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: Find the Shed: Like it or not, you feel compelled to help Erin, and getting a look at that shed might be a first step.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tricked-out Laptop: Why do people settle for off-the-shelf computers? If you want a *real* computer, you just need a little know-how, a soldering iron, some  calculus, a few thousand dollars . . .
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Braille Tarot Cards: Old-fashioned art for the customers; modern, blind-readable text for you!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Mysterious Object: Mark left you with this the last time you saw him—a tiny toy coffin you found together while exploring. Odd things seem to happen when you carry it. You're not sure if Mark wanted you to keep it … or to get rid of it.
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: Outlandish Figure: Dressed as if he's stepped out of a Golden Age party, save for the tattered cuffs of his pants … and his bare feet.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stealthy: When you don't want people to see or hear you, they generally don't.
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: 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: 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: human
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: 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: 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: Drug Dealer: Got to keep the customer satisfied . . . and coming back for more.
conversations.from: human
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Charming: You make friends easily, and also have a knack for getting people to do what you want.
conversations.from: human
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: gpt
conversations.value: Knowledgable: Within a certain range of topics, you know pretty much all there is to know.
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: 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: 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: 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: Alcoholic: You're functional, but you don't let much time at all pass between drinks.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Arrogant: . . . though you just call yourself "confident."
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Callous: Sure, other people may have problems, but you tend not to care.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Cowardly: You see danger everywhere, and you do what you can to avoid it.
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: Handicapped: You have some physical condition that significantly interferes with your ability to function the way others do.
conversations.from: human
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: gpt
conversations.value: Shy: You avoid interpersonal interaction wherever possible.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Simpleminded: You may have a lot going for you, but much between the ears.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Stubbornly Skeptical: You refuse to believe in the supernatural, even when the evidence is right in front of you.
conversations.from: human
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: gpt
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: 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: 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: human
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: 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: 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: Seek Understanding: Wake up, sheeple!
  
  You'll find out just what's going on, even if it kills you.
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: 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: Make Sure You're Unobserved: The private room is secure from casual observation, but is it impervious to other forms of surveillance?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Devise a Plan: Like it or not, you feel compelled to help Erin. But how?
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: 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: Erin Abernathy: A homeless teen. Center City merchants generally chase Erin off when they see her coming.
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 weird mutterings don't help!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Chinatown: Small compared to the Chinatowns in other cities, Philly's Chinatown still bustles with boasts a number of Chinese shops, cultural centers, temples, and of course countless restaurants.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find Someplace Private: Erin obviously needs help, and she may know things you'd find valuable. She won't talk on the crowded streets, though; choose somewhere private.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Fight the System: Big business has a lock on not just the information, but the **flow** of information. You aim to take them down any way you can.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Urban Explorer: Breaking into abandoned buildings, subway tunnels, sewers, and utility tunnels may be illegal, but it's also a lot of fun. Sometimes, though, you find something beyond the ordinary hiding in them. . . .
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Busker Volume Voice: Charlie is loud, and usually knows how to get your attention...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Leatherman Multitool: Never leave home without it.