New Orleans by Night

[Dark Silver]

Carnival..Bourbon Street..Southern Decadence Festival....Blood Bars...immensely old and powerful Cairns...Graveyards and ghosts

There's something for nearly everyone in New Orleans.

And that everyone includes the Supernatural.

Five years after Katrina ravaged the city and the surrounding state, New Orleans is making it's way back to the top. But while the outside signs of revitalization are obvious to the world, the war brewing beneath is much less so.

Vampires run through the streets by night - executing a war to see who will run New Orleans, the Sabbat or the Camarilla, while the Shifting Breeds battle their own war against the seemingly ever present Pentex Corporation which has rooted itself in post-Katrina New Orleans. The Fae work on fostering the imagination of the city once more, reveling in their broken towers and recalling the hey-day of the city. And the Mages....

Well...New Orleans has always been powerful in the ways of magick.


Tucked away in the French Quarter, hidden away on the corner of Toulouse and Chartres, there lies an antique and used bookstore. Within it's many rows and shelves of books, lies books from all over the world, on nearly any subject you could want...and all can be had for a price. Set into a three floor brownstone, the bookstore seems a unremarkable place - obviously it's been in the city for years, possibly decades. The blocked lettering on the door and main window, which announces the store as the Hermetica Esoterica - Purveyors of Antique and Used Books, could badly use a update to something more modern - and the same could be said for the interior once you make it inside. The interior would be better at home in the 1950's rather than 2011 - but the books, ah the books are kept neatly on their shelves, all in their proper placings, and all obviously well cared for. The shop keeper is a older man, appearing to be in his fifties, with salt and pepper hair and a few deep lines around his eyes and along his nose. He is always helpful, and glad to see a customer. He lives alone in the rest of the brownstone, spending his days lovingly over his precious books...

But even this innocuous pleasant little place hide something far greater.

---------------------

Welcome to New Orleans by Night.

New Orleans by Night will be a primarily Mage the Ascension game, as such only Mage and Mortal characters are allowed unless you discuss with me first via PM or IM. Rule set is Mage the Ascension 2nd Edition or equivilant. We are ignoring 3rd edition for the most part, and definitly not doing Final Nights stuff. The game will be taking place in 2011, so modern times.

Character creation is as per the book, plus 15 Freebie Points (optional). This game will deal primarily with the Traditions, so no Technocrats please.

[LadyTevar]

As per our IM last night, I'm considering an Euthanatos, with all the charm and joy that is Abby Sciuto from NCIS.

(So far, there are several guys who believe this is an Excellent Choice.)

[Dark Silver]

I'm one of them.

[SirNitram]

Eddie, Mokole sage and Setting Sun, reporting for duty. You magi have such interesting memories!

[Dark Silver]

New Orleans by Night
After the Storm

New Orleans has always been a city steeped in magic and mystery. Tucked in the magickally powerful lands in southern Louisiana, New Orleans has been home to more rumors and stories of magic and ghosts than nearly any other city in North America. There are good reasons for this - New Orleans is home to many supernatural beings, and has been under their control for a long, long time.


[*]Pre-Katrina [/b]
Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a vibrant, hedonistic city reveling in it's own history and power. Founded by French settlers in the early 18th century and named after the French Regent, New Orleans has grown into the largest metropolitan area in the city, and one of the largest and busiest ports in all of the country. New Orleans has been hailed as one of most unique cities in the country, due to it's blend of cultures which have settled in the area and city itself through the years.

Before 2007, New Orleans was under the thumb of several factions in the World of Darkness - the Vampire Prince Marcel Guilbeau of Clan Ventrue claimed dominance for the Camarilla over New Orlean's Culture, while the Mages of the Cult of Ecstacy, Euthanatos and Celestial Chorus form a loose association between their two Chantries as they attempt to keep the influence of Iteration X and the Syndicate from spreading into New Orleans from Baton Rogue. The Shifting Breeds roam the swamps, bayous and marshes surronding the city, and the Fae hold their Courts within the city out of site of all the others.

Despite the otherwise volatile combination of Supernaturals within and around the city, New Orleans has managed to remain mostly peaceful - even the Sabbat did not strike as they should against a Camarillian City, while the Mages were more concerned about controlling the cities politics and nurturing their own sources of Quintessence to go into outright warfare.



[*]The Oncoming Storm[/b]
Hurricane Katrina devestate New Orleans in 2005, changing the supernatural landscape of the city entirely. With the Evacuation hundreds of thousands fled the city - including most of it's Vampire, Mage, Fae and Shifters. Those few who remained, mostly Orphans, Caitiffs and the like, suffered through the horrors of the storm, and it's immediate aftershocks.

The survivors of the storm recount it being unlike any other they had experienced - cries of pain and horror and loathing filled the air as much as the rain and titanic winds. Vampire's burned in their sanctuaries, as if sunlight was searing them, Shifting Breeds were driven mad and ran from the city, only to be destroyed by debris blowing in the wind, or nothing at all. Even mages were not unaffected, as many of the magi within the city were left berift of their abilities to work True Magick.....or in some cases, their very existence.

New Orleans and it's Supernatural inhabitants were left devestated.


[*]Post Katrina[/b]
Immediately following Katrina, New Orleans was left in a supernatural Power Vacumm - Prince Marcel had left the city along with most other Vampire Elders, leaving only a few Caitiff and unaligned Bloodlines about. The Mages of the two most prominant Chantries had sealed themselves in, intending to ride out the storm in the protection of their magick. Nearly half of them were not heard from again as the storm passed and the two Chantries were left decimated by their loss and the forces nature had pitted against them. Creatures of nature, the Shifting breeds faired well in the countryside, though they did not venture back into the city just yet....

As soon as the storm passed, the Sabbat saw a oppurtunity, and jumped upon it - several packs, lead by a Lasombra named Miguel De LaCosa, swept through the city, intending to clear out the remaining Supernaturals and claim Sabbat Dominance over the citys remains - only face difficulties with the cities Were-Rat population, and a pack of Glasswalkers who came a few weeks after the storm had passed.

Shortly there after, the Camarillian Prince and his followers returned, finding the city in a war between Sabbat and the Shifters, began to restake their own claims to the city.

Meanwhile, the Technocracy made their inroads into the city, utilizing the civilian organization FEMA to bring in their own operatives. With the Vampires and Were-Rats in their own covert battles, the Technocrats moved against the Tradition Chantries to eliminate their own magickal competition over control of the city....only to find both chantries deserted, but their forces around the city harrassed by Reality Deviants.

The Tradition Mages had not left the city, as the Technocracy had suspected - those that survived the storm found themselves guests of an enigmatic Master who had been in New Orleans for longer than any of them would suspected, licking their wounds and preparing to retake what they considered their own.


[*]Present Day[/b]
The New Orleans of 2011 has grown beyond those dark days of recovery, and has started to reform itself anew. Much of the city has been rebuilt, and many of the mortals have returned to their home. In the past six years, much of the city's political landscape has changed, those in power before the storm, have not done so well after.

If there was a pyramid of power within New Orleans, the Tradition Mages would hold the apex - despite their losses during the storm, they managed to come out of it better organized, and with more of their own retainers still in place to exert their control. A third Chantry has risen within the city, headed by a powerful Hermetic Master who has taken the remains of the other two under his protective wing, and guided them to eliminate the in fighting that limited their influence for so long. Though not directly in control over the entire city, the Mages can now flex themselves in ways only previously available to the Vampires under Prince Marcel.

Sharing the next level would be the Glasswalker Garou who moved into the city after the storm, quickly insinuating themselves into the city and either obtaining positions several key corporations or facilities in the city, or bringing their own businesses in with them. The Technocracy share this level of influence with the Glasswalker, with the primary players being the Syndicate and Iteration X, though there are a few Progenitors and Men in Black who reside within the city, they have several small Constructs within the city, and attempt to make inroads into the cities political arena, to remove some of the power the Traditions currently wield there.

The next level is reserved for the Vampires and the Fae - the Faery Courts have never been a strong influence in New Orleans, keeping as they, out of the way of the other powers, this has changed little post storm, even with the Magi in power. With the war between the Camarillia and the Sabbat for their rights to control the city, the Vampires have fallen to this level as well. Even with the claims to power Prince Marcel had before the storm, with the rise and unity of the Magi (who even before the hurricane were a close second to the Prince in power and influence), finds himself struggling to keep the influence he has as the Sabbat attempt to push their cousins out. Though both factions are wise enough to keep their fighting to a minimum, less they wake the ire of the Mages.

[LadyTevar]

CharSheet PMd to DS for Approval.

[B4UTRUST]

And always I'm in for a mage game. I've got an orphan in progress

[LadyTevar]

Name: Allyson Pauley
Tradition: Euthantos
Essence: Primordial

Concept: Abby Sciuto, NCIS

Attributes:
Physical:
Str: 2
Dex: 2
Stam: 2

Social:
Chr: 3
Manip: 2
App: 3

Mental:
Perc: 3
Wits: 3
Int: 4

Abilities:
Talents:
Alertness 2
Awareness 2
Dodge 2
Scan 1

Skills:
Drive 1
Firearms 1
Gambling 1
Melee 2
Research 2
Stealth 2

Knowledges:
Area Knowledge 2
Investigation 2
Law 1
Medicine 1
Occult 1
Science 4
-- Forensics
Chemistry 2
Alchemy 1
Herbalism 1
Poison 1

Backgrounds:
Avatar : 4
Resources: 3
Arcane: 2
Sanctum: 2

Merit/Flaw:
Jack of All Trades +5
Curiousity -3
Primal Mark -2

Spheres:
Entropy 2
Life 2
Mind 2
Prime 1

Arete: 3
Willpower: 5
Quintessence: 4/8

Freebies Spent:30
8 to Arete
7 to Mind
10 to Abilities: Awareness, Dodge, Investigation, Area Knowledge 2
4 to Backgrounds
1 to Quintessence



Corrected a mistake on Attributes, which left 5 Freebies to re-spend. This should be FINAL DRAFT

[Dark Silver]

Now we need your History, Personality, etc....remember Tev, Character sheets aren't just numbers dear.

[Jans]

Hey DS, does that note in the first post mean an additional 15 freebies or that, yes, we can use the 15 freebies offered in the book?

[Dark Silver]

Since I apparently need to clarify it for multiple people:

Character Creation is as per the core book (2nd Edition, page 138 (155 in the PDF), section: Character Creation).

This includes:
Attributes: 7/5/3

Abilities: 13/9/5

Advantages:

• Backgrounds: 7
• Spheres/Disciplines/Powers: as per Core book

Finishing Touches

• Arete: 1
• Will Power: 5
• Freebie Points: 30

Normally you only get 15 Freebie's at character creation, I'm giving you an ADDITIONAL 15 Freebies to use as your descretion, you can also take up to 15 points in Flaws in add another 15 freebie points.

Spending Ratio for Freebie Points are:
Attributes: 5 per dot
Abilities: 2 per dot
Backgrounds: 1 per dot
Arete: 4 per dot
Willpower: 1 per dot
Spheres: 7 Per Dot (or as per your Core book if not a mage)
Quintessence/Blood/Gnosis/Etc: As per Core book (Mages is 1 point for 4 dots)

If there is ANY other questions, ask. I'm working ont he Geo-Polotical Landscape of New Orleans right now to post up, should be done today.

[Dark Silver]

Note: I'm only describing a few neighborhoods and sections of the city, focusing primarily on the French Quarter, because that's where the game will focus on more right now. You can do some research to find out more about the various neighborhoods. I an suggest starting off here . Politics will be a overview and which areas they have more direct influence of. Players wont know all the intricacies of the power structure of NOLA, because they won't know it. They are, quiet frankly, to far down the totem poll (unless they take the appropriate knowledge).

A good many details of the "Shadow World" of New Orleans remains a mystery from those in power. NPC's will be detailed better in a future posting.

New Orleans by Night
Geography

Unlike other major cities in the United States, the people of New Orleans seems to have taken great strides in avoiding definitive boundries for the various neighborhoods which make up their city. This was true before the storm, and more so after. Because of the unique history of New Orleans, features within a neighborhood can change within just a few blocks - antique colonial estates giving way to modern hotels and traffic clogged roads. A bright lit avenue full of bars and clubs and suddenly become a quiet residential neighborhood or empty row of warehouses with little notice. Because of this, New Orleans seems limitlessly diverse - welcoming nearly any who wish to call it home.

Still, to the outsiders, and even those who inhabit the city, several areas have their own unique name and identity, known to all within the city - even if it is hard to know exactly where they begin.


The French Quarter

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Canal street to the south, Rampart to the west, Esplanade Ave to the North and the sedintary Mississippi to the east - those are the landmarks which most people agree make up the French Quarter - known to many of the locals as the Vieux Carre.

Before the storm, the French Quarter was culturally one of the best preserved examples of early French colonialism in America - buildings framed in wrought-iron banner-rails and tall wooden shutters over doors and windows alike. This 6 block by 12 block area are many and varied - in the Southern section near Canal Street you find the clubs, bars and restaraunts which draw most of the attention of the tourist. The closer you approach Esplanade Avenue in the north, the more residential the area becomes. Even Bourbon Street - the most notorious "party" street in the city becomes quaint and quiet the further one travels past Canal.

Even the residential areas feature stark contrasts - even though most of the French Quarter has been restored (and indeed it was even oddly spared the worst of Hurricane Katrina's destruction), some parts are still in states of major disrepair - mostly the area between Decatur and Chartres in the northern section. Still, these areas are the exceptions, rather than the rule. Unlike most other inner cities, the French Quarter is neither dirty or unkempt - in fact is it one of the cleanest areas in the city.

Street sweepers make their rounds in a regular schedule, shopkeeps, bar owners and residents alike all take great care and pride in peeking their store fronts and homes pristine and undamaged, and as close to original as possible. While this keeps the appearence of vandalism down, it also sends tourist into a false sense of security. The area is far from crime free and can be extremely dangerous for mortals, especially during the Mardi Gras season.

Perhaps the one thing the French Quarter lacks, most noticable in the residential districts of the Quarter, are lawns. Because the buildings are built so close together, such a luxury is impossible, but also gave rise to one of the better known and most elegant features of the French Quarter - the courtyard gardens. Nearly every home in the Quarter boasts one of these tranquil, intimate gardens which are often hidden from the public view behind ornamental, wrought-iron gates.

In the days before Katrina, mortals were in danger not only from common crime, but also from the Kindred who used the populated French Quarter (especially the crowded club section and Bourbon Street in particular) as their own personal feeding ground. Many clan leaders had headquarters, meeting places and even second homes in the Quarter, the crowds and free flowing alcohol usually made hunting easier for the Vampires - while most other Supernaturals stayed out of the Vampire's home turf.

Post Katrina, the French Quarter has instead become one of the shining lights of the city. While the rest of the city was damaged or flooded by the power of Hurricane Katrina, the French Quarter managed to escape with minimal damage to it's buildings, and almost no water in it's streets. Businesses within the quarter were quick to open up again to serve those that stayed behind to weather the storm - some as quickly as the next day. Before the storm, Kindred ruled the area, preying on the crowds in the club districts - especially along bourbon street, while Vampire Elders made their homes on Royale and Chartres Streets.

With the Traditions now having control of the city, the French Quarter has become the one place not in dispute amoungst the various factions - all who enter the French Quarter are expected to obey the Rule of Shade, or suffer the consequences of breaking the peace.

Streets of the Quarter:

• Decatur Street
  Decatur runs near the docks of the Mississippi River and is considered one of the roughest and most dangerous areas in New Orleans. Various Kindred wander the dock area, amoungst them Assamite, Ravnos and Malkavians, while Were-Rats scurry between the warehouses which line the north end. Near the south end of the street is the old Jax Brewery building, which now houses a three section complex - shopping and entertainment in two, while the third houses the New Orleans Hard Rock Cafe.
• Chartres street
  Located along the western strech of Decatur, Chartres borders the the west side of Jackson Square. At it's south is are the usual assortment of Bars, open-air jazz clubs and restaraunts, and section of upscale shops. The north end, as is common with most of the French Quarter, is the residential areas - several of the Camarillian Kindred and a few Glass Walkers own houses along this street - and while many of the Vampire's do not live here, the houses are often used to board acquaintances who come to town.
  
  Though unknown to a great many of the residents of the city, Chartres plays home to the most powerful of the three Tradition chantries in the city.
• Royal Street
  Just above Chartres lies the second most famous street in the French Quarter. It is lined with some of the most beautiful houses in the city, though the histories are rarely as pleasent as their facades. One particularly infamous house is known as the Lalaurie House, said to be haunted by the ghosts of the slaves starved and tortured to death by the doctor's wife..
  
  Another important location on Royal Street is the first fireroof structure in the city, constructed int he early 1800s at 318 Royale Street. The first Prince of New Orleans, Prince Doran of the Ventrue, used the basement as a alternate haven for years, though he abandoned it at the begining of the 20th century.
  
  On the corner of Chatres a and St Louis Street, once stood the City Exchange, land which is now a parking lot. Almost immediately after the Exchange's opening in 1838, it became one of New Orlean's most fashionable meeting places, and many of the most prominent socials of the season were held there. It was not unusual to find several Vampires and a few Mages attending these gatherings. The Exhcange was gutted by a fire in 1841, when alledgely several Anarch Vampires set fire to it during a masquerade ball, hoping to trap several of the elders attending that night. The elders escaped though, and shortly there after destroyed many of the South's leading Vampire Anarchs.
  
  After the fire, the City Exchange was remodeled and reopened as the St Louis Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in New Orleans - though some claim the spirits of those who died in the fire still haunted the hotel. The hotel was finally razed to the ground in 1914, and no new structure was built on it's remains.
  
  The business side of Royal Street is famous for it's assortment of antique and book shops. Perhaps the best known shop is on 333 Royal Street, in a building that served as the first US Post Office in New Orleans, now housing Nex Coupe Books, which specialize in rare books, documents and old maps. At 400 Royal is the New Orleans Court building, housing the Supreme Court, Court of appeals, Civil District and City Courts and the Clerk of Courts which houses all real-estate transactions from the city's history.
• Bourbon Street
  Above Royal streches the most notorious street in all the French Quarter - Bourbon Street. So famous is the street, that it's very name is synonymous with New Orleans itself. Despite Bourbon's reputation, the brightly lit, raucous nightclub and bar filled southern district only fills the first half dozen blocks. The closer one gets to Esplanade Avenue, the more residential the area becomes until the only lights you see are those on the street corners, and the only sounds are the fading rhythms of the jazz bands down the street.
  
  With-in those first few, very famous blocks is where you can find most of the cities supernatural denizens. In the late hours, members of every Vampire Clan can be found on the streets, along with various Magi and Shifters. Changlings roam amoungst the crowds, searching for those who could offer up the precious Glamour which feeds their world.
  
  From sundown to dawn, the strip clubs, bars and nightclubs overflow with patrons, who often spill out into the streets. Each day at dundown, city workers close Bourbon off to automobile traffix. They accomplish this by setting large thick steel posts in the street, allowing clubgoers to wander around in safety. most of the bars and clubs feature panels that are rolled up to expose the bar to the street.
  
  Although several clubs stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, most close for a few hours each day, usually between dawn and late morning. They reopen when the tourist return to the French Quarter. In those early morning hours the once brightly lit Quarter assumes a tired, faded look. Many of the club and bar owners use these hours to sweep our the remnants of the previous evening's festivities. Workers hose off steps and sidewalks, while the sounds of the outer city echo down the channels of empty streets. Vagrants and those too drunk to make it home can often be found in the small alleyways between shops, sleeping in old blankets, or rags.
• Rampart Street
  Located on the west side of the French Quarter, Rampart is divided two-lane road known for it's prostitutes, pushers and junkies who regularly hang out there.
• Jackson Square and the French Market
  Almost as famous as Bourbon Street and Royal Street, Jackson Square and the French Market are certain draws for any tourist within New Orleans.
  
  Jackson Square is often dubbed the Heart of the French Quarter for it hosted most of the early town gatherings and the original planners built the very city around it. By day, muscicians, jugglers and a host of other street performers roam it's confines, by night it hosts tourists, locals and of course, the Awakened who prey on those self same. In the days before Katrina, the Gangrel Justicar Xaviar held at least part of the proceedings of his regular Conclaves in Jackson Square.
  
  Cafe Du Monde marks the beginning of the French Market, a combination of rennovated buildings and open air booths extending several blocks along Decatur Street, French Market Place and North Peters Street. Tradition claims it t be the site of an old Choctaw Indian trading post where the natives sold wild herbs and berries to the settlers. It holds the distinction of being one of the oldest institutions in New Orleans. For more than 150 years, it's shops, sheds and stalls have sold the best fruits, spices and fish in the city. Even before Katrina, Vampires and other Awakened beings stayed far away from the Market, claiming that the Magi regularly frequented the place seeking, perhaps, special herbs there.

Garden District
An elegant, picturesque portion of the city, the are aknown as the Garden District is well known even outside of New Orleans as a well to do neighborhood. The Garden District is enclosed by St Charles Avenue, Jackson Avenue, Louisiana Avenue and Magazine Street.

After the United State purchased New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana, US Citizens moving into the the city settled in and built the Garden District after being snubbed by the older residents. The newcomers consciously rejected the city's Creole flavor and established an area decidedly their own. Towering colonial mansions with their lavish, spacious lawns contract sharply with the cloistered patios of the French Quarter. Many of the houses still standign date back to the 1830's. This area includes many of New Orleans parks, universities, churches and expensive residential areas.

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Politics and Territory:

Much as it was before the Storm, New Orleans is a city divided amoungst the Awakened - the only thing that has really changed has been the players.

In the years before Katrina, the city was firmly in the hands of the Camarillian Vampires, lead by the Ventrue Doran and now by his Childe, Marcel. The Tradition Mages were second in power and influence to the Vampires, thanks to a agreement between the two factions made in the early days of the city to help stymie the power and influence of some of their mutual enemies. The Fae operated in secret, loathe to be captured by either the Vampire's or the Magi, due to the potency of their Glamour - and the Shifting Breeds which lived and around the city (including the Urhal, Mokole, Ratkin, several Garou Tribes) fought their own battles against the Wyrm tainted forces that surronded and moved within the city.

After the storm, much of this changed. Hurricane Katrina was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of the city's supernaturals - Mages, Vampires, Shifters and Fae all were either outright killed or depowered by the strange occurances during the storm, only those who had left the city before it struck were safe. Suddenly the balance of power in New Orleans was up for grabs. The Tradition Mages were the first to get sorted after the storm, taken in by a aging Hermetic who had been in the city for years and kept out of the games played by the younger Magi. Shortly after the storm had passed, the two Chantries were packed and moved from their old locations, and the Magi were at work to make sure theirs was the vision which guided New Orleans forward from that point on. Where as the majority of Tradition Mages in the city were euthanatos, Cult of Ecstacy and Celestial Chorus, Mages of any Tradition are welcome in New Orleans now.

The Technocracy attempted to move into the city with the recovery efforts, only to find their attempts blocked by the mortal system which they worked within - NWO agents and Iteration X Komrades and Workers who had infiltrated the FEMA relief teams were constantly diverted, shipments of equipment were lost in shipping. For the first time in what seemed like forever, the Technocracy was fighting against itself, as each Convention had it's own ideas on how to guide New Orleans, and none could advance their own cause in the face of the efforts put forth by their more magickal foes. In the end, the Technocracy garnered little more influence in the city than they had before, and only a few carefully hidden constructs to keep an eye on their advesaries. Most Technocrats in the city are of the Progenitor and Syndicate Conventions, though there are a few NWO and Iteration X technocrats within the city.

Before the Storm, the cities Ratkin and Bonegnawer Garou shared the streets and alley ways, fighting as they could against the forces of the Wyrm and corruption. Their territory was known to the other, and respected by both Breeds. Not much has changed after the storm - the Ratkin may be a bit more populous, and the Bonegnawers a little more wide spread in the city, but much has remained for them. Gurhal and Mokole still inhabit the swamps and plains surronding the city, and several Utkena and a small pack of Glasswalkers have moved into the city.

Thinking New Orleans would be a easy grab in the chaos post-Katrina, the Sabbat moved on the city, lead by the Lasombra Pack Leader Miguel De LaCosa. The Sabbat Packs swept through the city from the south-west, and quickly claimed as much territory as they could - expecting the other Supernaturals to be easily rolled over by their attacks, and the city would fall as the other Kindred would be to disoriented to resist. They were surprised by the stiff resistence put up by both the cities Magi - mages who finally saw their chance to be the guiding light, and would not give it up so easily. By the time Prince Marcel had returned to the city with his Camarilia, the Sabbat packs were forced into the West Bank area, and held a uneasy truce with the Tradition and Technocratic Mages.

Prince Marcel expected to return to New Orleans and resume his old seat of power, running the city as he had for nearly the 50 years - only to find the Mages would not relinquish their influence so easily. Seeing for once the Mages were united, instead of bickering, and thus making them a more powerful foe than previously, Marcel struck a accord with the Mages elders, claiming a peice of New Orleans for themselves, while submitting to the will of the Magi when required. Marcel is still the "Prince of New Orleans" and holds sway over those Vampires who wish admittence....but those Vampires who enter are held by the rules of the city's Mages.

The Fae who survived the storm found their precious Glamour had dwindled to near extinction in the devestated city, and many of their leaders had died in the storm. The Fae Courts are a shadow of their former wonder, though many Fae can still be found in the city now that recovery is well underway, and the city seems to burn brighter than it did before.



Territorial Claims:
Sabbat Vampires
Algiers, Gretna, portions of Chalmette along the river.
Center of Influence Algiers Point.

Camarilia Vampires
Arts District, Lower Garden District, Esplanade Ridge and Bywater.
Center of Influence: Arts District

Technocracy
CBD/Downtown, Mid-City, Gentilly, Lower Ninth Ward.
Center of Influence: Central Business District (CBD)

Tradition Mages
Influence over most of the city, distinct claims over French Quarter, Treme, Mid-City, Carrollton, Arabi, Uptown and Lakeview
Centers of Influence: French Quarter, Arabi and Carrollton

Fae Courts
Lakeview
Center of Influence: Lakeview

Glasswalkers
Central Business District/Downtown, Mid-town

[SirNitram]

Name: Suns On Rocks. (Homids say 'Eddie'.)
Breed: Suchid
Aspect: Setting Sun(Guarding)
Stream: Mokole Membe.(Jokes he is 'Draco' stream, from Europe.)
Varna: Nile Crocidile.

Strength 3 Intelligence 3 Charisma 2
Dexterity 4 Perception 3 Manipulation 2
Stamina 3 Wits 2 Appearance 2

Brawl: 5
Dodge: 3
Empathy: 3
Streetwise: 3
Athletics: 1

Breed Keening: 3
Stealth: 3
Survival: 1

Mnesis Emulation: 3
Saurimancy: 3
Rituals: 3

Wallow: 2
Mnesis: 5

Gifts:
Resist Pain
Talk
Razor Claws

Willpower: 5, Gnosis: 8, Rage: 5

Breeding Rite.
Shed The Crocidile's Tears.
Rite Of The Eidolon.

Merit:
Metamorphisis
Mansion


Archid Form Peices:

Huge Size(x3), Wings, Long Teeth, Hollow Bones, Dragon Masque, Terrible Claws.
Yes, western style dragon.

Placeholder for history, details on his deluxe pad in NO, and why you aren't to mess with his ladies.

[LadyTevar]

From what I understand, more than half of his ladies are very territorial, and don't like strange men.

[Dark Silver]

So I was digging around in my files for the last mage game...and I found something that makes things a great deal easier.

Attached to this post is the Mage character sheet in Excel format that I made for the last game.

Once you have your sheet figured out, please download and fill out this form, and attach it to a post here in the thread. It'll make for excellent sheet tracking on me end when I put them into one file.

It's a full sheet, so it includes place for history, foci, equipment, etc etc etc.

[Dark Silver]

Anyone else wishing to join has until the 9th to post a character sheet or get in touch with me, before I see if we have enough people to play.

[B4UTRUST]

Character sheet

[Dark Silver]

do me a favour and just upload the Excel spreadsheet man, apparently the PDF printing decided it didn't like the margines of the sheet

[Jans]

Anyone know what basic running costs would look like for a moderate diner/bar combo? I was going three dots of resources at first but the more I think about it four might be more suitable.

Thinking two cooks, two-three day shift workers, and a backup bartender. Though that might be a little on the low side as well. Food would be fairly bog standard. Hot, cheap, filling, that kind of thing.

· ·
Middle class, apartment or condo, sturdy vehicle, can liquidate $8,000, monthly income of $1,200.
· · ·
Large savings, small house, mid-sized vehicle, can liquidate $50,000, monthly income of $3,000.
· · · ·
Well-off, large house, luxury vehicle, can liquidate $500,000, monthly income of $9,000.
· · · · ·
Rich, mansion, limousine, can liquidate $5,000,000, monthly income of $30,000.

[B4UTRUST]

Anyone know what basic running costs would look like for a moderate diner/bar combo? I was going three dots of resources at first but the more I think about it four might be more suitable.

Thinking two cooks, two-three day shift workers, and a backup bartender. Though that might be a little on the low side as well. Food would be fairly bog standard. Hot, cheap, filling, that kind of thing.

That's not moderate. That's towards the low end. Average Friday/Saturday night service you're going to have around 7 wait staff minimum depending on time of year. Busy seasons you'd have more. It's also not uncommon to have multiple bartenders per shift depending on size of the place either. 2-3 staff, bartender and two cooks? For lunch maybe. Dinner rush you'd need more. My roommate is a waitress, bartender and has done restaurant management so most of this is coming from what I've learned from her. The figures you're looking at would be a small cafe or diner. And definitely not something that would be in any way profitable. Oh, did you think you were going to make money owning a restaurant? Sure, if you spend 60+ hours a week in it working your ass off, have a solid background in management and the business and work the numbers like a mad dog. But really, restaurants as a whole aren't as overall profitable as we see on TV. Most of us will not be Bourdain, Flay, Ramsey, etc. Most restaurant owners are not going to make money hand over fist. It's more of a money sink than a great living. It's usually a labor of love unless you do by luck and skill get big enough to go franchise in which case you may have a shot in hell.

However, beyond all that, your operating expenses? Figure that your prime costs(your food and your labor costs) are going to be approximately $.60-.65 of every $1 you make. Then you factor in rent costs, utilities, incidentals, liquor costs, etc. Your liquor will be where you make a good profit. You can buy a bottle of vodka for $20. Average bottle is 750ml or 25.4oz. Doing your standard 1oz shot(and it is always a standard 1oz shot, that long pour technique the bartenders use makes it look like you get more when you don't and that means they can get an extra buck out of you for that!) you get approximately 25 pours per bottle. This gives you a rough cost per shot of $.80. Add in your extras here(lemon, olive, lime, sugar, etc) at about $.15 a drink. This gives you $.95 which gives you your 25% mark. You figure your cost per drink is between 20-30% of the price. So go at it at 25% gives you $3.80 per drink though depending on what drink it is more is of course charged. But given that your figuring at $3.80 for 1oz after costs you're making about $75 per bottle. That's where your money is.

Now your food costs will be whats in season, whats local, what do you have to import and what you have to use immediately and what can you preserve for later. Fish will turn, poultry will go bad and those lobsters won't last forever nor will that lettuce for your salad. Freezing some will work though that will impact quality of product later. Do you have a local farmers market or group that you can buy local from to cut cost while giving them much desired business or do you have to go through a big vendor for your food? You can get a lot of price differences there, cutting costs and increasing your bottom line. Now, factoring in your staff costs, utilities, rent, food, etc. For a small place you're looking at $10,000-$30,000 in operating costs easily. Say you've got a great place and you're doing $2mil in sales a year. Your average yearly profit for that restaurant after costs is going to be between 10-15%. So between 200-300k. That doesn't sound too bad really but that's doing over two million in sales.

TL;DR figure between $10,000-$30,000 monthly operating costs depending on location, size, food cost, labor cost, rent, utilities, repairs, insurance, taxes, etc. This is just best guess estimates, though. Without concrete numbers of projected costs and such I can't give you a full profit/loss evaluation.

[Jans]

... ow.

That's a whole lot more than I expected Trust, thanks a lot! Probably going to have to bump it up to resources 4 if I want to consider having a place that isn't a dive. Maybe look through the mortals book and see if I can't find rules on property ownership translated into game terms.

Though in all honesty I may just eat the later part of the background and go for something simpler. It will certainly clear up a bunch of freebie points.

[B4UTRUST]

NP, Jans. Sorry to burst your bubble, so to speak. Though since this is a RPG you may get away with running your place on happy thoughts and puppies. But then again this is WoD so... You may get way with running your place on misery and broken dreams! But you'd have to ask DS.

[Dark Silver]

It's even worse that if you consider it....it's at least double the average price to have a restaraunt or even a diner/cafe in New Orleans proper. And you can triple THAT cost if you have it anywhere int he French Quarter. the French Quarter is not cheap for anything.

So yeah, I highly doubt unless your pulling some major resources, that you'd have a restaraunt/cafe in NOLA

[Jans]

No place for resonance traits on this one DS, do you want them?

[Dark Silver]

Jans, do me a favor, if you filled out your sheet in OpenOffice, save and upload it in ODS format instead of XLS.

Apparently Open Office corrupts the sheets when saved in XLS (I've had the same issue with B4).