New Reality Seeds

[Astromancer]

Edison-4

The Edison worlds diverge with major changes in the life of Thomas Alva Edison. In this world( local year 1897), Edison has decided to work with Tesla instead of fighting him, totally averting the War of Currents. This world is somewhat technologically advanced over Homeline in 1897, the full effects have yet to be seen. But Homeline, Centrum, and the Cabal, are all looking elsewhere.

Wilfrid Lauier Canada's first great Prime Minister, (he's not as well remembered as he should be because other events got the lime light) was attacked by an assassin. Luckily, a Native Canadian delegation was visiting Lauier and thwarted the attack. But the would be assassin flew out the window to escape. Flying cyborgs hunting down Canadian PMs is not what you expect on a Q6 world.

Homeline sees the attack as something pulled off by a swagman trying to thwart the development of Canada. The Cabal sees an attack by Midwinter Aton against one of the WWII allies who punched above their weight. The removal of a strong Canada wouldn't win Hitler the war, but it would make life far harder for the allies. Centrum sees the attack as coming from an exotic world-jumper, probably based on Homeline but hostile to their government. Or perhaps (since Centrum sees Homeline as a fraud) a agent of Homeline's real government!

Basically, three groups of agents seeking the answers and trying not to be obvious in 1890's Ottawa.

[adm]

Canada punched above their weight class in both World Wars. Hurt them too much now, and the Kaiser might pull out a win, or at least a better peace.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by adm

Canada punched above their weight class in both World Wars. Hurt them too much now, and the Kaiser might pull out a win, or at least a better peace.

So a cyberpunk Rotwang ( see Metropolis, no really, it's a great film) could be behind the attack! Is Fredersen in on the attack?

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Try this one...

Magonia-1


This Q4 world is being closely watched by Homeline. In what they take to be around 780 BCE Aliens crash land on the Earth, near Rhodes in the Aegean. Homer's poems about the Aliens along with the Iliad and the Odyssey are centtral to Greek literature. The Aliens lost most of their equipment and technology in the Crash. But they had still transformed Greece.

The TL5 (think 1740's) Empire the Greeks and the aliens have built in the Mediterranean looks like it might conquer the world. However, other groups of the same species of Alien have landed in India, China, and Meso-america. It looks like a four way fight to rule the world is brewing. Greece, India, China, and the Toltecs, winner takes all. Meanwhile, are the aliens really rivals, or puppet masters?

(Catching up on the thread)

My first thought was that the aliens are bioroids sent by a much more alien species for "reasons".
Perhaps one faction wants to destroy humanity as too screwed up to be of use, while another suggests waiting. To speed the decisions along one group, possibly a third, sends these ships to see what humans do with power and knowledge.

[awesomenessofme1]

Here's an idea I had based on a game of Darkest Hour I played a while ago.

Chiang, 1940

Current Affairs: The war in Europe is in full swing as Japan struggles to subdue a strengthened China.

Divergence Point: 1935: The Long March undertaken by the Chinese Communists ends with the Communist forces being obliterated.

Worldine Data:
TL: 6/7 (borderline)
Quantum: 6
Centrum Zone: Orange
Mana Level: no mana
Infinity Class: P9

Though it did not remove the Communists as a group or as a threat, the failure of the Long March removed a significant portion of the party's present and future leadership, as well as dealing a morale and organizational blow. This allowed Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT breathing room to consolidate power and build up strength for an inevitable conflict with Japan. By the time the Japanese invasion began in 1937, the KMT and its allies had enough military strength to put up a strong defensive effort. They were still pushed back in many areas, but by the current day of March 1940, the bulk of China is still in their hands.

In the rest of the world, Chiang is still a close parallel. Some events in the leadup to WW2 happened a few days differently, but largely, things are the same as they were in Homeline's 1940. The most significant difference is the relationship between Germany and Japan, which is much cooler than historically. They are not hostile to each other in any way, but they are not friendly and it seems unlikely that Japan will be involved in the Axis. It is unknown whether this is a direct result of the events in China.

Outworld Operations

It does not seem that Chiang has been discovered yet by Centrum, or if it has, they are being uncharacteristically subtle. Few changes have been observed outside of China, and the ones in China don't seem to fit the Centrum M.O..

Infinity's operations on Chiang are limited. Near-parallels set during WW2 are dime-a-dozen. Their primary mission there is just to keep an eye out for any Centrum involvement and keep track of the very small amount of Homeline trade and tourism.

Apart from China, no Homeline nation cares much about Chiang, and even China doesn't do much about it.


Any feedback, advice, or questions would be welcome. I'm not too sure about the overall plausibility, because I had to make many changes to make it plausible. (In the actual game, I rolled up Japan in a year, and that would be ridiculous in real life. It is only a game, after all.)

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

The most significant difference is the relationship between Germany and Japan, which is much cooler than historically. They are not hostile to each other in any way, but they are not friendly and it seems unlikely that Japan will be involved in the Axis. It is unknown whether this is a direct result of the events in China.

. . .

I'm not too sure about the overall plausibility, because I had to make many changes to make it plausible.

The Japan-Germany element is readily achievable. Instead of Hiroshi Ōshima becoming the Japanese military attaché in Berlin in 1934, someone else is appointed, who does not become enamoured with Nazism. That means the Anti-Comintern Pact is never created, and Germany maintains its support for Nationalist China rather than switching to supporting Japan. That strengthens the Chinese government, although Germany will scale down its support after the defeat of the Chinese Communists, as its armament programme in Europe gathers speed.

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

In most worlds Edward VIII was merely unsuited to the job of king and his choice of a wife simply sealed the deal. On Simpson Edward was a cool calculating scoundrel who hated democracy. The mysterious early deaths of George V and his brother's wife and daughters is beginning to be seen as the acts of a cunning serial killer on Homeline. Although there are those who suggest the sudden deaths perhaps warped Edward.

Still, the personal alliance between Edward and Oswald Mosley has, in this world, turned Britain Fascist. It should be noted that both men are far more capable and cunning than their Homeline counterparts ever were.

Meanwhile, in Germany, a minor Bavarian political party attempted a Putsch. The leader died in the fighting but it acted as a warning call to the nation's elites. Either make a deal with the Left, or be at the mercy of the Right. Lucky for Germany a woman thought dead showed back up having spent years recuperating from violent injuries in the German Revolution of 1918-1919. Yes Red Rosa was here to save Germany. She knew she couldn't get the Socialism she wanted, but she got a socialism that worked for a broad alliance of Germans.

It's now 1940. Progressive Democratic Socialist Germany, now allied with France and an untrustworthy Russia (Rosa and Stalin loath each other, but make nice in public) against the Axis powers of Britain, Italy, and Japan. Canada has proclaimed independence and America is supporting them. Australia and New Zealand, terrified of both Japan and the horrible transformations of Britain bide their time praying for an opportunity to survive. India is roiling with riots and bloodshed since Gandhi's assassination. Luckily B. R. Ambedkar has risen up to lead the fight for justice.China is in the same hell they were in Homelin's history. Ireland's people have been made to flee their Island (although many are in mysterious camps) many Welsh, Cornish, and Scots, also flee as do the Jews, and others called Mud-People.

Basically, WWII with the roles of Britain and Germany switched. This would be a deadlier WWII. The British Navy means that Japan and Britain can work together as Germany and Japan never could or really wanted to.

This is meant to be a Q6 low manna world. Homeline is lining up with the USA, Canada, Germany, and France. Stalin is working to to deal with Japanese threats and might stay out of the war between "the Imperialists." Centrum dislikes this Britain, and is seeking to grab influence in the USA and Canada. The Cabal is simply in it for the mystic lore and magical relics, and those are mainly in Egypt and Southwest Asia.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

In most worlds Edward VIII was merely unsuited to the job of king and his choice of a wife simply sealed the deal. On Simpson Edward was a cool calculating scoundrel who hated democracy. The mysterious early deaths of George V and his brother's wife and daughters is beginning to be seen as the acts of a cunning serial killer on Homeline. Although there are those who suggest the sudden deaths perhaps warped Edward.

Your phrasing is confusing. Did Edward VIII actually abdicate, and then return to the throne? Or did his brother die before Edward's abdication? If the latter, there's a plentiful supply of heirs, starting with two more brothers and a sister, so this would not abort the abdication.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Your phrasing is confusing. Did Edward VIII actually abdicate, and then return to the throne? Or did his brother die before Edward's abdication? If the latter, there's a plentiful supply of heirs, starting with two more brothers and a sister, so this would not abort the abdication.

Sorry, George V died early under what seem like mysterious circumstances to Homeline. Also Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and her daughters. All around 1930.

This Edward VIII is a monster, a distinctly different person than Homeline's Edward VIII. Homeline notices that Wallis Simpson seems to be a political powerhouse in this world too and Lady Mosley is one of her's and Edward's best allies.

It's a moral reversal world with nasty millitary problems for the Allies.

Did that help.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

This is meant to be a Q6 low manna world. Homeline is lining up with the USA, Canada, Germany, and France. Stalin is working to to deal with Japanese threats and might stay out of the war between "the Imperialists." Centrum dislikes this Britain, and is seeking to grab influence in the USA and Canada. The Cabal is simply in it for the mystic lore and magical relics, and those are mainly in Egypt and Southwest Asia.

Why would Centrum dislike that Britain? It seems pretty well set up to unify the world under an English-speaking dictatorship that would be easily co-opted. Remember, they didn't really get why Homeline has such a problem with Nazi Germany.