[DFRPG] Emissaries of Power... of a spirit of the City

[Arcteryx]

Crafting up a submerged character who is tied to the Spirit of the City; before I get into what he can do though, I need to come up with some ideas on what a spirit of the City (a specific city, ie the one we're playing in) would want of an emissary.

ie. what is in it for the spirit to have an emissary?

To narrow down the focus I thought that perhaps there are multiple spirits of the City - one for each of its major themes or aspects - and different neighbourhoods or traits might have its own ideas as to what would be best. This would also imply that multiple emissaries can exist for the different aspects or themes that are strong enough to manifest a spirit, and they may not always get along.

Any ideas or input welcome...

[Deadmanwalking]

Personally? If going for Multiple Spirits, I'd say that the character is an Emissary for all of them. They act in concert to imbue him or her with power, then each individually try and convice her/order him to do what they want. Lots more potential for Compels and general fun that way (especially when two of them give contradictory orders).

[CMEast]

Hmm... well a spirit of the city could be one of two things.

It could be an individual personality, a demi-god that has existed ever since the first sparks of civilisation in the area. It would be a normal sponsor in effect, one that is tied to the city (probably feeds off of emotion, or sacrifices in it's name (muggings etc)) and it would have it's own wants and needs, mostly tied in to it's survival and entertainment. It could be bargained with and it could lend it's power just like any sponsor.
This spirit would have an emissary that would help it feed, or perhaps if the city is failing then it might have an emissary to find some way to to reinvigorate the city - maybe related to a key industry or area of the city. Or maybe some key buildings are to be demolished or... you get the idea. Alternatively he could be hunting for a serial killer (if the city spirit feeds on positive emotion) or he could BE the serial killer (if it feeds on blood).


Alternatively, the spirit of the city could be a primal force, an animal mind created over hundreds of years of human hopes and fears, a conglomeration of every emotional event: Serial killers, new born babies, car crashes, rock concerts, homeless shelters - all of it. This wouldn't be a sponsor you could bargain with, instead it'd be a savage elemental and tapping in to that power would be overwhelming.
This kind of emissary could be anything: some kind of traumatic event could have allowed him to tap in to the city spirit and now he can do it all the time (lifting a car up by himself to save someone trapped underneath, racing through a burning orphanage to save the kids etc), he could have been homeless for years or he could be a kid, born exactly 100 years after the spirit first coalesced.

Either way, it'd be fun to make up powers

[Nomad]

For my own piece of the setting (Istanbul) I decided to have one big genus loci (fed by the inhabitants of the city and the numerous ley lines passing through it) with multiple personality syndrome. Just like the city itself, it is big, uncaring and depressive on one street (side street joining 2 main roads, traffic jam at least 6 hours a day...) and 50 steps later it is invigorating, smells of spring and quiet (evergreen trees, no car noise due to accoustics, a little park...)

The city allows it's true citizens (no transistents and the like) to draw upon its strenght (earth) , sometimes literally when they are unbalanced to the - side. It also  does the opposite, when you have excess (be it power, happiness, hope) it drains it. It drains it slowly from the citizens and abruptly from people not belonging. (and believe me, really unbalanced beings like vampires and arrogant mages are really "Yum Yum")

Well, this is my uncaring monolith of a city. Have fun crafting your own

[Arcteryx]

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions guys.

One of the things I'm struggling to crystallize is that "city demi-god" vs "many neighbourhoods", and "conscious spirit with ambition & goals" vs "primal consciousness". Any of those are great, its trying to sort out what best fits the spirit of the Dresdenverse that's difficult for me - and of course what provides maximum story possibility (ie. compels compels compels!)

This is for a setting of modern day London btw, if that helps generate any more thoughts and ideas.

[Ophidimancer]

ie. what is in it for the spirit to have an emissary?

It wants a voice and hands to get things done that it otherwise couldn't?  It wants to experience what it's like to be human?  Something happened to this person that just puts him in contact with the city, like an inherent sort of "urbanomancy?"  He's an Emissary, but only because his brain is naturally attuned to hearing the voice of the city.  Maybe he's the scion of a family who pass down guardianship of the city?  Ooh, what if the city itself "gave birth" to him from a composite of different experiences, he has no real past, just snippets of memories from a million different people.

[Biff Dyskolos]

Have you decided on a city yet? Stanley Park / Deadman's Island is the most obvious candidate for a genius loci in Vancouver - the heart of the city.

I also like Deadmanwalking's idea about serving multiple spirits. Serving multiple masters could offer lots of plot hooks and put you in some really sticky situations trying to keep them all happy.

[Dame]

  Ooh, what if the city itself "gave birth" to him from a composite of different experiences, he has no real past, just snippets of memories from a million different people.

Oh man! I really like that one.  Imagine all the trouble the character will get in for not having a traceable history.  He fills out a Job app, and they run a background check on him...and he DOESN'T EXIST!

That being said, My roomie pointed out that it would be pointless, because the character wouldn't be able to function in society, and he or she has to to that to be the mortal representative of that city.

[Ophidimancer]

That being said, My roomie pointed out that it would be pointless, because the character wouldn't be able to function in society, and he or she has to to that to be the mortal representative of that city.

Well, he could think he has a past, if the memory composite is put together the right way.  Kinda like how the

(click to show/hide)

clones

from

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The Island

had their lives put together by mixing and matching a standard set of memories.

Also, I don't think it would be too hard for the city to manufacture paperwork for its chosen avatar at City Hall.

[Arcteryx]

Have you decided on a city yet? Stanley Park / Deadman's Island is the most obvious candidate for a genius loci in Vancouver - the heart of the city.

Hey Biff This is for a game that I'm playing on GWave with some folks; but its going to have some major play in the FTF game if I have any say in it... just reading things in way more depth and detail since it looks like I'm GM'ing that one.

[Arcteryx]

Our setting for this game with the spirit(s) of the City is modern day London, and I was having a lot of trouble putting together something that was coherent and tied in - but you guys gave me some great ideas and I think I finally have a good High Concept and Trouble:

High Concept: London Knight
Trouble: Too many Spirits, not enough Emissaries



Think that should keep things busy eh? Once I get this all tied up I'll post the character you guys helped me come up with. I'll also post some of the ideas for spirits of the City that our group have come up with in some brainstorming today.

I have to say, BTW, Google Wave has been a total gem in the early going with City & Character Creation phases; can't wait to see how it runs once the game gets going.