I feel like i should add something here, but i don't know that i really need to. Almost everything i have read here (indeed maybe everything) has been well thought out and totally has good points behind it. My play by post game ran fairly well (I would say), until technical difficulties left me without a computer for a while. Which as I was GM just kinda beat the game down badly :/ . I would say some things i have found help with the pbp games
1.) Talk to your players outside of the game to see what they like and put what interests them in. This works and is important for almost any game, pbp or not, but it is critically essential for play by posts (i feel at least) because it keeps players interested and eager to find out what happened, which keeps them coming back.
2.) (I believe this one has been mentioned) Expect to loose players. I know it's always sad when it happens but the truth of the matter is, that as a play by post game, it's likely going to happen. So i would recommend being prepared for it. The specific preparation is up to you though and there are some good examples of things that can work here already.
3.) I found that be willing to compromise helped immensely but that might just be GM-ing in general rather than specifically pbp lol

Hmm... thats really all i can think of right now that i haven't directly seen posted here already.

P.S. To Sanctaphrax: I Sincerely thank you for all the awesome work you have been doing around the boards. It seems like everytime i get on these boards i see something impressive you have done. So i just figured you deserve some thanks for all of the hard work you do. So Thank You
P. S. S. sorry to derail topic with that. lol

Thanks for posting those! I like the idea and make up of this sword so I showed it to one of my players and they keep looking at it greedily. I think i know what they are going to want soon lol

The way I see it, taking a point in Lawbreaker is just like taking a point in refinement with a few extra strings attached.  Refinement gives you two points to spend on specialization.  While Lawbreaker gives you three (Complexity, Control, and Power), only two of those can be used at any one time, and you have to pay the price for it by changing an aspect.

That makes tons of sense. I think I'll go with that from now on Nice work

This is pretty epic. Color me very impressed. Great work

the thing about soulfire is its "mystical rebar" like when harry uses the silver hand "construct" I personally think that might be done two ways. First conjuration is it's specialty, possibly granting a refinement level bonus in that (say a +1 complexity and control).

Second is that it can grant duration to spells that normally have none, like an attack. Normally draw up 5 shifts. Get a weapon: 5. Use soulfire draw up 5 shifts and a point of debt get a weapon: 5 spell that lasts for two exchanges.

I could see either of these, though i am heavily leaning toward the conjuration style simply for game balance purpose. I think the attack would be really cool but it is possibly game breaking (though it may be more thematically accurate). This bears thinking upon for me and it's late, so i'll check this tomorrow and see what i think up.

1. Is this too specific at this point?
2. Can you take a character from this story and play them in a different story if that story calls for it...so can NPC's become PC's in other stories?
3. It is a bit bigger than I intended and am wondering if it's too big and if it is, how do I scale it down?

1. Nope not at all. Infact that's a very impressive stating of the city. Having your city well fleshed out before you start gives it a sense of Realism and Accuracy to play, and will ultimately make for a much more interesting story. My only recommendation here is dont trust that all to stay the same for very long. An adventure or two can change alot depending on how things go down.

2. Yes, Npc's can totally become pc's if the situation calls for it. As long as they have a positive adjusted refresh and would have free will (like a mortal would) then they are playable as PC's.

3. I dont see it as a being to big, as if this is the city you'll be playing in for a while it really helps to have a fair list of people as "the cast". If you do feel this is "a bit big" Then simple cut down on the number of faces for each theme or threat, and that'll make it feel considerably smaller.

Hope those help some (if that didnt just say so lol)

Could the character uses the sword's Bless This House to increase the strength of a threshold and then leave the sword behind and have the effect persist? Obviously the character is choosing to make use of the sword in this way so they wouldn't get a compel on the sword's aspect because they have been denied its use.

I would say Yes (as they wont be getting it's other benifits) and because they may still be compelled related to the sword to have someone move it, take it, or otherwise void it's benifits.

If the character also has Bless This House would the two powers stack like they would if they were on separate characters?

I dont really see why the character would have it twice (paying for it twice seems kinda lame) so I dont really think this situation would ever arise, but if it somehow did, i would say Yes they would stack.

Holy Touch lists skills affected as "Many", but it only mentions the effect for the Fists skill. Would the sword do +1 stress when used with the Weapons skill? If so, would you also get the +1 stress when using Fists while the sword is sheathed?

I would say the +1 would Not stack as it doesnt say anything about it stacking. I would allow your fists to be a weapon one with the swords abilites but you would have to have it on your person, and for me personally, as a gm, i would require it to be unsheathed, but thats just me.

Would Holy Touch's compel effect work when touching a creature with your hand or would you have to touch it with the sword?

I would say, as long as the sword is "active" (which for me would be having the sword unsheathed) it would work, even if you dont touch them specifically with the sword.

And finally, I find this bit really vague, "This could qualify your touch as satisfying a Catch for the Toughness powers of some creatures." How are other people interpreting this? Does it satisfy all "Holly Stuff" type catches?

I would say it satisfies all "Holy Stuff" type catches and possibly other if it fits, though the others part is up to you/your gm.

I would personally be wary of allow a spell caster to use their physical stress to draw up power. I see it as a potential game breaker. however a power could fairly easily allow a variant type of spellcasting that is done via physical methods instead. Something like...

[-2] Chakra Magic: Allows magic to be channeled from your physical strength  rather than your belief.
Chakra Reserves: You may use your Endurance to draw up power for all spellcasting as though it were conviction. Your conviction modifies these rolls*.
Physical Command: You may use your fist's skill as the controling skill for all spellcasting as though it were discipline. Your discipline modifies these rolls*.
*Note: The modification may not be necessary but i felt it fit the flavour.

That power could very well allow you to cast magic in a completely physical way. Also I think its fairly balanced. I'm not entirerly sure if this is what you are looking for though.