Urban Shadows: Vienna, 1950

vienna-from-the-third-man1

Urban Shadows: Vienna, 1950. The Allied Powers carved up Austria after the Second World War. Now the storied city of Vienna is officially divided into zones administered by the Soviets, the Americans, the French, and the British. But the true lines of the city run deeper, carved by magic and blood. The world is now gripped by Cold War, but, in the shadows of Vienna, vampires, werewolves, wizards, hunters, and more struggle for the soul of a divided city. Will you get what you desperately need? And will you have to pledge fealty to Great Powers of the East or the West in order to do it?

We’ll play a series of Urban Shadows transported to Vienna in 1950. Familiarity with the historical period is a bonus, but not required.

Being able to attend each session is ideal, but not required. You must RSVP to each session you wish to attend.

Tone and expectation for the game will be discussed beforehand. Be aware that some themes this game might deal with are political and religious tensions, criminality and precarity, and the dark chapters of the 20th century. We will be using the X-Card and Lines and Veils as safety tools, and the Open Door policy will be in effect. This series is operating under the Gauntlet’s inclusivity policy, on which more information can be found here (http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/the-inclusivity-policy.html).

2019-10-01T00:00:00Z → 2019-10-01T03:00:00Z Session One
2019-10-08T00:00:00Z → 2019-10-08T03:00:00Z Session Two
2019-10-15T00:00:00Z → 2019-10-15T03:00:00Z Session Three
2019-10-22T00:00:00Z → 2019-10-22T03:00:00Z Session Four

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Why do these never run at a time my timezone likes. Envy!!!;

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The sign clearly says “Entering American Zone”, though.

Signed,
Sad in Eurozone

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Same! So many games I would love to play, but all at 3am…

This confirms that I must run a series of historical Urban Shadows sessions in a GMT-adjacent slot … Though now I think about it @SabineV5, do you think Achtung! Cthulhu Dark could handle the cold war?

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Why wouldn’t it? It’s not that action-oriented, really, so it think it would be fine. Some playbooks might need an overhaul, but that should be possible.

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Urban Shadows: Vienna, 1950 (1/4)
We meet our protagonists, four people navigating the shadowy, supernatural world of Cold War Vienna. Johannes/Sophie (@Pearl_Zare), the protean Fae entertainer; Otto Moser, (@Sousrature) the Veteran government functionary balancing Debts to all sides; Cosima Sörgel (@Sarah), the flesh-eating Vamp art connoisseur; and Emilie Landau (@LeandroP), a young woman newly Aware of the supernatural thanks to her “creature of the night” girlfriend who first brought her to Vienna then up and vanished. Then we throw them all into a slightly suspicious gala.

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Urban Shadows: Vienna, 1950 (2/4)
Salomé, the Tainted outrider of the Wild Hunt (@Eli_Seitz), has arrived, so the party can get started! Tonight, Vienna will be rocked by poisonings, out-of-body experiences, and more-or-less inept attempts at seduction and assassination. Cosima (@Sarah) acquires a very haunted cabinet. Emilie (@LeandroP) snoops her way into so much trouble that only letting out her inhuman side can save her. And Sophie/Johannes (@Pearl_Zare) commits herself to aiding Salomé’s hit job on an American colonel, whether she wants it or not.

Urban Shadows: Vienna, 1950 (Session 3/4)
A busy day of deals, threats, and bad decisions made at the Café Marcus Aurelius, hotspot of supernatural intrigue in Cold War Vienna. Otto the Veteran (@Sousrature) tries to shake the cold from his limbs by striking a bargain with a fae princess of winter. Emilie the Aware (@LeandroP) leaves the café at gunpoint, confidant she can manipulate the wolf at her heel. Salomé the Tainted (@Eli_Seitz) accepts two new hit jobs, one for duty and one for love. And Sophie/Johannes the Fae (@Pearl_Zare) proffers help to everyone, reveals their feelings for Salomé, and briefly turns into monstrous tangle of tentacle-like vines.

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Urban Shadows: Vienna, 1950 (Session 4/4)
A grand finale with a full cast brings our time in Vienna to an explosive close. Otto the Veteran (@Sousrature) steals a painting and finds himself on the receiving end of weaponized Cubism. Sophie/Johannes the Fae (@Pearl_Zare) sings a bear to death, a café to life, and a fae birthday party into a riot of debauchery and violence. Cosima the Vamp (@Sarah) faces her potential execution at the hands of Salomé the Tainted (@Eli_Seitz) with a speech for the ages—Salomé is less sanguine about the result of her hunt. Emilie the Aware (@LeandroP) talks her way out of American military custody—and into the climactic shootout over art and magic at the Plaza of the Blind Shepherd.

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