eurydicebound

So, last part of this, I promise! It's just been a really busy week. I probably could have skipped all this exposition, but it's been good for me to have this somewhere and I think it's generally useful to our viewers at home.

We therefore go back in time to the evening of city creation, in which we were down to choosing pertinent locations and the faces thereof. Some of these were places that figured in their backstories/phases, some of them were just things we felt were important. Each location is categorized as theme or threat, and for each there's an idea and an Aspect in play, as well as at least one person connected with it.

I should note here that while we made some things up wholesale, we also dialed up Google Maps and Street View and played the holy hell out of "that's a cool place!" We've therefore got street addresses and place names for at least half of these that actually exist, and that means that when I have some where concrete that the players want to go, I can pull up the picture -- if not of that place, then of somewhere close enough for reference. I know where things are and where they're likely to be, and I can use just enough info to make it feel real without getting mired in it. Gods, I love the internet. :)

Mo's Fisherman's Wharf: This is a seafood restaurant down by the waterfront. It is Accorded Neutral Ground (idea) and also has the Best Damn Crab in the City (aspect). The face for this is the owner, Maureen "Mo" Schmidt, the owner and also a changeling fishmonger. Like a lot of people who live here, Mo's effectively got one foot on sea and one on shore, and she does her best to not only bridge those worlds, but make both money and a safe place out of it in the bargain.

Loyola University: This Jesuit university shows up twice, amusingly enough, one for each of its faces in the game. The first is as a theme with the idea of Observation Point, with the aspect "The Answers Lie Here." The face for this aspect is Daniel Coggins, who is a Stern Librarian and whose self-enforced neutrality means that he knows more than he lets on. His first priority is the preservation of his library, with the second being the preservation of Loyola, and right and wrong being dim thirds or lower on the scale. Relatively good guy, but don't forget where you stand.

Loyola University: Here this features as a threat. It's idea is Suffering Builds Character. Its aspect is Whoever Increases Knowledge, Increases Sorrow, and the face is Brian Linnane, SJ, the president of the university. The Jesuits stand at the doorway between good and a whole lot of evil, and to say that there's a decent amount of cynicism at the higher levels might be an understatement. There are things that are better off not known -- and they'll see to it they stay that way.

St. Elsewhere: This understated facility is on the east side of town in a nondescript warehouse. It's a theme, and its idea is an "underground, off-the-books hospital for supernaturals." The aspect is "We Take All Kinds." The face for this is Dr. Selby Rollins, a White Court "doctor." He really is a doctor, and his preferred emotion is pain. Ostensibly running this place lets him feed without endangering anyone -- all the same, how hurt do you have to be before you are willing to let him touch you?

Bethel Street: Bethel Street is technically a street, but it's more of a back alley in Fell's Point. It's a threat. The idea is that it's the alley in which Zeke met Adia and saved her. Really, it's something of a demonic hotspot -- bad things happen there more often than we'd like to think about. Out front on one side is the Brass Monkey, a sort of dive bar/neighborhood tavern with live music and a couple of semi-zealous gatekeepers in the forms of Irving McDormond, the wiseass bouncer, and Gertrude Sellars, the buxom bartender -- just as tough as Irv, mind you. Both mortal, but both heavily invested in the place. That bad things tend to happen out back is worrisome, but they at least try to make sure it doesn't make it through the doors, whatever "it" is.

Sensible Consultants: This is a cold storage facility that acts as the Winter Court stronghold. It also holds a group of winter-aligned changelings who were tried to throw the balance of power between the courts. They are now a very artistic group of frozen statues while they serve their penance. It's a threat, which seems obvious, and it's aspect is Winter Court Stronghold. The face of this place is Ymir, the Winter Lady's Knight.

Charm City Cakes: Yes, home to the Ace of Cakes from Food Network. Chef Duff Goldman is cast in our game as a Summer-aligned ex-changeling who chose to be a mortal. His place is a stronghold for the changelings of the area, and the summer fae use him for their catering almost exclusively when mortal desserts are on the menu. Aspect is "Changleing Stronghold." Theme, not threat.

Federal Hill National Cemetary: This is a hallowed Revolutionary War cemetery, which has a weak link to the Nevernever. It's a theme. The aspect is "Those who forget history..." The face for that is collectively the ghosts of gatekeepers of the past, in effect the PCs predecessors. Not that they know this yet.

One-Eyed Mike's: Mike's a friend of Oscar's. This is a gun shop for those in the know... a theme rather than threat. The aspect is "Ballistic Casablanca," believe it or not. The face is One-Eyed Mike Zabor, who is a "veteran of wars foreign and domestic." I really like Mike -- this will be fun. :)

There are a few more random faces, but I'd rather introduce them when and if they show up -- those with ties to various factions, etc. We'll meet them along the way, if that's all right. Anyway, that's it. Now onto the first session. Yay!