I had this idea, and it turns out I wasn't the only one having it. I got a tell almost immediately when the subject came up, and we discussed it for a while. My backstory had a sort of... unofficial gathering for the magically inclined. Neutral ground. A place to swap books, reagents, and get to know people. I'll just start with a little extended story from my background I think, and get to details further down.
Quote:
The Gathering
Valerie was 14 when Mr Bocor finally gave in and borrowed her a book on witchcraft, though at a price that should not be mentioned out loud even in a dark room. Valerie returned to him a week later, as instructed, and returned the book. She also showed off what she had learned in just one week. Of course, Mr Bocor isn't the kind to deliver compliments, or reveal much in the way of emotions, but he had to admit that she was a natural. After a moments thought, he invited her back the coming Saturday. He said he wanted her to meet some friends.
"In most cases" mr Bocor said as the two walked towards the secret location along the twisted back alleys of Cap Au Diable, "I'd instruct anyone accompanying me here, on how to behave. Don't take offense, don't judge, be polite, keep your mouth shut about what you see, and so on..." She glanced down at the young girl next to him. "...but considering the services you did me in payment of the book, I doubt much of anything will make you do more than raise an eyebrow. That saves me the inconvenience."
Valerie followed quietly, as the path took them through alleys, broken sewers and burned out buildings. After a few minutes, he stopped in front of a sad looking shack of a warehouse. "The location changes now and then." he explained. "Keeps things quiet. We might find a permanent location one day, but today, this is it. In you go, little girl." Mr Bocor pushed Valerie gently in front of him to the unguarded door.
Inside, was very little of anything, really. Old tables, armchair and sofas, all looking like they came from your grandparents' house. A temporary bar had been set up to serve tea, coffee and half a dozen alcoholic beverages. About two dozen figures were standing around in small groups or seated in little circles of chairs, all of them talking i hushed voices. It didn't take a genius to see that this was a gathering of very special people. Even Valerie could immediately recognise what many of them were, simply from the clothes they wore: warlocks, necromancers, voodun, witches, mages - and a few things of more exotic origin. It was like a dinner club for the undesirables.
Mr Bocor was greeted immediately as he stepped through the door, and Valerie got a few nods as well, mostly because of her distinguished company. He walked up to a small group nearby, and gave Valerie a little nudge, pushing her a bit inside the circle. "I'd like you to meet Valerie Dobbs." he said. "I think she will become quite the witch one day." He grinned like only Mr Bocor can. "Say hello, girl." Valerie managed a lopsided smile.
A woman with spectacular dreadlocks, a face covered in black tattoos -and smoky eyes revealing her to be quite blind- beamed a wide smile at her. "What took ya so long childe?" She had a strong accent, partly Jamaican, partly something completely different. "The loa said to expect ya a month ago. Did ya get lost trying to find the place?" She laughed, a warm disarming laugh. "Welcome to the Gathering. Make yaself at home."
So yes... The Gathering (name is a work in progress) would be a loosely connected group of the magically inclined, regardless of school. It's pretty much an anarchy - there's no leader, no leadership structure, and no goal or purpose, other than meeting others in the trade. They mostly get together because they share a few things with eachother:
They are generally involved in something or other of a sinister nature. These are (mostly) rogues we are talking about.
They don't like the rigidity of a formal organisations.
They want friends. Perhaps not allies, but at least people with whom there is a mutual understanding. A non aggression pact, if you will.
They probably wish to share information, books, magical items, herbs, and so on. When coming together, the Gathering would be in possession of a massive quantity of very important artifacts, and the shared knowledge is just about endless.
Safety in numbers. The isles can be a dangerous place, and the Gathering is a way to find help, when it's desperately needed. By banding together in this non-organisation, the members can maintain their independence in reasonable safety.
The SG, should it come to be, would be a very relaxed environment. No leadership or ranks. For technical reasons, there would be a few officers or elders of some sort, just to make sure that no new member could suddenly kick everyone, delete the base or something equally nasty.
It would hopefully be a place to find people to team up with, to role play with, and a place to make some friends. It would be a place to get the benefits of a SG, while remaining practically completely independent.
There would be some ground rules of course, based on mutual respect:
No fighting.
Nothing underhanded towards members. (Sell cheaper potions, yes. Burn their shop, no.)
Keep your mouth shut about the Gathering. (Unless you are inviting someone in.)
Respect all members and their craft. (If you can't tolerate what a necromancer does, this isn't the place to be, and so on.)
And that would basically be it. I guess.
What I'm looking for now is ideas, suggestions, interest, and perhaps some founding members if everything looks like it's "go for launch". Just... go nuts and write. Drop a few lines, or an essay if you like. Nothing is set, or determined, so everything is open for change or adjustment or... yeah. Write something.
I had this idea, and it turns out I wasn't the only one having it. I got a tell almost immediately when the subject came up, and we discussed it for a while. My backstory had a sort of... unofficial gathering for the magically inclined. Neutral ground. A place to swap books, reagents, and get to know people. I'll just start with a little extended story from my background I think, and get to details further down.
Valerie was 14 when Mr Bocor finally gave in and borrowed her a book on witchcraft, though at a price that should not be mentioned out loud even in a dark room. Valerie returned to him a week later, as instructed, and returned the book. She also showed off what she had learned in just one week. Of course, Mr Bocor isn't the kind to deliver compliments, or reveal much in the way of emotions, but he had to admit that she was a natural. After a moments thought, he invited her back the coming Saturday. He said he wanted her to meet some friends.
"In most cases" mr Bocor said as the two walked towards the secret location along the twisted back alleys of Cap Au Diable, "I'd instruct anyone accompanying me here, on how to behave. Don't take offense, don't judge, be polite, keep your mouth shut about what you see, and so on..." She glanced down at the young girl next to him. "...but considering the services you did me in payment of the book, I doubt much of anything will make you do more than raise an eyebrow. That saves me the inconvenience."
Valerie followed quietly, as the path took them through alleys, broken sewers and burned out buildings. After a few minutes, he stopped in front of a sad looking shack of a warehouse. "The location changes now and then." he explained. "Keeps things quiet. We might find a permanent location one day, but today, this is it. In you go, little girl." Mr Bocor pushed Valerie gently in front of him to the unguarded door.
Inside, was very little of anything, really. Old tables, armchair and sofas, all looking like they came from your grandparents' house. A temporary bar had been set up to serve tea, coffee and half a dozen alcoholic beverages. About two dozen figures were standing around in small groups or seated in little circles of chairs, all of them talking i hushed voices. It didn't take a genius to see that this was a gathering of very special people. Even Valerie could immediately recognise what many of them were, simply from the clothes they wore: warlocks, necromancers, voodun, witches, mages - and a few things of more exotic origin. It was like a dinner club for the undesirables.
Mr Bocor was greeted immediately as he stepped through the door, and Valerie got a few nods as well, mostly because of her distinguished company. He walked up to a small group nearby, and gave Valerie a little nudge, pushing her a bit inside the circle. "I'd like you to meet Valerie Dobbs." he said. "I think she will become quite the witch one day." He grinned like only Mr Bocor can. "Say hello, girl." Valerie managed a lopsided smile.
A woman with spectacular dreadlocks, a face covered in black tattoos -and smoky eyes revealing her to be quite blind- beamed a wide smile at her. "What took ya so long childe?" She had a strong accent, partly Jamaican, partly something completely different. "The loa said to expect ya a month ago. Did ya get lost trying to find the place?" She laughed, a warm disarming laugh. "Welcome to the Gathering. Make yaself at home."
- They are generally involved in something or other of a sinister nature. These are (mostly) rogues we are talking about.
- They don't like the rigidity of a formal organisations.
- They want friends. Perhaps not allies, but at least people with whom there is a mutual understanding. A non aggression pact, if you will.
- They probably wish to share information, books, magical items, herbs, and so on. When coming together, the Gathering would be in possession of a massive quantity of very important artifacts, and the shared knowledge is just about endless.
- Safety in numbers. The isles can be a dangerous place, and the Gathering is a way to find help, when it's desperately needed. By banding together in this non-organisation, the members can maintain their independence in reasonable safety.
The SG, should it come to be, would be a very relaxed environment. No leadership or ranks. For technical reasons, there would be a few officers or elders of some sort, just to make sure that no new member could suddenly kick everyone, delete the base or something equally nasty.It would hopefully be a place to find people to team up with, to role play with, and a place to make some friends. It would be a place to get the benefits of a SG, while remaining practically completely independent.
There would be some ground rules of course, based on mutual respect:
- No fighting.
- Nothing underhanded towards members. (Sell cheaper potions, yes. Burn their shop, no.)
- Keep your mouth shut about the Gathering. (Unless you are inviting someone in.)
- Respect all members and their craft. (If you can't tolerate what a necromancer does, this isn't the place to be, and so on.)
And that would basically be it. I guess.What I'm looking for now is ideas, suggestions, interest, and perhaps some founding members if everything looks like it's "go for launch". Just... go nuts and write. Drop a few lines, or an essay if you like. Nothing is set, or determined, so everything is open for change or adjustment or... yeah.
Cheerio.
Mac ( Valerie Dobbs, Witch )