Hi all,
I've had an idea for a game that would help introduce players to the Dresden system. I've learned a lot from reading the forums about how the Aspects and Fate Economy work, so I think a handy thing is to take the Powers out of it, at the start, and just have Pure Mortal PCs. Namely, the cops working with Jacky Murphy back in the day.
Thanks to the great timeline on the forums, I've pieced together some details of the main line characters that are (or could be) active or involved.
I'm putting my research up here in case anyone else would like to use the setting, and for any additional input you might have. Enjoy!
Time points:
29 BSF ~ 1971. Karrin Murphy is born
19 BSF ~ 1981. Michael Carpenter (born 43 BSF ~ 1957) kills Mavra's "children" and "grandchildren," after some three dozen people were killed in the space of a month. Gregor has a cult, Charity (Carpenter) may not be a member yet.
17 BSF ~ 1983. Lisa Murphy is born
17 BSF ~ 1983. Collin Murphy suicides
14 BSF ~ 1986. Michael Carpenter saves Charity
Vargassi - Mob family of Chicago?
Real World Facts:
1979 Jane Byrne Chicago first female mayor
1979 Blues Brothers filmed in Chicago.
1983 Harold Washington first black mayor
Personalities:
Collin J. “Jack” Murphy - wife Marion, father to Karrin and 2 boys. Expecting Lisa?
Ron Carmichael - ? Uncertain if he was old enough to be active at this time.
Henry Rawlins - Late 50’s in 2005. As a young cop, he protected a woman from something scary, then got saved by Collin with a shotgun of rock salt.
John Stallings - Older than Rawlins? Skeptical of supernatural.
Mickey Malone’s Father? - I figure Mickey Malone may have been a generational cop as well.
Potential Plots
As you can see under Michaels entry, there's the potential for going up against Mavra's spawned Black Court Vampires (I haven't found any confirmation that this was in Chicago). I like this option, as it means the PCs could encounter Thralls and Renfields as lower level opponents before building up to actual Vampires (with the Bram Stoker disads).
I think the cult that Gregor and Charity were involved in may have been in Chicago around that time period. This could be a decent segue into the magical side of things.
Ghosts and goblins, etc. All pretty standard, I would think. I wouldn't muck around with the Queens at this level.