So when we're talking about characters, there are two main things we want to think about:
1. Goals. Everyone should have at least one strong goal. Something specific and important they want to get done as soon as possible, and that gives them something important to do in the first scene (I'm not saying we'll do that in the first scene, but hitting the ground with somewhere to go makes a big difference in terms of momentum).

2. Look for places and ways where your character's goals or themes or conflicts or story can cross other players'. If you're tracking down a drug lord, and someone else is tracking down a union boss, maybe make that person the same person.

I'll be keeping an eye out for both of these things as we go along as well, but the more eyes the better.

Currently the main sources of conflict in the City are:
-The streets are no longer safe. It's possible that your physical location is either filled with chaotic street violence, or perhaps has been seized by someone in the wake of the collapse of the Sulejmani Family. This would be a good link for any PC's who live close to each other.

-A large, organized group of Wizards and Oracles have seized control of the economy. This is unprecedented in Bay City, where historically arcane groups are small, insular, isolated, and spend all their time arguing among each other. It's possible that something of yours in the 'mundane world' (job, house, savings) have been threatened or destroyed as a result of one of their schemes.

-City Hall has created a very independent, very well-armed police force that seems to know more about the supernatural world than they should ("The Unit"). It's possible that you've been targeted by the Unit, or is being tracked by the Unit. Or maybe you're working for them, or know someone who's part of it.

I'll have some more questions for everyone as we go.

Lilith's debts:

1) Someone makes sure you get fed regularly. You owe them 2 Debts.
Twiddle provides me with a ready supply of willing victims.

2) Someone relies on you for their fix. Ask them what you provide that keeps them sane. They owe you a Debt.
Tessa is relying on my 'vampire kiss' to help her with her headaches.

For the third one, considering that Lilith is a born vamp, I would go with the debts from the second edition of US. Pending GMs approval on this:
3)
1st edition: Someone bears responsibility for you becoming a vampire. They owe you a Debt.
2nd edition: Someone recently sold you out to one of your enemies. You avoided the worst of their attacks, but your betrayer owes you a Debt.


I can take one of these two.
The first one works with my 3rd debt. I see a good link between you keeping me hidden from my enemy (I owe you) and someone else sold me and they owe me.
The second one works with my career (Private detective).
This message was last edited by the player at 08:45, Sat 22 May 2021.

That's totally fine. Approved!

In reply to Lilith Voss (msg # 4):



That works for me.

Debts for the Wolf:

1. Someone is hiding you from someone, or something, powerful.  You owe them a Debt.
   
   • I am helping hide Twiddle from the Wild Hunt
   
   
2. Someone hired you for a job and you fucked it up.  You owe them 2 Debts.
   
   • Tessa hired me to track down some punk, but I went overboard and alienated her from the group.
   
   
3. Someone lives in your territory, benefiting from your protection.  They owe you a Debt.
   
   • Lilith is hiding in my territory, taking advantage of the untoward location.

For the first one, I wounder if George is being hidden without his knowledge.  He's been pretty aggressive on the streets, and doesn't truly understand the extent of the danger he' in.

For the second, he does a lot of tracking jobs, and a lot of PI work.  He's pretty good at it, too.  But he isn't always successful.

For the third, anyone want to live in the slums?  You'll have Wolf George watching your back...
This message was last edited by the player at 15:00, Tue 25 May 2021.

I would take number 1. Last thing I need is the Wyld Hunt coming after me trying to drag me back to the Summer Court.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:25, Thu 20 May 2021.

In reply to Twiddleskimershim (msg # 8):

So you want to reverse this one, where I'm hiding you from the Wyld Hunt, and you owe me a debt?  I'm down for that.  While our world may not cross often, I could see the Hunt having to deal with different Wolf territories (most of whom don't tend to care about the Hunt, as I assume they mostly come after Fae).  Not only has George been pushing the other Wolves to fight back against them, he doesn't allow the Wyld Hunt in his territory.

Idea: Twiddle's RTJ mentioned him 'selling dreams.' What if the 'dreams' he sold was a substance created/produced by a Place of Power (Wild) that exists in George's territory?

In which case Twiddle could take George's 'Lives in his territory and benefits from his protection' Debt. Or Twiddle could be keeping George safe from the Wyld Hunt (who covet the place of power).

Or both.

In reply to System (msg # 10):

Well, my own powers would allow me to do all the sales I need. Maybe there is a lay line that enhances Fae abilites? Normally you have to make a deal with the Fae in question. There could be a seedpod plant, where Twiddle can place the deal inside the plant. Thus allowing the person in question to get the magic in question just by eating the pod.

Lilith, how do vampires feed?  I might allow you to feed in my territory, but that's not a guarantee.

I've been thinking and i have a proposal. Since i told the GM that Lilith never killed anyone (for hunger) and I'm not sure yet if feeding on animals is something Lilith would do either, i would tie this debt to my 3rd, again.

Some background info so the following would make sense: as a PD, before things went nuts, most of Liliths clients were mortals. But when shit started happening, because of low to no request, Lilith started taking jobs from other factions. Somehow (not decided yet) she made an enemy during one of her jobs. Someone sold her (my 3rd debt), Lilith decided to move and hide. Twiddle suggested to hide in your territory and he's one of the few who know where Lilith stays (I owe him). You accepted me in your territory and offered me protection for a debt.

How does it sound for you?

That would work for me.  I do want to point out, though, that my territory is the slums.  It's the area outside the Industrial district, where the windows are boarded up and half the residents are squatters.  When I think Vamp, I don't think ghetto.  Though there was probably a movie in the 90s about that very concept...

I think that's perfect!

That's exactly the reason why I have accepted to hide there :)) no one would expect to find me here. I would love to move back tho. But I must figure out how to get rid or make peace with my enemy.

Right.  Staying in my territory is one thing.  But four walls and protection?  That's worth a debt.  Don't mind the other residents, they're mostly harmless.

---

If we want to spread these out evenly, it looks like we can each select three "debt" choices from other players.  That will cover all of them, and provide a good variety.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:37, Thu 20 May 2021.

Chiming in now with my own Debts, which I'll bold and add in names for once someone has taken them:

- Someone helps decipher your visions with unique insights. You owe them 2 debts. (Twiddle!)

- You had a dark vision about someone, but gave bad guidance. You owe them a Debt. (Vincent!)


- Someone interfered with your destiny. They owe you a Debt. Tell them if you've forgiven them--they owe you another Debt if you still hold a grudge for their actions. (George--and I don't think Tessa's forgiven him yet!)

(look at post #37 in this thread.)

I'm gonna read over everyone else's starting Debts and then I'll chime in again with whichever ones I'd like to take.

I'll also introduce my character here by briefly explaining who Tessa is:

Tessa started off as a regular college student with a bad habit of getting very lost, and exactly six months before the trouble started, she started having headaches, which escalated to visions. Along the way, her professor in Gnostic religions gave her some books to read and, while reading them, she fell into a fugue state one day and woke in the subterranean guts of the city conversing with a psychic rat-thing.

Presently, she's trying to track down a mysterious punk that people say can do what she does--maybe even better than she does it. :^)
This message was last edited by the player at 08:13, Sat 22 May 2021.

In reply to Tessa Combs (msg # 17):



Your visions could have led you to Twiddle, and due to his otherworldly nature he could give you insight into something you saw that made no sense to a earthborn person.

Love it!

MC/System, will I be using the 2e Oracle, which has the Benefactor? If I am, then this could be a potentially good source of tension.

(Also, I think that the 1e and 2e Debts differ, so I can edit it to the 1e Debts if not.)

I think I'd like to take that second, following on from my current goal. Maybe something you did while looking for the punk alienated Tessa and yourself from the group he's a part of.

Oh, absolutely!  Just because George can find anyone, doesn't mean he can get you to them. George has absolutely garbage social skills, so any of the subtle crap tends to slip right past him.  Things may have gotten a little hairy at a bar where he was following a lead (pun intended), and now some of the other Oracle's outer echelon is wary of you (and unaccepting of George).

I think Wolf George's primary goal at this time is to handle a Mummy that has been encroaching on his turf.  The bandages and lepers moving in from the east (of his slums) were slow to be detected, but he's onto them now.  The problem is that this creature can disappear into a crowd like no other, slipping through George's fingers like sand.

I am actually taking Psychometry, so...might be able to help you with that, sometime soon.

That could actually tie in well with me...

Vincent used to be a somewhat lackluster Catholic priest (Father Charles Brown) who had more loyalty to the guys from the old neighborhood than he did for the Church.  One of them turned out to be a Very Bad Person and poor Charlie died...and spent an indeterminate amount of time in Purgatory before someone else's call for vengeance was strong enough to Bring Him Back.  But he remembers Charles as another person, practically, dissociated from his current psyche...and those who knew him before may or may not recognize him (suffering in Purgatory changes a soul in very profound ways...)

And, since Vincent isn't sure who Called Him Back, he needs to find the person to be their avenging angel and redeem his soul.  An oracle could be very helpful for that...if he can ever find you...

I could take this one. Maybe you asked me to track down the mysterious punk and something bad happened? Maybe he is (also) the enemy I made in my 3rd debt?


Or you could take one of mine. All 3 are still up for anyone to take.


@Vincent
I've checked your play book and saw this debt: Someone has already come to rely on you and your powers. Ask them what unique need you fill. They owe you two Debts.
I'm looking for someone who killed my great-great-grand-father and someone told me that this city is the last place were he was seen. Could it be that you were the one who told me that?
This message was last edited by the player at 08:49, Fri 21 May 2021.

Vincent

Twiddle could have mourned you. While you could have known the human Omar, you might have tried to rehabilitate him from his criminal ways, unsuccessfully.

Despite not truly being Omar, Twiddle loves mortal life. He finds any ending of it a loathsome waste.

Lilith

Does Twiddle provide you with a ready supply of willing victims? After all, he is a drug dealer...sorta of. As long as you are not killing people to feed he can find those who are up for the experience.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:47, Fri 21 May 2021.

Vincent

The dirty and corrupt often find their way to George Wolfe's territory.  He lives with the filth of the city, with those that are Bad Men.  But when those Bad Men get out of line and do bad things, that's where Wolf George has to hunt them down like dogs.  I could take the Debt of "Someone tried to get justice for your murder, but failed to lay your soul to rest. They owe you a Debt."  Out of all the men from your old neighborhood, I may have put down the wrong one.  Or perhaps the actual Bad Man was untouchable.