Vudu Spice Shop

By: Amaloria Thespian
Type: Official Business

BACKGROUND: Julie's story has really taken her towards exotic religions. She minored in religion when she was studying architecture in an Italian University. She became highly interested in VooDoo and when she came back to Hathian, her involvement with The Devouring only served to enhance her interest in the occult. She uses this knowledge to further her schemes and these interests have led her to the doorstep of the Vudu Spice shop, a place Julie has long lamented as being far too hidden and abandoned. Julie wants to bring the shop back into prominence, spreading the gospel of her own cult mentality about the true nature of humans and aiding them in the discovery of that nature through supernatural means, namely the use of occult rituals and artifacts. As well as her new cult mentality, she also still thinks like a mobster, remnants of her old life. So, first and foremost, she wants to grow the business. While dealing on the back end, garnering body parts, using her family in The Devouring to gather most 'exotic' ingredients for the shop, she will also seek to improve business as a legit front, wanting to get it going again, advertising on social media, and trying to make the business visible again, so that it is above suspicion. She will want to work with other local businesses to host combined events or discounts. Obvious holidays like Halloween will be a great time to host events in the shop, but most of its visibility and involvement in rp will be through the connections I can make with other players. By spreading the views of Julie's cult to customers and trying to bring in as many people as possible through the allure of the occult and fortune telling, the hope is to make the Vudu Spice shop the talk of the backstreets of Hathian!

UNIQUE: This business is, at its core, one that has the greatest of potential to stand out. With fortune telling, tarot card reading, and offering a plethora of items for the practices of VooDoo, Witchcraft, Santeria, or the like, it is ripe for exploitation as a unique establishment. Julie will need highly irregular items, she will need eyeballs, toes, fingers, tongues. She will need shrunken heads and gorilla feet. There are a number of connections Julie can make as the manager that will help her gather some of these special items. Again, while her connections with her cult, The Devouring, will be a big part of gathering for the shop and using the shop as a way to either find victims or find potential 'talent', that will not be the focus. the focus is the business itself, which Julie feels very passionate about, having taken up a part time position there, just to be closer to it, with the hopes that she can make it a lucrative business again.

EXPERIENCE: I have been roleplaying for most of my life, over two decades. I feel that as an experienced roleplayer and an educated person, I can effectively run this business. My own minor was in religion, with a particular interest in eastern religions and the occult. These things I use to bolster my own story line and to draw inspiration. Interesting tidbit, my grandmother was a Santera, so I know a hell of a lot about this stuff and my character's storyline has taken a turn that fits in with this shop in very exciting ways. Although I have only just started working there (because it makes sense for my character's development to have arrived at this time), I implore you to grant this request because I am very excited to make this business happen for the sim and bring in new and interesting storylines to anyone that wants them!

IDEAS: Players will, of course, be treated to Julie's own brand of cult mentality. She will want to awaken in anyone she comes into contact with their sinful nature and, beyond that, allow them to discover their darker sides. Using the accouterments of the shop, it will be perfect to steer people towards darker discoveries of their own natures.

OTHER: If approved, the first order of business would be a highly advertised fortune telling and tarot reading event. Customers would also be treated to knowledge on all manner of occult particularities. Like a twisted show and tell, the main point would be to spread the word that this shop exists and that people should be coming here for strange requests, like charms, revenge spells, love potions, etc.