expanse, and as it houses all income brackets and attracts all sorts of individuals, it varies on an almost daily basis just how safe a community it is. The library and a few museums are located here.

Havenside: The area surrounding Haven Plaza which is mainly residential. It serves as a type of suburb for Vanaheim, playing host to its schools and the majority of families. The first national bank of Vanaheim was built here centuries ago.

Industrial District: Uncreatively named, this district is home to factories, big banks, smog, traffic, and the majority of studio apartments wherein one would find cockroaches. Incredibly urban and cramped, it is not much of a place to live, but it serves as the economic heart and soul of Vanaheim. The Dyer Pharmaceuticals building is located here.

Gifford Row: A small section of Vanaheim that has become synonymous with the psion gangs. Once controlled by a far-reaching crime syndicate, they have recently been challenged by the various upstart psion gangs. The prison is still located here.

Somerset Station: Known as Sunset Station by most, Somerset is an area on the outskirts of Vanaheim, which once served as a train station. Service to that stop has long since ceased, but the tracks remain and the community built up around it tends to be home to many of the elves in Vanaheim. Economically depressed, there's really no reason to visit except to patronize local businesses, which usually run farm stands or sell hand-crafted items.

Rules

1. Obey all forum rules and be civil. Cooperative storytelling's the name of the game, and keeping disagreements respectful will go a long way, as will not spamming the OOC or derailing the IC.

2. Seeing as this is the Advanced section, try to keep spelling and grammar on the clean side. Run your post through a spellcheck if you don't trust yourself to be able to fix the glaring errors.

3. Let me know when/if you can't post. We will figure out if the RP will move on a weekly or biweekly basis, depending on what works best for everyone's schedule. If you want to do a collab, please get it started early in the cycle. If you won't be able to post, let me know so I can figure out how best to bring your characters along with the plot.

4. Dice rolls will decide the results of some actions in this RP, meaning that if your character finds him or herself in trouble, there is a chance of death. If that happens, don't worry. I'll allow you to make another.

If you are interested in joining, please post something in the OOC first and submit your character to the Characters tab.

... post ur dick pics

What about a steamy gif of Batman beating his dick?

mmm

Greetings! ~ We have made alien contact!

Well, it'll certainly produce a bunch of humans running in one direction, but I don't think we can consider that mass exodus a human race.

My job is normal

Not today. When my stilettos return to me, count me in.

My job is normal

I call people to get donations for my college from the alumnae. Today I called the head shaman of The Last Mask Center for Shamanic Medicine in... somewhere.

She didn't pick up. She also apparently charges for phone calls. :c