City Creation - Detroit

[Ravangames]

Working up the creation of Detroit... would like feedback/suggestions.

"Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus"
(Latin for, "We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes)

Brainstorming...

Possible Theme/Threats
Urban Sprawl?
Political Problems?
Casinos?
Crime Activity?
Music?
Sports?

[Deadmanwalking]

Um...how does this belong in the Spoiler Quarantine Zone? I'm just curious.

[Ravangames]

Um...how does this belong in the Spoiler Quarantine Zone? I'm just curious.

Not sure really, just thought to put it here just in case anything pops up.... in hindsight.. that probably wont happen....  nothing happened in Detroit.

Just tired I guess.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Detroit would make the most excellent Black Court stronghold (if you can get past the political incorrectness issues considering the racial make-up of the area).

Would also be nearly as good for Red Court.

Lots of 18th/19th century architecture. TONS of half standing, decrepit buildings.

Political issues: racial tension, corruption in the city government, whites from the suburbs fear to go into the city. Financially affluent county to the north with an almost equally corrupt commissioner. Lots of possibilities there.

[Ravangames]

I was more leaning to a WCV being one of the major powers in the city... just not Raith... Malvora and/or Skavis... they could easily be enjoying the chaos in Detroit...

My hardest hurdle has been trying to figure out who is running the casinos....  well that and the good NPCs...

Casinos:
Mafia...
RCV?
Vanilla?


I am going to play out the racial tension (Burbs vs. Detroit) being Summer vs Winter...


Good Guys:
Religious group in the know.
small occult community (John King Book Store)
a minor talent here and there (psychic in Ferndale)

[Ravangames]

Can I get a mod to move this thread over to DFRPG please.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

All of the casinos in Detroit have to have a native American ownsership component, IIRC.

If you're going with WCV - Malvora or Skavis is better. Despair is rampant in the inner city.

Raith would likely live in St.Clair Shores or West Bloomfield. More likely WB, because it's a younger, sexier element there. SCC is old money.

Ferndale has gone more gay chic than psychic. (no play on spelling intended) Royal Oak is more friendly to psychics and occult bookstores (though John King is an excellent choice for the inner city powerhouse bookstore.)

[Ravangames]

Actually only the Greektown Casino is Indian Owned...

MotorCity is owned by Ilitch (the largest single owned casino in the US... by a woman even)

and

MGM is owned by MGM Mirage company (majority) and about 10 Detroit Partners....


...

Royal Oak for Occult contacts.. excellent thanks!


Does WB have any cool clubs?

[Redwulf25_ci]

Came here to start this thread and here it is already!

Admittedly my input on Detroit is largely Vancouver Method as it's on the other side of the state from me but I'd think that Urban Decay, Poverty, and possibly Corruption would be strong themes in modern Detroit.

As for who's behind the casinos . . . Skavis. Nothing generates despair like losing your house due to gambling debts. Or, since as someone else pointed out the Native Americans run the casinos, the Skavis could have the market cornered on bookies and loan sharks. Possibly a recent development generating some conflict between them and the local mob.

I'd be surprised if Skavis, Malvora, and Raith weren't all represented in town. The poverty generates despair but it can also lead to crime (desperate people just trying to make ends meet) which generates FEAR for the Malvora to feed on. As for the Raith, lots of strip clubs and hookers in Detroit.

I'm going to gen up an NPC (will probably turn into a PC if I get to play) who works for the Detroit version of Special Investigations. I'm thinking they need a better name than SI though, any ideas?

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Cool clubs in WB... no, but close by in Bloomfield Township is the former Macchus Red Fox (now known as Andiamo) which was the last place Jimmy Hoffa was seen.

Most of the hip clubs are in Pontiac, another rather seedy area.

Ravan - I'm sure you're right. I just vaguely remember the debate back when the Casino's were voted in that they had to have NA partners, and there were those who wanted the chance to go without. I guess they got their way!

Redwulf - I lived all but about 10 years of my life in the Metro Detroit area, moving out only two years ago, but already my memory is beginning to fade....

[Ravangames]

Currently living in Farmington Hills, work in Detroit... I see the decay every M-F....

Red: I was thinking Skavis about one of the casino owners, but then I thought about all the times someone won money, generating feelings of hope and happiness, wouldn't that bring pain to them?  Just a side thought...  Loan sharks... nice  diddn't think of that.

As for the Raith house, I was leaning on them either being non-represented to being somewhere outside of the city or in Windsor for that matter.  Have to take Windsor into account being just across the tunnel/bridge.  I was thinking of having Windsor being more of a Summer representation of the fae while Detroit was mostly Winter, since Windsor has a lot less blight.

I was leaning more towards the RCV influence with all the strip joints... Maybe just a few of them (3?) that are more pricey to snag any influential people for the reds.

I heard recently that Dearborn has the largest Muslim population in the U.S. and was thinking of  portraying one or 2 of the mosques as People in the Know and have a group of active good guys that help stop the spread of the decay and corruption of Detroit.  just need to come up with a snappy name for them and the mosque... unfortunately, I don't have a lot of knowledge in the Muslim faith.

The more I think about Detroit the more I have a sinking feeling I'll have to create Windsor as well... buggers.

[Ravangames]

What do you guys think...


Theme:
Growing Blight of the City

Aspect:
Death and Decay

Faces:
WCV(Malvora)
3 Gangs

--------------------------------
Theme:
cover the Blight with TOURISM!

Aspect:
Next Las Vegas


Faces:
Merian Ilitch RCV
Mickey Two-Fingers Malone WCV(Skavis)

------------------------------------------
Threat:
Power Hungry Warlock tapping Detroit's Ley Lines

Aspect:
Dark Power Rising

Faces:
Vincent Pimperton (Power Hungry Warlock)

---------------------------------------------------
Supernatural Status Quo:
Supernatural Powers battle for Dominance while the Summer Court (Burbs) continues to stop the spread of the Winter Court (Sprawl).

Mundane Quo:
Crime, corruption, death and rebuilding; situation normal.


Maintain Quo (in the dark):
Gangs

In the know:
RCV
WCV
Summer Court

Rock the boat (in the dark):
New Mayor
Organized Crime
The Cops

In the Know:
Religious Groups
The Occult
Winter Court

--------------------------------------

Some Places:

John King Books
The People Mover
Ambassador Bridge
the Blight
John F. Kennedy Square (ley line convergence)
Compuware building
Casinos
Detroit Institute of Arts
Wayne State University


Having problems coming up with faces for the DIA and Wayne State.... Im leaning on them being Summer Court's foothold in Detroit.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Looks good, but I have a suggestion.

I don't remember a John F Kennedy park. BUT a little bit south of GRAND CIRCUS PARK (where the Compuware building is) is the convergence of Michigan ave, Woodward, Grand River, and if Fort and Lafayette weren't interrupted by buildings, those too. It's the little patch of green on this map. It has some some statues IRL.

For the life of me, I can't recall what it's called, though.

http://www.planetware.com/map-of/usa/detroit/grand-circus-park-us-mi-gcp.htm

Anyway, there's your actual ley lines.

Woodward Ave was originally a native American trail that led to Pontiac, where the seat of the Oakland County (subrurban) courts are now. It's also the first paved road in the country.

Davison (about 5 or 6 miles north) incidentally is the first "freeway" ever constructed in North America, but that's beside the point.

[Ravangames]

Yup, thats J.F. K. Park.

Any ideas on locations and faces?  I'll always need some more of them...

Was also thinking of Boblo Island being something as well... just haven't figured out what yet... Darniarian safe house?

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Yup, thats J.F. K. Park.

Any ideas on locations and faces?  I'll always need some more of them...

Was also thinking of Boblo Island being something as well... just haven't figured out what yet... Darniarian safe house?

well, perfect then! 

Bob-Lo... considering it was once an amusement park, and converted to an upscale housing community, I dunno right now. You might consider Belle Isle for something though. Deer run wild, there's the zoo. Perhaps something could possess the animals?

Also consider Monroe, Michigan. That's where George Custer lived. Lots of possible necromancy between monroe, detroit, the War of 1812 and the French and Indian Wars being fought in the area. I'm thinking sort of a early American version of the Wild Hunt...

Then, of course, there's the Royal Oak Post Office, where the term "going postal" was coined when a disgruntled postal worker shot up the place and killed a bunch of employees, including his boss.

People - There's always good old Coleman A. Young.... first black mayor, foul mouthed, alienated the white population after the race riots into taking their businesses to the suburbs. He's passed on now, but it's possible to use his character traits in a fictional frame. His replacement, Dennis Archer, was a good guy (in fact got Compuware to come back to the city) but had SOOOO much stonewalling from the City Council that he refused to run for a second term. Which brings us to Kwame Kilpatrick, young punk mayor with a diamond in his ear, entertaining whores at the Manoogian Mansion (the mayor's residence) a couple of which were murdered not long after by the same type of gun issued to the Detroit Police. Some people say Kwame's wife had something to do with it. BTW - Kwame is the son of state congressperson xxxxxx cheeks-kilpatrick. (can't remember her first name right now.) And of course, The Council itself  - rife with controversy, backstabbing and pork hunts for their own districts.

Oh, another location... the Detroit Athletic Club... the type of place Harry might find a Marcone-type character.