Interest Check: Fairy Tales of New York
I've done a little more homework for this. I'm thinking, maybe not D20. I don't want a wholly free form system- I want something that defines characters by what they can do, for balance. But something as basic as possible. I don't expect this to be a combat game. It will be mostly a problem solving game.
I've never seen Lost Girl, but that seems to be very much in the Genre. Other sources of inspiration are Men In Black, though that's aliens, and The Librarian, though that's magic.
Anyway, product development...
There are two types of characters available for this game, Human and Faerie.
All the characters are associated with the Morgan Library. They have a mission, and that is to keep the Faerie population of the New York City area out of trouble, and prevent them from causing trouble.
The Morgan Library:
Of all the regions of the Earth, none has a richer and more complex Faerie history than the lush green islands off the northwest coast of Europe, known as Great Britain and Ireland. The Celtic culture that thrived here created a rich Fey lore, with stories and descriptions of a wide variety of Faerie beings.
Some of those were actually true.
So perhaps the connection with the Morgan Library is not mere happenstance.
The Morgan Library, of course, is one of the great private historical libraries of the world, and located in midtown Manhattan. It’s not the big library with the stone lions everyone knows about, it’s a stately brownstone building a few blocks away, once the private residence of the Morgan family. That would be the family of JP Morgan, the wealthy and powerful banker. His son JP Morgan Jr established the Morgan Library from his own collection. JP Morgan was descended from Miles Morgan, who emigrated to the New World in 1636. Miles Morgan’s lineage stretches back to Welsh nobility, and to Celtic chieftains long before, but for reasons known but to a select few keepers of ancient lore, in the 16th century, Gwilym ap Llewelyn changed his name to William Morgan.
People who know a little more know that JP Morgan Jr’s establishment of the library wasn’t solely philanthropical. The problem with having a banking empire is that it is hard to keep out of the spotlight, especially in the modern era, with its radio and television and journalists eager to expose everything they can about the rich and powerful. JP Morgan Jr. needed to isolate his library from the scrutiny of the world, yet keep it a permanent institution. There was too much the library had to do.
The Morgan Library is the New World’s epicenter of magic and the faerie world, as well as being a foundation devoted to art history. Mortals, except for a chosen few, know nothing of this. Over the years, the library has become the headquarters for a small secretive organization, dedicated to keeping New York’s Fey population out of trouble, and keep them from causing trouble.
Naturally, the official website of the library says nothing about all this. Absolute secrecy concerning the Fey is essential. Magic and faeries and all that… very disruptive, to the modern world. No one wants disruptions. Especially not the Fey themselves.
The Veil:
A secret passed down by generations of Humans associated with the Morgans, and the Morgan Library, and some of the Fey who chose to work closely with them. This is ancient and powerful sorcery, and disguises the Fey in the New York City region. It is not the same as a “shape changing power”, as the Fey who are hidden by the Veil only have one disguise, and they can’t choose it. (Somehow, it chooses them) It also disguises the things they do, causing some magic to assume the form of natural, explainable events.
Not all the reported “Pit Bull” attacks are caused by Pit Bulls. Some weren’t even caused by dogs.
Most Fey can see through the Veil easily. So can Humans. Well, generally those with access to certain magicks, such as that maintained by the Morgan Library.
Why are they here?
Same as anyone else. New York City is a place of immigrants. Some Fey are here by accident, some by design, some to fulfill an oath. Many come for the excitement, the mix of culture, the art, the food…
In a way, the Morgan Library works as the “Faerie Consulate”, helping them out in what, to most Fey, is a strange, beguiling, and dazzling world.
How do they live?
Thriving in the big city requires money, even if you are a Faerie. Many of them have jobs. Just like people. It’s hard for most Fey to keep a regular permanent schedule, though, so they often have “arrangements” that allow them some flexibility. Some of them acquire “official” identities. This is very valuable to them, as it helps them get access to jobs, homes, and services. The Morgan Library has helped with this, and some of the older, wiser and more powerful Fey folk in the city can arrange things. Sometimes, Fey will share an identity. Others will be supported by friends. This doesn’t take much for some- a Nature Fairy can live very cheaply if it wants to.
Where do they live?
Everywhere. Some have the most upscale of homes, just like Humans. Others find anything that will shelter them from the rain. Just like Humans.
Are there any other types of magical creatures we should be aware of?
Yes. Though, there’s no precise definition of what’s a Fey and what’s not. For example, there is a category that some call the “Stone Fey”. These are magical creatures that, during daytime, are forced by the Veil to assume the form of a statue. A statue of themselves. Same pose, same place, every day. These include the Gargoyles, Shi (Chinese Guardian Lions) and Lawn Gnomes. And there are other beasties about, though usually, those are problems for the Morgan Library to deal with.
