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Prince Charon · 12-17-2022, 10:51 AM

(Game-mechanically, knowing the Dark Tongue does not grant an Innate Attack or Affliction, any more than knowing how to mix poisons or throw a punch does. Growing up speaking a derivative or the original dialect (or being an infant too young to have a language) instead grants Immunity or Resistance to its effects: 'Immunity (Dark Tongue) [5]' for most, 'Resistant (Dark Tongue) +8 [2]' for a few distant languages, and 'Resistant (Dark Tongue) +3 [1] for early exposure without being a native speaker, or for a very distant related language. This is often paid for by disadvantages or quirks that are considered unpleasant or anti-social by outsiders, including but not limited to Bully, Callous, Intolerance, Sadism, or a Sense of Duty to Morgoth or another 'unholy' spirit/god. Goats and similar creatures have an odd Susceptibility to the Dark Tongue.)

This pocket connects Dsp-Germany & Inp-Germany (in both cases through what appear to be caves in the Jura Mountains, on the German side near the Swiss border), and various others that will be revealed later. Some portals are buried or lost, others have yet to open. The two known portals are fairly close to each other within the pocket, but distant from areas that are controlled by the various 'native' sophonts; the nearest major native polities (that can be reached without making new tunnels) are a drow city called Vrexiarruen, and the great dwarven city of Khazad-dûm. A bit further away, there are a few goblin towns.

Vague timeline:

Infopunk 2012; also Dieselpunk 1938, Steampunk 1876, Clockpunk 1534, and Cyberpunk 2027

December, 2012: Dec. 21: Though nothing is noticed at the time beyond odd magnetic anomalies and minor seismographic readings, gateways to several pocket dimensions open on Modern Earth. Some atmospheric exchange occurs, spirits begin to explore, but not much else. Dec. 23: Satellites over Infopunk Earth find a new pair of small islands with a misty channel between them, in the South Pacific (the portal to the Skull Island pocket). The location is close to the epicentre of some of the seismographic readings from December 21. Dec. 27: Archeopterix filmed in Arizona on Infopunk Earth; it is widely believed to be a hoax.

Infopunk 2013; also Dieselpunk 1939, Steampunk 1877, Clockpunk 1535, and Cyberpunk 2028

January, 2013: A 'mutant chicken' is captured in Arizona on Infopunk Earth, and found to be a velociraptor; the dinosaur's tracks are followed back to the cave that contains the portal (worryingly, larger tracks are also noted). Infopunk Earth expedition begins exploring 'the Lost World' ('Big Lizzie' pocket); an annex of the University of Arizona is to be opened nearby, including a physics lab. Inp-Australian expedition to Skull Island pocket begins. In various places on Inp-Earth, reports of psychic or otherwise 'spooky' phenomena gradually increase, though it will be quite some time before this becomes big enough to have a meaningful effect on society. Dsp-Germans encounter various strange creatures, which are eventually traced to an undiscovered cave on the German side of the Jura Mountains near the Swiss border.

February, 2013: Inp-Australian expedition to Skull Island pocket photographs an apparent giant ape. Events of the 'GURPS Big Lizzie' adventure begin on Steampunk Earth. The NSDAP Office of Astrology determines that the mysterious caves are important enough that Hitler sends Waffen-SS troops to explore them; later in the month, they find a cave opening (actually a portal to modern Germany, a few miles away geographically), partially covered by rubble. Due to what might be called 'magically-assisted dead reckoning,' they believe that they should have come out on the Swiss side of the border. After clearing the rubble, spies dressed as hikers are sent to scout the area, but the information that they bring back is much stranger than expected; if they hadn't also brought back examples of local technology and books, they would not have been believed. First contact between Infopunk and Steampunk Earths occurs in the 'Big Lizzie' pocket. 'Big Lizzie' adventure concludes. Two vampires enter the Underdark pocket, and follow the scent trail of the Dsp-Germans to Inp-Earth.

March, 2013: Preparations begin for a Dsp-German invasion of Inp-Germany; Dsp-German High Command delays the invasion of Poland by a year, arrogantly believing that it will take about that long to conquer and sufficiently integrate the forces and technology of what they see as a 'decadent and weak' Future Germany. In the 'Big Lizzie' pocket, docks are built on the 'south' tip of the main island, and on the islet that the Steampunk Earth portal is on, along with a small desalinization plant from Inp-Earth. Construction of a bridge between the two is planned, once enough people with money believe that it's real. On the Steampunk Earth side, a small outpost is constructed around the portal by folks from Nobles, Arizona. In the Underdark pocket, the path between the Dsp-German and Inp-German portals is believed to be fully secured, and a forward base is constructed in the caverns just before the Inp-German portal. Unknown to the Nazis, some of the native sophonts of the pocket are observing them. Dsp-German spies & saboteurs enter Inp-Germany, equipped with 'magic' ID cards (psychic paper) and other strange items; due to the high priority and difficulty of the mission, many are psychics or magicians, as well (though not powerful ones).

Done. Thoughts?

12-17-2022, 10:51 AM	#868
Prince Charon Join Date: Dec 2012	Re: Five Earths, All in a Row (Game-mechanically, knowing the Dark Tongue does not grant an Innate Attack or Affliction, any more than knowing how to mix poisons or throw a punch does. Growing up speaking a derivative or the original dialect (or being an infant too young to have a language) instead grants Immunity or Resistance to its effects: 'Immunity (Dark Tongue) [5]' for most, 'Resistant (Dark Tongue) +8 [2]' for a few distant languages, and 'Resistant (Dark Tongue) +3 [1] for early exposure without being a native speaker, or for a very distant related language. This is often paid for by disadvantages or quirks that are considered unpleasant or anti-social by outsiders, including but not limited to Bully, Callous, Intolerance, Sadism, or a Sense of Duty to Morgoth or another 'unholy' spirit/god. Goats and similar creatures have an odd Susceptibility to the Dark Tongue.) This pocket connects Dsp-Germany & Inp-Germany (in both cases through what appear to be caves in the Jura Mountains, on the German side near the Swiss border), and various others that will be revealed later. Some portals are buried or lost, others have yet to open. The two known portals are fairly close to each other within the pocket, but distant from areas that are controlled by the various 'native' sophonts; the nearest major native polities (that can be reached without making new tunnels) are a drow city called Vrexiarruen, and the great dwarven city of Khazad-dûm. A bit further away, there are a few goblin towns. Vague timeline: Infopunk 2012; also Dieselpunk 1938, Steampunk 1876, Clockpunk 1534, and Cyberpunk 2027 December, 2012: Dec. 21: Though nothing is noticed at the time beyond odd magnetic anomalies and minor seismographic readings, gateways to several pocket dimensions open on Modern Earth. Some atmospheric exchange occurs, spirits begin to explore, but not much else. Dec. 23: Satellites over Infopunk Earth find a new pair of small islands with a misty channel between them, in the South Pacific (the portal to the Skull Island pocket). The location is close to the epicentre of some of the seismographic readings from December 21. Dec. 27: Archeopterix filmed in Arizona on Infopunk Earth; it is widely believed to be a hoax. Infopunk 2013; also Dieselpunk 1939, Steampunk 1877, Clockpunk 1535, and Cyberpunk 2028 January, 2013: A 'mutant chicken' is captured in Arizona on Infopunk Earth, and found to be a velociraptor; the dinosaur's tracks are followed back to the cave that contains the portal (worryingly, larger tracks are also noted). Infopunk Earth expedition begins exploring 'the Lost World' ('Big Lizzie' pocket); an annex of the University of Arizona is to be opened nearby, including a physics lab. Inp-Australian expedition to Skull Island pocket begins. In various places on Inp-Earth, reports of psychic or otherwise 'spooky' phenomena gradually increase, though it will be quite some time before this becomes big enough to have a meaningful effect on society. Dsp-Germans encounter various strange creatures, which are eventually traced to an undiscovered cave on the German side of the Jura Mountains near the Swiss border. February, 2013: Inp-Australian expedition to Skull Island pocket photographs an apparent giant ape. Events of the 'GURPS Big Lizzie' adventure begin on Steampunk Earth. The NSDAP Office of Astrology determines that the mysterious caves are important enough that Hitler sends Waffen-SS troops to explore them; later in the month, they find a cave opening (actually a portal to modern Germany, a few miles away geographically), partially covered by rubble. Due to what might be called 'magically-assisted dead reckoning,' they believe that they should have come out on the Swiss side of the border. After clearing the rubble, spies dressed as hikers are sent to scout the area, but the information that they bring back is much stranger than expected; if they hadn't also brought back examples of local technology and books, they would not have been believed. First contact between Infopunk and Steampunk Earths occurs in the 'Big Lizzie' pocket. 'Big Lizzie' adventure concludes. Two vampires enter the Underdark pocket, and follow the scent trail of the Dsp-Germans to Inp-Earth. March, 2013: Preparations begin for a Dsp-German invasion of Inp-Germany; Dsp-German High Command delays the invasion of Poland by a year, arrogantly believing that it will take about that long to conquer and sufficiently integrate the forces and technology of what they see as a 'decadent and weak' Future Germany. In the 'Big Lizzie' pocket, docks are built on the 'south' tip of the main island, and on the islet that the Steampunk Earth portal is on, along with a small desalinization plant from Inp-Earth. Construction of a bridge between the two is planned, once enough people with money believe that it's real. On the Steampunk Earth side, a small outpost is constructed around the portal by folks from Nobles, Arizona. In the Underdark pocket, the path between the Dsp-German and Inp-German portals is believed to be fully secured, and a forward base is constructed in the caverns just before the Inp-German portal. Unknown to the Nazis, some of the native sophonts of the pocket are observing them. Dsp-German spies & saboteurs enter Inp-Germany, equipped with 'magic' ID cards (psychic paper) and other strange items; due to the high priority and difficulty of the mission, many are psychics or magicians, as well (though not powerful ones). Done. Thoughts? __________________ Warning, I have the Distractible and Imaginative quirks in real life. "The more corrupt a government, the more it legislates." -- Tacitus Five Earths, All in a Row. Updated 12/17/2022: Apocrypha: Bridges out of Time, Part I has been posted.