Magic and Wildlife in the Twin Cities SprawlAlright – I’ve gone over
the gangs,
the syndicates,
the other criminals,
the government, and the law enforcement. What’s left? Oh yeah, assorted magical threats, dangerous wildlife, and dangerous wildlife threats. I figure this’ll be shorter than most of the others I’ve posted. Does anything seem silly, not make sense, or just seem missing?
Magical ThreatsBrekkar, the Western Dragon: A powerful, but not yet great (give it a century or two) dragon who moved into the old Mall of America. While the large shopping center was still in use, it wasn’t as popular as it once was. The decision was made to let the large, black-and-grey dragon that was trailing spirits keep the mall – anyone who wanted to dispute it, from lone gangers to a full military company, has disappeared with no trace. For what, no one is really sure. As far as anyone in the Twin Cities knows, Brekkar hasn’t been seen since. Only Temple Fugate (in other criminals) knows more about him. Major investor in the A-rank corporation Hollingway International.
Louis Cypher: A black-suited, black-haired elf wearing black sunglasses who routinely gives jobs out to runners for no reason discernible to even those who know all the jobs he’s given. Tends to contact runners – even ones he shouldn’t know – directly. Rumors run from him being immortal, a dragon (true, he’s a shapeshifted Brekkar,) a free spirit, or a set of twins that work for some nebulous corporation or organization.
Free Spirits: A large wooded area – in a one or two mile radius – surrounds the Mall of America, wild and protected by an array of wildlife. That wildlife is protected by a big number of free spirits, who particularly seem to hate technology. Most are low-end spirits of man (force 3.) However, on occasion a wolf the size of a large bear has been spotted (force 10 spirit of beasts.) Tread lightly. Assorted other spirits – usually spirits of air or water – can be seen around the city as well, albeit rarely. Other free spirits – anima and animi – are fairly common, usually in the local arts. Nobody is quite sure why.
Vampires: A few HMHVV-I infected are in the city, but they tend to keep themselves on the legal side of the solutions to that issue. Nearly all awakened as magicians.
Ghouls: The predominant HMHVV victims in the city, there still aren’t very many as they make easy prey for just about any of the above or below threats. The Waterways Gang tends to enjoy tormenting those that are sane; who congregate on one abandoned block near the MoA wildlife zone in Bloomington called the Undead Square (by others, not their own.) They have a strange tendency to awaken as adepts.
Hell Hounds: Not many, but wild ones are found around the edges of the city. There is a special training kennel for them in the city. Expensive, but popular.
Barghests: Originally three imported from England by a wealthy executive transferred there, the three have reproduced enough offspring to be a serious threat around the sprawl. On the plus side, they eat rats and devil rats like dogs eat kibble.
Devil Rats: There aren’t as many as other sprawls. See above for why.
Cockatrice: Uncommon, but often seen around the center of the sprawl where they may have left corporate compounds where they served as security.
Basilisk: There has been only one recorded instance near the big river. Usually too cold.
WildlifeWolves: In and around the Mall of America’s magically and mundanely protected wildlife area, there are many wolves – a good 80. Nobody is sure how many packs or how they are fed (though low homelessness rates in the area is a clue) but tread with care.
Cougars: Three cougars escaped from a traveling circus two years back. The females were pregnant. They moved into MoA wildlife zone. Again, watch your back.
Rats: There may be fewer devil rats, but no dent has been made in the mundane rat population. Even the richer parts of the cities have plenty.
Deer: An unknown number of them dwell in the MoA wildlife zone. Not usually an actual threat – but there is a thriving poaching tradition in the city.
Thoughts?