This takes place mainly in New York City, but not the New York City of the real world, there are many differences.
The game has taken a step forward in time, from 2/24/2020 the year is now current year plus 8, using the current calendar and just changing the year.
On Halloween 2028 (2020) two rogue asteroids and a micro singularity nearly destroyed the world.
As a result of this happening, now more than ever the supernatural has to work to help restore the world. And many of the descriptions here may not be accurate.
Things started changing for New York City back in early 2016 when the Crystal Ball Initiative was created by a high ranking member of the Technocratic Union, New World Order Convention. An initiative meant to study whether or not members of the various Union Conventions could work with the Reality Deviants without any conditioning on either part. Was it really necessary for the Union to remain the subtle hidden force out to ensure all of the Supernatural are just as subtle and hidden.
At first those in the Union who were part of this Initiative tried to keep themselves separate and apart, helping when they could do so without giving themselves away. To facilitate this a company, Crystal Research and Technologies, was founded for them to work for. A real company that helps people to turn ideas into reality. That did not last all that long once folks started to realize there was more to Crystal Research than they advertised, and the two groups started to get to know each other an integrate.
2020 saw the arrival of a time of relative world peace and recovery. The unexpected destruction of Washington DC one more time, lead to the reunification of the North and South United States into one nation once again, and that spring saw the first steps towards rebuilding the country. America was not the only country to rebuild.
DC was rebuilt and the iconic federal buildings there named national monuments, while new buildings more resistant to being destroyed were built nearby to house the federal government, and new laws put in place to govern the government.
The Department of Extranormal Affairs became the standard for such organizations world wide, and there was even an international version to come along and help keep the extranormal peace across borders.
As for the complaints and issues with laws. The answer is simple, there are the laws of God, no matter what you call him or her, and there are the laws of man, and the laws of man are just as important, if not more so, and as such the laws of man will continue to dictate the consequences for violating a person’s life, liberty, possessions, etc. So if you get caught, pay the consequences.
In America the entertainment industry went through some major changes that culminated in the artists and actors getting their fair share finally and keeping the rights to their intellectual property.
Internationally, America is once again the superpower it grew to be and started losing, though we are not the world’s police force. The world has recovered from the last war, rebuilt, and by 2024 the world’s nations were looking good with laws that protect resources world wide, and work on improving quality of life without destroying lifestyles.
2024 saw the downfall of the rise of Persia, when their own followers turned on them and brought those claiming to speak for Allah down, and opened up that part of the world to something unusual, peace and understanding.
2024 saw the election of a young president with physical disabilities that leaves him in a wheel chair or similar modes of travel.
The history of the city 2016-2019
The first event to shake things up on Manhattan Island was the arrival of the aliens. They destroyed several landmarks and places of importance in the city, but the damage was repaired after they were driven off at the expense of the lives of several mages to fuel the magic.
The next event was the revelation of the supernatural in the world. Word got out as spring started in 2017 that the supernatural wasn’t just the name of a hit tv show. That there really were ghosts, vampires, magic users, werewolves, and more. Though maybe not quite like they were portrayed in books and the media. Among those outed was the star of the supernatural tv show Koda Demon Hunter. Koda, a shape shifting lion tiger mix, played by Corwin Swain was accused of actually being the type of creature he portrayed and that is why his make-up was so believable.
That was followed in that same early spring by the destruction of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, where a determined Troll lifted spans in order to facilitate quicker rescues, and that was followed by a powerful EMP and tidal waves that tried to wash Manhattan away. The military who came in to secure the area and bring order was more than a little surprised to find that order was already present, and that the folks of new York City weren’t going to do things the Military’s way. This also lead to the building of a wall that encompassed a lot of ground, creating a protection against further tidal waves and raising waters from melting polar ice caps.
There was also a nasty, deadly, flu that struck, not just Manhattan and greater New York City but the whole country. Many lives were lost and thanks to the loss of power due to the EMP in many cases people couldn’t get help until it was too late, devastating rural America and depopulating the mid west where America’s bread basket resides. Causing a shortage in food stuffs in many places.
Late summer of that same year, came war when Russia and China fired missiles at the US. India took the distraction to fire nukes at Pakistan. These turned out to be the opening volleys of another world war.
That fall, after a brutal attack on Washington DC, America was left with a British expat in the position of president. The once head of intelligence, Daniel Smythe, turned out to be the last man standing in the chain of command so inherited the post of president. He proved to be just what we needed as he took the fight to our enemies and lead the way for our allies. He would serve uncontested until 2019.
In taking the war to the enemies of America, there were several things that were once considered science fiction that became science fact, including cybernetics. So that the supernatural could contribute more openly President Smythe ended the uncertainty about their existance by announcing their existance and their desire to help America in her hour of need.
Late fall saw another power outage that this time was the result of a cyber attack. This attack was the work of an out of control computer virus that went after and infected everything that had an internet connection, stalling and blowing up cars, electronics, and more. Shutting down and in several cases bringing power plants to melt downs or worse. Only things that work are those that aren’t connected to the internet or considered smart.
Leading up to Christmas saw the defection of those agents in the Crystal Ball Initiative from the Union after the Union tried to shut them down and reassign them. Orders that did not come from the proper office. Christmas that year, saw a lot of work for the charity Paws for the Caws and their Sandy Paws, with their helping those in need. It also saw another attack on the US, and the walls going up around the cities to protect them. While Boxing Day saw the breaking of the Union, with many of those in the Union breaking away and joining up with the agents at Crystal Research.
Throughout the year saw many natural disasters, earthquakes, volcanoes, reshaping of the land as a result, and the arrival of Christmas brought with it many volcanoes erupting the same day.
2018 arrived with the Mayor of New York City wanting to institute a supernatural registration that didn’t go far and got struck down as unconstitutional by the district court. It also saw the founding of the First District Supernatural Court. A court designed for dealing with issues of the supernatural. And started to question the Federally mandated wall meant to protect New York City and surrounds from rising sea levels and tidal waves, not to mention helping to protect the city from aerial attacks. The building of which providing many jobs after the loss of so many jobs due to the tidal waves and other attacks and problems.
Early to mid 2018 saw the arrival of a planet killer asteroid that had to be dealt with. On a tech side, a virtual way to not lose one’s loved ones to death had been found. A virtual reality where an imprint of the dying loved ones can be taken and loaded up into a virtual recreation of the world where people can go visit any time. With it’s arrival was the announcement of a virtual space where people can go and have fun, live, work, go to school. Explore. The only thing it can’t do is nourish your body, in all other aspects it is like the virtual environment from the movie and book, Ready Player One.
Mid-2018 saw massive volcanic explosions, earthquakes and the resulting tsunamis and other collateral effects from said explosions. The source was believed to be several mages working for the opposition and meant to cripple America and her allies. Didn’t work so well.
The end of May saw a worldwide disaster or unimaginable proportions. A massive Coronal Mass Ejection struck the earth and knocked out pretty much everything, causing fires because of the heat and killing communications, electronics, and most modes of travel. It also saw the disappearance of the president and his brothers, creating a power vacuum that ended up being filled by a woman possessed by a demon, who started by undoing what President Smythe had started, which lead to strife. The strife that lead to a divided nation, and thankfully very little actual fighting before she was taken down. The powers that be agreed that for the time being it was best if the split remained.
Mid-February 2019 saw the rise of the Mythical Age. Though it has faded some, it has left its mark upon the world, especially in places like New York City which is where the event ushering it in came from.
The 2019 winter solstice saw another major change. Where once it was a case of the supernatural having just revealed themselves in the way of things and people waiting for the supernatural to turn on the rest of humanity, suddenly now the supernatural is common place, and it is a good thing to be related to such even if you lack any abilities and it is bad to be a just plain human with no ties to the supernatural.