I definitely agree that GM involvement is critical in keeping a PbP alive.  I was involved in the Tampa game that was pretty successful until our GM had to drop out.  One of the things that seemed to keep the game alive was not waiting for everyone to respond to the thread before the GM posted.  It kept the action going, even if only for one character, that allowed the story to keep moving.  I think it also may have helped to make sure other players responded when they could.

With that, you could also use the sand to construct models of locations, similar to what Mab did in Small Favor with Marcone's building.   Just get a symbolic link to the place you're investigating, and you can see the layouts and condition, maybe even what happened there in the past.

Hey guys!  Just wanted to let you know that I won't be here tonight; it's my really good friend's birthdays so I'll be busy during our session.  Hope it's fun, and I will be back on Wednesday!

So when would be a good day when we could get together to finish our characters?

Okay, first location done.  Part 2, AKA Saucalito, will be up soon.

Name: Chinatown

Description: Nestled in the northeastern section of the city, Chinatown has been around since around the time of the Gold Rush.  It was the first stop many Chinese immigrents, and continues to be a community comprised of many foreign-born residents.  It is often referred to as "a city within a city" due to its strong sense of community and services that have risen through the years.  While offering its residents a foothold in America, it also serves as a monument to Chinese heritage, preserving many of the unique cultures and customs of the people living there.  

Idea:  The Chinese Mafia attempting to expand their power base.
Aspect: Island of Tradition in a Sea of New Beginnings

Face: Li Bo Chen - 33 year old, one of the major leaders for the Triads operating in San Francisco; though young, he is the driving force behind the group's growing use of supernatural talent, trying to increase his own position while also expanding the power of the Tongs and Triads.  He's clued-in but doesn't have much magical power; he is a very minor entropomancer, mostly useful when gambling.
Concept:  Triad Leader with a Touch of Power

So I realize the aspect is really lame, and I'm very open to any suggestions.  I've just hit a mental block on it, but I didn't want that to stop me from finally posting this.

Okay, here's an updated version of my character:
Edits in Red
Character:  Taisho Cardiat
Player: Tordon
Template: wizard
High Aspect: Wizard watchdog for the weak and talented
Trouble Aspect: So Many Mouths, So Few Hands


Phase One:  Background
Event:  Grew up in Hong Kong, the middle child of a wealthy family.  His mother is a member of the White Council, and his father has minor precognitive talents.
Aspect:  Born With A Silver Wand In Hand
Invoke:  Social knowledge of the upper class; access to family money, resources and occult knowledge, mostly through/from his mother; minor knowledge of White Council politics through his mother.
Compel:  Sticking to strong social code, helping family members or doing favors for them, obeying White Council rules and members.

Phase Two:  Rising Conflict
Event:  With his close group of friends, all with varying degrees of supernatural abilities, he was manipulated into a conflict between the Faerie Courts.  During the conflict, two of his closest friends, both Changelings, finally made their Choice and became fae.  Only one was able to survive.  Afterward, Taisho and his friends discovered that the conflict had been manufactured by the Summer Court to force his friends to choose.
Aspect:  Friend and Foe of the Summer Court
Invoke: Help with interaction with Fae; Favors owed to him by the Summer Court.
Compel: Basically, he is seen by both Courts as a good tool for manipulation due to his close friend in Summer.  Also, sometimes Summer needs to call in favors paid to him.

Phase Three:  
When the son of one of his father's business partners goes missing, presumably having run away again, Taisho steps in to help find him.  But nothing is ever as simple as it seems when the trail leads him to a string of other disappearances that hide a dark secret.
Guest Starring...:
Aspect: The Devil is in the Details
Invoke: To catch small details and to make sure what he does is done perfectly.
Compel: To miss something obvious, like a vampire charging at him.

Phase Four: Guest Star
Aspect: Exotic Tongzhi Casanova"
Invoke: Using his looks for social advantage; getting help from his boyfriend, a werepanther sculptor
Compel: Some people don't like those who are different, both ethnically or sexually; also, his boyfriend can sometimes get into too much trouble for himself to handle.

Phase Five:  Guest Star Redux
Aspect: "This is so illegal... but could you show me that again?"
Invoke:  For helping with illegal things like burglery and lockpicking, assuming he just learned how to do it recently.
Compel:  He just isn't that experienced with illegal things like burglery and lockpicking, especially quickly or under pressure; plus, he tries to stay on the right side of the law as much as he can.



Skills:
Superb (+5:) (0) none
Great (+4): (2) Lore, Conviction
Good (+3): (3) Discipline, Resources, Rapport
Fair (+2): (4) Guns, Contacts, Investigation, Scholarship
Average (+1): (5) Endurance, Stealth, Fists, Presence, Empathy

Powers:
Evocation [-3]
Thaumaturgy [-3]
The Sight [-1]
Soulgaze [+0]
Wizard's Constitution [+0

Adjusted Refresh: 1

Specializations:
Evocation: Elements (Water, Earth, Spirit) Control (Water +1)
Thaumaturgy: Complexity (Divination +1)

Focus Items:
Rosewood Staff (Offensive control Water +1)
Silver and Jade Arm Band (Defensive control Earth +1)
Wood and Silver Bracelet (Defensive control Water +1)

Enchanted Items:
... to be determined

Rote Spells:
Angunae - Fog Cloud - (Water Maneuver: five shifts) Creates a large fog cloud that obscures both sound and vision.  Very useful in getting away from threats in city streets at night.
Godeu - Icicle Shards - (Water Attack: two targets, two shifts each) Creates two sharp spikes of ice that he launches at his enemies.
Molaegu - Sand Trap - (Earth Block: four shifts, requires arm band) Causes holes to open under the target's feet, then trapping them there.  Can work on any stone or earth; includes concrete but not asphalt.
Jalasuk - Magnet Dome - (Earth Block: four shifts, requires arm band) Forms a dome of magnetic energy that immobilizes any metal object that comes at it.

Physical Stress: OOO
Social Stress: OOO
Mental Stress: OOOO

Booklover, I think we could guest star in each others first adventures.  I was thinking somehow, a group of vampires or whatever is trying to gain power by sacrificing young men and women to a demon.  If your character is on a sports trip to San Francisco or the area, then other athletes could be targets, getting your character and mine involved together.  

If that doesn't work, then I think they should still star in each others stories somehow.  It would make sense since Taisho tries to keep an eye on the smaller-time magical practitioners in the city.

I'm in the Eastern time zone, and evenings work best for me.  I can do pretty much any day of the week, though on the weekends, I wouldn't be available until after 10pm.

I'm in!