The following is a co-operative effort by HobbitWarrior and SilverBlaze

Character: Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden

High Concept: Grey Council Detective
Trouble: Temptation of Power
Other Aspects:
1. Epic Wise Ass
2. "I'd Die For My Friends, Unfortunately I Might Have To..."
3. "So I'm a Warden now...Yeah."
4. "I Won't Let My Darkness Control Me, but Sometimes I Let It Out."
5. I've Got an Apprentice Now, but I'll Die Alone.

Skills
Fantastic: Conviction
Superb: Endurance, Intimidation
Great: Discipline, Lore
Good: Alertness, Athletics, Contacts, Investigation
Fair: Guns, Presence, Rapport, Weapons
Average: Empathy, Fists, Might, Resources, Scholarship, Stealth

Stunts
Listening (Investigation): +4 to Investigation rolls to hear things, but Alertness drops to Terrible while Listening.

Powers
Evocation  -3
Thaumaturgy -3
Sponsored Magic: Soulfire  -3
Lawbreaker (First) -1
The Sight -1
Soulgaze -0
Wizard's Constitution -0
Refinement  -4
*( Demonreach: Sponsored Magic: Place of Power - This is Intellectus.) -3

Specializations
Evocation: Elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Spirit);  Power: ( Fire +1 )
Thaumaturgy:  Control (Divination +1)


Rotes
Fuego - Weapon:6 single-target fire attack. Creates a jet or blast of flame. Requires blasting rod.
Forzare - Weapon:5 single-target spirit (force) attack. Creates an invisible kinetic blast. Requires staff.
Shield - 6-shift defensive spirit (force) block... [Armor 3]. Creates hemispheric shield in front of Harry; acts as armor or a block. Requires shield bracelet.
Ventas Servitas- Weapon : 4 Single-target air attack. Creates a gale force gust of wind to move objects or damage objects; as well as hurt foes.

Focus Items
Staff - +1 Offensive Control with Spirit
Shield Bracelet - +2 Defensive Control with Spirit
Blasting Rod - +2 Offensive Control with Fire
*Sword Cane - +2 Offensive Control with Earth

Enchanted Items
Duster - Fantastic block or Armor:3, 3 uses per session, lendable  (2 slots)
Knuckle Duster of Force Rings: Weapon 5 - 5 uses per session.
2 empty potion slots

Stress
Mental OOOO +1 mild consequence
Physical OOOO +1 mild consequence
Social OOOO

Total Refresh Cost: -16 * -19
Remaining Refresh: 0

16 Refresh, 50 skill points.
1 Refinement spent on learning to use Earth magic, 3 Refinement Spent on item slots

Showing our work: Took advice from page # 137 in "Our World" to determine major and significant events.  Then decided from a sum of all short stories, graphic novels, and Turn Coat: that Harry Dresden should have an additional 15 skill points and 7 refresh.

Explaining his skill placement/increases: We increased his general template to reflect a constant threat from the Red Court war and his own personal training with his supporting cast.  We also considered adding Deceit at Average, but left it off.

*Demonreach: Was so far ill defined by Changes - therefore we decided that using Sponsored Magic to gain Intellectus would cost 3 Refresh.  Harry would enter Sponsor debt (much like he did for Hellfire) to gain access to demonreach.

*Harry's Sword Cane:  Infused with magic and used primarily for magnetism spells, this cane was purchased from merry old England and is capable of doubling as a weapon 2 sword.  The weapon is rarely used due to Harry's preference for fire magic and therefore was left out of the math for character creation.  If the situation calls, simply switch his blasting rod for the cane.  We'd say whatever building you're in would thank you for the switch, but come on, it's still Harry Dresden.

Building a better Force Ring: The ring started as a humble weapon: 4  ( 3 with an extra slot for power).  Per White Knight he had increased the power of the ring to three bands over one and had one ring on each of the fingers in his right hand.   This increases damage to the power of his current lore rating of 4 plus one extra for power and increases the number of uses by  four to represent each of the new bands.  This also represents his ability to launch ghouls and break their backs in White Night.

Changes to Focus Items: Harry built a better blasting rod after one of the numerous times it was destroyed. Harry built a better shield bracelet with numerous braided metals and shield shaped charms. This is why we decided each of those items deserved a better control bonus.

The elusive silver bear belt buckle: This has been explained as a spell or a one time use item.  We left it out. 

Little Chicago: Best left as a plot device.  Along with the highly controversial topic of who fixed it.

Dresden seems low powered?: We kept with the spirit of the original writeup to balance him with other NPC's.  We low balled it.

Potential Susan related aspect:  If it pleases our mostly benevolent overlords at Evil Hat to think that the beginning of Changes includes the phone call - change his trouble aspect to: Harry they have our Daughter.



Fun with aspects: We wanted to do something different, yet stay true to the character.
High Concept: Grey Council Detective - Harry clearly lost his faith in the White Council due to policies and traitors within.  He joined with Ebenezer McCoy to form the beginnings of the
Grey Council.  He is of course still the only Wizard Private eye in the yellow pages.

Trouble: Temptation of Power- Jim Butcher kept the theme of tempting Harry with power...at a cost.

Epic Wise Ass - Some things never change... (also needed to avoid buying Infuriate stunt)

I'd Die For My Friends, Unfortunately I Might Have To... - Harry has a near fanatical loyalty to his friends and family.  Also, who doesn't love foreshadowing.

So I'm A Warden Now...Yeah...- Harry never liked wardens in the first place.  He is by his own admittance one of the last people who should be one.  Yet, here he is, wearing a grey cloak, the position is largely honorary and only came about due to dire straits. 

I Won't Let My Darkness Control Me, but sometimes I Let It Out - Harry has touched a lot of dark powers; well beyond his scope.  It has left a stain.  Sometimes that power comes out to play, even when he doesn't want it to.

I've Got an Apprentice, but I'll Die Alone - Molly brought the doom of Damocles with her.  Dresden feels responsible for her for a large number of reasons.  he has conflicted feelings about this relationship.  He was also, of course, cursed to "Die Alone!"

Compels for the new aspects:
Grey Council Detective - Dresden has had his eyes opened to the fact the White Council had been corrupted from within.  This forces the man to keep secrets and secret alliances. At the very least this makes Harry juggle his loyalties.  At the most, well, Harry will finally get to see the Merlin genuinely happy.  For about ten seconds before the Doom falls on both him and Molly.

I'd Die For My Friends, Unfortunately I Might Have To... - There are just some things Harry Dresden doesn't tolerate.  And unfortunately for him there are some things out there that know this.  More than once something from the spooky side has used his friends against him.  Either as hostage or bait.  But don't forget the flip side to that, Harry is more than willing to bring a wrecking ball to a masquerade ball when pushed too far.  Those creeps would do well to remember that.

So I'm a Warden Now...Yeah... -  Humor aside, Dresden takes his position as a Warden with a big grain of salt.  Harry is willing to do the work, but when a problem gets dropped onto his lap that comes into conflict with what he feels is right, he'll do what he thinks is best.  This has almost led him to blows with the council in the past, but hey, at least there's a steady paycheck in it.

I Won't Let My Darkness Control Me, but Sometimes I Let It Out - Nightmares, crippling headaches, horrible images that will never fade and oh yeah, years and years of physical therapy for his hand.  Harry is the sum of what he's run up against and over the years its taken its toll.  But for better or worse he's still Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, conjure it at your own risk.

I've Got an Apprentice, but I'll Die Alone.  Dresden may have Molly when he needs her, but this comes with its own set of problems.  Including but not limited to the Doom of Damocles, an unrequited love and her own willingness to go into situation beyond her abilities.  Not to mention there's still the lingering doubt in his own mind to the last words of the former Denarian Cassius.  This hangs over Dresdens head every bit as much as the Doom and often forces Dresden to act impulsively or purposely withdraw from his friends and family.

Also, we spent so much time working on aspects we decided to mention a few that never made the cut.  We also considered writing all aspects in haiku! (Not even kidding)

Blood and Fire, Family is Sacrifice , Winter is Coming, My Apprentice is a Handful.... (shut up Bob!), I Got 99 Problems...and all of 'em are women, Don't need a gun, got a Mouse!, With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility....and so on. 

I'd base it on how thorough they were in making sure he was dead.  If they bothered to make sure the guy was down or if the vampire literally just kersplatted against the train and was carried away.  That followed by how important the guy was in the story.  Big villain, well, black courts are supposed to be juggernauts of dark energy anyway.  I'd probably bring him back out of pure spite for them not being thorough enough. 

Screaming for blood, seconds after taking a love tap from a train...maybe not.  But definitely down the line a bit.  There's something particularly effective with the thought that someone you were so positively sure was dead and out of your life is still kicking and nursing a big grudge.

If it's a strait up fight, I don't usually bother since hunger stress doesn't activate until the end of the scene.  Especially if the guy in question isn't squeamish about killing.  It's completely relative to the situation though.  Like, if they're purposely running an endurance game against it to wear it down.  Then, yes, that would be a good time to keep track.  Alternately if you're in more of a social setting and the only easy prey happens to be a non-combat oriented friend of the PC's.  Or someone they'll miss.  That's a decent, "well you did drive him to this" scenario. 

Overall, unless it's specific to the situation it's mostly micromanaging. 

Initiative is clunky. Don't be a slave to it. Remember that you can talk without taking a social action.

So feel free to interrupt. Just don't expect your interruption to have a mechanical effect unless you held an action.

What does your group have against social consequences?

It's probably just part of a natural aversion to a consequence from a part of the system they're not too fond of in the first place.

It also may have something to do with the way damage is taken in this system in general.  The back and forth nature of it.  Take a one on one fight for example.  Say they're evenly matched from the get-go.  Ignoring supplemental, defense, and multi attack options temporarily, combat is at its basic form a back and forth swatting contest that can end up in a race in some cases.  Race to run out the stress boxes, race to get to the consequences.  Granted this is basic, shouldn't ever really happen, most boring possible way to go about it type of fighting, but it can happen where if you're evenly enough matched it's a race to run the guy down.  In this case being physically penalized by having less physical damage to stay in the fight can come off as annoying when you took the consequence in a social setting. 

And before someone says it, I am aware mental takes those physical options away just as easily as does social.  However, in game mechanics, mental damage is infinitely easier to associate with fallout from a battle or just driving yourself too hard.  The area of your body affected is just a little different.  Again, I know I'm generalizing here, mental stress can be a lot more complicated than just backlash from pushing too many spells, but the main point remains.  It's a bit limiting to add in a third, when you're already splitting up your few consequences amongst two forms of damage. 

To me, this smacks of one of the Sidhe having some fun.   Sanctaphrax has an npc write-up that would be perfect.

Ancient Sidhe Trickster (In A Submarine)

High Concept: Ancient Trickster Faerie
Other Aspects: Scary As F**k, You Cannot Trust Your Eyes, Faerie Court Jester,
Skills:
Fantastic: Deceit, Intimidation
Superb: Presence, Performance
Great: Lore, Empathy
Good: Rapport, Conviction, Empathy
Fair: Contacts, Alertness, Stealth
Average: Endurance, Investigation, Craftsmanship, Burglary, Scholarship
Stunts:
Wearing An Extremely Trustworthy Face (Deceit): As long as you are in a certain form, +2 to Deceit.
Founded Upon Lies (Deceit): +2 to any roll in which you tag or invoke an aspect created with Deceit.
Scary As F**k (Intimidation): Intimidate attacks inflict 2 extra stress.
Subtle Menace (Intimidation): Don’t need context of power to use Intimidation.
Polite Threats (Intimidation):  May use Intimidation without being rude or directly threatening someone.
Jester (Performance): +2 to Performance to make jokes and generally be funny.
Pointed Performance (Performance): May use Performance to create specific aspects.
The Opinions Of Humans Are Irrelevant To Me (Presence): Armour 1 against social attacks from humans.
Shield Of Lies (Deceit): Use Deceit, unmodified, to defend against everything in social combat.
Powers:
Marked By Power [-1]
Greater Glamours [-4]
Unseelie Magic [-4]
True Shapeshifting [-4]
Modular Abilities 3 [-5]
Total Refresh Cost:
-26
Refresh Total:
-6

Stick him in the guise of their tour guide, let them find that out and have him be the big bad.  He's a bit high refresh for 6-refreshers, but if you want to have some fun with them.  After they wake up thinking it was all a dream, have just one of them look back at the house and see him grinning back from one of the windows.  Or make it a bit more surreal.  Have the stone fountain in front of the house just happen to look like him.  Maybe something they missed in the night.  Some of the lands they end up in from the nevernever could be landscape paintings from the walls turned nightmare. 

Name: Lotus Club

Description: Officially, it doesn't exist.  It's one of those place that  you only get into if a friend brings you in.  It's frequented by both the upper crust and the lowest user.  No one's sure where it will be and not many more ever hear about it.   Unknown to all but these select few it's financed by the white court, and one of the few terrors of the red court.  It's kept mobile for these same reasons, rarely being in the same place for more than a week.  The purpose of this place is to supply the very unique narcotic red court saliva to those who can afford it or those willing to risk their lives to help supply it.  Here, there's no mounds of cocaine or fields of mary jane.  You only get the best in gut shotted and heavily chained red ct vamps.  All designed to make harvesting that delicious drool easier and more efficient for those who can't function without.  White ct leader of the town of Boston Dante Malvora unofficially  uses it as a way of controlling the growing red ct presence in Boston as well as swelling his own influence by those he allows in.

This place can be Theme or Threat depending on the game

Idea: A good place to establish or extort contacts if that's your thing.  Or make some quick resource selling downed red courts.

Aspect: A wretched hive of narcotics and social bloodletting

The Face: Sky high
High-Manager of the Lotus Club
Trouble-Addicted to my own product
Sells out the Soulless

Sky High isn't much more than your average drug pusher.  A little more organized, but it's Dante who makes the final decisions.  Standard white ct writeup altered to your game would work fine for his writeup.  The place tends to reflect the appearance of where it ends up.  In my Boston game at one point it was in a slaughter house and, with the exceptions of a few comforts, the whole place could have pranced out of an Eli Roth nightmare.  Another time it took place in the bottom floor of a upper end mansion, few downed vampires in site and paintings on the walls.   Unfortunately I don't have much to say about how this place worked out in my game, as the players went in there to find Dante and, well.  Didn't like what they saw.  Anyway it's dead now.