City That Never Wakes

The setting is NYC, 1953. Expect a bit of anachronism, because the rule of fun / cool wins out. Replace the Computers skill with Technology - computers exist and can be found at most major Universities (including the New York City College of Technology).

Cold war paranoia, LSD, beatnicks, the Civil Rights Movement, the GI Bill, the Baby Boom, and Joseph Stalin's death all stand as backdrops of the era. The lobotomy is just going out of style as a method of solving the ills of drunken violent men and, shall we say, wanton women (but is still in use, nonetheless). The Rosenbergs were executed last week in Sing-Sing for selling nuclear secrets to the Soviets. Elvis Presley has not yet risen to fame - Frank Sinatra is still the golden voice of America - but Rock and Roll is definitely on the rise, especially in the black community.

McCarthy remains on the war path in Congress, destroying lives on flimsy accusations. The Hollywood Blacklist grows ever larger. In the Vampire Community of New York, a parallel witch hunt is taking place. The Vampires generally don't fear communism so much (the Carthian Movement of New York is generally well-respected, at least as much as the Firebrands ever are), but there have been several sightings of the terrifying owl-like death demons known as the Strix, believed to be the creatures that wiped out the Julii of ancient Rome. Prince Douglas "Duggie" Martin - though an Invictus Lord, generally seen as a man of the people - seems to be becoming increasingly paranoid, seeing the Brood in everyone - lurking in shadows everywhere.

The Invictus struggles to move into the modern era and divorce themselves from the Invictus in Europe's shameful backing of totalitarian regimes. The Carthian Movement tries to simultaneously embrace and distance themselves from communism and the USSR. The Circle of the Crone is, for their own reasons, showing considerable interest in (and dread or) Colonialism abroad. The Lancea et Sanctum seizes the fear of communism and fascism to ignite the souls of the people. The Ordo Dracul delve into the secrets of the occult, searching within Western folklore and Eastern mysticism alike.

Relations with other supernatural groups are pretty nonexistent. There was a truce with the Magi of New York in the 1890's, and the Vampire community has gone on acting as though it is still in full effect, despite no contact with the sorcerers' governing powers. Werewolves are not common in New York, and really haven't been a serious threat within the city proper, save in Central Park, which is guarded fiercely.

A few considerations for Character Creation:

• Characters are newly embraced, sometime in the past few months if not the past few days.
• Most men over 26 (and some under) served in some capacity in WWII. Most women over 26 have worked in factories or as auxiliaries, and while a lot of them returned to the homestead, many of them resented the idea that for almost a decade they "could do it" and now they suddenly can't.
• Everyone will receive 5 additional experience to spend as they please upon finishing their character.