Actual Play: Dresden Files Accelerated Hollywoodland Factions

Known factions for Hollywoodland:

1. Warner Brothers Studios

Principals: Warner Brothers: Harry (President), Jack (Production), Albert (Treasurer), Sam (deceased 1927)

History: As real world but enmeshed in the supernatural because of bloody and unnatural murder.

Goal: Make movies, make money

Secret Goal: Kill Sam for good

Obstacle: Sam Warner

Resources: Plenty of cash; powerful friends and political favors; large studio with plenty of manpower; the studio grounds proper, with writers and actors, cameras and equipment, guns and weapons, costumes and makeup, etc.

Weakness: military might is limited; misbehaving stars can lead to scandals; exposure of Principals as murderers

Aspects: Money is no object; Doors are easily opened

Next Steps: Find movie reel of murder of Sam Warner and destroy it to kill him for good.

References: The Fall of the House of Warner (Brightlights Film), Casablanca (wikipedia)


2. Black Court Vampire nest

Principals: The Master (aka Sam Warner)

History: Sam Warner was murdered by his brothers in 1927 while being filmed. He became a Black Court Vampire because his soul is trapped in the film. He has blackmailed/threatened his brothers thereafter. He has created a cult of personality with a coterie of weird monsters. He is involved in a secret war with Legend.

Goal: Domination!

Secret Goal: see Goal

Obstacle: Everyone!

Resources: forces -- The Master's has the largest "army" in the area, comprised of many deceased actors, "Fatty" Arbuckle, Virginia Rappe, to name a few, who are Black Court vampires, a group of unseelie changelings on the run from Queen Mab, a pack of were-rats, a handful of weird monsters (including an Outsider or two), scores of zombies, some cultists and a few Renfields; run-down warehouse with a gladiatorial coliseum known as the Coliseum of Death and access to the sewers; under the Pier; a desecrated church in the Valley.

Weakness: Must remain hidden. Unaware that the film is a liability.

Aspects: Blood and brutality over subtlety; Welcome to my Coliseum of Death

Next Steps: Defeat Legend

References:


3. Legend and Son (secret group)

Principals: "Arthur Legend" (Dutch Schultz)

Goal: Domination!

Secret Goal: see Goal

Obstacle: Sam Warner's Black Court

Resources: barrels of cash; well-trained goons; underworld connections; mansion in the Hollywood Hills, several safe-houses

Weakness: Paranoia, limited foot soldiers

Aspects: If you can't be a good example, you'll be a horrible warning;

Next Steps: Find the film and destroy the Black Court

References: Dutch Schultz (wikipedia)


4. "Begleiter von Engeln und Teufeln" (Companions of Angels and Devils) aka Fritz Lang's Monster Hunters

Principals: Fritz Lang, Peter Lorre

History: Fritz Lang, the director of Metropolis, is a monster hunter. He started hunting monsters in Germany in 1927, the same year Metropolis came out. He was inducted into the "Companions of Angels and Devils" hunter group and rose to lead the group by 1930. M (1931) was cover for his crew killing a Black Court nest in Berlin. Peter Lorre joined him in the group. In 1933, with the rise of Hitler, the Companions were decimated by a Thule Society empowered White Court Vampire named Adrian Brandeis (German for "dark dweller on a burned clearing") and a Red Court Vampire named Persephone (Old Greek for "bringer of death"). The only ones who survived were Lang and Lorre, who then escaped to the U.S. They started a new Companions from the variety of German ex-pats.

Goal: Kill monsters, but be smarter about it

Secret Goal:

Obstacle: every monster out there

Resources: currently limited to German immigrants fleeing Nazi persecution; access to cash, equipment and locations with little preparation

Weakness: overly cautious since the Companions were decimated in Berlin

Aspects: Avenge our fallen comrades; Returning to the (misunderstood) Old Ways out of Fear of Changes

Next Steps: see Goal

References: They Cracked This 250-Year-Old Code, and Found a Secret Society Inside (Wired), 150 Vampire Names Both Ancient and Modern


5. The Princes in the Tower

Principals: Edward V of England (appears age 12) and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York (appears age 9), ghosts of the Princes in the Tower

History: Evil ghosts from England, their corpses found their way to Hollywoodland . The ghosts appeared in several Our Gang movies as "extras" and became close friends with the Our Gang stars. They created a series of children gangs to rob and steal, mostly doing B&E, mostly non-violent.

Goal: Become real again/raise from the dead.

Secret Goal:

Obstacle: The Law

Resources: several gangs of children; mansion in the Hollywood Hills, safe-houses throughout the city (gang members' homes)

Weakness: Supernaturally tied to their corpses, can't go long distances away or very long time away from them; can only push their child crew so far

Aspects: Translucent in Sunlight; Nobody notices a kid

Next Steps: Find the film to become real again.

References: Princes in the Tower (wikipedia)