Urban Fantasy: Warnings

[Shadowsoul]

With the Urban Fantasy Hero Sourcebook still on the horizon I thought it might be amusing for people with some or any experience of the genre to post some hints and warnings to Player Characters who may find themselves in an Urban Fantasy situation.

I'm not actually an expert on this genre but here's what I've picked up from my reading and my wandering through book shops.

1. You will probably encounter Vampires. If they don't want to eat you straight away they may want to unleash your darkest hidden desires, so that they can sleep with you.

2. You might encounter Werewolves. If they don't want to eat you out of hand they may try to unchain or get in touch with your inner beast, so that they can sleep with you.

3. You might also encounter Fay, who will want to sleep with you.

4. If people don't want to believe in magic then you can be attacked by a giant centipede demon in broad daylight while standing in front of a major landmark and they still won't believe you when you try to open their eyes to the real world.

5. I know that people like Dracula, Merlin, or Cronos are supposed to be dead or locked away for a good stretch of eternity, but they might make an exception in your case and turn up anyway, just to cause you grief.

6. If you are a supernatural investigator I can guarantee that for the most part your group will be the only one in your area, no matter how weird things get. On the plus side it's a sellers market when it comes to supernatural investigations.

7. Despite the facts noted in point 6 you will probably be short of money quite often if you make your living off the supernatural. If this is not the case your love life will probably be pretty terrible, see points 1-3 if you really, desperately need to expand your pool of potential dates, (note that this is far more likely to work if you are a woman).

8. Never trust an antiques store. There will always be something really weird and possibly dangerous hidden on the mouldering shelves.

9. There are various other worlds hidden inside this one. If you spend any length of time in any of them someone will almost certainly try to kill you for reasons that you don't immediately understand. Running back into your own world won't help much either. They'll find you. They always do.

10. Oh and you may bump into a few demons. They don't always want to kill you though. See points 1-3.

[tkdguy]

Interesting. I GMed a game years ago that included the Highlander, Forever Knight, and Wolf (the Jack Nicholson film). I hadn't collected the World of Darkness books yet, although they were around. It was set in the modern world. I had planned to run a similar game set in the Middle Ages, but I never got around to it.

[mayapuppies]

With the Urban Fantasy Hero Sourcebook still on the horizon I thought it might be amusing for people with some or any experience of the genre to post some hints and warnings to Player Characters who may find themselves in an Urban Fantasy situation.

I'm not actually an expert on this genre but here's what I've picked up from my reading and my wandering through book shops.

1. You will probably encounter Vampires. If they don't want to eat you straight away they may want to unleash your darkest hidden desires, so that they can sleep with you.

2. You might encounter Werewolves. If they don't want to eat you out of hand they may try to unchain or get in touch with your inner beast, so that they can sleep with you.

3. You might also encounter Fay, who will want to sleep with you.

4. If people don't want to believe in magic then you can be attacked by a giant centipede demon in broad daylight while standing in front of a major landmark and they still won't believe you when you try to open their eyes to the real world.

5. I know that people like Dracula, Merlin, or Cronos are supposed to be dead or locked away for a good stretch of eternity, but they might make an exception in your case and turn up anyway, just to cause you grief.

6. If you are a supernatural investigator I can guarantee that for the most part your group will be the only one in your area, no matter how weird things get. On the plus side it's a sellers market when it comes to supernatural investigations.

7. Despite the facts noted in point 6 you will probably be short of money quite often if you make your living off the supernatural. If this is not the case your love life will probably be pretty terrible, see points 1-3 if you really, desperately need to expand your pool of potential dates, (note that this is far more likely to work if you are a woman).

8. Never trust an antiques store. There will always be something really weird and possibly dangerous hidden on the mouldering shelves.

9. There are various other worlds hidden inside this one. If you spend any length of time in any of them someone will almost certainly try to kill you for reasons that you don't immediately understand. Running back into your own world won't help much either. They'll find you. They always do.

10. Oh and you may bump into a few demons. They don't always want to kill you though. See points 1-3.

This looks like the random table the writers for Buffy used to generate each episodes plot. :D

[ghost-angel]

Corollary to 1,2 and 3:

If you run into any animals that seem to be smarter than normal, they probably want to sleep with you. But make them change into human form first so you don't violate any local statutes.


I will note, that all of the above applies if you're experience with Urban Fantasy is Laurrel K Hamilton and her peers.

[Shadowsoul]

Interesting. I GMed a game years ago that included the Highlander, Forever Knight, and Wolf (the Jack Nicholson film). I hadn't collected the World of Darkness books yet, although they were around. It was set in the modern world. I had planned to run a similar game set in the Middle Ages, but I never got around to it.

Hmm, Forever Knight. I looked it up and I guess it must have been the first vampire detective series ever. And possibly the first supernatural series with a superhuman protagonist. Intriguing.

Apparently though there was a short series that was loosely based on Vampire: The Masquerade.

Wolf versus Highlander. Now that would be fun. Brief, but fun, I'm sure McCloud would like a nice wolf fur cloak. Although a classic werewolf would have given him a real run for his money.

Quick update. I wandered through the Wikipedia entries for Urban Fantasy and discovered a book called 'Heart of Stone' which involves a Gargoyle who, yes you've guessed it, wants to sleep with the other protagonist, a human woman.

[Maur]

Kindred: The Embraced (1996)
Vampire clans definitely sound like those from V:tM as well as the hidden behind the veil kind of thing.

Forever Knight (1989-1996)

[ghost-angel]

Kindred: The Embraced (1996)
Vampire clans definitely sound like those from V:tM as well as the hidden behind the veil kind of thing.

That's because they ARE V:tM clans. The show was more than loosely based off the game.

[Curufea]

My one warning would be (because White Wolf is only a small part of the genre) :-

Treat all myths, superstitions and fairy tales with a lot more care than you would otherwise.

[tkdguy]

Hmm, Forever Knight. I looked it up and I guess it must have been the first vampire detective series ever. And possibly the first supernatural series with a superhuman protagonist. Intriguing.

Apparently though there was a short series that was loosely based on Vampire: The Masquerade.

Wolf versus Highlander. Now that would be fun. Brief, but fun, I'm sure McCloud would like a nice wolf fur cloak. Although a classic werewolf would have given him a real run for his money.

Quick update. I wandered through the Wikipedia entries for Urban Fantasy and discovered a book called 'Heart of Stone' which involves a Gargoyle who, yes you've guessed it, wants to sleep with the other protagonist, a human woman.
I used Wolf as a basis, although I modified the rules so that the werewolf became stronger and more bestial as the moon's phase waxed, then grew weaker and more human when the moon waned. So the werewolf was at maximum power at full moon and couldn't shapeshift during new moon.

I had originally thought of using Kindred: The Embraced, but I didn't know much about the WoD vampires, and the show ended too abruptly (My questionnaire for the players included some of the V:TM clans). And since one of the cable channels showed Highlander and Forever Knight back to back, I got more exposure to it.

Edit: I almost forgot. Other available character types included psychics, bionic men and women, ninjas, Shaolin priests, and paranormal investigators. One of the players asked what special abilities the investigators had. Since Mulder and Scully regularly got backsides handed to them in the early episodes, I said they get beat up a lot, but they're very hard to kill. The player, who had chosen to be a paranormal investigator, was less than thrilled to hear that. :D

[Basil]

Thank you for one of the best laughs I've had in a long time. :rofl:

[Nolgroth]

Warnings;


Corporations in Urban Fantasy are always corrupt. Usually this corruption is from some fantastic source like Demons or some other magical origin.
The government is not your friend either.
New Orleans is the absolute center of the setting. Everything happens there; voodoo, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, etc. Mardi Gras is the cover for arcane rites that draw upon the combined spiritual energy of the party goers to fuel whatever nefarious plans the bad guys have.
Expect your character to be morally strong and socially challenged. They know right from wrong, but just can't get some from somebody who does not fit Shadowsoul's points 1-3.
Scientologists really are a freaky cult seeking to take over the world. Oh, to avoid lawsuits, the serial numbers are filed off. But it is still Scientology.

[Karmakaze]

Expect your character to be morally strong and socially challenged. They know right from wrong, but just can't get some from somebody who does not fit Shadowsoul's points 1-3.


Sometimes they start out normal, but because of contact with your character, get turned into something from 1-3...

[ghost-angel]

I think my favorite is quickly becoming:

-If the protagonist is female they will either be, or become, a nercomancer. And no matter how powerful they become, no bad guy will ever take them seriously.

[Lord Liaden]

Stay out of basements, unless you want to find an entrance to the hidden realm of the dark fae. Or possibly Hell.

[Blue Jogger]

Always carry a large backpack with you. Getting lost is always an adventure.

[tkdguy]

Always carry a large backpack with you. Getting lost is always an adventure.
And don't forget your towel.

[Enforcer84]

Stay out of basements, unless you want to find an entrance to the hidden realm of the dark fae. Or possibly Hell.
"I think I see your problem. You gotta portal to another dimension in there."

-House II: The Second Story.

[Markdoc]

Always carry a large backpack with you. Getting lost is always an adventure.

And you can get lost walking to the Kwikee-Mart on the corner for milk....

cheers, Mark

[DEFCON Clown]

I guess my take on urban fantasy is ALOT different then everyone else. I might make a thread just to detail it.

[Chris Goodwin]

Everyone on the planet has some kind of supernatural connection, except for one poor normal schmuck in Cleveland. The entire masquerade or whatever that everyone goes through is aimed entirely at keeping him from finding out.

[Curufea]

Everyone on the planet has some kind of supernatural connection, except for one poor normal schmuck in Cleveland. The entire masquerade or whatever that everyone goes through is aimed entirely at keeping him from finding out.

White Wolf is a bit like the Marvel Universe - everyone is a mutant :)

[sinanju]

Stay out of basements, unless you want to find an entrance to the hidden realm of the dark fae. Or possibly Hell.

But remember--if you DO get trapped in a basement and there's a dryer, there's a possible way out.

Remove your shoes.
Remove your socks.
Discard one (1) sock.
Tie remaining sock firmly to your wrist.
Turn on the dryer.
Climb in. (Admittedly, this is considerably easier using large, commercial dryers, which is where the player I'm shamelessly cribbing from first tried this).
You now have a 50% chance of being dragged into another dimension somewhere.
This IS a rather drastic solution, so be sure J. Random Alternate Dimension seems like a better idea than facing whatever is lurking in those dark corners....

Other rules of Urban Fantasy

X. Every supernatural POAS (Person of Appropriate Sex) you meet will be hotter than the last.
X+1. Each and every one of them will want you badly (but not as badly as you want them) no matter how your beauty pales compared to their supernatural POAS acquaintances.
X+2. Alas, neither of you will give in to desire for any of numerous reasons. For a while.
X+3. When you do give in, the sex will always be indescribably* exciting and you will achieve never-before-experienced levels of ecstasy. EVERY. TIME.
X+4. Your magical Hoohah OAG (of Appropriate Gender) will endow you and/or others with additional superpowers on a regular basis.**
X+5. Whatever you used to do for a living is irrelevant. You will spend all your time having indescribable sex and acquiring new magical superpowers.***

*It will nonetheless be described in excruciating detail, at least if LKH is writing it.
**Ditto.
***Ditto.

[sinanju]

Everyone on the planet has some kind of supernatural connection, except for one poor normal schmuck in Cleveland. The entire masquerade or whatever that everyone goes through is aimed entirely at keeping him from finding out.

Earl to Val, as they're digging up the first Graboid they've killed. "This is incredible! Have you ever heard of anything like this!?"

Val to Earl: "Oh sure, Earl. We all know about them. We just never told YOU..."

--TREMORS

[Lord Mhoram]

I've not read much Urban fantasy - I never watched Buffy, I skipped World Of Darkness. About my only exposure to it is F Paul Wilson modern stuff (which could be horror), Harry Dresden and Rachel Morgan.

I find the subgenre interesting and fresh at this point.

[Curufea]

You could easily have an Urban Fantasy campaign based on nothing but "The Lost Room (http://www.scifi.com/lostroom/about/show/)" - and you don't have to have any supernatural creatures of any sort.

[jtelson]

I guess my take on urban fantasy is ALOT different then everyone else. I might make a thread just to detail it.

Probably not quite everyone else. This seems a lot more like a list about horror than urban fantasy (My wife assures me that authors like Laurell K Hamilton belong to the delightful subgenre erotic horror, which is apparently huge; And the WoD describes itself as a horror, stylish horror IIRC) When I hear Urban Fantasy I think, Gaiman and DeLindt.

[Karmakaze]

Urban Fantasy is kind of a nebulous category. I was at a panel about it at WisCon last weekend and we had a lively discussion about where the line could be drawn. One panelist had been told that Urban Fantasy was only the Hamilton-esque vampire erotica, and had been surprised. Given that one panelist was Ellen Kushner (http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Kushner/) for her Swordspoint books, they were taking the wider view.

Arguably, it can include any fantasy which is set in a city, which lets in things like Liavek (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liavek), Sanctuary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thieves'_World) or Ankh-Morpork (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankh-Morpork). Or you can limit to modern day or near modern day (which is normally where I define it), which gives you deLint or Gaiman, or things like the Borderlands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Borderland_Series). Or you can limit to vampire romances, in which case you're looking at Laurel Hamilton, (or less egregiously, Tanya Huff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanya_Huff#Blood_Books) or the Southern Vampire mysteries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sookie_Stackhouse)).

(Yes, I do realize I'm dating myself with some of my examples.)

[Markdoc]

Arguably, it can include any fantasy which is set in a city, which lets in things like Liavek (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liavek), Sanctuary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thieves'_World) or Ankh-Morpork (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankh-Morpork). Or you can limit to modern day or near modern day (which is normally where I define it), which gives you deLint or Gaiman, or things like the Borderlands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Borderland_Series). Or you can limit to vampire romances, in which case you're looking at Laurel Hamilton, (or less egregiously, Tanya Huff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanya_Huff#Blood_Books) or the Southern Vampire mysteries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sookie_Stackhouse)).

I'd actually class Urban fantasy as any that fits "contemporary/near contemporary setting, with supernatural elements". The mere fact that you can identify a specific subgenre so neatly like "vampire erotic fantasy" by definition means it *isn't* the definition of urban fantasy, per se. So I'd file Sanctuary and Anhk-Morepork into standard fantasy under "High Fantasy" (it started at "Gritty Fantasy", but didn't stay there long) and "Heroic fantasy, comedic" respectively. Horror I see as a subgenre of Urban Fantasy - though perhaps one so distinct as to deserve its own genre.

cheers, Mark

[Chris Goodwin]

At one time "fantasy" referred to what we now call horror, "romance" referred to what we now call fantasy, and science fiction was referred to as "scientific romance".

[FenrisUlf]

Stay out of basements, unless you want to find an entrance to the hidden realm of the dark fae. Or possibly Hell.

If we're talking about Scottish Fae and the teind, then the Faerie Realm may well be Hell, or at least in the same neighborhood.

BTW, am I the only person who gets tired of all the uber-Aryan morally perfect omnisexual elves with the kewl magik powerz who seem to swarm in every Urban Fantasy setting? I'd like to see some good (or at least non-monstrously evil) Unseelie for once. How about a somewhat surly Redcap who just wants to hide in an abandoned house, and doesn't spend all his time slaughtering and eating people?

Heck, how about non pseudo-Celtic Fae? Try and do some research on Cherokee spirits like the Nanehi (for good) and the Water People, the Moon-Eyed People (evil blue-eyed blondes! Try something different!), and Spearfinger the Witch (for evil).

Sorry to rant but man oh man am I freaking tired of Misty Lackey's Aryans.

[Shadowsoul]

If we're talking about Scottish Fae and the teind, then the Faerie Realm may well be Hell, or at least in the same neighborhood.

BTW, am I the only person who gets tired of all the uber-Aryan morally perfect omnisexual elves with the kewl magik powerz who seem to swarm in every Urban Fantasy setting? I'd like to see some good (or at least non-monstrously evil) Unseelie for once. How about a somewhat surly Redcap who just wants to hide in an abandoned house, and doesn't spend all his time slaughtering and eating people?

Heck, how about non pseudo-Celtic Fae? Try and do some research on Cherokee spirits like the Nanehi (for good) and the Water People, the Moon-Eyed People (evil blue-eyed blondes! Try something different!), and Spearfinger the Witch (for evil).

Sorry to rant but man oh man am I freaking tired of Misty Lackey's Aryans.

I'd have to agree that non-Celtic spirits/Fae would be an interesting idea. It's something I have considered myself. The cosmologies of various Native American groups would certainly provide interesting characters.

In fact I would probably make Celtic Sidhe and the Fae of the two courts just one faction amongst many such as the Nordic trolls and elves, Greek satyrs, centaurs and nymphs, Mexica spirits, Japanese Yokai and so on.

[teh bunneh]

Heck, how about non pseudo-Celtic Fae? Try and do some research on Cherokee spirits like the Nanehi (for good) and the Water People, the Moon-Eyed People (evil blue-eyed blondes! Try something different!), and Spearfinger the Witch (for evil).

Try Ursula K. Leguin's Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight? sometime. It's a neat take on Native American myths and spirits in the modern realm. Pretty sure it's still in print.

[Karmakaze]

Heck, how about non pseudo-Celtic Fae? Try and do some research on Cherokee spirits like the Nanehi (for good) and the Water People, the Moon-Eyed People (evil blue-eyed blondes! Try something different!), and Spearfinger the Witch (for evil).

Charles deLint has both pseudo-Celtic fae and pseudo-First Nations fae (it's set in Canada). In fact, some of the story conflict comes from the European fae having done to the local fae much the same sort of things as European people did to the First Nations people.

[archermoo]

Charles deLint has both pseudo-Celtic fae and pseudo-First Nations fae (it's set in Canada). In fact, some of the story conflict comes from the European fae having done to the local fae much the same sort of things as European people did to the First Nations people.

Yeah, deLint's stuff is what I think of when I think of "Urban Fantasy". Just re-read Widdershins the other day. Certainly one of my faves, as Jilly is probably my best loved fictional character of all time. :)

[Shadowsoul]

One more.

You are what tries to eat you.

Many monster-hunters are themselves 'monsters' of one sort or another. But even if you start out human you may well end up having an 'alternate lifestyle' thrust upon you. And it doesn't always end there, I'm pretty sure there's a vampiric paranormal detective were-leopard in one UF series.

[ghost-angel]

Yeah, deLint's stuff is what I think of when I think of "Urban Fantasy". Just re-read Widdershins the other day. Certainly one of my faves, as Jilly is probably my best loved fictional character of all time. :)

Jilly definitely ranks as one of my favorite heroines of all time.

[Lord Liaden]

(Yes, I do realize I'm dating myself with some of my examples.)

You think you're dating yourself? My first exposure to the genre was back in 1969, with IMHO one of its seminal works, Margaret St. Clair's novel The Shadow People. It's been almost thirty years since I last read it, so the details are rather fuzzy in my memory; but I took the following review from the add for the novel on Amazon.com, which matches my memories pretty well:


Margaret St. Clair is a science-fiction/fantasy writer whose fine body of work is sadly neglected today, and is urgently in need of rediscovery. And this short, subtle, shadow-haunted novel is one of her finest works.

A quarter of a century before Goth culture came into vogue, this compelling urban fantasy took readers on a frightening journey into a very dark & malicious Faerie indeed, one that could be reached merely by going behind the walls of just the right (or wrong) basement, where lank-haired, emaciated elves feed on hallucinogenic fungus & prey upon one another as viciously as they prey upon any hapless humans who fall into their hands. Written & published during the first resurgence of fantasy in the late 1960s, before the genre became glutted with identical mass-market "sagas" & "epics" with no genuine magic to them, this tale has lingered with me like a fading but unforgettable nightmare for decades now.

Fans of Neil Gaiman & Charles DeLint (among others) should do themselves a favor & track down a copy of this disturbing gem, which deserves reprinting today. You won't be disappointed, I assure you. Highly recommended!

[Susano]

I'd have to agree that non-Celtic spirits/Fae would be an interesting idea. It's something I have considered myself. The cosmologies of various Native American groups would certainly provide interesting characters.

In fact I would probably make Celtic Sidhe and the Fae of the two courts just one faction amongst many such as the Nordic trolls and elves, Greek satyrs, centaurs and nymphs, Mexica spirits, Japanese Yokai and so on.

Sounds like Hellboy. Which is pure Urban Fantasy in my opinion.

[tkdguy]

Here's an idea I've been toying with: Just make the Fae a bunch of losers. Their downfall came when humanity realized just how pathetic they really were.

[FenrisUlf]

Here's an idea I've been toying with: Just make the Fae a bunch of losers. Their downfall came when humanity realized just how pathetic they really were.

Myself, I like powerful (within limits) Fae, but I prefer them as being amoral at best and more often outright malicious towards humans. I dunno why, but for some reason I like games where you can mow down the Fae.

Though your idea can work too, esp. if the Fae refuse to admit to their loser-ness and still act like the entire universe revolves around them.

[Susano]

Myself, I like powerful (within limits) Fae, but I prefer them as being amoral at best and more often outright malicious towards humans. I dunno why, but for some reason I like games where you can mow down the Fae.

Though your idea can work too, esp. if the Fae refuse to admit to their loser-ness and still act like the entire universe revolves around them.

So the Fae are basically Paris Hilton and/or Britney Spears?

[FenrisUlf]

So the Fae are basically Paris Hilton and/or Britney Spears?

Works for me!

Hmm, when you consider the sluttish nature of the faerie in traditional folklore, as well as their 'human, but not quite appearance', and their disdain for human morality... Say, wait now, you don't think that Paris and Britney are really... :winkgrin:

[Susano]

Works for me!

Hmm, when you consider the sluttish nature of the faerie in traditional folklore, as well as their 'human, but not quite appearance', and their disdain for human morality... Say, wait now, you don't think that Paris and Britney are really... :winkgrin:

Faeries?

:lol:

[Clonus]

New Orleans is the absolute center of the setting. Everything happens there; voodoo, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, etc. Mardi Gras is the cover for arcane rites that draw upon the combined spiritual energy of the party goers to fuel whatever nefarious plans the bad guys have.



You're kidding, right? Sure you might think New Orleans, but thanks to Tanya Huff, Charles Delint and Hollywood North, the real urban fantasy central is Toronto. The rest of them are scattered around places like Minneapolis, Chicago, L.A. and London.

(There there's Tokyo, but that's a whole other deal).

[Susano]

You're kidding, right? Sure you might think New Orleans, but thanks to Tanya Huff, Charles Delint and Hollywood North, the real urban fantasy central is Toronto. The rest of them are scattered around places like Minneapolis, Chicago, L.A. and London.

(There there's Tokyo, but that's a whole other deal).

Tokyo is the center of all things magical in many manga and anime. But in the movies, Tokyo kaiju central! :help:

[Vanguard]

Warnings;

. . . Mardi Gras is the cover for arcane rites that draw upon the combined spiritual energy of the party goers to fuel whatever nefarious plans the bad guys have.

[/LIST]

Looks like someone else has read the Dark Hunter novels. :)

[Shadowsoul]

Unless there is actually a special unit devoted to supernatural crimes the police will almost certainly know less about magical events than the local criminal groups.

In some cases supernatural beings will be running the local criminal groups.


As an aside, there is no shortage of paranormal detectives and bounty hunters. But the mundane detective genre has already moved beyond detectives, at least on tv. Solving crimes longside policemen and PIs I count one psychiatrist, one judge, one mortician or something like that, a bone expert, a blood spatter expert, two gardeners and a magician's assistant. Not to mention the classic 'helpful old lady'. I've probably missed a few as well. I think Urban fantasy should catch up. Where is the Vampire blood expert? Where is the wizardly judge? Or the Fey stage magician?

[FenrisUlf]

But in the movies, Tokyo is kaiju central! :help:

Yeah, after a while you really have to wonder why anyone in their right mind would want to live in a city that gets flattened every five years or so by rampaging giant monsters.

[Curufea]

Yeah, after a while you really have to wonder why anyone in their right mind would want to live in a city that gets flattened every five years or so by rampaging giant monsters.

For the same reason anyone would want to live on the San Andreas Fault.
Or next door to a volcano.


Wishful thinking.

[Nolgroth]

Looks like someone else has read the Dark Hunter novels. :)Nope. Just seems that whatever I read that was Urban Fantasy, books or role-playing, during the 90's seemed to be centered around New Orleans.

[Karmakaze]

Nope. Just seems that whatever I read that was Urban Fantasy, books or role-playing, during the 90's seemed to be centered around New Orleans.

That's got a lot to do with New Orleans being one of the few cities in the US associated with magic in the public imagination. L.A. in a nutshell is "vapid entertainment moguls", San Francisco is "hippes", New York is "sarcastic, rushed people", Dallas is "big brash cowboys", Miami is "beaches and drugs", and New Orleans is "mardi gras and voodoo."

If you're writing about people who work magic, it makes sense to use New Orleans as a setting because there's already a "real world" "magic" community there (sorry for the excessive scare quotes there). Similarly, since voodoo is held in the public imagination to be all about raising zombies, it makes sense to put vampires there, because they're also a kind of undead.

The only other city in the US that I can associate magic with on that level is Salem and (a) it's not big enough to really support a lot of these stories and (b) a lot of the books that center on witches (rather than fairies, weres or vampires) are set in or around Salem.

Toronto gets to be the preferred location in Canada because it's one of the more diverse cities in Canada, which gives the writers room to introduce supernatural diversity.

[FenrisUlf]

Concerning the whole "New Orleans as America's City of Magic" I will add that if you research books written on local 'supernatural' or mythic topics you can find a lot for urban fantasy stories set somewhere other than the Big Easy.

Here in PA we have Indian Fae/spirits like Mesingw the Lord of the Hunt, dragons, thunderbirds, werewolves, Pennsylvania Dutch witchcraft and 'good magic' (braucherei), Bigfoot, Scots-Irish lore, the Jersey Devil, enough ghosts to stock a city's worth of haunted mansions, wolf demons, extradimensional giant serpents, and a ton of magical locations.

You can keep some swampy city overrun with snakes and Cajuns; Pennsylvania doesn't need it. :D

[Susano]

Maryland has the goat-man, who's half man, half goat.

If you really want ideas for how strange your state can be, take a look at the "Weird [insert state name here]" series of books. Each book contains chapters on ghosts, haunted houses, monsters, and assorted urban legends. Oh, and strange stuff that really exists.

[FenrisUlf]

Maryland has the goat-man, who's half man, half goat.

If you really want ideas for how strange your state can be, take a look at the "Weird [insert state name here]" series of books. Each book contains chapters on ghosts, haunted houses, monsters, and assorted urban legends. Oh, and strange stuff that really exists.

I have the one for Pennsylvania. It's very useful.

I want to get the ones for Michigan and Florida to use with Millenium City and Vibora Bay.

[Susano]

I have the one for Pennsylvania. It's very useful.

I want to get the ones for Michigan and Florida to use with Millenium City and Vibora Bay.

I have the one for Maryland. I'd like to see the one for DC, since it strikes me as a place ripe for strange goings on.

[FenrisUlf]

I have the one for Maryland. I'd like to see the one for DC, since it strikes me as a place ripe for strange goings on.

I look at Weird Maryland and mostly remember it for the Snallygaster, some sort of Lovecraftian horror flying around the countryside.

Then in DC proper there's the old legend of the red-eyed giant demon cat who only appears to warn the public that there's corruption in the capital. He is supposedly very angry when he does show up. But it's not like I can blame him. When last did he get a chance to rest?

[Susano]

There's a building in DC called "The Octagon" (IIRC), that's supposed to be the most haunted house in the city. Ghosts are also supposed to haunt the capital building, and guards have reported strange happenings around James Smithson's tomb in the Smithsonian.

[Markdoc]

But it's not like I can blame him. When last did he get a chance to rest?

That's why he's red-eyed!

cheers, Mark

[Midas]

If we're talking about Scottish Fae and the teind, then the Faerie Realm may well be Hell, or at least in the same neighborhood.

BTW, am I the only person who gets tired of all the uber-Aryan morally perfect omnisexual elves with the kewl magik powerz who seem to swarm in every Urban Fantasy setting? I'd like to see some good (or at least non-monstrously evil) Unseelie for once. How about a somewhat surly Redcap who just wants to hide in an abandoned house, and doesn't spend all his time slaughtering and eating people?

Seriously? May I suggest LKH's Merry Gentry series? In that one, the Seelie are Neo Nazi perfectionists, and the Unseelie are the (relative) progressives. Anybody who isn't perfect enough to be in the Seelie Court is thrown out, into the Unseelie. "Sadist, pedophile and necrophiliac? Sorry, we'd like to keep you in the Seelie Court, but some things just aren't done. HEY YOU! With the Jay Leno tuft of hair! You are GONE! We don't allow such terrible blasphemies to perfection around here! Now where was I, oh yes, we don't appreciate someone making us look bad, so I guess you'll have to leave too. Just follow the bad hair elf."

Heck, how about non pseudo-Celtic Fae? Try and do some research on Cherokee spirits like the Nanehi (for good) and the Water People, the Moon-Eyed People (evil blue-eyed blondes! Try something different!), and Spearfinger the Witch (for evil).


There is a series of books by...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Deitz ...set in rural Georgia, where a Sidhe kingdom is nearby, Just Through the Vail. The Moon Eyed People aren't really evil, but just a bit amoral, by human standards.

Another author I would recommend is Esther Friesner. She has a comedy series dealing with Fey on the East Coast.
* New York by Knight
* Elf Defense
* Sphynxes Wild

[Pattern Ghost]

Let's not forget Fritz Leiber. Though they could probably be classed as horror, Conjure Wife and Our Lady of Darkness are pretty decent examples of urban fantasy, particularly the latter. Could add The Sinful Ones, too.

[Susano]

Does anyone recall a series of stories about a John Silver[something] who dealt with strange happenings in the Appalachian Mountains? I also recall he had a guitar.

[FenrisUlf]

Does anyone recall a series of stories about a John Silver[something] who dealt with strange happenings in the Appalachian Mountains? I also recall he had a guitar.

They would be the Silver John/John the Balladeer stories as told by Manly Wade Wellman. They are some of the best 'homegrown' American fantasy ever done IMO, and if you're looking for good Pulp horror Wellman also did a good series in his John Thunstone stories.

I'll go looking for links later for Silver John for those interested.

[Susano]

They would be the Silver John/John the Balladeer stories as told by Manly Wade Wellman. They are some of the best 'homegrown' American fantasy ever done IMO, and if you're looking for good Pulp horror Wellman also did a good series in his John Thunstone stories.

I'll go looking for links later for Silver John for those interested.

Thanks. I'd like to find those if I can.

Oh, and I now have Hellboy: The Companion. Serious urban fantasy source material.

[archermoo]

You're kidding, right? Sure you might think New Orleans, but thanks to Tanya Huff, Charles Delint and Hollywood North, the real urban fantasy central is Toronto. The rest of them are scattered around places like Minneapolis, Chicago, L.A. and London.

(There there's Tokyo, but that's a whole other deal).

And here I thought it was Newford...

:D