Dresden Files RPG in New Orleans

[Icefang01]

So, I'm trying to flesh out a game that I'll hopefully be starting in a month or so. Since I'm close by I decided to use New Orleans. A few nice points, a) The City of New Orleans website has .pdf's of the separate areas of the city road maps. b) I see a lot of tongue-in-cheek jokes involving the White Court and Anne Rice Vampire books c) I figure that the French Quarter would give a lot of ammo involving the White Court and hedge wizards (maybe even some fae). I was planning to do this modern-day, post- Hurricane Katrina and I figure that the anger, sadness, and corruption around that time would give some interesting directions.

My point here is, does anyone else have any ideas pertaining to New Orleans and the Dresdenverse?

[Becq]

Seems as though shrimp and oil ought to be significant factors...   

[Chlorofiend]

Seems as though shrimp and oil ought to be significant factors...   

The shrimp not so much now, because of the oil.

[Icefang01]

Yeah...thanks.    The oil may lie on the current events mundane category unless perhaps it's driving some monstrous predators out of the lowlands and into the outskirts of town.

I already had the notion that a ghoul clan could have moved into some of the Lower 9th Ward that is still falling apart. There are plenty areas that could be seen as more mundane such as Metarie. I was just picking the collective RPG brains on here.

[Lukas the Dead]

My point here is, does anyone else have any ideas pertaining to New Orleans and the Dresdenverse?

Having lived most of my life in Baton Rouge, New Orleans was one of the places I looked at as a setting.

The Ursuline Convent could be a useful location if you need a religious location near the French Quarter that isn't St. Louis Cathedral.  Cafe Du Monde would be a good open air neutral ground. I'm sure you know the local stereotype of the westbank which you can play up. The Audubon zoo & park would be a good place for the summer court or wild fae. Saint Louis Cemetery #1 houses the tomb of Marie Laveau. Jackson Square always has a number for psychics and fortune tellers around it, along with local artist.

One of my ideas was a street performer turned necromancer using tap shoes (those are made with beer cans) to control his zombies.  There is one of Napoleon's Death Mask in The Cabildo. Oh, and remember that The Cabildo is from when Spain controlled the Louisiana territory.

If you are up for some traveling around the state. The Myrtles Plantation is a 2 hour drive for a famous "haunted" location, Rosedown Plantation is nearby if you want something a little bigger and not so close to the road but still easy to access. Also, Venice (2 hours the other way and where River Road ends) is nicknamed "The End of the World."

[Lirielle]

I recently started running one in New Orleans as well, and I'm using a lot of things regarding ghosts/hauntings (tons of stories to draw on!), the occult culture to give the players more freedom, and Bourbon street to give the White Court a foothold. I know at least one of the players reads these so I can't go into too much detail, but I've greatly enjoyed the White Court angle so far.

[Icefang01]

Yeah, it was a slam dunk that the White Court would be in control of Bourbon street and most of the French Quarter. You have the bars, the strip clubs, the leather shops, the sex-toy shops. The haunting aspect was also a big thing. The haunting aspect is a good one, especially with the fallour from Katrina. There were a great deal of people wholly unaccounted for and with that much trauma, I could see the veil becoming thin in certain areas. Ghoul clans could form up fairly easily in poorer areas as well.

One aspect that I like is that there is a lot of unclaimed swapy areas out there. Watch "Down By Law" to get an idea of how much you could use. That movie also uses less desirable areas of New Orleans as a backdrop.

[jeno]

I lived in the Garden District for college. A Dresden-verse New Orleans appeals to me.

How about the Neutral Ground as an actual neutral ground? Instead of one bar like Mac's as an accorded safe place, the entire strip of land that's the neutral ground can be it. Might be able to do something interesting with the street cars in that case, too.

And of course, there are the courts of the crew parades during Mardi Gras season. Maybe they're Wildfae courts in disguise?

[Icefang01]

Neat idea, but you'd still want a meeting place as neutral grounds. Perhaps even Jackson Square could work as it's public, not really tied to any religious aspects (unless you're a follower of Stonewall Jackson), and is on the outskirts of the French Quarter. I still like the idea of Cafe Du Monde though.

As far as Mardi Gras parades, it's definitely a good place for Wildfae to hide in plain sight, but I think mundane people praising old gods and ways by celebrating is a good thing. It's like they do it without even realizing it and profess that it's for the Lenten season. Bacchus would be proud.

These are all reasons that I really like New Orleans as a backdrop since it has sooo much as far as story ideas. It's actually so hard to not get too intricate with areas. I'm simply making NPC's right now. I don't want to do too much until the characters are created.

[jeno]

Cafe Du Monde is a huge (mortal) tourist attraction, though. Would people in the supernatural community really be able to talk business there?


(you could use the street cars themselves as meeting places. XD pick a time to meet, get on that street car. would make punctuality a really important asset for working in New Orleans, that's for sure.)

[Lorillomar]

We're starting a campaign here in Baton Rouge, set all around us in BR.  I wish I was more familiar with N.O. so that I could help with your setting, but if you want to compare notes sometime I would be happy to.

[Icefang01]

Cafe Du Monde is a huge (mortal) tourist attraction, though. Would people in the supernatural community really be able to talk business there?


(you could use the street cars themselves as meeting places. XD pick a time to meet, get on that street car. would make punctuality a really important asset for working in New Orleans, that's for sure.)

Yeah, true. As much as I wanted to try something else, I may just use an out of the way tavern, maybe some place that most mundanes would shy away from. Streetcars are a cool idea, but with people getting on and off as well as a bumpy ride, it wouldn't work to meet. I really can't wait to play around with St. Louis #1,2, & 3 cemeteries. They're extremely dangerous due to the twisty pathways and muggers hiding around there, but could offer some great opportunities..maybe some Black Court?

[Lukas the Dead]

Cafe Du Monde is a huge (mortal) tourist attraction, though. Would people in the supernatural community really be able to talk business there?

Sure, it's loud, and most supernaturals aren't going to pull something before so many mortals. Plus, have you ever talked video games and gotten crazy looks from non-gamers? I remember talking about owning n00bs in WoW at wafflehouse at 2am with friends and most people worked really hard to ignore us when it wasn't too loud from all the people sobering up from drinking. Also, between the vampire fans and the psychics from around Jackson Square, there isn't much that isn't going to be heard, written off, and forgotten.

That's all to say, it could work when folks want a public meeting space. However, I see your point that if that's the bargaining space, there should also be a relaxation space that's more low-key.

[Icefang01]

Yeah, I could believe that all sorts of supernaturals frequent Cafe Du Monde. You ever seen it at 4am?

[Leatherneck]

Yeah, it was a slam dunk that the White Court would be in control of Bourbon street and most of the French Quarter. You have the bars, the strip clubs, the leather shops, the sex-toy shops.

My group picked NO as well.  But for the White Court I think Skavis (despair) will work fine.  They are fairly new to the city, since Katrina.  One city theme is Corruption and Decadance, and I have the Skavis vampires feeding on the dispare created by corruption.  Also, I have a Face for Burbon Street that could eventually be removed, opening the area for Raith family.  He evected them from NO during Katrina.  So if the players chase him off, they the Raith will come back in force and they can replace one problem with another.