conversations.from: system
conversations.value: March 1979.  Sid Vicious is dead.  The Talking Heads still share a cramped loft in the Bowery, but three weeks ago millions of Americans watched them play Saturday Night Live.  Punk has hit the big time. Punk is dead. Punk is everywhere. Punk is what you see when you walk from Greenwich Avenue to St Marks Place in half-ripped flybills, garbage-stained kicker boots, and leather-jacketed junkies on the steps leading down to dark basement flats. This is the New York of strikes, blackouts, riots, and prostitutes working Times Square. 
  
  Punk isn't just the music anymore, it isn't just an aesthetic - it is the language of a generation with no future.
  
  -------------------------------
  *REBOOT.*
  
  Two of our players seem to have left Storium and the storyline has been stranded a bit, so I'm starting this one over.  We have two really great writers already so just looking for 2-3 more. This round will be faster paced and more heavily Challenge-based. Feel free to PM me any questions.
  
  More info:
  *East Village 1979* is meant to be a character-driven game for strong writers who want to collaboratively explore the punk and post-punk aesthetic in a realistic setting.  There's no need to be an expert, but some knowledge of the era is probably going to be useful, even if it's just in one particular area (music, culture, politics, etc).
  
  “Real” punk, the punk of the Sex Pistols and Sid Vicious, is over now at least musically, and post-punk is gaining cultural currency. The Cold War means that every child has been through a nuclear war drill, has seen what a mushroom cloud looks like and knows what an atomic bomb can do to a city. There is no internet, no mobile phones, no cable TV. There is only the midnight matinee, the fuzzy television set, the night.
  
  Things will happen. You will be there.
  
  Character types include musicians, journalists, students, poets, album collectors/groupies, part-time punks, and others.  Worth also saying that not everyone cares about the revolution. There’s room in this storium for squares as long as you’re prepared to be affected by art and anarchy.
  
  No magic, no urban fantasy. This should be so real, it hurts. For aesthetic, think: Radio On, Wim Wenders, Talking Heads, Television, Blondie, The Clash, Allan Moyle's Times Square, Jubilee, Pushead, irony, dark humour, dripping taps, peeling paint, garbage, drugs, filth, no future, punk rock!
  
  Wiki with some more info about NPCs etc is here:
  http://jaguarmoon.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Album Collector: tbc
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Music Journalist: tbc
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Where's the Disco?: tbc
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Post-Punk Musician: tbc
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Part Time Punk: tbc
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hip Foreigner: tbc
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: High School Daytripper: tbc
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Trash & Vaudeville: Punk threads, cheap prices.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Groupie/Album Collector: Punk! You're a fan. You're *the biggest* fan. CBGBs? You go there every night, man. You have an autographed copy of *Marquee Moon* on the wall above your bed.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: CBGB: Opened in 1973 at 315 Bowery, CBGB was a famed venue of punk rock and new wave bands like the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith, Blondie, and Talking Heads. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Nuyorican Poets Café: Est 1973-1975, the old converted Irish pub on East 6th Street  is known for its long history of raucous poetry slams, jam sessions and anything-goes open mikes.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Radio Reagan: Your punk pal.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hilly Krystal: owner of CBGB
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: St Marks Place: That smell isn't the sewers, it's the trash rotting on the streets.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Create Your Own Subplot.: don't use this card - make up your own.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Post-Punk Musician: Punk is dead. You travel down new roads to musical freedom, although you appreciate and recognize that punk paved the way. ("New roads" usually involve synthesizers or maybe fiddles.)
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Music Journalist: Some people read your last article for the *The Village Voice*. Most people know you as someone who can actually pay for their coke habit.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: High School Daytripper: So, you heard New York was throbbing with excitement, did you? Convinced your parents you could stay with a trusted local adult to "take in the sights", did you? 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Radio's Apartment: Apartment is a generous name for a warehouse squat, but it is rather homey for a place with a human to cockroach ratio of several thousand to one.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Fuzz: The NYPD don't like what you've been doing here.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Add Your Own Strengths.: don't use this card - make up your own.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Add Your Own Weaknesses.: don't use this card - make up your own.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Where's the Disco?: You never really got this punk thing. Too weird. You were looking for a good disco or Chinese or something when you stumbled on this thing happening in the East Village.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Part-Time Punk: Sure, your parents live on the Upper West Side (or upstate or somewhere yawn-inducingly suburban/middle-class), but punk is SO OUT THERE, SO RAW. And you can pogo! But just on the weekends.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hip Foreigner: You're from London or somewhere where punk is faster and cooler. You think you're faster and cooler too. Other people probably dig your accent and/or can't understand anything you say.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Starving College Student: You moved to New York to find some kind of future and found no future instead. Your college is kind of cool - a lot of weird looking people though.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rebel Poet: You speak the truth. Your words are music in an asphalt age. You either bring grown men to tears... or write a lot of screechy verses about rats and STDs. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Punk Musician: Anarchy is life. Punk will never die. The world may have gone to shite, but your three chord wonders are the hymns that keep the Church of Punk Rock alive.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Skinheads: Anarcho-fascist punks, itching for a fight.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Console Radio.: Radio is clearly feeling the gloom right now.
  
  You know Radio Conner, right?  Lead singer for The Blank? He never gives an interview, but if you could get one it probably would be worth something. He also seems to have an "in" at all of the greatest parties.  Wonder what his problem is today.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Help Nikki.: Nikki seems to have dropped the entire contents of her purse on the cafe floor.
  
  That chick looks pretty familiar actually. Isn't that Nikki Napalm? She used to be in that all girl punk band Nikki and the Nukes for like five seconds two years ago but now she writes music reviews and culture articles for *The Village Voice*. Like, *every week*. What a cool job. Maybe you should get to know her.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Book of Matches: There's a book of matches on the counter of the bar.  You never know when they might come in handy.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Discarded Newspaper: There's a discarded newspaper on one of the empty chairs near Radio. 
  
  Might come in handy someday.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Broken Bottle: Someone's broken a bottle of beer by the bar. Nobody's bothered to pick it up.
  
  Might come in handy someday?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get Radio to invite you along to wherever he's going today.: Even if it's lame, maybe he'll agree to give you an interview or take his picture or something if he likes you. Or maybe you can become friends?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Nikki's Phone Number: Written in purple in on a ripped piece of notebook paper. The name NIKKI NAPALM is written in looping letters under the number. I guess you could call her sometime?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Nearly Full Pack of Cigarettes: a few smokes missing but still a decent pack left
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your Digs: You live here.  It's home, at least for now.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Mars Bar: The cool kids might call it Marz, but who cares? The beer is cheap, and no posers.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Fight.: Razor's got something in his pocket and it probably isn't candy.  Kirk will probably need some help.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gina's Underground Books: A tiny little whole in the wall, full of dirty mags, underground zines, punk poetry, comics, secret times, and high literature.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gain Gina's Trust.: Do you blame her for being suspicious in this day and age?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Around the East Village: Various places around the East Village
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Pass for Cool. [Timothy]: The first step to being cool is *acting* cool.  You may still have a long way to go, but it's a start.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Books and Zines. [Frankie]: There's a whole lot to discover in this place.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: What the heck? [Flipp]: You see what you think is one of your bandmates advertising for new musicians in one of the local zines. What exactly is (s)he playing at?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Unexpected Drugs. [Bet]: That's a lot of cocaine to leave lying around like that.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Junkie Girl [Bet]: That girl is looking at you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: ARTISTIC EYE: This person knows the perfect shot/story/history in the making when they see it. Knows how to capture the moment whether it’s on film or in print.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: HEDONIST: Moderation is what your parents did, and look where it got them. If a chance for a good time, a good buzz, a good party, a good ANYTHING comes up, take it!!    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: GET FAMOUS OR DIE TRYING: Hey, if every &*%^$ with a heroin habit and a mike can get famous around here, why not you? Your monographs, books, and articles are gonna be collectors’ items, baby! Now go make it happen!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: After Partier: You know a guy. Your friend knows a guy. Or you’re friendly with the doorman. Sometimes you even know the band! But somehow you always know where to go after the show.    
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Obsessive: You know all the lyrics, the track lengths, the the album release orders, who plays what on which song. You know it all by heart. Your calendar is record release dates. You are first in line.    
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Normalcy Calling: You don't want to go back.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Way With Words: You can talk yourself into the most exclusive of events, hottest of beds, and most private of insider information.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Foot In Mouth Disease: Those golden words?  They turn to shit when you have a drink and lead to situations that are awkward, embarrassing and sometimes, dangerous.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: New York Times Best Seller: Sure writing your music column is fun and gets you into the best parties but what you really want is time and an advance to write your novel.  Your novel about a band.  In the East Village.  In 1979.  Time is of the essence.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Smart: Sure, you're not familiar with life in New York City, but you've done your research; your bag is lined with maps, guides, books and CDs. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Naive: You weren't born here, and you're new to the entire *concept* of city life. Sometimes, it gets you in a little trouble, in a place where neighborly hospitality just isn't the norm. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find Your Place: You hated the quiet of the country, but you fear the city is going to eat you alive. Finding your place in the rhythm of the city is vital. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gutsy: You'll take that bet. You'll do the dare, you'll walk the line, the risks are just part of the fun. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pushy: You get under people's skin, you don't mean to, (and maybe sometimes you do) but you never back down when you want something. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: See the Sights: See the sights.
  Hit the heights.
  Be somebody. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Radio Pirate: Dead broke, but you've got two turntables, a TEAC C-1 cassette deck, a 150W transmitter, and a collapsible whisker antenna. You just got a cassette in the mail from some band called The Dead Kennedys.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Knack for Building: You're good at putting broken things back together and even better at putting together two things that weren't meant to go together.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Broke: You can't afford to buy fancy motorcycle jackets, taxi rides, drinks in bars, any of that shit. It's everything you can do to come up with your share of your rent. You live on generic ramen noodles and peanut butter.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: New Wave? No Wave.: You want to help rally people around bands who haven't sold out. There are plenty of awesome bands out there: great lyrics, furious sounds. But if no one hears about them, how can they survive? Maybe you can help.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Musical Prowess: You've got an ear for rhythms, beats, and harmonies that makes you quite the musical adept.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Addiction: Out on the streets, the drugs are numerous, vast, and easy to score. Your problem is those are some crippling facts, as you've got quite a voracious appetite for mind-altering substances 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Keep Afloat: If you want your virtually unheard of band to rank alongside the big names in post-punk, you'll want to stop showing up to gigs semi-functional. The rest of your bandmates are tired of tolerating your out-of-control habits.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Strung Out: You partied all night, did your fair share of drugs, and now you're coming down weak and tired. You can barely function
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Paycheck: Unlike most of the people that she photographs and writes about for a living, this girl actually has a real cash flow, and is smart enough to know how to get out of bed in the A.M. to keep it going.  Cash solves lots of problems, and helps one keep friends close and enemies off one's ass.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Voice of Reason: You're right. You know it. If only everyone would listen to you...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Clout: People occasionally recognize you, and you have some clout
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: No Time for Losers: Life is short, as are the post office and film shop hours.  If you're gonna earn your keep you can't let morons drag you down.  If it means getting mouthy--or saying nothing--to shake a waste of time, you'll do it.