New Orleans by Night

[Jans]

Filled it out using Numbers actually, I'll post an original and a pdf while I try to figure out how to convert it to ODS. Numbers only has Excel transfers readily apparent.

And of course the 2.5m sheet is too large for the 2m file limit, nor will it let me upload a numbers file extension. I need to go, I'll pop back on and figure out a solution in an hour or so.

[B4UTRUST]

Try open office Jans

[Jans]

Okay, lets try this again...

I'll fiddle with fitting this information into the spreadsheet if you'd like. There's a bit more than the lines provide for neatly.

Spoiler: show

You can choose your friends, but can’t choose your family.
[tab=30]Much of Cole’s early Awakening among the Akashic Brotherhood was... strained, to say the least. In the beginning, he was lauded for tremendous potential in both mental and physical arts. He was strong, durable, and so very fast. The young man possessed keen insights into the workings of the mind, and a firm understanding of his place in the universe. Unfortunately, it is this understanding that would drive a wedge between him and his Brothers. Despite the best efforts of the Brotherhood, he would find something to disagree with them about at every turn. That harmony between body and mind was useless without understanding of the world around them. That the mind could fool the body, that the body could fool the mind, that one could not expect to control and still experience life. He would state that knowing one’s own mind was impossible without first knowing the minds of others. That only through one’s interactions with people, places, things, and events could true insight be attained. Enlightenment could not coexist with Seclusion. It certainly didn’t help that Cole was a devote religious skeptical in all forms, and that much of the Traditions teaching tend to blur the lines between the mystical and the divine.
[tab=30]Cole was not terribly elegant with his points. He was possessed of a bullhead pride and certainty that surprised many who had only encountered the polite young man in passing before, not to mention no small amount of anger. A practice of ignoring evidence to the contrary, or simply the words of others, would lead to a souring of relations between Brothers. A measure of that notoriety lingers to this day, years later. Thankfully, time and distance have made this into less of a wrathful argument and more into strained, if cordial, relations. Cole understands, now, that the Brotherhood’s way is not necessarily incompatible with his own, and that his fellow Scales of the Dragon may even share many of his views. The Akashic Brotherhood has come to respect the man that hot-headed boy grew into, as a person and member of the family if not an enlightened peer. However, the fact remains that he tends to disagree with his Brothers on fundamental points, and hostilities still crop up from time to time in conversation.
[tab=30]Since leaving the Brotherhood, Cole has done his best to live to the standards he set and the words he spoke. He would spent a tour with the Peacecorps, but find their methods dissatisfactory. Since then Cole would spend his time doing community service work and volunteering in shelters, making contact with the supernatural only rarely by extension of his work. He first arrived in New Orleans as a relief worker, one of thousands of semi-anonymous volunteers to any organization that needed help. By day he went from setting up camps and sorting goods to serving food and providing care, he went where-ever help was needed and was always willing to provide a hand or just a smiling face.
[tab=30]But New Orleans provided a new opportunity. With much of the supernatural community uprooted by the hurricane, he found new purpose and enjoyed the thought of finally setting down roots where he could do some real good. So by night he would build himself a reputation in the supernatural world as a problem solver and a troubleshooter. While the power-vacuum in the supernatural community drew in the wolves (figuratively and literally in this case), Cole focused his efforts on those who had been unable to escape the city in the first place. Any of the downtrodden could expect a helping hand, whether it be food (though blood was harder to come by), lodgings, or just a helping hand in sifting through the debris of destroyed lives. He tended to keep his goings anonymous, never advertising that he was a Mage and rarely making displays of power. When trouble did happen, he shot at it.
[tab=30]Since the city has stabilized Cole set himself up working the bar during the late shift at a little dive within biking distance of the French Quarter. Most of the Awakened in the area know that he’s tolerant of all types, and tends to keep a few of the more ‘exotic’ drinks under the table. His roaming days largely behind him, Cole figured he could settle down and relax for a while. This however, was not meant to be.

[tab=30]More so than many, Cole can be defined by his Archetypes. He sees a better future through actions, deeds, and vision instead of petty words and solitary ideals. He will protect and understand. He will fight, and fight, and fight until nothing stands in the way of those dreams. In his youth this nature saw him striking out on his own, angrily rejecting the ways of the Brotherhood as overly pacifistic without regard for evidence to the contrary. He was determined to help people in any way he could, even if that was simply a fast gun, tolerant mind, and a sense of humor. He would help those who needed it, and try to inspire them simply by doing so and asking nothing in return. He fancied himself like a knight or a samurai of old, but the world just doesn’t work that way.
[tab=30]Cole’s demeanor is a variant on the Caregiver archetype. Compassion, the will to help others, remains his guiding strength. His weakness is Naivete. He wants to see the good in other people so much that he loses sight of how horrible they can be. Since attempting to “settle down” in NO, this has been coming up more and more. He keeps finding himself in situation where people are taking advantage of his good nature. The mask he projects is starting to take dominance over that hot-headed young man who felt like he could take over the world, and he really doesn’t like that. Cole is beginning to feel like he is stagnating, ignoring the call of his very essence, losing himself. He’ll have to get out of this rut soon, or be completely undone.

[tab=30]Tall man with ear length hair and smiling blue eyes. Buff, with the toned form of a martial artist as opposed to a body builder. Sutras tattooed around the back of his left hand, crossing down and around the wrist then circling the lower arm two to three inches below that, written in nonsense semi-mystical runes and glyphs. Usually wears khaki or cargo pants and a long button down shirt, loose enough to cover his pistols. Wears a plain brown leather jacket, reinforced, while walking at night.

[tab=30]Magick is a combination of internal energy and will applied to external existence. By bringing oneself into harmony with exist changes and alterations can be made. The more enlightened one becomes the more one understands the extension of the self as a part of the greater whole, and one’s place in it relative to the rest of existence. The more you understand, the more change you are able to affect. Understanding of the self is only a step on the path to ascension, you must account for the ebb and flow of existence and those who share it with you to truly alter it according to your will.

[LadyTevar]

I thought he was Amnesiac

[Jans]

O_O Who are you?

[Dark Silver]

She's Lady Tev, and yes, she's psychic...

Still, I almost wish you HAD taken the Amnesia flaw......I have suck fun when players take that one....

[Jans]

=D There's still time.

When you didn't opine on the issue I decided to take the safer route of having a supernatural predator or two out for my blood.

See now it makes more sense that you two would have spoken to each other about a concept I mentioned as opposed to her being familiar with a vaguely similar character I played in the private RP section on a different board eight years ago. I had a... moment.

[B4UTRUST]

When you didn't opine on the issue I decided to take the safer route of having a supernatural predator or two out for my blood.

...Safer?

[SirNitram]

Oh bother. Are you attracting those warlike savages to this place? I better not find their hair all over the mansion.

[LadyTevar]

Now now, you misspelled it again. P S Y C H O.


And, I'm playing the Euthantos. We're going to have FUN

[Dark Silver]

I didn't opine on the Amnesia flaw because...well....

if you wanted to take it, I was gonna have FUN with it.

See, you being a amnesiac would have lead to the fact that your character was actually a pet mage to a Yang-Aspected Keui-jin who took root in New Orleans post Katrina to attempt to spread the August Court of Jade's influence into the Gaijin world....

But you had to go and not be a amnesiac.....

[B4UTRUST]

So I guess I'm still the only one who took the flaw Completely Fucked from the get go

[Dark Silver]

you usually are

[LadyTevar]

DS Beat me too it, but yah, Scotty, you're usually fucked up in some way, shape, or form.

[Jans]

So I guess I'm still the only one who took the flaw Completely Fucked from the get go

Woah, yeah. That's... a lot of flaws. I thought we could only pick up 7 from the get go?

o_O I... really don't want to be the guy standing next to you when you start trying to cast.

[B4UTRUST]

Oddly enough my casting isn't really that affected by the flaws. Well, the paradox flaw does but beyond that...it's mostly things that keep my mage sane. Yes, the narcotics are keeping my mage from having a mental breakdown and doing something he probably really shouldn't do.

Just be glad I didn't take the flaw Addiction: McDonald's Dollar Menu...

[Dark Silver]

You can only pick up to 7, which have a total point value of 15, in order to obtain more freebies points, and by normal creation rules, any flaws you take should be balanced out with some merits. I chose to allow B4 to take flaws, but only the first 15pts worth of flaws would give him any extra Freebie Points. The rest would be character definition only.

[Jans]

So are we up to self-propagating numbers DS? Or do we need to break out the coercion sticks?

[Dark Silver]

It'll....work...with 4 people

It'll probably be easier to run with this few.

I'll be starting the thread this weekend, I still have to finish posting up some base info, including a couple of NPC's for ya'll. Work has just been busy for me.

[B4UTRUST]

So are we up to self-propagating numbers DS? Or do we need to break out the coercion sticks?

I've already used them on most of the others with limited success but you're welcome to try.

[LadyTevar]

I'm shocked and surprised that Comrade Tortoise and Cyncat haven't jumped in. Or Charon.

Oh well...

[Jans]

I would suspect CynCat is using his pool of Mage related creative juices for something else. I've been propositioning a couple of irl and internet people to no avail.

[Dark Silver]

CT is busy with his STGOD and school related works

No idea about Cat...

Charon is busy with RL stuff, doesn't have much time for games, except for the STGOD

[LadyTevar]

We can do it with 4 :)

[Dark Silver]

The more I worked on it...the more I realized there's only one NPC the players need to be familiar with for their characters:

Darek Steele
The Sly One
Order of Hermes bani House Bonisagus

Background:
Varying rumors surround the Archmage known as Darek Steele. His vague, faint accent places him of Spainish descent, and his sometimes use of archiac words support he was alive during the Dark Ages. Most of his life has been lost to the ages, and he prefers to keep it that way. The less known about him, the easier it is for him to live a life amoungst the Sleepers, guiding them from the shadows.

The Archmage first came to New Orleans in the early 1800's, several decades after the Ventrue Doran began to set up his own Princedom within the city. Steele was aware of the pact between the cities coming influx of Tradition Magi and the Vampires who controlled the city, and decided it would be best for him to remain out of the politics - instead spending his time working in the shadows of the city to help direct it along a path he would prefer. Over time, through various representitives, he managed to obtain the ear or Prince Doran, and the Tradition Mages in the city. There were rumors of his existence throughout the Awakened who called New Orleans their home, but he managed to keep himself quiet well hidden, and the rumors remained as such.

Steele settled in the French Quarter shortly after the Great Fire destroyed much of the city, and Steele decided to take on a more "Sleeper Like" role in society, to better hide his manipulations. He opened up a bookstore, which became well known to those of the magickal bent, for stocking rare and hard to find tomes of knowledge on True Magick and Lore. He watched with a modicrum of disinterest in the bickerings of the cities Mages and Vampires as the years went on, only flexing his will when he saw fit, and never overtly.

That is, until the storm struck.

At that point, Steele saw a oppurtunity arise for the cities Mages, and moved to take advantage of it. Gathering the survivors of the other two Chantries, Steele managed to end their bickering, and got them working towards obtaining influence over the city from the Vampires, and placing themselves as the city rulers. He forged a council between the two Chantries - directly beneath himself so to settle any disputes and help make decisions on how the city would proceed after the storm. Under his guidance, the Traditions grew to be the most influential power in the city - even managing to come to a new understanding with the Kindred Prince Marcel - the Mages run the show now.


Image:
In person, Darek Steele appears to be a man well into the Prime of his life, nearing the Twilight. He looks to be in his mid to late 50s, with salt and pepper hair, a slightly hawkish nose and lines around his eyes and corners of his mouth. His skin is oddly tanned considering the scholarly bent he is assumed to have due to owning the book store "Hermetica Esoterica". He dresses in comfortable suits of greys, blues and sometimes blacks, almost always with a tie and suspenders beneath his coat - he is rarely seen wearing a belt. His wears a pair of circular wire-rim spectacles, which can be found either perched on his nose, or within the inner pocket of his coat.

Sanctum:
Steele's home is the second and third floors of the three story brownstone style building which houses his bookstore. The house is set up with most modern conviences, including a desktop computer and a wireless network - though that is most often for his guests than his own use. There is only one locked door within the living space - and it's located on the third floor of the brownstone. The door is solid mohogany wood and very sturdy, the lock appears to be a typical modern lock, though inspection through magickal sight reveals the lock to be heavily enchanted. This doorway is a physical representation of the gate which leads to Steele's true home - a Horizon Realm he has constructed over the long centuries of his life to be his perfect home - where he can conduct his magickal research in peace.

Familiar:
Rumor, the Moor Cat
Rumor is a large cat, standing at nearly 4ft tall, and nearly 8ft long. His fur is varying grades of black, giving him almost perfect camoflague except for his two large, humanlike yellow eyes. Rumor never speaks to anyone in the Chantry, though he is capable of human speach. He prefers to come and go on whim, able to disappear into shadows easily, and reappear where ever he likes. One thing though, where ever Rumor appears, his master is usually not far behind, leading to the common saying amoungst Tradition Members, 'Where ever Steele goes, Rumor proceeds him.' When not within the confines of his Sanctum, rumor takes on the form of a normal sized house cat.