conversations.from: system
conversations.value: Weirdness intrudes into the bustling streets and back alleys of modern Philadelphia, birthplace of the United States of America, as it ages through its third century. Strange and elaborate symbols drawn with cornmeal on the pavement in Rittenhouse Square, burned-out patches on the grass in Independence Mall, bizarre power fluctuations throughout the grid that seem to be guided by some unidentified intelligence . . .
  
  While commerce, culture, and tourism continue unabated, a few wary citizens—or hapless victims—begin to sense that not all is right in the City of Brotherly Love. When a series of grisly murders in Fairmount Park attract national attention, each crime scene dripping with hints of occult significance, they decide that the police aren't looking in the right places. They'll have to take matters into their own hands . . . even though they don't know what they're up against.
  
  —
  
  Turning and turning in the widening gyre/
  The falcon cannot hear the falconer;/
  Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;/
  Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,/
  The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere/
  The ceremony of innocence is drowned;/
  The best lack all conviction, while the worst/
  Are full of passionate intensity.
  
  *—from "The Second Coming," W. B. Yeats*
  
  —
  
  This dark urban fantasy, with notes of supernatural terror and secret history, takes place in and around a Philadelphia very much like the one in our own world, but in the grip of sinister and supernatural forces. A paranormal conflict that threatens the very reality of unwitting citizens unfolds against a gritty backdrop of real-world locations.
  
  Players (there will be three or four) can take the roles of ordinary citizens swept up in the occult crisis, competent heroic types drawn to the area to lend their talents to those in need, or even in-the-know participants with supernatural abilities and a direct role to play in the secret machinations taking place beyond the ignorance that veils most people's eyes.
  
  Feel free to create new Natures, Strengths, Weaknesses, and Subplots, using the existing as a guideline. Although it's possible to have some familiarity with the supernatural, or even some paranormal abilities, please keep that light at the beginning, as the new and mysterious intrusion of weirdness into a mundane modern city is a major theme of the story.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Callous: Other people may have troubles, but that's not your problem.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: test: test
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Search for Clues: Something's not right with this hospital, and the mysterious symbol connects it to the recent string of murders. You could just leave, but if you look around you may learn something.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Will's Invitation (copy): Will has invited you to play a part in a secret war against an ambiguous enemy that wields supernatural powers. Will you accept?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Calm the Crowd: It doesn’t take much to push a mass of people into a dangerous panic. Strange symbols and crazed people don’t help matters. If you don’t calm people down, someone might get hurt!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Avoid Police Detention: Even if you have nothing to hide, being detained by the police for questioning can last for hours. You might want to make yourself scarce!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Folding Knife: It's old and a little hard to open, and it could use a good sharpening, but it comes in handy almost every day.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Calm the Crowd: It doesn't take much to push a mass of people into a dangerous panic. Strange symbols and crazed people don't help matters. If you don't calm people down, someone might get hurt!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pocket Bible: A German Martin Luther Bible.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gris-gris: A vodou charm or amulet. According to believers, depending on how it's made and used, a gris-gris might offer mystical protection ... or it might be used to inflict black magic on a victim.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Smartphone: ... oh, and I guess you *can* make phone calls with it, too.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Shy: You avoid interpersonal interaction wherever possible.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Arrogant: . . . though you just call yourself "confident."
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Handicapped: You have some physical condition that significantly interferes with your ability to function the way others do.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Seek Vengeance: Your love was taken from you tragically (and perhaps horrifically), and once you figure out what forces are behind your loss, you'll make them pay.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Simpleminded: You may have a lot going for you, but much between the ears.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Alcoholic: You're functional, but you don't let much time at all pass between drinks.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Witch: Is it just your imagination, or are the tarot cards readings and love charms you've long sold to gullible visitors to South Street starting to get disturbingly accurate and effective?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Athletic: You're in good shape. You may be extremely strong, fast, or agile—or perhaps just blessed with above-average fitness in general.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: "Zombie": Mute, slow, fetid, and with an undeniable tendency toward violence. For now, the word "zombie" seems, unfortunately, like the best fit.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: "Zombie": Mute, slow, fetid, and with an undeniable tendency toward violence. For now, the word "zombie" seems, unfortunately, like the best fit.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Search for Clues: Something's not right with this hospital, and the mysterious symbol connects it to the recent string of murders. You could just leave, but if you look around you may learn something.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Reading Terminal Market: Often too crowded, but still one a great place to grab a bite, pick up some fresh produce, or listen to an ardent busker play.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Cargo Van: If you're lucky, you may get another hundred thousand miles out of it. If you're *not* lucky, you might not make it a hundred feet.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Will Featherson: A beloved Philly street musician, 75-year-old Will has delighted passers-by with his flute for more than twenty years.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Drug Dealer: Got to keep the customer satisfied . . . and coming back for more.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Independence Hall: Completed in 1753 and used as the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress. Now a major historic attraction, as the long lines of tourists waiting to get in attest.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Fairmont Park: Philadelphia's great public park and one of the largest urban green spaces in North America.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Donatella Montazano: A self-described "strega" (Itallian for "witch"), Donatella is just starting to realize that her tarot cards and love charms are more than just cheap tricks.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Unfazeable: Things that reduce others to screaming flight or the fetal position leave you merely alert, interested, or at the very worst somewhat disturbed.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Teen Runaway: You've squatted in an abandoned house for a few months—not so bad, with winter over. But even so don't feel safe. Drug dealers and cops don't scare you, though; it's the things you *can't* see . . .
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Activist Hacker: You care about net neutrality, and you may be one of the few who can do something about it . . . although your methods may not always be exactly legal.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Business Man/Woman: You put in long hours in an office in Center City to pay for a place on the Main Line you hardly ever see in daylight, except when you manage to take a rare Sunday off.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Adjunct Professor: You know at least as much as the tenured faculty, but you're shouldered so much of their work that you hardly have time to make progress with your own admittedly edgy research.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Street Performer: Busking may not bring in piles of cash, but you make enough to get by. Best of all, you do what you love and no one else ever tells you what you have to do.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Philanthropist: You work hard to use your money to make the world a better place. You can't help it that daily meals at four-star restaurants with foundation CEOs is part of that work!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Recent Immigrant: You struggle with English, and you very much miss certain foods . . . and dear friends. Still, this is supposed to be the Land of Opportunity, right?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Fire Fighter: You don't love inspection duty, but you take it seriously. Fighting fires may be thrilling, and you may be extremely good at it, but *preventing* them saves more lives.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Spell Casting: You cast magic spells, *and the work!* 
  
  At least, they *seem* to . . . 
  
  Some of the time.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Cowardly: You see danger everywhere, and you do what you can to avoid it.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Streetwise: You don’t live long on the streets if you don’t learn how to work a connection, seize an opportunity, or scramble when the odds just aren’t in your favor …
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Stealthy: When you don't want people to see or hear you, they generally don't.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Knowledgeable: Within a certain range of topics, you know pretty much all there is to know.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: In-the-Know: If ignorance is bliss, then you're not happy, but at least you have some inkling of what's *really* going on.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tough: You usually hold your own in a fight, and you bear up well when things don't go your way. You're hard to hurt!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Charming: You make friends easily, and also have a knack for getting people to do what you want.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Criminal: You and the law don't see eye-to-eye, which can cause problems when you're recognized by the police.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Poor: You have no money, and others can tell from your clothes and your need to scrounge for bus fare. Some days, even getting enough food can be a struggle.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stubbornly Skeptical: You refuse to believe in the supernatural, even when the evidence is right in front of you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Callous: Sure, other people may have problems, but you tend not to care.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Seek Understanding: Wake up, sheeple!
  
  You'll find out just what's going on, even if it kills you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Protect the Innocent: Most folks just can't handle the truth. You'll face the darkness for them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gain Power: If paranormal abilities exist, you want to acquire them. Or perhaps you want to improve some new-found power you're only just starting to understand.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Silence the Voices: Sometimes the voices in your head give you good advice, but you still just want to shut them up.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get Clean: You know your addiction is slowly killing you, as well as robbing you of every last cent. You *want* to stop, but it's so damn hard!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Live by Your Faith: You may not be a zealot, but you sincerely believe in the teachings of your faith. You strive to comply with its teachings and live according to its rules.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get the Big Scoop: There's a story to be told, and you're the one to tell it. Once you have undeniable evidence, you plan to see your name plastered over every front page in the world.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Achieve Success: Whether you measure it by income, territory, fame, tenure, or notoriety, you want to be the best in your chosen profession (legal or otherwise).
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Redeem Yourself: Something bad—*really* bad—happened, and it's all your fault (or you blame yourself). You'll spend the rest of your life doing anything you can to set it right.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Resolve the Standoff: A cop is aiming his service weapon through a crowd at an elderly and possibly disturbed man who's just caused a big disturbance and is now begging for Pennsylvania Dutch pickles. You don't know who's right, but you know something bad is going down.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Philly Cop: A member of the Philadelphia police force.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Enter Lemon Hill Mansion: Despite the many windows and several doors, getting in could prove difficult. All doors are watched by police officers, and the gate to the property itself, while easy (for all but Hazel) to climb over is closed.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: LOVE Park: Also known as J.F.K. Plaza and home to the eponymous Robert Indiana sculpture, LOVE Park is located across from Philadelphia's City Hall.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A Good Friend Is Hard to Find: But that doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Surely there are trustworthy people here worth getting to know better.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hahnemann University Hospital: A well-reputed teaching hospital in Center City Philadelphia.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Get out of the Hospital: The officer in front of Jean-Luc's door doesn't want him to leave, and she seems to have a few questions for you, too. For all you know, other staff—and maybe even more police—would prefer that you remain in the hospital. You have no intention of complying with their wishes!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Will's Invitation: Will has invited you to play a part in a secret war against an ambiguous enemy that wields supernatural powers. Will you accept?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Pick Your Battles!: Seems the shadowy war is being fought on several fronts—a corrupting influence on the police, ritual murder-sacrifices, the collapse of powerful protective magics. Though they may all be related, you should probably focus your efforts on one at a time.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Lemon Hill Mansion: Built in 1800, this well-preserved landmark with a storied history offers tours seasonally and can be rented for weddings and other events.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Well Connected: Your profession brings you into contact with a very wide variety of people, and you've kept in touch. You know people, and they know people. One of them might be the person you need.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Bokor: To the outsider you look like another other tarot card reader, peddled  love charms and prosperity spells to gullible tourists. But you're the real deal.
  
  You serve the with both hands
  
  But even after all your training even you've got to admit that the recent accuracy is a little. . . unnerving.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Spell Casting: You cast magic spells, and the work!
  
  At least, they seem to . . .
  
  Some of the time. 
  
  I mean, *real* magic is subtle.
  
  Right?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Untrustworthy: You're not quite criminal but the phrase "reasonable suspicion" seems to permeate your life.  
  
  Whether it's a look in your eye or the way you smile, you always seem up to no good.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find Your Purpose: You've spent your life as a intermediary for those around you. 
  
  You can't spend forever at a cross roads though. 
  
  Eventually you'll pick a path, and you're thinking that decisions coming soon.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Farmer: You are a Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer.  You know about farming and about selling at the city market.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Luddite: You don't like all this newfangled technology and you have trouble using it.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Cool Headed: When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.
  -- Peter Marshall
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Distrusts City Folk: You do business in the big city but you don't trust the people who live there.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pennsylvania Dutch: You are fluent in Pennsylvania Dutch.  it may not mean much outside of Berks and Lancaster Counties, but you know it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Phobia: You've seen some things that still haunt your dreams , and you'd really rather not see them again in real life.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Knowledgeable: You don't know much, but you know what you were trained to do. 
  
  Unluckily for you, this is it.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Strong willed: Some call it stubborn, but when the chips are down, nothing can divert you from your path,