I'm setting up my DFRPG campaign and we've decided to use Orlando, FL for the location. My players have deferred to me when it comes to city creation - I'm keeping them in the loop and taking suggestions but I'm doing most of the heavy lifting here. I thought I'd post what I have so far and get ideas/feedback if possible. Thank you.
Orlando, Florida - the City BeautifulTheme #1: The city's economy is forever entangled with Disney and the other theme parks. This has resulted in rapid expansion of Orlando from a sleepy town to a major city but it has also trapped much of the population in the service industry - low paying jobs serving pushy and often cranky outsiders. Disney and the parks are the biggest part of Orlando's identity as a city and yet it has very little control or input into them and, like every other large chain, the parks run right over local businesses.
Aspect: Addicted to the Dream
Faces- Jim Obaya, Frustrated Detective - Everytime he comes up against Disney in an investigation he loses.
- Lady Shade, Modern Day Fagan- Organizes the pickpockets who prey on the tourists.
Theme #2: There are hundreds of lakes in the Orlando area and much of it is swamp land with streams that feed the lakes. Add to that the sudden, localized, flash thunderstorms that pop up almost every day and magic becomes problematic. Long term spells or spells cast over a distance are difficult at best.
Aspect: Magic Always Dies
Faces- George P. Colby the Third, Spiritualist Wizard - His grandfather founded an island commune of psychics and minor talents in Orlando years ago as a place to research the phenomenon of running water grounding out magic. George inherited the community and the experiments after grandpa died in an explosive lab accident.
- Kate Cicero, Mistress of Transformation - Kate is a renegade sorceress taking advantage of the large amount of running water in the area. She specializes in transforming people into animals against their will and Orlando is a good place to hide from the Wardens. Scrying magic is hard there. Most of the magic wielding bad guys we see in the books are necromancers or mind manipulators or flat out killers. I thought it would be interesting to see someone who specialized in breaking one of the other laws.
- Adam, Monster Turned Leader - Adam may be the original Frankenstein's Monster. After decades of wandering he has decided to organize those like him - those who have been created and given life but not born. He searches out and brings golems, intelligent constructs and living statues to Orlando to live together in what he hopes will be peace.
Threat: Tourism in Orlando is at an all time high but so is crime. Wages are stagnant for much of the population while the rich just get richer. The weather's growing hotter and more extreme every year and, despite being inland, the hurricanes are starting to have an impact. Many of Orlando's residents feel like their pushing Sisyphus's boulder uphill and they have to wonder: what's the point of even existing?
Aspect: Summoning the Final Maelstrom
Faces- Niles the Nihilist, Everybody Wants to End the World - A guy with some magical talent who has learned to tap into the depression and ennui of the city. He's hoping to use that power to summon the mother of all hurricanes to destroy the city. Why? Because he wants to prove nothing actually exists.
- Mary, Cheerful Ghost... or Maybe Something More? - Seemingly the ghost of a young Victorian girl who haunts the area around Hamburger Mary's eatery. Unlike with many ghosts, seeing Mary makes people smile.
What is the Supernatural Status Quo?The two largest supernatural factions in Orlando are the Summer Court and the Court of Veils (a small group of dream eating vampires). House Skavis of the White Court nibbles around the edges, unknowingly encouraging the Niles the Nihilist, an idealist who wants to prove reality is a lie by destroying the city. The Red Court hides, building a power base right under everyone's noses (for the purposes of our game the vampire war never happened) and the Winter Cout of the fae is content with causing mischief wherever they can. The White Council's only presence in Orlando is a grumbling lab rat of a wizard while the mysterious Adam makes everyone nervous as he brings more and more of his "people" to the city.
What is the Mundane Status Quo?The city lives in a co-dependent relationship with Disney. Because of Disney the city has grown tremendously but also because of Disney, Orlando doesn't have the resources it needs to deal with being so large. The wealthy know about the problems in the abstract but because they don't see them directly the problems don't get solved. The city government is making an honest effort to bring in more industry and higher paying jobs but for every hundred of those created there are thousands of low wage service sector positions made. There's growing discontent which translates into both a higher crime rate and a higher suicide rate.
LocationsCassadagiaAn island commune of roughly 30-40 psychics (some with genuine abilities) founded long ago by a wizard named George P. Colby. He wanted a peaceful place to work on his experiments looking into the phenomenon of how running water grounds magic and found minor talents made excellent lab assistants. The original Colby died in a lab accident but his grandson is carrying on the experiments. Some of the island's residents still assist him but most go out into the city by day to earn a living in Orlando's many fortune telling shops.
Aspect: Real Magic Hiding in Plain Sight
The Face: Moondove, Grandmotherly hippie psychic - An empath and holdover from the 60s, Moondove is mother hen to the rest of the psychics on the island. She also make sure George interrupts his experiments long enough to eat and sleep.
Disney WorldThe world's most famous theme park and, though the Imagineers (probably) don't know it, the home to Summer power in Orlando. Disney is the perfect home for the Summer fae - magic is everywhere and the park is full of dreamers and, yet, everything is perfectly controlled down to what sorts of birds are in which section of the park.
Aspect: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes
The Face: Princess, Disney Enamored Summer Rep - The representative of the Summer Court in Orlando is a Sidhe who adores Disney. Each day he dresses up as a different Disney Princess and wanders the park. If you wish to do business you must figure out which Princess he is and find him.
Moon TreeLocated on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, this tree was grown from a seed that traveled to the moon and back. It has become the home of a group of very odd wee folk.
Aspect: Out of this World
The Face: Zeebork R9, "Alien" Pixie - Leader of a troop of wyld fae who believe themselves to actually BE from the moon. Or at least enjoy pretending that they are.
DattaniA theater that specializes in providing entertainment to Orlando's small but growing Indian community. In addition to showing Bollywood movies on the screen, the theater regularly shows live performances on stage.
Aspect: A Touch of India in Florida
The Face: Akshay Patel, Court of Veils Organizer - The most powerful member of the Court of Veils (dream eating vampires) in Orlando, Akshay doesn't so much lead his fellow vampires as he organizes them to make sure they socialize and band together against outside threats. His main focus is the White Court and the occasional Black Court troublemaker. He has no idea the Red Court is growing right under his nose.
Skyhouse(tm) OrlandoA 23 story, self-sustained luxury apartment complex complete with gas pumps in the garage, a restaurant, bodega and hair salon on the first floor and gym and pool on the roof.
Aspect: Upscale Home of Evil
The Face: Biff Holloway, Yuppie Red Court Vampire - The spearhead of the Red Court's efforts to gain more power in Florida. Biff has chosen Skyhouse, Orlando's newest and most exclusive luxury apartment complex as the base of his efforts. He is slowly addicting residents to his saliva and pulling them under his sway. He hopes to use this to prove his worth to the court and gain a noble title and the right to reproduce.
That's all I've written up so far. I'm in the process of creating more. Please let me know what you think. I appreciate any and all feedback. Thanks!