Big City is a fantasy crime drama. Mix NYPD Blue, Lord of The Rings and a little bit of The X-Files and you have it. The stories center around 5 main characters; Adam "Stack Fury" Forray (a BCPD detective), Robert "Smiles" Johnson (a private investigator), John "Needless Action" D'yen (Stack's partner), Charlie Pickens (Smiles' operative) and Laura Medrano (investigative journalist). The environment they live, work, love and fight in is Big City.

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The time period is modern but this is not our world. The world's history, culture, physics and realities are very different. The most striking difference is that human's are not alone in their control of this world. They co-exist with Elves, Goblins, Sirens, Vampires and myriad other creatures. While the history of this world is littered with wars and violence between beings, time and technology made their world a smaller place and these creatures have had to learn how to coexist. As in our world, they are still learning. Sometimes they succeed. Sometimes they fail. But individuals make the world. Individuals just trying to get from day to day, make a life for themselves, and find their place.

THE PLACE

Big City lies on the west coast of the nation, nestled snug between the sea and the eastern mountains. It's population nears 8 million. Like all cities it has both good and bad neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are ethnic or cultural centers. Areas like "Elftown" and "Goblin Hill" are interwoven into the city's fabric. The skyscrapers of the downtown area look down on Center Park's vast green expanse. Out in the Bay, watching over Big City's bustling commercial ports and wharves, stands the island prison of Thieves Rock.

Big City is surrounded to the north and south by suburbs including Burbdale (middle class/ blue collar), Mistwood Heights (Upscale community), Ashville (industrial), Shilken Bay (Tourist spot), Teston Hills (college town) and the communities of the Skion Valley (known for its antiques and fine Elven wine.)

To the east of Big City lie the mountains and The Black Flats beyond. The Flats are thousands of square miles of deadly black sand desert. Some mining communities exist in the inhospitable terrain but only one large town exists. Thrombis is a run down mining town that thrives in the Flats, midway between Big City in the West and Marrsfield in the east. Local law enforcement is known be corrupt and Thrombis often is home to many criminals.

Underneath Big City lies a vast network of caves and tunnels running from the sea up into the mountains. A large community of Vampires still reside in these caves. Once unknown, these caves now are frequented by all beings via entrance points scattered throughout Big City.

SOCIAL ORDER

All creatures are equal in the eyes of the law.

This (as in our world) does not stop personal distaste for other races from being motivating factors in crimes. In recent years hate crimes, mainly against elves, have forced the elves to band together. They have become a very vocal political lobby group known as EVUN (the Elf Voices Union). EVUN is headed by a troublemaker who calls herself The Elfnigma.

HUMANS
One of the more abundant races in Big City. Humans appear as they do in our world.

ELVES
Elves are very close to humans in appearance but smaller. Their slighter build, pale skin and pointed ears make them instantly recognizable. The main difference that sets them apart from humans is their culture.

Rich in history, art and mysticism, Elf culture is both marveled at and feared by other races. Their religion is one of the most misunderstood in the entire world. The religion is based on the teachings of the Elf Holy Book the G'luh Mhal. The book is the story of the Elves struggle from creation through to their eventual release into Mhalasia (paradise). The G'luh Mhal speaks of three Elf Messiahs ( 2 that have come before and 1 that has yet to come.) More fanatical religious zealots, namely an ancient secret society called The Elbum, believe the third Messiah will deliver them to paradise with the blood of their non-Elf oppressors. The Elbum operate in secret and are on an ancient quest to return the mythical Melk Stone to Elf control.

Elves live and work with every other race. While elves were once tribal, they make no attempt to maintain their own communities. They have fully integrated themselves into modern society and have adapted their culture accordingly. Elven music, wine, food and literature are some of the most popular in the world.

GOBLINS
Gray leathery skin and their stocky build make Goblins instantly recognizable. Goblins have retained more of their culture and their secretive ways. Goblins are very left brain. They are great with numbers, logic and facts. They typically hold jobs like accountant, lawyer, researcher. Their culture is not without creative thought but it is sparse. They feel, however, that hobbies and art are time-wasters.


They have not assimilated as well as Elves. They tend to live in close knit communities and neighborhoods and worship, study and congregate together. Because of this they are generally misunderstood and disliked. Headway has been made in the last 20 years to increase Goblin influence and participation in government, desegregated schooling and community events. The process is slow and hindered by fear and ignorance on both sides of the issue.

VAMPIRES
Once a thought to be mythological, Vampires are a race of nocturnal hemovores. Their low body temperature, slow metabolism, gray skin and nocturnal habits once lead people to believe that they were the undead. For hundreds of years they were driven underground by fear and superstition. They were forced to feed on farm animals and the homeless. This grisly bid for survival made them hated and feared.

Nearly 50 years ago, Frank Johnson, in conjunction with city leaders, Vampire leaders and BCU researchers used the discovery of a synthetic blood plasma substitute, Medreth, as a way to broker a peace between Big City residents and the largely underground Vampire population. Now Vampires are a mainstay of Big City.

Through the use of specially designed, protective daytime clothing and the use of Medreth have allowed Vampires to begin the process of assimilation. Many still live in the vast cave system below the city in nearly tribal communities, but more and more are venturing out into the world. Recently "above ground communities" have been springing up all over Big City. Above ground dwellings for Vampires are based on circular houses. Rings of rooms leading to the central, family sleeping area allow the heat of the day be staved off by different room usage at different times of the day.

Mistrust and hatred toward Vampires still exist and have even led some militant groups to develop "Sunshine Grenades" which cause a blast of intense visible and ultra-violet light that scorch and destroy the Vampires' dermis.

SIRENS
Sirens are nearly indistinguishable from humans. The males especially have no characteristics that set them apart from human. Siren women display all the traits that set their race apart; shifting eye color, nearly shimmering hair and "The Draw" which in many ways is like a telepathic pheromone. The Siren women can then amplify the telepahic ability by converting this into audible frequencies...often through song. Siren culture encourages grace and beauty in their women, and Siren-only schools exist that help your Siren women explore their heritage.

THE SKLAAR
Not much is known about The Sklaar. Not technically a race, instead they are followers of a mystical, ancient discipline. The discipline allows them to draw power from their surroundings and manipulate their muscle and skeletal structure at will, essentially shape shifting. The sect is thought to have started thousands of years ago as a Hwiss religion. Never occuring in groups, these loners are scarce and dangerous.