Help : Best Setting(s) For Witches/Magi

[DarthArminius]

After a very long discussion about role playing format with some other SV posters, I've decided on a modern day Occult RP between Magic Users and Vampires. The only question for me at the moment is, where should the setting be located? I'm thinking San Francisco, New Orleans, or Salem in the U.S, if it's set in America, or London, England.

If not San Fran, NO, Salem or London, then where? I was honestly thinking of the RP being kind of Gothic in tone, for lack of a better word. There WOULD be Vampires and Witches/Mages, Werewolves, and many other things in the setting, despite the RP it'self only having two of these things.

[Tvtyrant]

I would note that if you set it in Salem, you should know Salem is now known as Danvers.

I would personally set it someplace else where you are more free to make your own lore vis a vis the city culture. For instance my home town has kidnapping tunnels for impressing sailors which would make for fantastic vampire lairs, and Seattle/Chicago have large underground sections from the cities sinking into the mud laat century.

[DeTess]

Maybe Paris? There's a lot of history to that place that could function as plot hooks, plus there's the catacombs. Or maybe an Italian city? I'd personally avoid the US for a game like this, for the simple reason that American cities lack history when compared to their European counterparts, and I'd fell like ancient mysteries would be pretty important.

[LibraryOgre]

After a very long discussion about role playing format with some other SV posters, I've decided on a modern day Occult RP between Magic Users and Vampires. The only question for me at the moment is, where should the setting be located? I'm thinking San Francisco, New Orleans, or Salem in the U.S, if it's set in America, or London, England.

If not San Fran, NO, Salem or London, then where? I was honestly thinking of the RP being kind of Gothic in tone, for lack of a better word. There WOULD be Vampires and Witches/Mages, Werewolves, and many other things in the setting, despite the RP it'self only having two of these things.

Some fun options:

St. Augustine, Florida. Oldest continually-inhabitated European settlement in what's now the United States; 450 years or so.
San Antonio, Texas. Not quite as old (only 300 or so), but cooler.
Boston, Mass. Close to Salem, still has that old-world feel. Streets may be laid out in arcane patterns of madness.
Washington, DC. Lots of links to early American magic.
Los Angeles, CA. Again, you've got the "old Spanish influences"

[Thomas Cardew]

Some more fun options:

Mexico City: Extreme wealth inequality and Mexico is a world leader in kidnappings, both are perfect for a hidden ruling vampire caste.

Detroit: Lots of options for decay, ruined, dark, and abandoned gothic feel.

Canada: Montreal could be fun and Canadian vampires could be REALLY fun. You've got a French catholic background and several cathedrals for set pieces.

Generic New England old money: Connecticut, Hamptons, etc. Ancient vampires, old money families who made deals with dark powers.

[Psyren]

Why just one? Connect all the "magic towns" you're interested in exploring with portals, or a magic subway or something. Jump from the Marie Laveau house in New Orleans for one session, to Salem for the next, to Pendle Hill and Stonehenge, to Catemaco etc etc.

[Rynjin]

Some fun options:

St. Augustine, Florida. Oldest continually-inhabitated European settlement in what's now the United States; 450 years or so.

Hell of a boring place to set a game, but there's a really nice Mexican bakery there.

Edit: I guess it works if you're going for "really quiet small town suddenly has spooky shenanigans going on" type of plot.

[veti]

I suggest somewhere you actually know reasonably well. So that when someone inevitably asks "Where can I buy a set of coloured chalks and a horsewhip at 11 p.m.?", you can make an intelligent guess at an answer.

[GloatingSwine]

I suggest somewhere you actually know reasonably well. So that when someone inevitably asks "Where can I buy a set of coloured chalks and a horsewhip at 11 p.m.?", you can make an intelligent guess at an answer.

That presumes the answer isn't just "Wal*Mart".

[LibraryOgre]

Hell of a boring place to set a game, but there's a really nice Mexican bakery there.

Edit: I guess it works if you're going for "really quiet small town suddenly has spooky shenanigans going on" type of plot.

Boring can also mean "closely controlled".

"Nothing happens here because the Lords of Night don't want to draw attention" is not a bad place, if you want to keep the focus on the supernatural drama.