So...what is a Savage Dresden?

I currently have two fanboy loves: the Savage Worlds roleplaying game and the Dresden Files series of novels and short stories by Jim Butcher. My goal for this blog, as mentioned in the header, is to share my notes and thoughts for making my homebrew Dresden Files game setting using Savage Worlds as the rules.Because both are so awesome.

The first thing I'll make note of is that I don't want to set the game in Chicago. Chicago and its environs are amply covered by Butcher's works. There's no room for a group of player characters to show off there. Rather, my plan is to set the game in a different city, quite possibly Charlottesville, Virginia, since that's near where I am. At least one of the PCs will be tied into the Paranet (a loose network of occultists, sorcerors, hedge mages and other people keyed into the supernatural).

For a while, I was very tempted to set the game in 12 to Midnight's Pinebox setting because it's a great setting, it has the mood I want my game to have, and they have a lot of high-quality adventures and source material. I hesitated and finally decided not to use it because I'm afraid the setting might be too rural and it's really designed for a horror game, where I'm looking for an urban fantasy setting. Once I put my finger on that distinction, I quickly realized Pinebox wasn't right for this game. So, while I won't be using the setting, there's a good chance I'll use a couple of their adventures. But if I were looking to run a modern horror game, I'd go to Pinebox in a heartbeat.

So that's the plan: I'm putting together a modern fantasy game set in the world of Harry Dresden. I'll be incorporating a lot of the factions and groups, character types, and magic styles from those works. And hopefully I'll be able to channel some of Butcher's detective-noir stylings as well. Wish me luck.