Denver Info-Dresden Files Universe

#1

This is a quick reference for those wanting to use the Denver area for the Dresden Files universe in Monster of the Week, Urban Shadows etc.

Magic Notes
• True Names = +1 to all Magic rolls against a creature if you have its true name.
• Thresholds = -1 to ALL rolls in a place you have not been invited. Public shared places do not have thresholds. Mostly effects Spirits and Vampires.
• Spooky/Oracle/Magic misses & failures = involve nearby electrical/electronic failing.

Denver : 750,000 people in town.
• Parks in most suburbs.
• Snows more often than it rains.
• Rocky Mountains to the west.
• Many citizens have pets, many vets and pet stores in town.
• 18 cemeteries in town. (2 are used by Lycans)
• Features : Botanic Gardens, Art Gallery, Museum, Aquarium, Zoo.
• Tons of ley-lines and earth magical nodes in hills and mountains of the Rockies.

Nevernever : Faerie realm, Astral plane, Abyss. All in one.
Red Court Vampires vs White Council Wizards War = 2010 to 2018

Locations :
Aurora – Psychic Studio. Radio show/shop. Crystals/cards. Mugs/Stickers.
• 2000 - Albert – (Image-Brian Blessed) Curious mortal - Friendly. 20 yo.
• 2010 - Albert – has a late night psychic chat radio show - Spooky/Oracle, 30 yo.
• 2019 – Albert has a 7pm psychic twitch stream and psychic shop.

Blucifer – Blue Horse Statue near the Denver Airport. Traces of Demonic magic.
• In 2010 there were reports of people fighting zombies seen around Blucifer.

Kaos Coffee – Punk then Hipster coffee shop – open 24/7.
• Arcane machines (Asteroids, Dragon Quest, Mortal Kombat)
• 2010 – A few Biker fights in the shop (Red Court vampires).

Nightmares Notes - Fiction Bookshop
• Nixon is the Owner, a Scarecrow (Image-Anthony Hopkins, Winter court) Nixon will pass info to ‘good guys’ in return for favours.

Speers Apartment Block & Bar - Regular meeting spot for Lycans.
Bar has a vase theme, with vases along every wall, vases used for drinking.
• Danielle (Image-Jada Pickett Smith), Werewolf goes from Waitress-Secretary-Manager.

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#2

Factions :

Fey-Summer Court – (Brownies, Centaur, Dryad, Kelpie, Satyr)
Hamish & his two brothers (Donal and James) Gruff/Satyr - moved to town in 2007. Enjoy martial arts, noisy parties and keeping an eye on the Winter Court.

Fey-Winter Court – (Fetch, Goblins, Ogres, Scarecrow, Trolls)
There are many Winter Court here. It has been a Winter Court stronghold for years. The Winter Court control five of the nine ley line nodes in the Denver area.

Vampires-Red Court – (Nocturnal, Feed on blood/flesh)
Queen (motivation: to possess and control)
Escape, no matter how well contained it is • Attack with great force and fury

  • Increasing numbers up to 2010.
  • Very active during the War of 2010 to 2018.
  • Very few in town during 2019.

Vampires-White Court – (Vampires who feed on Lust, Fear and Despair)
Tempter (motivation: to tempt people into evil deeds)
Use an unnatural power • Attack with stealth and calculation

  • Headed by Wilhelm Skavis, neat freak in Bauhaus manor.
  • Kept their heads down during the Red Court-White Council war.
  • 2019 - Some sort of non-aggression pact with the Winter Court. Wealthy.

Rumours

  • In 2000 and 2019 there are rumours of a Denarion in town trying to find something.
  • Supernatural stuff is never in the media. Someone is suppressing news.
  • 2000 – There is a Loup Garou running around town.
  • When the cosmos is aligned, Blucifer will bring forth the Herd of the Apocalypse.
  • 2010 – Fey shard in town that both Summer and Winter courts were looking for.

Suggested Fronts/Storms (current or earlier)

Winter Court set Mortal Hunters vs Summer Court
Useful Location - Paint mines outside of Denver is a meeting ground for Fey.

  • Hunters goods stolen-pinned on Ranchers (disguised Centaurs)
  • Wizards attacked by Satyr (controlled by magic)
  • People drowned in park lakes (where innocent Kelpie are)

Werewolves vs Hexenwolves (Black court minions)
Useful Location - Airport tunnels as Hexenwolves hideout.

  • Hexenwolves setup a protection racket targeting Psychics and the Wealthy.
  • Werewolves being ambushed by Hexenwolves, ask PC’s for aid.
  • Hexenwolves increasing numbers, stalking the pcs.
    Hexenwolves • Torturer (motivation: to hurt and terrify)
    • Give chase • Destroy something

Existing games in Denver-Dresdenverse

2000 – Monster of the Week (before the Red Court war) Keeper=Blake Ryan.

2010 – Monster of the Week (Start of Red Court war) Keeper=Blake Ryan.

2019 – Urban Shadows (Post Red Court war) MC=Lowell Francis.

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#3

This is great, Blake. I hope encourages other people to expand the setting.

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#4

I’m rather curious, Blake: What kinds of characters did you have in your groups? How did they come to work together?

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#5

We used the MOTW history questions, each character having a link/question linking them to two other characters.

One of the games was right at the start of the red court vs white council war, so no one was allied with the red court vampires.

But we had a crooked-burglar, divine-joan of arc, white council wizard, white court succubus, even a Flake (conspiracy nut) :slight_smile:

After history questions I would offer a ‘this is how you all met suggestion, like You all met at college’’ but was open to them thinking of an event based on history/own ideas.

The teams often split into twos, and thats cool it allowed more spotlight roleplaying times.

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#6

Who did you choose Denver specifically?

#7

plenty of youtube clips about weird stuff in denver, especially the airport

i think we wanted something that wasn’t new york (overused in movies) and chicago (main city in the dresden books)

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